We’re Obsessed With the Vampire Vibes of the New ‘Metroid’

Nintendo’s most recent Metroid game, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, sucked. So it’s oddly fitting that in its follow-up, Metroid Ravenous, Samus herself will also suck. We just hope that’s the end of the comparisons. This week, Nintendo made a ton of announcements, but for fans of the Metroid franchise, none was bigger than the next game in the series. Titled Metroid Ravenous, it returns the franchise to its 2D roots with an all-new story with a fascinating twist. Usually, in Metroid games, the only thing sucking is the Metroids. They latch on to you and suck your life. But in Ravenous, Samus somehow has the same ability, and while she does it with her hand, not her teeth, it’s giving us major vampire vibes. Check it out. Each Metroid game has some little thing that sets it apart. The previous 2D game, for example, Metroid Dread, had a horror inspiration, as you were forced to run from unstoppable killing machines. Here, though, it’s almost like Samus herself is the Metroid, and I am dying to know how this impacts the game. How long into the story before you develop this power? How far can you go with it? Does it work on every enemy, or are there limited uses? Is it even more vampire-centric, where maybe Samus needs to suck the energy to survive? Or is it purely offensive? The trailer offers some hints, such as the new forms Samus takes, but the second I watched this, it was an instant preorder for me. I can’t wait. I’ve been playing Metroid games since the 1986 original and have always been a huge fan of the franchise. The suits, the weapons, the upgrades—it’s all so awesome. And while the most recent game, Prime 4, was a mighty disappointment to me personally, Samus as a Metroid vampire has me thinking the franchise is back. Metroid Ravenous will be available for Nintendo Switch 2 on January 28, 2027. Are you a fan of the series? What do you think of this trailer? Let us know below. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.