I was preparing for Metroid Dread to offer immersive exploration and intense combat, and all my expectations were still blown away. This is the first 2D Metroid where everything feels consistently responsive and precise, and it's all in service of the perfect moveset that just gets better as the game progresses. Like I had hoped after playing Samus Returns, parrying now has momentum behind it and opens up so many options for both fighting and navigating the game. If all the beautiful regions weren't enough reason to traverse Dread's world, just moving around in general feels fluid and satisfying. This is the kind of game that is does a phenomenal job of integrating its story into the control scheme as well, turning the EMMI segments into a true test of how capable you are of controlling Samus under immense pressure. I'll be returning to Metroid Dread many times, as I can tell it's the type of game that's dedicating to offering that perfect fulfilling experience.