Metroid Dread

chrislad · 13-10-2021 12:39pm

I'm about an hour or so into it, and it's fine. I can honestly say, despite loving Metroid for years, that it's been surpassed. It's fun, and it's a great game, but Hollow Knight has totally spoiled me. I consider that to be this genres masterpiece, and this is not the same standard as that (lofty as that standard is, it does mean that Dread is not a fantastic game, it's just missing a certain je ne sais quoi thus far)

Suckit · 13-10-2021 1:11pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118013263#Comment_118013263

I got a phone call there to say it's in, and I'll get a free mousemat and poster with it..

SuperBowserWorld · 13-10-2021 1:22pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118013382#Comment_118013382

I found Hollow Knight to be depressing and hard.

Ori and the will of the wisps was absolutely brilliant though.

Got them for a tenner each :) :) :)

But, I can't wait to play Metroid Dread.

skerry · 13-10-2021 2:18pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118013572#Comment_118013572

No mention of freebies on the phone for me but will suss them out in store. In fairness they should give something, 5 days late on a pre order is fairly poor

johnny_ultimate · 13-10-2021 2:40pm

It's a good, solid Metroid game based on what I've played so far (just got the morph ball). I think it's hard to get particularly thrilled about it given I've played so many games of its type, but it's satisfying comfort food gaming and a perfectly solid follow-up to its predecessors..

One thing I really like is the speed of the thing. Samus absolutely zips along.

One thing I really dislike is when the parrying becomes a quick time event. Timing feels a bit off for me when I'm asked to do it in a short cutscene during a boss battle, whereas feels most generous and satisfying against standard enemies. It’s a shame because the bosses are highlights otherwise.

CiDeRmAn · 13-10-2021 3:55pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118013305#Comment_118013305

Pretty much, thank you for making my point even clearer!

Star Lord · 13-10-2021 3:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118014377#Comment_118014377

Hate that I can't selectively quote... but...

The 'quick time parry' - Other than when the game pauses on the first EMMI encounter to tell you about this and the tight window for it, I've only experienced it once, when I was fighting

the Chozo robot (Torizo anyone?)

Unless there's more of them to come.. but yes, it was a little annoying when it cuts to what seems to be a short cut-scene, then throws those at you is a bit cheap.

On the comparisons to Hollow Knight, I'd say that I actually felt the opposite. Hollow Knight felt like a decent tribute to the Metroid/Castlevania games, but not really quite up to their standard, and it didn't hold my attention as much.

In that, I feel that Metroid Dread has captured that much better than Mercury Stream's previous effort in Samus Returns, which felt like a good tribute to the games, whereas AM2R felt like the real update to Metroid 2. Dread does feel like it's worthy of it's place in the timeline.

chrislad · 13-10-2021 4:49pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118013636#Comment_118013636

I agree about the hard part, not necessarily the depressing part - sure, it was dark and dreary, but I never found it overbearing. The controls were tight, the enemies were great, and the bosses were tough, but challenging (though the post game and extra DLC is just crazy - I had to glitch invincible myself to finish those off!)

Grassey · 14-10-2021 8:53am

Unless there's more of them to come.. but yes, it was a little annoying when it cuts to what seems to be a short cut-scene, then throws those at you is a bit cheap.

I've only pulled it off 3 or 4 times against EMMI (and died way way more)...

But...

Yes, the quick time blocks pop up more frequently, there are several more chozo-bots with the spears that you need the parry to finish them off with once energy is depleted enough.

sligeach · 14-10-2021 1:16pm

Metroid Dread: Best debut for the series in Japan

https://www.aroged.com/2021/10/14/metroid-dread-best-debut-for-the-series-in-japan/

Suckit · 14-10-2021 1:20pm

I'm going to collect my copy shortly, I am taking a late lunch. Should I expect a fanfare when I get there or is this excitement limited to me?

SuperBowserWorld · 14-10-2021 1:44pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118019106#Comment_118019106

My order from Smyths yesterday just arrived.

Excitement over now!

Next Step: play the game or put on the backlog

😀

johnny_ultimate · 14-10-2021 4:44pm

Rest / sleep mode: good feature for a console.

Rest / sleep mode when it means you miss the iconic Metroid save station theme when you boot up the game: bad feature for a console.

brady12 · 14-10-2021 5:13pm

how hard is this game ? metroid noob and tempted try it but don't know would i have the patience ! but keep hearing great things .

Suckit · 14-10-2021 5:40pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118014157#Comment_118014157

I collected it today, the guy serving me said that the mousemat and poster are only for limited edition, I told him that I was told it when they rang yesterday. He contacted somebody and confirmed I was correct. The receipt says that they are worth €4.99 each. I genuinely wouldn't pay 10cents for both. Poster is an A3 page folded in half twice, and the mousemat is one of the really really thin plastic mats. I am 100% sure both would have been given away free with a magazine had this been the 90's or 00's. Poster would pull out or be wrapped in plastic with magazine, and I'm pretty sure I got a load of those mousemats free with different designs on them.

skerry · 14-10-2021 9:45pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118020795#Comment_118020795

Collected mine today and he bagged up the poster and mouse mat without me mentioning it. Lack of consistency among Gamestops nothing new I guess. Playing game now though and enjoying it so far. Movement is super smooth

Thargor · 14-10-2021 10:11pm

Going against the grain here but I think this is complete sh1te, Super Metroid and Metroid Fusion are two of my fav games of all time but Dread feels like 10 years ago when a game was moderately successful on Android and it would get ported to other systems but would always feel wrong. It has none of the slickness of past games. Its all clunky and slow, the quick time events in combat just make it feel like a smartphone port as I said, not enjoying it at all and this is the game I was most looking forward to apart from Breath of the Wild 2.

johnny_ultimate · 14-10-2021 10:21pm

A fair bit in now - just hit a major mid-game story cutscene - and it’s really picked up in terms of navigation and skills. Not that it was boring beforehand or anything, but they’ve been dishing out new upgrades with giddy abandon for the last hour or two and I’m definitely on board with that :)

One minor complaint is that the map screen feels a little busy maybe? Lots and lots of icons and info, can make parsing the vital info a little tricky. But the design in game is excellent for the most part - the game has constantly been guiding me in the right direction, while making it feel like I’m discovering all the paths for myself. Some very cleverly placed teleports and elevators clearly aimed at pointing you in the right direction.

pixelburp · 15-10-2021 2:20pm

Did anyone buy this from the UK Nintendo store? I can only select UK as the country while my Irish postcode/phone is rejected as invalid (bit annoying either way given it's a digital purchase). Are you all physical disc buyers - or where are you getting the digital version?

SuperBowserWorld · 15-10-2021 4:34pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118023963#Comment_118023963

It's 50 quid delivered physical from Smyths. Or less, pick up in Argos. Why bother with a digital download that'll cost more and you can never sell, trade, share? I ordered from Smyths and got the cartridge the next day.

pixelburp · 15-10-2021 4:37pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118024742#Comment_118024742

I don't trade games, and the only physical copies I have are a couple of 1st party titles. Swapping carts is a pain in the àss; I got the Switch precisely for the convenience of digital downloads so I can pick it up and just play.

xckjoo · 15-10-2021 4:47pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118024761#Comment_118024761

Did you try it through the Store on the Switch itself?

pixelburp · 15-10-2021 5:08pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118024815#Comment_118024815

🤦 In my defense I'm running a fever and laid up passing the time. Of course that works fine; am used to browsing / buying via the Mac/phone cos it's easier day to day.

Star Lord · 15-10-2021 5:50pm

I was able to purchase through the Nintendo website and have it download to my switch automatically a few times.

You could check if that works for you here:

https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch/Metroid-Dread-1987653.html

CastorTroy · 15-10-2021 10:58pm

Started playing this last night. I'm now at (late game spoilers)

Just got my Gravity suit

Really liking it, though I do keep getting buttons mixed up.

I'm really bad at countering some enemies especially EMMI

brady12 · 15-10-2021 11:16pm

struggling pass first EMMI 😅well the second one but the first is only a tutorial . it's my first metroid game tbf and i'm not experienced in metrovanias at all.

RainInSummer · 16-10-2021 8:37am

Everyone struggles with EMMI counters. Well I think they do, seems a bit too random to counter to me.

Oddly though the six times I've pulled them off, I've done them in sets of two, like countered, ran on, got caught a few seconds later and then countered again.

I've never pulled off a single counter, only doubles.

Really disappointed in the unskippable cut scenes though. I took a 15 year break from gaming and God how has the industry not learned how annoying it is? I get some of them are disguising background loads, but after the sixth time of watching the same pre boss scene I'd actually prefer the loading screen.

johnny_ultimate · 16-10-2021 9:17am

You can skip pre-boss cutscenes! I believe you press + and then - - you should get an on-screen prompt when you press +.

UhOh · 16-10-2021 9:18am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118027206#Comment_118027206

If you press + during a cutscene you get a pop up option to press - to skip

RainInSummer · 16-10-2021 9:47am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118027296#Comment_118027296

Argh. I'd swore I tried every button.

Edit, not working for a certain cut scene. Double edit, it does second time of asking.

Thanks so much for the tip!

Metroid Dread

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Metroid Dread: Best debut for the series in Japan