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[Ezquimacore]

Or cheap, please tell me which game you're looking? I'm not even a Metroid fan, sadly I never played a Metroid game, but I love the genre and after playing all the modern Metroidvania games with stylish art styles, this level of detail is lovely for the genre.

For example:

Beautiful



The animations and atmosphere

 

[NewChoppa]

People have been saying it looks bad?

 

[HoofHearted]

I don’t think people have been saying it looks bad - more that they’re surprised that it wasn’t like Metroid Prime series.

 

[Mister Wolf]

What kills me is when people name drop 30fps games in the same genre like its a fair comparison when this is running at 60fps.

 

[RoadHazard]

It just kinda looks like an upressed 3DS game. And I personally don't like that suit color scheme, but that's subjective.

 

[Husky]

I hadn't seen the game before, but honestly, the videos in this post actually do make the game look really cheap.

 

[Davey Cakes]

I don’t think people have been saying it looks bad - more that they’re surprised that it wasn’t like Metroid Prime series.

Some folks seem to think it looks like a budget indie game, but that's on the extreme end.

I do feel like general reception has been good to great, especially from those who watched the Treehouse footage. It's not just looks that matter, but also the gameplay and people seem pleased with the noticeable improvements over Samus Returns.

 

[I Love Rock 'n' Roll]

It looks bad, like trash. The GBA Metroid look better!

This is how it should have look (that’s Rayman Origins).

Even a SNES version would have been better.

 

[CrimsonSquall]

It doesnt look like they put alot of resources into it but the game will still probably be fun

 

[supernova8]

I haven't seen many people saying it's look bad but... since you're offering.. yeah I think it looks bad.

Considering how it's 2.5D I think they definitely could have done more if they felt like it.

 

[zcaa0g]

Shadow Complex is ancient and still looks significantly better than that for a side scroller.

 

[22:22:22]

The visual representation of this iteration is a pretty huge letdown for me personally. If I think about what I would like a new Metroid to look like i immediately think Ori. That or like Fusion, Dead Cells, Blasphemous, etc .. Pixel art <3 But a Metroid looking like Will of the Wisps would be amazeballs

 

[Davey Cakes]

The visual representation of this iteration is a pretty huge letdown for me personally. If I think about what I would like a new Metroid to look like it immediately think Ori. That or like Fusion

This seems to be the sentiment when ANY game is revealed to be 2.5D.

Everyone wants every sidescroller to be hand drawn and super artsy looking.

 

[22:22:22]

This seems to be the sentiment when ANY game is revealed to be 2.5D.

Everyone wants every sidescroller to be hand drawn and super artsy looking.

You say super artsy I say beautiful

I don't care about any game. I do care about Metroid.

That said I wasn't aware of this sentiment

 

[SJRB]

 

[Mister Wolf]

Shadow Complex is ancient and still looks significantly better than that for a side scroller.

Shadow Complex runs a 30fps and struggles to maintain that. Do you think the Switch is twice as powerful as an Xbox 360?

 

[eNT1TY]

Shit looks like an iOS/Android game.

 

[VAL0R]

I think the art design is interesting, but this game is clearly way behind the technical visual achievements of its peers. My first thought was that it looks like an Xbox 360 game or an indie title. Yeah, there are cool animations, etc., but as a whole, it's undoubtedly subpar visually for a first-party game from one of the big three.

I loved Nintendo games back in the N64 era and I thought Metroid Prime was brilliant. That said, I haven't played Nintendo games in years and I think that's probably why I'm more unforgiving. Nintendo fans have been desensitized to comparatively poor visuals in their favorite franchises for years, and this is another example that proves this. If this was a Halo or Ratchet game looking this poor, it would be getting savaged.

 

[Xaero Gravity]

I don't know, something about the environment looks really flat and throws it off for me. Maybe it'll look better when playing on the Switch, but as of right now I'm not that impressed.

 

[Shubh_C63]

C'mon people its a 2D game.

They could have done a lot with the art style and made it look stunning. I am sure gameplay wise it still will be filled with good ideas.

 

[Bonfires Down]

It looks mediocre and it sticks out since Nintendo games tend to have excellent art.

Blasphemous looks far superior.

 

[kanjobazooie]

Dread will really benefit from a few visual touch ups. I can see that they're going for a clean look, but a bit more details might do wonders.

It doesn't look horrible tho.

 

[It's all in the wrist]

It looks bad, like trash. The GBA Metroid look better!

This is how it should have look (that’s Rayman Origins).

Even a SNES version would have been better.

 

[fermcr]

I was surprised with the people praising the hell of the Metroid video during E3. I didn't see anything special about the game, looked average at best. People tend to over-hype the hell of Nintendo games.

I was also surprised by the people claiming that Nintendo had the best show at E3. * facepalm *

 

[It's all in the wrist]

Would I have loved a pixel art game like Super Metroid? Of course. But that was never going to happen with this developer, and probably never happen period. So I'll take this and appreciate it for what it is. It's 60 FPS and had smooth animations. If it controls well and has good level design, that's the important part.

 

[fatmarco]

To be perfectly honest it looks rough and unfinished, but I think the worst thing is just how unambitious it is visually for a first party title.

 

[Synless]

Shadow Complex is ancient and still looks significantly better than that for a side scroller.

You are smoking crack. This is a hot take if I’ve ever seen one.

 

[Urban]

IMO it looks like it was first made for the 3DS

 

[Calverz]

Nobody says it looks bad. It could just look significantly better. Its very very similar looking to samus returns on 3ds.
Personally id have rather pixel art but knows thats a pipe dream nowadays.
Still hyped!

 

[G Boaty]

I think the suit looks terrible.

 

[Alebrije]

It loks like a mobile game honestly..but Nintendo knows the fans will buy anything at this moment....even an old game developed for a platform from 10 or more years ago..

Its like those music discs of a band that say "never released B sides" ...well if they were not good enough years ago to be on a LP why now...?

 

[Max_Po]

I think it looks great..but its over priced ....

 

[Spukc]

see al the fucking parts that are legit just BLACK void ? How can you say this sheit looks good?
Talk about lazy ass design

Calling this game good looking is something special XD.

look how a fucking GBA game took some time to fill in the blank spaces in the platforms.

the FUCK is this SHIT?? XD

 

[Captain Toad]

The game looks like a good game. Graphics are fine, but they feel like they should be better.

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

Personally I don't think it looks bad, but for a 2D side-scrolling action-platformer it's not at the top of the stack in pushing visuals or visual fidelity. A game like Replaced, for example, has a more impressive visual style on a technical and (IMO) subjective/artistic level, but that doesn't mean Metroid Dread suddenly looks bad.

At the very least it should be a pretty fun game and that's ultimately what matters.

I was surprised with the people praising the hell of the Metroid video during E3. I didn't see anything special about the game, looked average at best. People tend to over-hype the hell of Nintendo games.

I was also surprised by the people claiming that Nintendo had the best show at E3. * facepalm *

Yeah this part was...something, to say the least xD. If not for Microsoft, Nintendo'd of easily had the best show. Lots of fun-looking games including some new installments in series that hadn't had something new in a while.

My issue is, virtually every game was either a sequel or remake. Zero new IP. And, outside of arguably BOTW2, zero games that felt like they were visually pushing things forward on a technical or artistic level. Not to mention, while everything there more or less looked fun (some games especially), nothing seemed like it was shaking things up from a gameplay POV or novel use of hardware features or new (to gaming) tech.

I can blame some of that on the nature of the Switch and its technical limitations, but others I can't. I'm not gonna give Nintendo a pass just because they're Nintendo. Meanwhile we got a ton of new IP from Microsoft's conference and some really visually impressive stuff shown off, and some games shown looking like they'll have some interesting spins on gameplay.

From a well-reasoned POV Nintendo's show was good but not the best.

 

[Birdo]

It blatantly started life as a 3DS game.

 

[S0ULZB0URNE]

It sure as heck doesn't look like a modern or $60 game.

 

[Scotty W]

You know it doesn’t actually look bad, it’s just your brain telling you so.

 

[CatsGamesWhatever]

IMO it looks like it was first made for the 3DS

Bingo. I thought I was watching Metrois Samus Returns on 3DS at first right down to the arm half moon mechanic when I was watching the Nintendo Direct.
I heard that it started development on Nintendo DS as well but they reanimated the project when it was scrapped there.
I'm happy there's a Metroid on the Switch but it seems like another low effort endeavor like Super Mario 3D all Stars, Windwaker HD etc.

 

[Danjin44]

This place also considers Elden Ring looking bad because the graphics doesn’t meet their standard.

Majority of GAF are graphic whores, just look at most of the DF threads, it shouldn’t surprise you.

 

[SafeOrAlone]

Yeah, I’m sort of mixed. I’m enjoying the back and forth on the topic here.

I can definitely see how it looks underwhelming. But then there are bright spots in the stylization of the loading screens (lol, I know) and some of the animations look pretty smooth. I also dig the shifting 2d/3D perspective.

yeah, the environment looks rather dull. I can dig a clean Ridley Scott - style “Alien” environment, but there’s some sense of atmosphere still missing.
Maybe the sound design, when playing with good speakers will help bring it to life. Or maybe it just needs more detail and some improved lighting.

 

[Alebrije]

Yeah, I’m sort of mixed. I’m enjoying the back and forth on the topic here.

I can definitely see how it looks underwhelming. But then there are bright spots in the stylization of the loading screens (lol, I know) and some of the animations look pretty smooth. I also dig the shifting 2d/3D perspective.

yeah, the environment looks rather dull. I can dig a clean Ridley Scott - style “Alien” environment, but there’s some sense of atmosphere still missing.
Maybe the sound design, when playing with good speakers will help bring it to life. Or maybe it just needs more detail and some improved lighting.

Yep that could help, the nostalgia of the old sounds while exploring or finding upgrades...also if the story is deep would be a decent game.

 

[RoboFu]

It just kinda looks like an upressed 3DS game. And I personally don't like that suit color scheme, but that's subjective.

Exactly, it is a 3ds game. The rumors started back then. It’s easy to see it started life as 3ds game

 

[Abriael_GN]

It doesn't look BAD... but it certainly doesn't look all that spectacular.

If I want games with retro-style graphics, even indies do it better.



It's not a matter of graphics, but of style. Metroid looks somewhat dull to me.

The op talks of "stylish" and I agree that's the key. The problem is that Metroid Dread simply isn't, at least in my eyes.

 

[Fart Knight]

Wheres the 60fps footage

 

[Spukc]

This place also considers Elden Ring looking bad because the graphics doesn’t meet their standard.

Majority of GAF are graphic whores, just look at most of the DF threads, it shouldn’t surprise you.

elden ring looks like shite compared to demon souls on ps5

 

[InterMusketeer]

It doesn't look great, but 60fps is nice at least. Even if the game started as a 3DS project, that system was abandoned years ago. You'd expect them to be able to enhance the visuals significantly as they decided to move its release to the Switch.

 

[Fbh]

It's not like I look at it and go "wow that's ugly!".

But it just looks like a run of the mill $20 Metroidvania you'd find on Steam. Instead of the next $60 mainline entry on one of the oldest and most beloved Nintendo franchises

This place also considers Elden Ring looking bad because the graphics doesn’t meat their standard.

Majority of GAF are graphic whores, just look at most of the DF threads, it shouldn’t surprise you.

But Elden Ring, as all FROM games, has amazing art direction.

This just looks boring. Lots of grey, generic looking low detail "futuristic" background and those robots are so bland they seriously look like they bought them on some asset store.

 

[Javthusiast]

It's bland and uninspired. Older 2d Metroids had more of a visual style than this 3d bootleg looking thing.

 

[SafeOrAlone]

It doesn't look BAD... but it certainly doesn't look all that spectacular.

If I want games with retro-style graphics, even indies do it better.



It's not a matter of graphics, but of style. Metroid looks somewhat dull to me. The op talks of "stylish" and Metroid Dread simply isn't, at least in my eyes.

I hear you. I think the models and environment do have a somewhat drab look to them.
That said, there is style in other forms of presentation. The elevator screens, length aside (which is a different discussion) actually help sell the atmosphere in a stylish way and you can see them trying to spice things up with the shifting of perspectives.

I'm not saying it's quite enough, but I can see the sense of style that OP refers to.