Intergalactic bounty hunter Samus Aran makes a long-awaited return to the gaming sphere in Metroid Dread. Fans of the series have had to wait 11 years for a new mainline game in the series and even longer for this particular title which was first rumoured to arrive back in 2002.

With the release less than a month away, fans won't have to wait much longer and Nintendo are doing the utmost to lure in those pre-orders with an excellent looking overview trailer. Dropping recently on Nintendo's official YouTube channel this latest trailer unveiled some of the new abilities, weapons and bosses as well as showcasing some old classics.

The video game series literally gave birth to the term 'Metroidvania' so it's no surprise what to expect from this latest 2D entry. A labyrinth style map that requires Samus to discover and equip upgrades to uncover new paths through the world. The abilities shown off in the trailer include Spider Magnet which allows players to scale certain walls, a Flash Shift dash mechanic to cover large gaps, a Storm Missile to target multiple enemies at once and of course the Morph Ball for traversing narrow passages.

Other unnamed abilities are also shown off in the trailer such as an ability to scan the area for hidden passages, a grapple beam to pull objects and a charge which allows Samus to break through certain obstacles. The trailer also shows off a new slide mechanic and some of the combat options which include Samus' arm cannon and missiles as well as a counter manoeuvre to parry enemy attacks.

Many of the abilities gained throughout the journey will also have combat utility allowing players to refine enemy encounters further. And as another staple of the genre, many of the boss fights look as though they will require the player to master this application in order to proceed.

Fans also got the most in-depth look so far at the new enemy type that gives the game its name, the E.M.M.I. The relentless quadrupeds will hunt Samus throughout particular sections of the map and are seemingly invincible. Although the trailer seems to hint that there will be a way to defeat the E.M.M.I later in the game. Before then though the E.M.M.I will kill Samus in a single hit so the only option is to flee or hide.

It was also revealed here that there will be different types of E.M.M.I with varying abilities so what works for one might not work for them all to keep players on their toes. Finally, fans get a peek at some of the boss encounters and hints as to what to expect from the story. The most notable of these is the appearance of Kraid who also helps close out the trailer in dramatic fashion. Kraid is a recurring foe for Samus dating back to the original Metroid. Fans of Super Smash Bros. may also recognise the hulking behemoth from the Brinstar Depths stage.

As for the story that is set to finally wrap up the narrative of the original Metroid saga that ended abruptly with Metroid Fusion in 2002. Metroid Dread was initially planned to release as a sequel and has been attempted and shelved on multiple occasions since then due to the technological limitations making it impossible to develop the E.M.M.I as the creative team desired.

The story will pick up immediately after the events of Metroid Fusion with a new planet for Samus to explore and should offer fans some long-awaited answers to the bounty hunter's origins. Nintendo has also confirmed that the game will offer and concise but detailed summary of the events of the first four games as its opening so it can still be used as a jumping-on point for new fans.

Metroid Dread has already become the most pre-ordered game on Amazon in the US, UK and Japan and this latest reveal should keep a steady stream of orders coming in right up until launch. The game arrives exclusively on Nintendo Switch on October 8th and is also available in a bundle with the new OLED Switch model also launching the same day.