You explore a huge underground alien base as a bounty hunter in a power suit, gradually finding upgrades that let you reach places blocked off earlier. It is a flat side-on view, the controls are quick and precise, and much of the fun is memorizing the map and finding the shortcut back. Certain zones are patrolled by an unkillable robot that hunts you down, and all you can do is run, hide, and hold your breath.
Gameplay video
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Screenshots & review notes
The short version
After a long wait, this returned Samus to form with a lean, mean entry that reminded everyone why Metroidvanias carry her name.
In the hands
The EMMI encounters inject real tension into exploration, forcing you to think and react quickly, though a few chase sequences lean too hard on trial and error.
Look and sound
Samus moves with fluid, almost balletic precision, and the alien world's oppressive lighting and sound design sell the sense of being hunted.
The long haul
It's a tighter, shorter experience than some may expect, but the challenge and tight design make it a must for genre fans and returning series veterans alike.
Frames captured from the gameplay video above; notes are our own take on the game.
What it's like to play
You play a bounty hunter in a powered suit exploring a huge underground alien facility, viewed from the side in two dimensions. The map is one enormous interconnected maze rather than a series of levels. You will constantly see a ledge you cannot reach or a door you cannot open, and the whole rhythm of the game is remembering those spots, finding an upgrade elsewhere, and realizing you can now get in. Every upgrade opens up a dozen places you walked past hours ago.
The controls are fast and exact. You can slide under gaps at a sprint, fire in any direction, grapple across chasms, and counter an enemy's attack with a well-timed melee swipe that stuns it for an instant kill, which turns combat into a quick read-and-react rhythm. Bosses are the hardest part of the game by a wide margin and will kill you many times while you learn their patterns, but checkpoints sit right outside the door so retries are instant.
Certain regions are patrolled by an unkillable white robot that will chase you relentlessly the moment it sees you. Your only options are to run, break line of sight, and hide, and the tension of those sections is the whole reason for the game's name. It is a tight, focused adventure of around ten to twelve hours with no filler, gorgeous animation, and no dialogue to speak of. If you like being dropped into a place with no hand-holding and working out its layout yourself, this is one of the best examples ever made.