Metroid Dread looks to be a good old-school slice of space bounty-hunting fun, but just how deep can we expect the game’s story to go? How does it tie in with past entries in the series? Well, a new trailer, seemingly taken from Metroid Dread’s intro, begins to answer those questions.
Metroid Dread continues directly from the events of Metroid Fusion, as the last remnants of the X Parasite have been discovered on a new planet. Seven powerful E.M.M.I. androids were sent to retrieve it, but they never returned, so it’s up to Samus to save the day yet again. Check out the trailer for yourself, below.
Intriguing stuff! Between this and its last trailer, it seems Metroid Dread is spinning a more complex tale than you might expect. A new Nintendo blog post sheds some new light on Samus’ abilities in Metroid Dread (with more info yet to come no doubt)…
Samus lost her family as a young child after a devastating attack by the Space Pirates. The Chozo took young Samus under their wing and raised her on planet Zebes. She received a DNA transplant from this bird-like species that altered her physiology and allowed her to adapt to this harsh new environment. Before striking out on her own, Samus was once enlisted in and trained by the Galactic Federation Army. The true identity of the face under her helmet remains shrouded in mystery across the galaxy.
Arm Cannon
Beam Attacks
The beam attack is Samus’ go-to offensive ability. Upgrades modify its power and properties, like increasing spread or adding other functions. One such functional upgrade is the Grapple Beam, which lends it a rope-like quality that makes the Arm Cannon capable of connecting to specific points. Once connected, Samus can tow objects or swing herself to otherwise unreachable parts of the environment.
Missiles
Unlike the endless wave of beam blasts at her disposal, Samus has a capacity limit for this compact yet powerful heavy weapon. It, too, can be enhanced with ability upgrades. Samus can increase her missile capacity—thus being able to hold more—by acquiring Missile Tanks and Missile+ Tanks scattered throughout the world. Search with diligence!
Actions and Abilities
Melee Counter
This action creates an opportunity for Samus to stun an enemy by striking it right as it’s about to attack. If successful, the stunned enemy is then open to getting hit with a powerful follow-up attack. Samus can Dash Counter while running, too.
Morph Ball
Samus can pass through narrow passages by sliding—or by curling up into Morph Ball form. The player can drop Samus into Morph Ball form by tilting the Left Control Stick down while crouching—effectively, the same way it’s always been done in the 2D Metroid series—and now also by simply pressing the ZL Button. Samus will also automatically take Morph Ball form when jumping into an elevated tunnel.
Jumps
Samus’ unparalleled physical abilities elevate her jump actions to another level. One such action is wall jumping, where she can jump up and kick off against a wall to climb even higher. Her jumping capabilities can also be enhanced via ability upgrades. For example, the new Spin Boost ability allows Samus to jump a second time while spinning through the air.
Aeion Abilities
Samus can tap into a special, mystical energy called Aeion to temporarily use certain abilities. One is Phantom Cloak, which blankets her in an optical camouflage to render her invisible. Using this while standing still will deplete her reserve of Aeion Energy — she can also move while camouflaged, but it costs a greater amount of Aeion Energy. When not in use, her reserve automatically regenerates over time.
Power Suit
The Power Suit that Samus wears is based on Chozo technology and was created specifically for her. Incorporating ability upgrades can expand the functionality of the Power Suit’s performance and the Arm Cannon’s functions. In addition to the Power Suit’s built-in defenses, Samus can increase its Energy—and thus its capacity to withstand damage—by acquiring two kinds of Energy Tank items. Standard Energy Tanks increase her suit’s Energy by 100 each. She can also collect four Energy Parts to reconstruct the same functionality as a standard Energy Tank.
Immunity to the X Parasite
The Metroid were created to be the natural enemy of the X parasite. By receiving an emergency dose of the “Metroid vaccine”—created from a cell culture previously sourced from the Metroid hatchling—Samus became the only living creature who cannot be harmed by the X parasite. Because of her immunity, Samus alone is dispatched to planet ZDR to investigate the possible presence of the X parasite, a lifeform thought to have been eradicated.
Metroid Dread launches on Nintendo Switch on October 8th.
