We Finally Know Why Samus Looks Different In Metroid Dread

Fans have been going crazy over "Metroid Dread" since its announcement last month, thanks in no small part to the assortment of interesting details served up in the reveal trailer. One of the elements viewers quickly pointed out on Reddit was how different Samus' Power Armor looked compared to previous iterations, particularly when it comes to the suit's bright color palette. This design change led some fan to question the developer's choices. Luckily, Nintendo didn't leave players in the dark for long.

On July 15, Nintendo UK released a ton of new information about "Metroid Dread" in the third volume of the Metroid Dread Reports. While going through several different points about the series, developers wanted to take the time to note the changes in Samus' suit and how it fits into the games.

Nintendo UK explained, "In 'Metroid Dread,' Samus's suit appears to have changed quite a bit from her previous missions. This is the result of the organic suit from Metroid Fusion – which was greatly transformed following the attack by the X parasitic lifeform and the injection of the Metroid vaccine – gradually returning to its original, mechanical Power Suit form."

Essentially, now that she's recovering from the infection that nearly killed her in "Metroid Fusion," Samus' suit has been reverting to its classic design, and the version seen in "Dread" is a sort of middle ground between the two versions of her armor. Nintendo of America also tweeted out the update, and fans were conflicted on the idea.

Some fans expressed disappointment that the reason given for Samus' new suit design didn't have greater story implications. "So that's it? Her suit just... evolved back into a mechanical form, nothing dramatic or lore related?" questioned Twitter user ModelAAA90. "That sounds... anti-climactic." Another commenter posed the theory that the suit was a living thing simply "regenerating [its] protective shell." Others were just bummed that the shoulders on the suit aren't as pronounced as they once were.

However you feel about the suit, it's exciting to see more "Metroid Dread" news roll out from Nintendo. The game has been in development for longer than most people realize, possibly since 2005, so news about it has been long-awaited by fans.

While you wait for "Dread" to release, you can play "Fusion" on the GameBoy Advance to get you all caught up. If Nintendo's latest comments are any indication, then the new game will be tied even closer to the story of "Fusion" than fans expected.