The Metroid franchise is getting a new installment this year. It’s not the upcoming installment to Metroid Prime that we’ve been waiting on for the past few years. However, it’s a new side-scrolling release. For fans that have enjoyed the franchise in the past, this latest installment is likely one you won’t want to miss out on playing. Metroid Dread will close out the main Metroid arc.
Metroid Dread is a game that takes place after the events of 2002’s Metroid Fusion. If you don’t recall that game, the narrative was based around X parasites and the planet SR388. At the time, it was believed that the parasites along with the planet were completely demolished. However, at the end of the game, it was discovered that more parasites were alive on the planet ZDR. This prompted the Galactic Federation to send out Extraplanetary Multiform Mobile Identifier robots, or otherwise known as EMMI’s.
These robots were to study the planet, but upon arrival, their signals vanished. That’s when Samus was sent in to figure out what’s going on. Unfortunately, the robots have turned on Samus and will begin hunting her down. One of the new elements of the game is stealth, as EMMI’s are indestructible. Samus can cover up her noise along with using a Phantom Cloak. Of course, using these measures will cause players to roam slowly.
This trailer looks like you’ll get a small peak at the opening moments of the game before it’s quickly cut. Fortunately, we don’t have long to wait before we’re able to dive into this game. Currently, Metroid Dread is releasing on October 8, 2021, for the Nintendo Switch platform. We also know that Metroid Prime 4 is still being developed, but we haven’t heard anything new on that title since development restarted in 2019.