Metroid Dread is a direct sequel to 2002’s Metroid Fusion game and concludes the five-part saga focusing on the strange, interconnected fates of bounty hunter Samus and the Metroids, which kicked off with the original Metroid game for NES.

In this game, Samus heads alone to a mysterious remote planet and is hunted by a dangerous new mechanical threat, the E.M.M.I. robots. By gaining abilities, you can return to areas you’ve already visited to find new places and hidden upgrades in classic Metroid gameplay.

Explore the sprawling map, evade the E.M.M.I. robots and overcome the dread plaguing the planet when Metroid Dread launches.

A new trailer is out! In it, we introduce a few of Samus Aran’s brand-new abilities and some of the mysterious terrors lurking in the shadows of planet ZDR. In this edition of the Metroid Dread Report, we’ll take a closer look at some of these new elements. Let’s get started!

Samus arrives on planet ZDR

The new trailer shows Samus under attack from powerful enemies and new terrors on planet ZDR—indeed, a mysterious figure strikes soon after she lands.

~Transmission from the dev team~

If you’ve watched the Glimpse of Dread clips, you may have noticed that the place where Samus finds herself under attack is the same place as where she unexpectedly collapsed after landing on the planet.

Yes, you guessed it right—Samus was defeated by a mysterious opponent and lost almost all of her abilities. As a result, her defeat caused—as one might say—"ability amnesia.”

How was Samus spared from certain death and why was she left behind? Please play the Metroid Dread game to discover the truth with your own eyes!

Who stands before Samus?

The figure who attacked Samus appears to be a Chozo. The Chozo were a highly intelligent and technologically advanced species who believed their purpose to be that of bringing peace throughout the galaxy. Eventually, the Chozo civilization reached a breaking point, and living Chozo are now rarely seen.

The Chozo are known to be peaceful and mild mannered, but Galactic Federation records indicate the existence of “Chozo warriors.”

~Transmission from the dev team~

While many remnants of Chozo civilization have appeared in prior Metroid games—including technologies and statues—this is the first game in which an actual, living Chozo appears. And just who is this Chozo that battles Samus so fiercely?

In addition, the video shows what appears to be a Chozo warrior as well as combat robots with a striking Chozo resemblance. They will pose a formidable challenge for Samus.

Abilities on display

The video introduces several of Samus’ new and returning abilities and weapons. Let’s take a closer look at them.

Flash Shift (Aeion Ability)

Samus can travel a set distance—forward or backward, while on the ground or in the air—in an instant. This can be done consecutively up to three times. Handy for exploration and combat alike.

Pulse Radar (Aeion Ability)

With this ability, Samus can emit special soundwaves to scan her immediate surroundings and pinpoint breakable blocks.

Grapple Beam

A rope-like beam that can connect to specific points. This lets Samus swing across gaps or manipulate parts of her environment, such as pulling on an obstacle. She can also fire it at blue magnetic surfaces, pull herself to the point of contact, and latch on.

Ice Missile

A missile that has a freezing effect. Samus can easily destroy frozen enemies with follow-up attacks. Some enemies can even be used as platforms.

Storm Missile

This lets Samus lock on to and fire multiple small missiles in succession. Set up to five targets at a time using Free Aim, then unleash it to fire three missiles at each target.

Cross Bomb

This powerful bomb explodes in four directions.

Speed Booster

After a running start, Samus will pick up the pace and run at great speed. She can then smash through certain obstacles and deal damage to enemies in her path.

Shinespark

This ability can only be used once Samus has reached her Speed Booster state. She can send herself soaring on a straight trajectory in the direction of her choosing. When soaring, she can blast through certain obstacles and deal great damage to enemies.

Screw Attack

During a spin jump, Samus surrounds herself with a powerful energy that can damage enemies and shatter certain obstacles she leaps into.

~Transmission from the dev team~

There are so many new and returning abilities revealed in this trailer! As it may be difficult to wrap your head around everything shown if you only watch it once, we suggest watching the trailer an additional time after reading our commentary.

In particular, the abilities for traversal are much improved when compared to previous Metroid games, and we think you’ll be able to enjoy a variety of ways to explore the map with them.

For example, you can use Speed Booster in combination with wall jumping and sliding. The places where you can do this may surprise you, and we hope you try lots of different things on your adventure.

Even more powerful enemies

The trailer includes other notable scenes, too. For example, you can spot a giant monster that appears to be Kraid, a beast Samus has fought in previous games. You can also see robots created by the Chozo, as well as gigantic aquatic creatures.

~Transmission from the dev team~

Just like in previous games, there is a rich variety of enemies and bosses standing in Samus’ way. There are many different types of bosses, especially—key to victory against such enemies is to carefully observe their behaviors and create an appropriate attack plan.

In the next report

Who is that enemy attacking Samus at the start of the trailer? Is that … a living Chozo? The Chozo are highly intelligent and technologically advanced species who wish to bring peace to the galaxy. But a living Chozo is a very rare sight – especially one attacking Samus!

A closer look at the mysterious Chozo. Please look forward to it!

Pre-orders for the game start today! The Metroid Dread: Special Edition will also be available at launch, which includes the game, a steelbook, a 190-page 2D Metroid franchise artbook and five cards that feature box art from all the games in the five-part saga.

Finally, a new Samus amiibo figure featuring her suit from Metroid Dread and an E.M.M.I. amiibo figure will be available in a two-pack set at launch.

Metroid Dread launches for Nintendo Switch on Oct. 8, 2021.