The E.M.M.I. are the unstoppable, supposedly invincible hound dogs that will pursue Samus throughout her adventure in Metroid Dread. There are seven of them throughout the game, each with a unique ability, but all of them are defeated by the same methods. In this guide, we’ll be teaching you how to defeat the E.M.M.I. and make your way through planet ZDR unscathed.
Locate the regional Central Unit
In each area of ZDR, a Mother Brain-like Central Unit resides in a hidden boss room. This room is usually adjacent to the E.M.M.I. zones and is typically blocked off until a certain power-up is obtained. Typically, this room will not be reached the first time you head through an E.M.M.I. zone. Indeed, oftentimes you’ll head through several regions before finding the necessary route to reach the Central Unit. If you feel that you’re missing something, don’t fret about it. The game will lead you to the Central Units as you need them on the story-intended path.
Use the Omega Blaster on the E.M.M.I. from a decent range
After defeating the Central Unit, Samus will obtain the Omega Blaster from its body. This temporary power-up will disappear after you defeat the E.M.M.I. and its presence will alert the E.M.M.I. to your exact location. Using the Omega Blaster takes quite a bit of charge time, and the E.M.M.I. are faster than you may think. Retreat to a distance of about one screen and begin charging the Omega Blaster. Once the E.M.M.I. is in range, fire the cannon at their head. This will defeat the E.M.M.I. and allow you to, sometimes, obtain a new power from its body.
Some E.M.M.I. are more powerful than others
In later regions of the game, you will encounter E.M.M.I. that are in possession of a “face mask” resting around their core. This mask acts as armor that will defend against your Omega Blaster shot. In order to destroy this armor, you will need to assault the E.M.M.I. with a continuous Omega Stream for several seconds. In this time, the E.M.M.I. will likely be too close to Samus for you to successfully charge an Omega Blaster shot. Use the brief moment where the E.M.M.I. is stunned to retreat and gain another screen’s worth of distance. Once the E.M.M.I. is in range again, fire your charged Omega Blaster to destroy the core and secure your power-up.
That’s all you need to know in order to overcome Dread’s toughest environmental obstacle. Metroid Dread is available now on the Nintendo Switch, purchasable in-store or through your Switch’s eShop. For additional tips on how to progress through Dread, you can click here to find other guides.
