Hit send.
:nsfw
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(https://g4sky.net/wa-data/public/photos/98/65/16598/16598.970.jpg)
I was surprised how Nintendo was so confident in a sequel to a GBA game released nearly 2 decades ago that outside of a few lines they just skipped explaining what happened up until this point and why your best friend is a computer.
But then again they sort of ignore the fact that
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At the end of Fusion Samus discovers that it was the Federation that was up to no good
Been juggling this, Actraiser Renaissance, and Tales of Arise... nearing the end of the 2 latter so tonite I'm gonna be playing a bunch of Dread. I just got to the
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biological area
One thing that continues to impress is the level design - so many Metroidvanias fall into the trap of 'get a new item, have to trace back through the whole map to find that one single spot you need to use the item at to advance'. (see: Bloodstained)... but the game's level design does a great job with leading you to where you need to go, and the map is super helpful with identifiers for the different blocks/doors you've come across... Oh, I unlocked the Speed Boost? Let me open the map and see if there were any items locked behind a Boost Block..
Some negatives for me:
-Music doesn't stand out as much as something like Super or Prime. Like, nothing on the level of Phendrana Drifts (Prime) or Upper Brinstar (Super)
-The checkpoints in EMMI sections really limit the 'dread' level of the game since it's so easy to restart if you get caught. I think having a bigger timing window when they caught you, plus more of a setback if you die, would make these sections work a bit more. Coffee Dog had an excellent writeup above about the EMMIs, I echo a lot of those thoughts.
-Really wish there were some control settings. Some of the button combos you need to press feel unintuitive at times - I dread (har har) having to use the Grappling Hook, having to hold L1 and the direction to aim, R2 to arm the Grappling Hook, Y to fire... and then if you're jumping it adds another button press...
Finished a short while ago with 100% items. The game peaked for me when you were
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exploring the iced-over Artaria, culminating with an epic boss fight with the parasite constricting the heat generator
But then the last few parts of the game felt really rushed, with the powerups doled out in super quick succession, and way too many boss fights with spear and shield carrying chozo soldiers. Final boss was a bit tricky, till I learned that you need to counter his first 'form' in order to do any kind of damage.
Some of the spineshark puzzles also felt like 'how tf are you supposed to figure this out on your own?' and were more frustrating than fun (especially with how imprecise the 'clicking' of the Switch Pro controller can feel). Still, definitely a great game and one of the top Metroid games.
Picked it up again after playing some other games first.
Apparently I had stopped right before I was going to meet spoiler (click to show/hide)
Quiet Robe
and this is some good stuff.
Man the bosses don't fuck around in this game.
Pumped like 200 missiles into the thermal plant thing boss.
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and how cool are all these map events like the X and freezing