Dread does let you explore and sequence break stuff

Exploration and such are as prevalent in Dread the difference is the structure it is employed in the game, 2D Metroids after Fusion no longer force the player to do deep exploration if they don't want to that is now more of a completionist thing. As for combat Metroid has been combat centric for ages even Super, in fact it was the game that started it, Speedrunners especially exploit Super's combat it's just that the game never makes any attempt to notify you of all the mechanical aspects while later games do.

I acknowledged that in my comment. I just think that exploration and sequence breaking in Dread is nowhere near the level of Super, OG Metroid and Zero Mission.

I agree, the Direct was boring for a certain type of person (including myself)... but that doesn't mean the content on it boring... only how content was presented in these quantity over quality directs that isn't going to sell any new players on stuff that they weren't already sold on... so it often feels like nothing is gained.

A quality direct, IMO, is one that spends enough time to relay what the experience of the games are to players who aren't familiar with them or 'sold' on them. Personally speaking, just firing a string of ten to twenty sub-2 second long clips to kiddy-electro beats isn't selling me on the game; that feels more like fluff/filler; and that's why I don't watch these directs anymore.

If you're into these sorts of directs, more power for you; but that also means this post isn't directed at you. This post is for people who prefer the 12 to 30 minute single malt rather than the blend of 50 any day. To me, the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, remains the absolute best Direct of all time. Probably not the best metaphor! A better one would be an infomercial that explains a complex product and the experience with it vs. a series of 20 commercials that really just flash the brand at you.

For those (like me) who aren't into these Directs, the alternative approach that I find works better is to check out the Nintendo EShop news every week, look at the new releases list, and anything that catches your eye, give it a browse; there generally a good writeup on the EShop, and often better trailers (though, some of them are similarly just a lot of weird anime music with hyper Japanese voices that don't explain shit!)... so, it that case I generally pop on another device for reviews or previews that go into more depth on the title.

The other thing is that the Indie Directs generally explain the gameplay experience a little better than General Directs. And, IMO, the champagne of the Nintendo channel presentations are the treehouse demoes (when they have them), but those are a little bit watered down these days.

And, in the future, rather than getting disappointed by another direct, just look at the release list, if any games tickle your fancy, look up the clips individually... they're almost certainly posted shortly after the Direct.

Yeah, that's why I said that about Zero Mission being last 2D one that I really liked - come to think of it, Super and Zero are only one that I really, really love...I guess I prefer more wandering based Metroidvanias. I guess Dread being fairly linear and that trailer having lot of melee (or at least it seemed to me that way when I was watching Direct) really rubbed me the wrong way, since I'm waiting for Metroid to take note of what's happening in the genre and try to get back to roots, augmented by some of the newer stuff.