Lists: Metroidvania games
Modern metroidvania games I have played and enjoyed
Fun fact, when I first started to think about writing about gaming and creating a username, I wanted it to be targeted to metroidvania. I had just played the Ori games and I wanted more of that type of game. After researching what genre it was, I came across the term metroidvania. Nowadays I play a huge variety of games so I am glad I did not put myself into a shoe box to only write about metroidvanias, but I still wanted to create a list of ones I have enjoyed and some that are more accessible to new players.
So without further ado, here is a list of some metroidvanias I have played and enjoyed in order of my own perceived difficulty. Plus some on my wishlist at the end.
Gato Roboto
A nice black and white pixel art game. It is short and sweet and an easy to dive in to metroidvania. If the idea of huge maps and backtracking turn you off the genre, then Gato Roboto is really manageable in that concern.
Islets
This is kind of wholesome. While there is some combat and darker areas, I really enjoyed how it built on the systems that Kyle developed in Sheepo. The soundtrack is fun too. Combat and exploration are not hard and not difficult to navigate making it a great metroidvania for beginners.
Blasphemous 2
This is kind of a jump, especially in art style and mood. This game is a lot darker, and more violent. But I just loved the pixel art as a way of depicting this dark religious background. This was one of my favourite games I played in 2024. I would think about it all day at work to progress it. There is a lot of backtracking to use the new abilities you gain to get further on the map but it is worth it. Combat can be a bit clunky but after a bit of practice it is manageable.
Ori and the will of the wisps
The Ori series introduced me to what are metroidvanias. These games look incredible on the steam deck OLED screen and were so fun to play. I played them during a very tough period of time, so some of my memories are a bit blurry. While there isn’t much combat, there is a lot of platforming style challenges and a few chase challenges. These can be tricky hence I put this game down here as a difficult game.
I guess it depends if you prefer combat or platforming. This and the Blasphemous series may feel interchangeable in terms of difficulty.
Hollow Knight & Hollow Knight: Silksong
I grouped these two together because I felt Hollow Knight was more difficult for me than Silksong BUT I had equal measures of fun and these both are very tricky metroidvanias but to me the biomes and atmosphere made me want to explore more and more. This is what those games excel at. The exploration. It doesn’t always lead to something amazing but generally it felt worthwhile to do.
Bosses can be really hard and need some persistence. There are however mods out there that can help if fighting is not your thing.
Wishlist Games
Nine Sols
A cat and japanese inspired setting. What more do you need? To be honest I have been a bit worried about starting the game, due to the comments on difficulty using the parrying system.
Crypt Custodian
You might recognise the art here and that is because Kyle Thompson also created Sheepo and Islets. I have not played this game yet but it is very high on my list. His games are approachable and you can really tell how he is growing as a game dev.
Ender Magnolia
This is a dark beautiful gam, with an interesting looking combat mechanic where you use summons. My gothic teenage heart loves the style of this game and looking at reviews it has a lot of substance as well.
Are you a metroidvania fan? What are your favourites? Or maybe you have a different favourite genre? I’d love to know :)
Big one for me is Guacamelee. Big fan of that one that doesn't get mentioned as much. Have you played either of them?
I'm wondering if you'd like the originators - Super Metroid and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. I came to Super Metroid relatively late actually, yet it has become my all time favourite game ever, it is heavily influenced by the Alien films but more action oriented.