BothMetroid DreadandElden Ringhave become highly anticipated titles, as their franchises have had a great impact in the video game industry, even responsible for the creation of two popular subgenres: Metroidvanias and Soulsbornes. While games usually fall under more than one category, there are usually some characteristics that offer something like a family resemblance to some titles. This could make it difficult to tell if a game was influenced by another, especially when it comes to franchises with big fandoms. Nevertheless, it is clear thatmany games have adopted elements from theMetroidandSoulstitles.
Now that Nintendo is about to releaseMetroid Dread,and FromSoftware will launchElden Ringnext year, many fans have grown more excited. However,Elden Ringseems to have gotten more attention from the general gaming crowd, both because of the game itself and the fact that George R. R. Martin is involved in the creation process.
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Metroidvanias and Soulsbornes
The term Metroidvania comes from two classic games:MetroidandCastlevania. Among other things,Metroidvanias are have a non-linear progression. This means that instead of having a level system, players find new abilities as they explore, allowing them to go back to other parts of the map that were previously inaccessible.Metroidworked precisely like this, as it would allow players to move forward to different areas, but it required additional equipment to explore them in their entirety.
On the other hand,Soulsborne encompass titles created by Hidetaka Miyazakiand FromSoftware:Bloodborneand theSoulssaga. Sometimes people refer to games as being “Soulsborne-like” for their difficulty, as the games that FromSoftware has created are considered harder than most. Even though most categorizeDemon’s Soulsand theDark Soulsfranchise (andSekiroat times) as a unique series, each game has its own story, and mostly they are grouped in the Soulsborne category because of their similar dynamics and gameplay.
What Elden Ring Brings to the Table
What has madeElden Ringparticularly popular isGeorge R. R. Martin’s collaborationin the development of the game’s narrative. Many expect the game to have a compelling and complex story, similar toGame of Thrones. Additionally,Elden Ringfeatures an open-world system bound to make the game considerably longer and potentially more complex.
While all of these characteristics are exciting, there is not a lot of information about the game yet and, so far,it does not seem likeElden Ringwill be too innovativecompared to prior entries. Furthermore, asElden Ringis not a sequel of any other game in the Soulsborne family, fans of the other FromSoftware titles have nothing to look forward to in terms of lore development for pre-existing universes.
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Metroid’s Legacy
There is no denying that theSoulsbornelegacy has had a great impact in the gaming industry since the release ofDemon’s Soulsin 2009. However,Metroidis a huge franchise that has been around ever since the eighties, and has gathered a large number of fans over the years. Even though sometitles in theMetroidsagahave received better press than others,Metroid’s success overall is undeniable.
The effects ofMetroid’s revolutionary systems can still be seen in games today. One of the biggest ways in which the franchise was ahead of its time is thatMetroid’s protagonist is a woman. That is particularly noteworthy because of the sci-fi nature of the game. Even today there are not as many female protagonists in video games as there are male.Metroid’s protagonist, Samus Aran, is an iconic character who is one of the headlining, recurring fighters in theSmash Bros.franchise.
Another way in whichMetroidhas impacted the game industry is its dark narrative and lore.Metroidmanaged to convey a complex story through visual details that was particularly outstanding when the original game was created. It is no secret thatMetroidwas heavily influenced by the movieAlien,which is a classic titles in horror cinema. As a result,Metroidalso showed dark and hostile environments with threatening, otherworldly beings. Despite being a Nintendo title,Metroidwas a particularly dark video game.
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Unsolved Mysteries
One of the biggest reasons why fans are excited about the upcomingMetroid Dreadis because of the lore that has been established in previous games. While the premise of the game in which Samus is a bounty hunter fighting extraterrestrial beings is simple, the backstory each game delves into is definitely intriguing. Particularly,there are many mysteries inMetroidsurrounding the civilization responsible for the Metroid.
The Chozo are presented as a very intelligent, bird-like lifeform. Throughout theMetroidseries, players have gotten the chance to know more about the Chozo. The saga established that the Chozo created the Metroid in an attempt to fight space pirates and bring peace to the galaxy. The Metroid were overseen by an artificial intelligence known asMother Brain, which was also created by the Chozo. Unfortunately, Mother Brain becomes hostile and uses the Metroid to gain power. However, the games have not clarified almost anything about why the Chozo disappeared.
Given the Chozo are a huge part ofMetroid’s backstory, any details about them can add complexity and depth to the lore. This is why withthe latestMetroid Dreadteaserin which Samus seems to find hieroglyphs, many are expecting to learn more about the ancient civilization. The prospect of the upcomingMetroidtitle delving into the Chozo’s demise is enough to have many fans excited. Furthermore, discovering more about the Chozo could potentially clarify many of the mysteries that have been left unsolved sinceMetroid’s release 35 years ago. That should earnMetroid Dreadmore hype than another take on the Soulsborne genre, even if it’s sure to have an interesting narrative too.
Metroid Dreadlaunches October 8, exclusively on the Nintendo Switch.
Elden Ringlaunches August 07, 2025 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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