Topic: Metroid Dread

I recently completed MD and below is an email I sent to Mercury Steam. I intended to send one to Nintendo but could not locate a way besides social media channels. I just did not want to slap this across Twitter or FB. Completing MD has been an amazing experience.

Hi
I'm fifty three and I have cerebral palsy and I just beat Metroid Dread. I know there are alot of gamers with a more difficult time than I, however every video game beat and played is a triumph. I play mostly one handed ( left handed) and have to think to get my right hand to even press a button let alone hold it.

It took me ten years of trying to beat another Metroid game Metroid Prime. The Omega Pirate seemed impossible with the button combos and my situation. It was only after I played it on Wii U with motion controls and several starts and stops in the past that I prevailed and it was ten years of continuous trying. I've told my daughter that when I die I will have "I beat the Omega Pirate" on my grave marker. It took me over 80 hours to complete Metroid Dread and yet some can do it in just over an hour. I even started over after not getting past the twin Chozo soldiers. I had my daughter complete a complex shinespark sequence and didn't finish that file because I wanted the satisfaction of finishing completely on my own. I did use the Metroid Dread Amiibo for the extra tank and missiles.

Thank you for this game. There was a time when a video game saved my life (Eternal Darkness). Every game since Eternal Darkness that I can complete is a joy and Metroid Dread was beyond my dreams for an experience.

Thank you
Yoshio Sakamoto
Nintendo
Mercury Steam

I'll be purchasing a new Pro Controller as I really put a lot of pressure and tweaking on my current one. It took a ton of trial and error to beat Metroid Dread @ 78% completion.

@jsubbuteo awesome job! The game is super tough, so I couldn't imagine how hard it must of been for you. Makes me happy to hear great stories like this. Keep gaming, my friend!

Much respect to you, brother.
I hope they acknowledge your achievement in some way.

Too many boss battles and I had to look at a you tube video to see how to kill some bosses. Still the game was brilliant

What time did it take you to finish metroid dread ? My time was 20 hours. Although finishing at 100% items is going to take me another 5 hours, I'd say. 🤕

Think I was about 8 hours but not close to 100%

My first playthrough took me about 10 hours to 100% the game I think. My second playthrough on Hard Mode was much shorter, though. Maybe about 8 hours 100%.

I hear they patched in an easy mode for Dread, this has got me tempted. For those who have tried it, how much easier is easy mode? Cause like for example SMT V has a "normal mode" but it is much harder than what you'd typically class as normal on other titles. Is it actually an easy mode or just easier in the context of the game and still quite hard?

I haven't tried it, but according to the patch notes, the gist of it is that you start with more missiles, bosses deal less damage, and you recover more health and ammo from defeating enemies/destroying projectiles.

I assume the EMMI are still one hit kills if you fail to avoid/counter them, and minor enemies remain the same. So it's not like, super toned down in difficulty? It seems the main idea is to make bosses less of a threat.

@Pizzamorg the boss battles are the only thing you will need a easy mode for. And if you have followed the franchise. You should not have much trouble.

Thank you both. Might wait then until it goes on sale and give it a bash, rather than committing at full price.

I wanted to ask, does the demo have a end point? or can you just play through the whole thing, they didn't allow me to save the game or nothing, so i'm just wondering.

@Snatcher before this update, it used to end right before the first boss. Now it ends after it.

It's basically an hour or two of free gameplay. You can't save or carry over your progress to the main game, though.

@Eel Oh thats great! thanks!

Metroid Dread is the 3rd Metroid Game I've ever played, but it's also the first one I've ever beaten. The other 2 games, Metroid 1 and Super Metroid, I've barely made progress in. I haven't touched Samus Returns or Fusion, I haven't touched a prime game, and I have no plans to touch Other M with a 50ft stick because I heard it was REALLY BAD (but I guess Nintendo Life disagrees so maybe I'll check it out one day)

99% of my play-though was beautiful. The level design, the unique puzzles, the tense EMMI encounters, the final boss, all of it was wonderful. Metroid Dread is a game that I would recommend to almost anyone.

Anyone else buy the metroid dread badge set off nintendo store.

@Z-Core I'm glad you loved Dread so much! Definitely up there as one of my favorites in the series.

PS: You would be right to never touch Other M. It is an atrocity of a game. But that's a whole other discussion.

I've been really getting into the Boss Rush modes since beating Dread Mode at the end of last month. My current Dread Rush time is 01:06:21 on one completion, which I've been happy with considering I thought I would have a lot of difficulty with Kraid and Escue, who I fought with Bombs and Screw Attack respectively in my Dread Mode run. Tonight I got a new record for Boss Rush at 00:13:18 on I believe my third completion, shaved off 00:09:53 from my previous run.

The practice has been the most addictive addition though. I feel I've plateaued for now on my times, and am the most satisfied with Escue in 50 seconds. Beyond Raven Beak, I would say Escue, Experiment No. Z-57, Twin Robot Chozo Soldier and Golzuna are becoming my favorites. It's very satisfying to dominate in those encounters. Right now, I would probably give the edge to Metroid Dread over Super Metroid, making it my 3rd favorite game of the series below Prime Hunters and Federation Force. Metroid: Other M is my 5th favorite in the series, and Dread has definitely separated itself more above that title after how satisfying the Dread Mode and Dread Rush completions were.

I still have unfinished business with this game that'll take a couple more playthroughs to clear. I'm missing Zero Suit Samus. Likely going to take care of the best endings for Hard Mode first and then finish up with Normal for the Zero Suit reveal. It's not necessary, but I should do a Rookie Mode run at some point too.

I wonder what the EMMI amiibo will be used for again or will it be used again ?

I've been a Metroid fan going on 30 years now, and this is by far the least enjoyable Metroid I've played strictly because of the EMMI sections. I suppose I should be happy they're trying something new, but for me it ruined the momentum and enjoyment of the game. The non-stealth gameplay was pretty great, and I even enjoyed the boss battles (though it took me a couple tries) but if you enjoy exploring in Metroid games, be prepared to deal with frustrating, arduous stealth sections every time you want to go back for something. Trial and error insta-kill stealth sections don't belong in any game that doesn't advertise itself as survival horror. And it is an insta-kill more than 90% of the time, as the parry for the EMMIs is pretty much useless. It's a shame, too, because the rest of the game was pretty enjoyable, but I will never play it again (a first for myself regarding Metroid) and I cannot in good faith recommend this to anyone looking for a solid, unobtrusive Metroid experience.