Nintendo published a special feature on the Metroid Dread website discussing Samus’ new foe the E.M.M.I. The feature goes into great detail about how the E.M.M.I. changes gameplay in Metroid Dread, including its three “modes” as well as how the robot can be countered.
Metroid Dread – E.M.M.I. featurette
- E.M.M.I. stands for Extraplanetary Multiform Mobile Identifier, it is a Galactic Federation robot sent to planet ZDR to investigate reports of X Parasites.
- The E.M.M.I. have malfunctioned, and are now hunting Samus as a target for capture.
- The EMMI roam “EMMI Zones” and are designed to switch between three modes by detecting the target to be captured by a sensor .
- Patrol mode: Normal mode. Nothing is detected and it is wandering around the stage.
- Search mode: When a sound within the range of the sensor is detected, it switches to this mode. Move to the point where the sound is detected.
- Chase mode: When the target is visually recognized, it switches to this mode. Completely lock on the target to be captured and track it at high speed.
- When captured by EMMI, the game is almost certainly over with a single blow. It is necessary to search while being careful not to be found be the EMMI.
- If you get caught in EMMI, you may be able to escape by taking a momentary gap that EMMI shows. However, since it is a really severe timing, you may think that you cannot escape by aiming.
- Even if the game is over, the checkpoint for restarting is set in small steps, so you can retry without much stress.
- EMMI roams only in a limited area “EMMI Zone” on the stage. The EMMI zone and the normal zone are separated by an “EMMI zone gate”, which only Samus can pass through.
- Once captured by EMMI’s visual sensor and tracking begins, the gate will temporarily close.
- In order to release it, it is first necessary to shake off the tracking of EMMI.
- One of Samus’s special abilities, “Aeion Ability,” “Phantom Cloak,” is the ability to make Samus’ suit transparent with optical camouflage.
- If this ability is activated, Samus will be able to move without making any noise.
- It is not detected by EMMI’s visual sensor.
- Phantom Cloak is activated by consuming a special power “Aeion”.
- However, if you walk or take action while using it, it will consume a large amount of ions.
- During activation, you can continue your ability even if Aion runs out, but in that case, life energy will be consumed instead of Aion, so be careful.
- Since EMMI is made of a special material that is said to be the hardest in the universe, Samus’s attacks usually do not work at all. However, when Samus took in the energy of the “central unit”, which is the management mother computer for each EMMI zone , the “arm cannon” was transformed into an “omega cannon. It is possible to temporarily gain the power to counter EMMI.
- Hold the L button to hold the Omega Cannon and enter the aim camera mode. With the Y button, you can irradiate a powerful attack “Omega Stream” like a Gatling gun. The protector gradually becomes reddish by continuously hitting Omega Stream on the head of EMMI. When it gets red, the protector is destroyed and the weak core can be exposed.
- Charge by holding the R button while holding the Omega Cannon. If you press the Y button in the fully charged state, you can fire a powerful charge shot “Omega Blaster” that is deadly with a single blow. If you can aim and hit the exposed EMMI core, you can defeat EMMI. Defeating EMMI will destroy the Omega Cannon.
Metroid Dread launches October 8th for Nintendo Switch.
