A masterful 2D return for Samus: dread-soaked exploration, ultra-fluid mobility and the E.M.M.I. introduce genuine stalking tension. Bosses demand reflexes and reading, and the slow mastery delivers a satisfaction rare in the genre.
Your verdict
Category
Action Adventure1 player12+
Description
Samus Aran explores planet ZDR while relentless E.M.M.I. robots hunt her down. Published by Nintendo, released worldwide in 2021. Snappy interconnected exploration, abilities to unlock, tense escape sequences and demanding boss fights.
Metroid Dread review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
4/5
Story
★★★★★
"Captivating"
Gameplay
"Masterful"
Samus has never moved this sharply: surgical movement, tight-timing parries and abilities that keep reopening the map. The E.M.M.I. hunts inject survival-grade tension while bosses demand reading and reflexes. That balance of nervy exploration and gradual mastery has aged beautifully, standing as a current high point for the genre.
Built on tension and precision, the confrontations pit Samus's isolation against relentless mechanical foes. The E.M.M.I. instill a stalking dread where a single misstep is lethal, while the bosses demand flawless pattern reading, flash counters and mastery of newfound abilities. A crescendo of skill that rewards ice-cold composure.
Is Metroid Dread still worth playing in 2026?
Metroid Dread masterfully closes the narrative arc begun on NES, and does so with a briskness rare for the series. The interconnected exploration keeps all its power, but the E.M.M.I. stalking sequences inject a tension close to survival horror. The handling is remarkably precise, and unlocked abilities keep reopening the map. Demanding bosses ask for reading and reflexes. Some players will regret occasionally directive guidance, but the balance stays superb. For Metroidvania fans and the curious alike, it is one of the genre's current peaks, completely up to date.
