Metroid Dread

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Araxen

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I can't remember the last time I've pirated a game tbh. If I feel the game is worth the money, I'll buy it. Sadly I didn't buy this one because it's 900p, and only about 10 hours of gameplay apparently. I'll wait for a sale even though with Nintendo games that may be a long time away.
 
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Rajaah

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I can't remember the last time I've pirated a game tbh. If I feel the game is worth the money, I'll buy it. Sadly I didn't buy this one because it's 900p, and only about 10 hours of gameplay apparently. I'll wait for a sale even though with Nintendo games that may be a long time away.

I'd just get it if you're a Metroid fan. What I do is sell games that I'm done with, or won't play again for a long time. So if I buy something like this new, it's with the knowledge that I'll get back 90% of what I spent on it in a few weeks. It could have an MSRP of $120 and it wouldn't matter. I started doing this in 2010 and was able to buy/play a lot more stuff after that. Selling is SUPER easy on Amazon...or was, I don't know about now because I switched to Ebay after I kept getting prevented from listing PS5 games on Amazon for some reason. List it, when it sells drop it in a packing envelope and mail it. Back in the day when I played more short games, I'd generally sell things in groups, 3-4 games at a time, to make the post office trips worthwhile.

In any case, I don't think this will go on sale for years, but you could play it for like $10 now (factoring in shipping costs/depreciation) if you want. There's also Gamefly and stuff like that, I hear. I miss Redbox, wonder what happened to all of them.
 

Falstaff

Ahn'Qiraj Raider
8,311
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I'd just get it if you're a Metroid fan. What I do is sell games that I'm done with, or won't play again for a long time. So if I buy something like this new, it's with the knowledge that I'll get back 90% of what I spent on it in a few weeks. It could have an MSRP of $120 and it wouldn't matter. I started doing this in 2010 and was able to buy/play a lot more stuff after that. Selling is SUPER easy on Amazon...or was, I don't know about now because I switched to Ebay after I kept getting prevented from listing PS5 games on Amazon for some reason. List it, when it sells drop it in a packing envelope and mail it. Back in the day when I played more short games, I'd generally sell things in groups, 3-4 games at a time, to make the post office trips worthwhile.

In any case, I don't think this will go on sale for years, but you could play it for like $10 now (factoring in shipping costs/depreciation) if you want. There's also Gamefly and stuff like that, I hear. I miss Redbox, wonder what happened to all of them.
Redbox still exists, there is one at the Walgreens by my house and one at a grocery store. I did love that for video games too, rent it over a weekend for $5, play it far too much and beat it.

Never mind, I just went to their website and it doesn't look like they rent games any longer.
 

Janx

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I bet Dread's sales will be half of what they should have been, in part because of Kotaku and PC Gamer doing this shit.

Video is ReviewTechUSA, not Kotaku
I don't think it will do much for their sales. About like hacked switches. People are dumb and installing the emu, finding the firmware, finding the prod keys, putting them into the correct folders and then finding the rom. Let alone having a PC thats worth a shit that can actually run the emu at decent speeds.
 

LiquidDeath

Magnus Deadlift the Fucktiger
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So now that I have played almost to the end, I think I dislike this game. It is just full of everything that is bad about Metroidvanian's in general.

The biggest issue, though, is it is completely on rails. There is no legitimate exploration to be done, it is entirely force-fed to you. The level design is shit, not just because backtracking takes forever but also because it doesn't feel like a real world at all. It just feels like a lot of POIs casually linked by teleporters.

The EMMI fights are fucking terrible. They are repetitive, boring, and worst of all they get more infuriating as the game progressive. Oh hey, this one freezes you. Oh, the next one sees through terrain and fucking stuns you. It is all just ridiculous and the cloak-based counterplay is non-existent. You end up just running as fast as possible anyways.

I can't tell you how much the spin boost is fucking shit. The fact that there is a window inside a high-enough jump as opposed to just being a normal double-jump like in Super Metroid is so infuriating that I almost stopped playing. When a mechanic that you introduced in a game 28 years ago feels better in that game then in this one, you know you really fucked up.

This is not a good game. The graphics and story make it about a 6 to 6.5, but everything else is so inferior to Ori and Hollow Knight, shit even to Super Metroid and Zero Mission, that it feels like a slog instead of being a fun experience.
 
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k^M

Blackwing Lair Raider
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You know, I'd probably give it another 1 or 1.5 score if the final power up (which isn't necessary, just QOL) was something where you could trigger speed running without needing 1.5 screens of run distance. Shit make it so you have to absorb a super power bomb and it triggers energy burst or however you want to do it. Throw in another xray vision upgrade thats passive instead of having to charge/trigger it. One that makes rockets cost 3x as much but it is now a homing missile (without having to charge them).

Lots of obscure not-needed-to-complete side grades they could have put in that'd do nothing but provide quality for exploration. Even an upgrade that would allow you to teleport yourself TO any TP platform you've found, without having to go RUN to the A or B side would have been huge.
 

Nirgon

YOU HAVE NO POWER HERE
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Ended up getting it and played for about an hour so far. I like it

edit - about 6 hours in now and best metroid ive played since super metroid. no complaints

Like, this is all they have to do making games. Give us what we want, read the fucking source and not pretend to know better.

Red shirt guy and the when's classic guy (Prexus bless and protect him) was a savage blow to these egotistical retards in development out there, even if they try to play it off as something cute. They *don't know what they are doing* and think they're gods gift to the future of gaming
 

LiquidDeath

Magnus Deadlift the Fucktiger
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And another fucking stupid ass thing.

Why is so much of this game under water without the gravity suit? No one in the history of Metroid said "Man, I wish I could solve more puzzles and run from unkillable enemies in the slow ass water".

These devs really fucked this up.
 
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Runnen

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And another fucking stupid ass thing.

Why is so much of this game under water without the gravity suit? No one in the history of Metroid said "Man, I wish I could solve more puzzles and run from unkillable enemies in the slow ass water".

These devs really fucked this up.

I finished the game today, and while I remember having a few sequences underwater before finding the gravity suit, none of them were too bothersome since you can use your stealth ability to sneak past every E.M.M.I., and the underwater sections all have little spaces where you can squeeze into to hide even better.

I thought the game was fantastic, the only annoying thing but it's very optional is some of the shinespark "puzzles" are waaay tight on the timer or tricky on the maneuvers needed to get through them.

Overall I highly recommend it. Finishing it took me 15 hours and some, but I tried to explore everything and find all the collectibles (ended up with only 94% though because I really wanted to see the ending).
 
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Rajaah

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Any insights on the final boss? Tried it a bunch this evening, got murdered. I wish I could re-configure the dash/blink ability to a shoulder button instead of A, so awkward to use.
 

Runnen

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Any insights on the final boss? Tried it a bunch this evening, got murdered. I wish I could re-configure the dash/blink ability to a shoulder button instead of A, so awkward to use.

Yeah it's a tough boss.

For the first phase, spam him with missiles or regular beam shots as much as you can and don't let yourself get cornered against walls by his 3-strikes melee attack, spin jump above and behind him to get free when he does it.

He'll sometimes shoot a laser up in the sky, get close to him before the laser comes back down in a massive attack that strikes everywhere but near him.

He'll sometimes do another beam attack that strikes everywhere except low to the ground, so duck and prepare for a melee counter he does right after that.

When he charges up his gun and releases a big glowy purple energy ball, charge up your Power Bomb and detonate it to break the big purple ball to get some get health and ammo.

Whenever he tries to melee you and you get a counter "click" noise, try your best to counter it and that's your cue to spam missiles during the cutscene.

After the first time you block him, he gets armor that prevents all damage but he'll use his melee attack and you can block him again to end Phase 1.

Depending on how much damage you did prior to the block cutscene, you'll get to spam missiles right up until he switches to phase 2, or you'll have to do some more of the phase 1 strategy until you block him again.

In phase 2, he grows wings and flies above you in the room. He gets several new attacks.

He'll fly low and into a wall, it does pretty significant damage unless you slide under him but he's quick so it takes some getting used to.

He'll fly above you and crash down vertically, phase shift away from him and blast him.

He'll hover around the room and charge up his gun, leading to two possible attacks : a huge diagonal blast, that's a good chance for you to spam him with missiles or beam shots. Or a gatling type of beam spam that'll circle around the room, so just spin jump up and around the boss, he'll sometimes do a couple full circles so don't stop too early.

Once you damage him enough, you'll get into Phase 3 where he's back on the ground.

In Phase 3, he'll have his usual attacks from Phase 1 but also sometimes release a huge sun-like ball that'll constantly send damage waves until destroyed, so again use your Power Bomb as soon as you see it, and you'll get some ammo and health.

He's a bit quicker than Phase 1 I felt, but the attacks are mostly the same, damage him until you get a cutscene for another TWO counters in a row (he'll raise his hand as if to bitchslap Samus in the first block).

If you spam him enough, the fight ends there and you'lll get a cinematic. After the cinematic, you'll have another short interactive cutscene where you just need to power up and spam your new beam attack against the new form of the boss and then you have to escape from the planet before it goes boom. The escape isn't as straightforward as Super Metroid, but remember to spam your new beam attack everywhere to destroy walls or other obstacles that don't even look destructible in the first place, and make your way to your ship for the final cutscene.
 
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Runnen

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Even an upgrade that would allow you to teleport yourself TO any TP platform you've found, without having to go RUN to the A or B side would have been huge.

That's exactly what happens in the game. Once you have unlocked/used all the teleports, you can then teleport to any other teleport regardless of color/pairing.

[EDIT] Nevermind, I see you meant teleport from anywhere, not just from platform to platform.. I don't think that's ever happened in a Metroid game though, running around is kind of a staple of the genre.

I'm not targetting you specifically when I say that, but a lot of complaints I'm reading on gameplay (not game preferences as that's just opinion and taste) are from people that clearly missed some interface clue or straight up explaination in the game to do X or Y. I saw a bunch of people online that completely missed the fast travel teleport network that opens once you find all of them, yet claim they did everything 100%..

Heck I'm even guilty of it myself to an extent, I complained in my short review that some of the shinespark puzzles were too hard but I later found out there was a much easier way to do it that I just didn't even think to try.
 
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Gankak

Vyemm Raider
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Any insights on the final boss? Tried it a bunch this evening, got murdered. I wish I could re-configure the dash/blink ability to a shoulder button instead of A, so awkward to use.

Im not sure if you can on the normal controller but if you using a pro controller you CAN remap buttons in the console itself. One of the speedrunners I watch has done so for this game to remap controls.
 
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k^M

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That's exactly what happens in the game. Once you have unlocked/used all the teleports, you can then teleport to any other teleport regardless of color/pairing.
If that's the case that'd be news to me, I had found/used all the teleport platforms but it'd only ever ask me if I wanted to TP to that specific pairs other half, if I said no it'd take me back to the overworld. Either I missed one or that interface never led me to believe you could choose
 

LiquidDeath

Magnus Deadlift the Fucktiger
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That's exactly what happens in the game. Once you have unlocked/used all the teleports, you can then teleport to any other teleport regardless of color/pairing.

[EDIT] Nevermind, I see you meant teleport from anywhere, not just from platform to platform.. I don't think that's ever happened in a Metroid game though, running around is kind of a staple of the genre.

I'm not targetting you specifically when I say that, but a lot of complaints I'm reading on gameplay (not game preferences as that's just opinion and taste) are from people that clearly missed some interface clue or straight up explaination in the game to do X or Y. I saw a bunch of people online that completely missed the fast travel teleport network that opens once you find all of them, yet claim they did everything 100%..

Heck I'm even guilty of it myself to an extent, I complained in my short review that some of the shinespark puzzles were too hard but I later found out there was a much easier way to do it that I just didn't even think to try.

I disagree with this entirely. I'm glad you loved the game, but I find it needlessly tedious in so many places that I can't stand it. Again, my biggest problem with the game is it is completely on rails. It is clearly inferior to Hollow Knight, and even Super Metroid, in this regard. It is similar to Ori, but Ori's level design is so good that Metroid Dread feels dreadfully tedious in comparison. Also, the teleporters are awful. They are clearly a crib for lazy level design. If they had taken the time to make a well-constructed, interwoven set of levels and objectives then the teleporters wouldn't be necessary.
 
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Runnen

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If that's the case that'd be news to me, I had found/used all the teleport platforms but it'd only ever ask me if I wanted to TP to that specific pairs other half, if I said no it'd take me back to the overworld. Either I missed one or that interface never led me to believe you could choose

I can confirm it works, but only if you use all the teleport platforms, back and forth, at least once. I got a prompt screen that said "All teleporters unlocked" or something and from then on you can just enter any teleport and when on the map screen you can select which platform to teleport to.
 

Runnen

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I disagree with this entirely. I'm glad you loved the game, but I find it needlessly tedious in so many places that I can't stand it. Again, my biggest problem with the game is it is completely on rails. It is clearly inferior to Hollow Knight, and even Super Metroid, in this regard. It is similar to Ori, but Ori's level design is so good that Metroid Dread feels dreadfully tedious in comparison. Also, the teleporters are awful. They are clearly a crib for lazy level design. If they had taken the time to make a well-constructed, interwoven set of levels and objectives then the teleporters wouldn't be necessary.

We don't agree on everything about this game for sure, but I must admit that the incredible Ori games are a tough act to follow, even for the mother of the genre that is Samus. Metroid Dread is definitely more formulaic because it clings to its roots and Nintendo is generally attached to keeping some elements in its games that feel outdated out of respect for their franchises (while also adding useless gimmicks in a lot of their franchises that serve no purpose except "Look it's a new thing!").

I would say I too felt that the game was on rails early on because you're so limited on your exploration options by the lack of abilities that you only have one way to go really, but once you get a few more upgrades I thought the game really opened up, and I enjoy finding all the hidden nooks and cranies and the collectibles, so that dissipated that feeling for me.

I enjoyed Metroid Dread, probably more than Hollow Knight because I enjoy the Metroid universe more (and Hollow Knight is so dark and bleary that it makes the Metroidverse look cheerful), but if I had to compare it to the Ori games they are clearly superior.

However I'll say it again, if you're a fan of the genre or of Metroid, it's definitely worth a playthrough.
 
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LiquidDeath

Magnus Deadlift the Fucktiger
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There are just so many indefensible things about this game.

Why do you have to ride the elevator back up on every attempt at the last boss? Clearly it was designed to take a large number of attempts, so this is just fantastically poor design. I just can't fathom how something like that makes it into the game after design and testing.
 
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k^M

Blackwing Lair Raider
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There are just so many indefensible things about this game.

Why do you have to ride the elevator back up on every attempt at the last boss? Clearly it was designed to take a large number of attempts, so this is just fantastically poor design. I just can't fathom how something like that makes it into the game after design and testing.
Immersion.

I would agree it's absolutely worth a play through for anyone who likes metroid/vania style games. I would say though nothing about it makes it feel worth $60, if it weren't for the fact nintendo rarely (if ever?) discounts their main IP's I'd say wait for it to go on sale for half off but that'll never happen. Buy a hard copy and resell it after you get your 10-15 hours worth.

Thinking about how it compares to other things I'm drawn to a game like Ori (both of them), within the first 5 minutes it kicks you so hard in the feels that you are devestated/want to see the rest of the world. Pretty interesting that hardly any games successfully accomplish that, this one having zero memorable cutscenes to me.
 
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Rajaah

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Immersion.

I would agree it's absolutely worth a play through for anyone who likes metroid/vania style games. I would say though nothing about it makes it feel worth $60, if it weren't for the fact nintendo rarely (if ever?) discounts their main IP's I'd say wait for it to go on sale for half off but that'll never happen. Buy a hard copy and resell it after you get your 10-15 hours worth.

Thinking about how it compares to other things I'm drawn to a game like Ori (both of them), within the first 5 minutes it kicks you so hard in the feels that you are devestated/want to see the rest of the world. Pretty interesting that hardly any games successfully accomplish that, this one having zero memorable cutscenes to me.

Agreed. Dread gives away all of the major plot points in two particular cutscenes (when you meet the scientist guy, and when you arrive at the final boss). Rather than having the story slowly unravel as you go, they just dump exposition at those two points. It's a bit like how the teleporters are a crutch for the world design not being as well-done as it could have been.

There are just so many indefensible things about this game.

Why do you have to ride the elevator back up on every attempt at the last boss? Clearly it was designed to take a large number of attempts, so this is just fantastically poor design. I just can't fathom how something like that makes it into the game after design and testing.

The same thing happens in Demon's Souls, a big elevator ride right before the last boss. I look at it as giving you a moment to mentally re-prepare to fight.

I still haven't beaten the final boss, but I also haven't tried since my earlier post. I took a few unserious whacks at it before that. I'm prepared to spend my entire Sunday afternoon dying to that guy until I get the game done, though, mainly so I can put it in the rearview mirror. Typically when I finish a Metroid game I can't wait to start it over and go for 100% or speedrun or whatnot. This is the first Metroid game ever that I don't feel like replaying (besides side-games like Other M and Hunters).

We don't agree on everything about this game for sure, but I must admit that the incredible Ori games are a tough act to follow, even for the mother of the genre that is Samus. Metroid Dread is definitely more formulaic because it clings to its roots and Nintendo is generally attached to keeping some elements in its games that feel outdated out of respect for their franchises (while also adding useless gimmicks in a lot of their franchises that serve no purpose except "Look it's a new thing!").

I would say I too felt that the game was on rails early on because you're so limited on your exploration options by the lack of abilities that you only have one way to go really, but once you get a few more upgrades I thought the game really opened up, and I enjoy finding all the hidden nooks and cranies and the collectibles, so that dissipated that feeling for me.

I enjoyed Metroid Dread, probably more than Hollow Knight because I enjoy the Metroid universe more (and Hollow Knight is so dark and bleary that it makes the Metroidverse look cheerful), but if I had to compare it to the Ori games they are clearly superior.

However I'll say it again, if you're a fan of the genre or of Metroid, it's definitely worth a playthrough.

Believe or not despite being a massive Metroid fan I've never played the Oris, or Hollow Knight. From what I've heard HK is very long/difficult, but I could probably swing the Oris some time soon since they're more like standard Metroid length/difficulty. I'd like to do that to be able to compare them to Dread.
 
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