“The series has chronicled the uncanny relationship between Metroids [parasitic life-forms that can we weaponized] and the heroine Samus, but this game will mark and end to that story arc,” said game designer Yoshio Sakamoto in a developer diary released during E3 2021. In the trailer for the game, we learn that the EMMI have gone rogue and are hunting Samus as she investigates the planet. Why have the EMMI turned evil? The X parasite could definitely be the culprit. “A terrifyingly lethal parasite that takes over organic creatures, mimicking them afterward based on their genetic information,” the X parasite previously infected Samus in Fusion, and copied her DNA to create an evil version of Samus. Could the X have infected the EMMI, too? Yes, that’s the giant, killer lizard Kraid from Metroid and Super Metroid, back from the dead for one more battle with Samus. A close associate of Samus’ dragon-like archenemy Ridley, Kraid is a high-ranking member of the Space Pirates who have been a constant thorn in our hero’s side since the beginning of the series. Once again, the behemoth and ruler of Brinstar towers over Samus, who is likely in for quite the fight. More curious is the other villain introduced in the trailer, a heavily-armored Chozo character identified only as “Chozo general,” a mysterious character who was first referenced in the “Chozo Memories” players could unlock by completing challenges in Samus Returns, a 3DS remake of the Metroid II. The cryptic memories showed how the Chozo general participated in the final extermination of the Chozo people living on the planet SR388, the home world of the titular Metroids. In Dread, Samus will first encounter the Chozo general in the Artaria region of ZDR, and by the looks of the trailer, she won’t be much of a match for the ancient villain. Undoubtedly, players will have to collect a few upgrades and learn new abilities throughout the adventure to match up to this Chozo warrior later in the game. Metroid Dread is out on Oct. 8 for Nintendo Switch.
