Metroid Dread
Games review
As of Jul 9, 2026, Metroid Dread is rated 87/100 on OpenCritic (154 critic reviews), and 88/100 on Metacritic (133 critic reviews). Each source is shown in its own units, never blended into one score.
Is Metroid Dread worth it in 2026?
An 87, 88 on both major aggregators from a combined 287 critic reviews is not a fluke, Metroid Dread is a genuinely excellent 2D action game that earns its praise through tight level design, strong boss fights, and exploration and progression mechanics that critics consistently called refined and engaging. The 19-year gap since the last mainline 2D Metroid entry makes it all the more impressive that MercurySteam delivered something this cohesive. The complaints are real but narrow: one reviewer found the controls cumbersome and boss fights frustrating, directly contradicting the majority view; one flagged difficulty spikes; and one felt the setting underdelivers compared to earlier series entries, none are dealbreakers, but together they signal that the game can punish players who struggle with precise, reflex-demanding combat or who come expecting rich world-building on par with the series' best. The minority dissent on controls is worth weighing seriously, not dismissing.
Metroid and Metroidvania fans who want demanding exploration built around level design, progression systems, and boss encounters, and who are comfortable with a game that requires pattern recognition and precise combat inputs.
Difficulty spikes and a minority view of cumbersome controls suggest this can actively frustrate players who are less experienced with precision action games or who expect the challenge to be consistently telegraphed; one critic also found the setting weaker than earlier series entries, so buyers
ReviewPond's conclusion, drawn only from the verified scores and review themes below. Not a paid or editorial opinion.
Different sources measure different things, so each is shown in its own units and never merged into one number.
Pros
- excellent level design3
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- Metroid Dread meets - and arguably surpasses - its lofty expectations, with demanding gameplay, clever level design and an ambitious story.
- Overall, Metroid Dread brings a narrative close to a decades long story with excellent level design and combat. It also looks great as well. So until Samus Aran is needed once agai...
- In design terms, what most impressed me about “Metroid Dread” was how the developers guide you through the game’s sprawling areas. Although there is ample incentive to backtrack af...
- strong boss fights3
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- A surprise sequel after nearly 20 years, Metroid Dread brings back the legendary exploration and progression and merges it with excellent modern combat and some of the best boss fi...
- Intense combat and a series of challenging boss fights require a high level of play, but the thrill of victory is incredibly sweet
- Metroid Dread meets - and arguably surpasses - its lofty expectations, with demanding gameplay, clever level design and an ambitious story.
- refined exploration and progression3
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- A surprise sequel after nearly 20 years, Metroid Dread brings back the legendary exploration and progression and merges it with excellent modern combat and some of the best boss fi...
- More than anything else, Metroid Dread feels like going back to a place of comfort after a long time away. Though the gameplay is refined and new features have been added to the mi...
- In design terms, what most impressed me about “Metroid Dread” was how the developers guide you through the game’s sprawling areas. Although there is ample incentive to backtrack af...
- engaging combat3
see reviews +-
- A surprise sequel after nearly 20 years, Metroid Dread brings back the legendary exploration and progression and merges it with excellent modern combat and some of the best boss fi...
- Intense combat and a series of challenging boss fights require a high level of play, but the thrill of victory is incredibly sweet
- Overall, Metroid Dread brings a narrative close to a decades long story with excellent level design and combat. It also looks great as well. So until Samus Aran is needed once agai...
Cons
- difficulty spikes1
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- Metroid Dread is nearly the perfect return for Samus, and only some difficulty spikes rain on the parade. This is a tight, responsive 2D Metroid experience that constantly impresse...
- cumbersome controls1
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- Frustrating boss battles and cumbersome controls distract from an otherwise fun and isolating adventure
- frustrating boss battles1
see reviews +-
- Frustrating boss battles and cumbersome controls distract from an otherwise fun and isolating adventure
Themes and quotes are drawn from 20 sampled reviews with text; the scores above reflect all 287 ratings. Counts are how many of the sampled reviews mention each point.