MercurySteam’sMetroid Dreadgave the long-running Nintendo franchise a shot in the arm it sorely needed during the wait forMetroid Prime 4. Bringing back the popular 2D formula with a previously abandoned sequel to 2002’sMetroid Fusionproved to be a great move, asDreadbecame the best-selling entry in theMetroidfranchiseand saw critical acclaim - winning Best Action/Adventure Game at The Game Awards 2021 (where it was nominated for Game of the Year).
Yet, not a lot has been done withMetroid Dreadsince it launched last October. Free updates like the addition ofDread and Rookie Mode ratcheted up hope for bigger DLC plans, but as of this writing nothing is confirmed. It would be a shame to leave the game alone considering expansions for similarly popular titles likeMonster Hunter Risehave kept interest going, whichMetroidneeds the longer Retro Studios keepsPrime 4under wraps.Metroid DreadDLC could carry a lot of weight by experimenting with the series' formula, perhaps by introducing a new playable character who sets up future adventures for Samus Aran.
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Metroid Dreadfinishes a narrative arc nearly 40 years in the making, weaving together a story in which Raven Beak - leader of the Chozo’s rogue Mawkin tribe - forces Samus through trials to awaken the Metroid DNA that cured her of an X-Parasite infection before the events ofFusion. He hopes to turn her into a weapon for conquest after Samus exterminates the Metroid species duringMetroid 2: Return of Samus(or more appropriately MercurySteam’s 3DS remakeSamus Returns).
Naturally this plan backfires asSamus turns her rage and now-awoken Metroid powers against Raven Beak, who sets Planet ZDR to explode as a last-ditch effort to kill the bounty hunter in classicMetroidfashion. Samus manages to escape, tying off a major thread as the X-Parasite threat is blown into cosmic smithereens. The door is left open for this iconic bounty hunter to see new corners of the galaxy, but one direction the nextMetroidarc could explore is reactions to her unchecked power. Introducing a new point-of-view character who represents the Galactic Federation or other organizations would be a smart way to accomplish this.
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It’s worth addressing the elephant in the room that Nintendo has not seen a great deal of success moving away from Samus asMetroid’s sole protagonist.Metroid Prime: Federation Forceis infamous for the poor reception to its announcementas a mission-based cooperative shooter starring faceless Marines.Metroid: Other Mand, to a lesser extent,Fusionare also generally criticized for taking some of Samus' agency to focus on the oversight of the Federation and individuals like Adam Malkovich.
That being said, Samus has successfully integrated with other characters in her universe.Metroid Prime 3: Corruptionintroduces fellow bounty hunters Rundas, Ghor, and Gandrayda, none of whom survive after being corrupted by Phazon; leaving an indelible mark on the protagonist as credits roll. If not a government bureaucrat,Metroid DreadDLC could star another bounty hunter who is tasked with finding Samus' hiding place some months after the end of the base game.
While it would be unusual for theMetroidseries to introduce new characters in DLC, it’s not an unprecedented idea in the wider industry. MercurySteam could take cues from a game likeKingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, which has a post-game campaign starring Riku.Riku’s abilities are similar to Sora’sinChain of Memories, reliant on the same deck-building combat, and a newMetroidprotagonist could similarly use beams or missiles that are distinct from the power suit’s Chozo tech.
Adding this new perspective to the series could help tie in wider franchise elements, too. Perhaps this secondary bounty hunter also plays a role inMetroid Prime 4, makingDread’s DLC either a sequel or prequel to advertise Retro Studios' next project. Games likeHalo 5: GuardiansandFire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopesalready experiment with hunting a fan-favorite protagonist, so MercurySteam could take notes to make its execution as solid as possible.
