Can you get soft locked in Metroid Dread?

Metroid Dread is finally here, marking the first time in over 19 years since we had a new 2D Samus Aran adventure. Developed by MercurySteam, the team that was also behind Samus Returns, Dread doesn't pull its punches.

Filled with different biomes, secret locations, and plenty of upgrades to find, Metroid Dread can feel daunting to complete, even if you're a veteran of the series, with many players already thinking they've soft locked themselves in various sections of the game.

Soft locking, for those unaware, is when a player reaches a state in which they cannot continue progressing through the game due to lack of a key item with no means to backtrack, rendering their save useless as a result.

Metroid Dread soft locking

With Metroid Dread bringing to light an often overlooked and daunting genre like Metroidvanias, newcomers are quickly populating Twitter, Reddit, and gaming forums with the same question -- are they getting soft locked?

The answer is quite simply no. As of the time of writing, we've had no real confirmation of players being soft locked in any way, shape, or form.

What does this mean, you ask? Well, it's simple, you're just not looking hard enough for answers. 

Metroid Dread, like other entries in the series, is all about exploration and backtracking. Finding the right powerups to open new sections, spam missiles until you hit a secret tile that lets you wander through a new undiscovered path, all that sort of stuff.

Sometimes you'll run into places you can't yet reach; this does not mean you missed out on a now unobtainable upgrade; it means you're not quite where you need to be in terms of progression.

In short, until we find a real soft-lock state, with plenty of dedicated enthusiasts on the case, you are safe to explore as you please. 

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If you still feel like you need some help, we have plenty of Metroid guides coming right up, so stick to our dedicated section for all the content.

Featured image courtesy of Nintendo.