The Metroid Dread release date<\/a> has arrived, on the same day that the Nintendo Switch OLED<\/a> appears on shop shelves around the globe \u2013 and we\u2019re pleased to report that this new game and Nintendo\u2019s fresh console are a match made in heaven.<\/p>\n Following on from our hands-on Metroid Dread preview<\/a>, RadioTimes.com<\/a> received an OLED Switch console and a pre-release copy of Metroid Dread to work our way through. And now that the console and the game are out, it\u2019s time to compile our full thoughts into this Metroid Dread review.<\/p>\n First things first, it\u2019s worth stating that Metroid Dread is a really impressive game that feels like it will please established fans and intrigued newcomers alike. The gameplay is compelling, the level design is excellent and there are some properly tense moments that will test your mettle.<\/p>\n The Metroid Dread story picks up directly after 2002\u2019s Metroid Fusion, and the game comes to us from the same developers as 2017\u2019s Metroid: Samus Returns, but you could jump in here without any context and pick up the basics pretty easily. At the start, there are some simple cut scenes and text-on-screen moments that will fill you in on everything you need to know.<\/p>\n Playing as the legendary video-game game character Samus Aran, you\u2019re dispatched to the planet ZDR to investigate the resurgence of a deadly parasite named X. It\u2019s not long before you come face to face with some rogue EMMI robots that will kill you on sight (much like the Xenomorphs in Alien Isolation), which forces you to think stealthily in certain segments of the game.<\/p>\n Metroid Dread is a really good example of bringing back a beloved franchise in a positive way, retaining core elements from the originals whilst adding in exciting new challenges. Harking back to the original Metroid games, this is a 2D side-scroller where you\u2019re constantly exploring and unlocking new areas. But with the addition of stealth and a bunch of new abilities, it also feels really fresh.<\/p>\n The planet ZDR has eight different areas \u2013 you unlock them one by one, but you\u2019ll also need to hop back and forth between these separate maps as you pick up new abilities. In the classic Metroid style, you often need to go back to an old area with your new powers in order to smash through a previously impenetrable barrier. This gameplay loop feels very satisfying \u2013 as you get stronger, you access new areas where you can find even more upgrades, which will allow you to open up yet more areas, and so on!<\/p>\n The Metroid Dread gameplay feels simple as first \u2013 you can run, jump, slide, duck and shoot at the start of the game. But after a few hours, you\u2019ll be grappling, rolling into a ball, turning invisible, switching between different weapons and magnetically clinging to certain surfaces. No button on the controller is wasted, and you eventually feel like a fighting machine and an expert explorer. Again, it\u2019s very satisfying.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Although the cut scenes are often quite simple, there are moments of stunning visuals to be found on ZDR, which really show off the Nintendo Switch OLED\u2019s improved screen \u2013 every now and then, you\u2019ll stumble into an environment that boasts a beautiful backdrop and\/or a highly detailed creature to defeat. As well as the EMMI robots, there are legions of violent alien beasts that will try to halt your progress. You\u2019ll need to time your melee counters well and dish out a steady stream of laser blasts and missiles in order to survive.<\/p>\n The overall tone here is one of tense, isolated exploration, where a deadly menace could be lurking around any corner. Finding a path to survival is almost always fun, although there are a few exceptions \u2013 the margin for error during the EMMI robot showdowns feels cruelly minuscule, and there are also some gruelling boss battles that feel more like a slog than a good time.<\/p> Timing and dodging are vital in these boss fights, and there\u2019s nothing more frustrating than have to restart the whole battle because you mistimed one jump.\u00a0That being said, the feeling of satisfaction\/relief is truly immense when you finally defeat a boss after tens and tens of failed attempts. Overcoming these fearsome foes will almost always gift you with new powers, as well, so it\u2019s not like it was all for nought.<\/p>\n All in all, then, Metroid Dread is gruelling at times \u2013 my hands were genuinely hurting during one boss battle \u2013 but the game is truly great overall. Exploration and discovery meet tension and high-intensity combat, and the result is a compelling game that you\u2019ll always want to keep playing \u2013 even when you\u2019ve just died 10 times in a row.<\/p>\n Metroid Dread is out now on Nintendo Switch.<\/strong><\/p>\n Follow Radio Times Gaming on Twitter<\/a> for all the latest insights. Or if you\u2019re looking for something to watch, see our TV Guide<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Visit our video game release schedule<\/a> for all upcoming games on consoles. Swing by our hubs for more Gaming<\/a> and Technology<\/a>\u00a0news.<\/strong><\/p>\n By Rob Leane Published: Friday, 08 October 2021 at 12:00 am 4.0 out of 5 star rating The Metroid Dread release date has arrived, on the same day that the Nintendo Switch OLED appears on shop shelves around the globe \u2013 and we\u2019re pleased to report that this new game and Nintendo\u2019s fresh console are […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":5502,"template":"","categories":[8],"acf":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2021\/10\/metroid-dread-review-tense-terror-looks-ace-on-nintendo-switch-oled.jpg",740,416,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2021\/10\/metroid-dread-review-tense-terror-looks-ace-on-nintendo-switch-oled-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2021\/10\/metroid-dread-review-tense-terror-looks-ace-on-nintendo-switch-oled-300x169.jpg",300,169,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2021\/10\/metroid-dread-review-tense-terror-looks-ace-on-nintendo-switch-oled.jpg",740,416,false],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2021\/10\/metroid-dread-review-tense-terror-looks-ace-on-nintendo-switch-oled.jpg",740,416,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2021\/10\/metroid-dread-review-tense-terror-looks-ace-on-nintendo-switch-oled.jpg",740,416,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2021\/10\/metroid-dread-review-tense-terror-looks-ace-on-nintendo-switch-oled.jpg",740,416,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"By Rob Leane Published: Friday, 08 October 2021 at 12:00 am 4.0 out of 5 star rating The Metroid Dread release date has arrived, on the same day that the Nintendo Switch OLED appears on shop shelves around the globe \u2013 and we\u2019re pleased to report that this new game and Nintendo\u2019s fresh console are…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/5501"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5502"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5501"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5501"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\""When\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2021\/09\/Metroid-Dread-combat-b968911.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413"\" "\\"\"When\\"")
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