If you’ve been in the gaming space long enough, you know that there are “traditions” that are held in certain franchises that continue on for as long as possible. It’s true that, eventually, these traditions change, but it takes a while or requires a catalyst to force them to change. For example, 2D-style games were the norm until technology allowed things to go 3D, which changed almost every gaming franchise rather quickly. Other traditions, however, are tied deep into the lore and style of the series. Take Metroid Dread, for example. The game played to both the past and future, including doing the familiar “setup” for Samus Aran.
By that, we speak about how, like in most games starring her, she goes to a new world only to lose all of the special armor and equipment that she had upon arriving there. By doing so, she’s left with bare-bones weapons and protection and has to work her way through the new world to try to find new stuff to use and get out alive.
If you wonder why developers like MercurySteam, who made Metroid Dread, keep doing this setup, it’s because they feel it’s necessary. One of the team talked with Game Reactor recently and said this on the matter:
“In the case of Metroids, yes, it has to be like that. You can’t start the game without losing things. It’s mandatory. Otherwise, I think you would be disappointed. It’s like, what? You get everything from the beginning? It can’t be!”
And that’s why they make it so it literally “can’t be.” Jokes aside, there is one serious benefit to doing this outside of resetting Samus back to zero. That benefit is that it often helps the story or tells a key part of the story when Samus goes in ready for war and yet is soon left with almost nothing. In the latest game, she doesn’t know how she lost her armor and gear and thus starts looking for answers as she works her way through the new world.
Another time, she lost her stuff because of an alien infection, which led to the birth of her “Fusion Suit,” and you can keep going from there.
Plus, stripping Samus of her weapons also allows for new ones to take their place. So while it is repetitive, it does get the job done, and we don’t expect it to change anytime soon.
As for when the next game in Samus’ series arrives, we’ll have to wait and see.
