Metroid Dread (2021)
MercurySteam and Nintendo's Spanish Masterpiece: Ending a 19-Year Hiatus in 2D Metroid Glory
Developed in Madrid by MercurySteam in tight creative partnership with Nintendo EPD (produced by franchise visionary Yoshio Sakamoto) and published in 2021, Metroid Dread represents the triumphant conclusion to the classic five-part 2D Metroid narrative arc originating on the NES in 1986. Dispatched to planet ZDR to investigate sightings of the deadly X Parasite, bounty hunter Samus Aran finds herself hunted by invincible, hyper-agile E.M.M.I. research robots. Boasting lightning-fast 60 FPS kinetic traversal, pulse-pounding stalker horror, and razor-sharp parry timing, Dread won Best Action/Adventure Game at The Game Awards and became the highest-selling title in Metroid franchise history.
E.M.M.I. Stalker Horror and the Omega Blaster
Within enclosed patrol sectors, invulnerable E.M.M.I. automatons pursue Samus with terrifying speed and flexibility. Survival requires activating the Phantom Cloak camouflage and harvesting temporary Omega Blaster charges to line up precise charged headshots.
Kinetic Movement and Franchise Record
With instantaneous Flash Shift dashes, sliding under terrain gaps, and high-impact melee counterattacks, MercurySteam delivered immaculate gameplay cadence that propelled global sales past 3 million units, revitalizing the 2D action genre.