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The Extraplanetary Multiform Mobile Identifier, shortened to E.M.M.I., is an extremely resistant type of research robot created by the Galactic Federation. They are set to be a major antagonistic presence in Metroid Dread. Various different types of E.M.M.I.s exist, each with their own strength and weakness.
Background[]
The E.M.M.I.s were created to be research robots by the Galactic Federation. Prior to the events of Dread, the Federation receives a mysterious message that confirms the survival of the X Parasites. The transmission is traced back to the planet ZDR and a group of seven E.M.M.I are sent there to investigate. They immediately disappear upon their arrival. When Samus Aran arrives on the planet, the E.M.M.I. have been reprogrammed by Raven Beak and try to kill her.
Types of E.M.M.I[]
There are multiple subtypes of E.M.M.Is, all having their strenghts and weaknesses. Those are:
- Damaged E.M.M.I. - Unable to climb walls due to a missing arm.
- White E.M.M.I - The White E.M.M.I. is able to climb walls but is unable to go through tight passages.
- Green E.M.M.I - The Green E.M.M.I. is able to follow Samus through tight passages.
- Yellow E.M.M.I - The Yellow E.M.M.I. runs very fast.
- Blue E.M.M.I - The Blue E.M.M.I. freezes Samus, making her unable to move.
- Purple E.M.M.I - The Purple E.M.M.I. has a larger field of vision and is able to paralyze Samus with shock waves.
- Red E.M.M.I - The Red E.M.M.I. is able to make large explosions but is destroyed as soon as encountered.
Gameplay[]
The E.M.M.I.s are virtually invulnerable to Samus' usual equipment. They act as a type of stalker enemy, that will chase Samus through designated areas of the map. In that role, they are very similar to the SA-X from Metroid Fusion. Unlike the SA-X, their encounters are unscripted after the first one and they can be a threat even if the player knows their emplacement. The E.M.M.Is will chase after Samus and if they grab her, the player will have a very small window of time to counter or Samus will be killed in one hit by the robot. While escaping an E.M.M.I. they use sound-based detection and vision-based detection. If they have Samus in their field of vision, they will run towards her. If they don't, they will guess her position using her last known position and the sound of her footstep. It is possible to bypass their detection by using the Phantom Cloak but it is very costly in energy.
The E.M.M.I.'s scanners (or field of vision) come in three different colors depending on their current mode:
- The blue scanner indicates Patrol Mode. It is when the E.M.M.I. is simply patrolling the area for Samus and as long as the player doesn't make a sound and stays out of sight, they will remain safe.
- The yellow scanner indicates Search Mode. It is when the E.M.M.I. are alerted by any noise that Samus or any explosive makes, and they will leave their patrol routes to investigate the source of the sound. The player must attempt to get as far away as they can and hide and wait for them to give up, or they can use the Phantom Cloak if they are cornered, but in the worst-case scenario, they may have to vacate the E.M.M.I. Zone entirely.
- The red scanner indicates Pursuit Mode. It is when the E.M.M.I. has spotted Samus and will begin hunting her down. Additionally, the E.M.M.I. doors are locked down, trapping Samus inside the zone and deterring escape. Attempting to fight them without the Omega Cannon is not an option and the player must run away from them and try to give them the slip and evade capture and find someplace to hide. Each E.M.M.I.'s special abilities contribute to how they pursue the player which they must find a creative way to evade them.
- If the Zone's Central Unit is destroyed, the E.M.M.I. will automatically go into permanent Pursuit Mode, even if they did not spy Samus and no matter their location, but the player has the advantage as taking down the Central Unit grants them the Omega Cannon. The first damaged one can be easily disposed of by the blast, but the subsequent E.M.M.I. require using the Omega Stream to destroy the tough plate to make them stand up and walk to her. Samus may need to put distance between the E.M.M.I. and herself if the robot starts to get too close to her as to get enough charge time to take them down.
If the E.M.M.I. manages to make physical contact with Samus, the latter will have two chances to melee counter; the first before she is grabbed and the second before she is impaled. The window of time to successfully escape is very small, which makes it a desperate maneuver.
The player will know when the E.M.M.I. is in the same room as them by the chirping sounds they make, and the big red dot on the map shows their current location. When an E.M.M.I. gets closer to Samus's location, the player can additionally hear their metallic footsteps. The map will blink red when they are close enough to hear any sounds Samus makes, so the player must stay out of its patrol route and stay still until they leave before proceeding.
Trivia[]
- The E.M.M.I.s seem to be a more realized version of the SA-X gameplaywise.
Gallery[]
