I picked up Chasm and Timespinner specifically because they look about as close to SotN as you can get.
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Hi, my name is ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) and I'm a Metroidvania addict.
- Thread starter Deleted member 3534
- Start date
I will put here some really cool indie under the radar metroidvania that I really enjoyed !
-An Untitled story (free)
-Saira (paid)
-Knytt underground (paid)
-Exodus (paid)
-An Untitled story (free)
-Saira (paid)
-Knytt underground (paid)
-Exodus (paid)
OP
OP
I DO consider the Soulsbourne games Metroidvanias. To me, one of the hallmarks of a Metroidvania is a map that goes deeper and deeper and doubles back on itself in interesting ways, interconnecting. So satisfying in these types of games where you keep going deeper and deeper and think "How the fuck am I gonna backtrack through that tough area" to find that at some point, where you're exploring intersects with a different area in some unexpected but logical way.
This is what made Dark Souls 2 one of the weaker entries in the franchise for me. The intersecting areas didn't really make a whole lot of sense...
I'm finishing Circle of the Moon right now and it's crazy how similar this entry in the series is to Souls. The Soulsbourne games are really the closest we'll ever get to the exploration based Castlevania series' Metroid Prime. A faithful transition to 3D that captures the spirit of the franchise.
This is what made Dark Souls 2 one of the weaker entries in the franchise for me. The intersecting areas didn't really make a whole lot of sense...
I'm finishing Circle of the Moon right now and it's crazy how similar this entry in the series is to Souls. The Soulsbourne games are really the closest we'll ever get to the exploration based Castlevania series' Metroid Prime. A faithful transition to 3D that captures the spirit of the franchise.
Metroidvanias are probably my favourite genre, or it's pretty close at least. Discovered the genre with Circle of the Moon on the GBA and spent way too much time with all the Castlevanias on the GBA and DS. Of course, I also went back to the Metroid games and liked them quite a lot, though my favourite of the bunch is probably Metroid Prime 1.
Really enjoyed Momodora and Hollow Knight recently (HK might be my favourite 2D game in the genre tbh). My main problem with a lot of current games in the genre is that they give way too much information on where to go next. Guacamelee is a good exemple of that, I never had to really explore through the whole game since I always knew where to go. It's still a good game but it missed the mark for me.
I think Dark Souls 1 is probably my favourite game in the whole genre though, it's the only one where the world looped around itself. Not that the other ones don't have good level design but the zones are mostly self coutained, which is a shame imo.
Really enjoyed Momodora and Hollow Knight recently (HK might be my favourite 2D game in the genre tbh). My main problem with a lot of current games in the genre is that they give way too much information on where to go next. Guacamelee is a good exemple of that, I never had to really explore through the whole game since I always knew where to go. It's still a good game but it missed the mark for me.
I think Dark Souls 1 is probably my favourite game in the whole genre though, it's the only one where the world looped around itself. Not that the other ones don't have good level design but the zones are mostly self coutained, which is a shame imo.
Sadly a lot of people want to be handheld through it - so many complaints about the start of HK because you don't really have any idea where you're going.
I adore Guacamelee!. The sequel didn't do as much for me (still a good game), but the franchise is one of my favorites in this category.
Is arkham asylum really a metroidvania? Sure you can go back and use new abilities to get riddler trophies and other collectibles, but the main path is extremely linear.
Rabi-Ribi is my favourite. The art style may be too much for a lot of people here, but underneath that there's a wealth of content, difficulties, catchy music, bullet-hell style bosses, and quite a lot of skips and interesting things you can do with your abilities.
I haven't played some of the newer metroidvanias (since around 2017 or so), but among the ones I have, this stands at the top for me.
If anyone's interested in what I'm putting it up against:
Wow, I thought it was just some bullet hell action game. Gonna check it out now!
Rabi-Ribi is my favourite. The art style may be too much for a lot of people here, but underneath that there's a wealth of content, difficulties, catchy music, bullet-hell style bosses, and quite a lot of skips and interesting things you can do with your abilities.
I haven't played some of the newer metroidvanias (since around 2017 or so), but among the ones I have, this stands at the top for me.
If anyone's interested in what I'm putting it up against:
is this a spreadsheet or some program you're using to curate your library?
I pronounced it in my head as mmyeh
Another metroidvania thread, and another time I keep recommending Environmental Station Alpha. It's the best one out there that I've played and is up there with Metroid. Ridiculously overlooked game. It's by the creator of the upcoming Baba is You, which has garnered more attention.
I love me some metroidvanias. I'm currently playing Iconoclasts, Dead Cells, and The Messenger on Switch. Also own many of the ones listed here. Still need to get back into Ori and the Blind Forest and would like to get Shadow Complex back. I had it on 360. Need to get it on my X.
Never cared for the Castlevania series going this direction and all of them felt middling starting with SotN. It wasn't until Ecclesia that my love for the franchise was rekindled. I realized that barring some exceptions, I am not really a fan of the meandering experience of Metroidvanias. Metroid, Hollow Knight and Ori are sadly exceptions rather than the rule.The moment to moment gameplay is just too poor and devoid of challenge in too many of them. Super Metroid managed to rectify this issue by crafting a world worth getting invested and lost in. It's probably the most important lesson Retro took when creating Metroid Prime (and then lost with Corruption) and perhaps From with the Soulsborne games. Funnily enough, SotN still had this (I have other issues with that game). Post-SOTN CV and many other Metroidvanias that supposedly took inspiration from the best were less concerned with creating immersive and carefully structured worlds. They are more pastiche and shallow imitation of their progenitors, just a haphazard arrangement of rooms and barriers that follows no rhythm whatsoever and are completely devoid of any feeling of place. The beauty of the very best Metroidvanias is how the sctructure serves to convey a feeling of a world beyond the confines of its map. The castle in SOTN does exactly that: It's an insane building full of hazards and convoluted passageways but within the world it establishes, it feels completely believable. None of the other Igavanias after it manage to come close.
Game looks awesome. Baba is You is coming to Switch, so hopefully he brings this over as well.
La Mulana 2 is such a great one in this subgenre. Best one I've played in years by far. Toki Tori 2 is probably the second best.
Just love mysteries and figuring stuff out!
Really good. I love the postgame stuff <3
Just love mysteries and figuring stuff out!
Really good. I love the postgame stuff <3
Haven't seen anyone mention Valdis Story yet. It's a metroidvania with multiple characters you can play through the game with. Its big strength lies with the combat for me.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/252030/Valdis_Story_Abyssal_City/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/252030/Valdis_Story_Abyssal_City/
Hi, ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Thank you for coming. Its hard to admit we have problems but we're here to make our selves better.
Now I personally have a real problem with Metroid: Samus Returns. That game is like crack, a huge improvement over the GB version and much more fun to play than the fan version. Sorry if you dont mind me wispering that last part, some people don't appreciate that train of thought.
I've manged to pry myself away from that game but Now I've learned of Dust's return on switch and I'm trying really hard not to buy it. It feeellls like I needed it years ago, but I'll resist. I hope.
Thank you for coming. Its hard to admit we have problems but we're here to make our selves better.
Now I personally have a real problem with Metroid: Samus Returns. That game is like crack, a huge improvement over the GB version and much more fun to play than the fan version. Sorry if you dont mind me wispering that last part, some people don't appreciate that train of thought.
I've manged to pry myself away from that game but Now I've learned of Dust's return on switch and I'm trying really hard not to buy it. It feeellls like I needed it years ago, but I'll resist. I hope.
It's the greatest mash up of both genres I've played. I bet that you'll probably like it as a Metroidvania fan.
Opinions and all that, but I consider Hollow Knight the greatest metroidvania ever. In fact, I think they should all be call hollowmetroidvanias.
Yeah, I definitely agree with this. Some games have some light elements of the genre (like the new God of War) but it's not that frequent. I guess some immersive sims are pretty close to metroidvanias though, Prey had a pretty great interconnected map.
Not a fan of Environmental Station Alpha or Rabi Ribi myself, they're very dense with very difficult bosses and that's just not what I look for in a metroidvania.
I find high difficulty in metroidvanias generally detrimental because exploration means covering a lot of ground without knowing where you're meant to go and when going anywhere is tough then I want to minimize the distances I travel and always have to worry about reaching save points and health refills in time.
I'll keep pointing at A Robot Named Fight (PC/Switch) as a good example of combining metroidvania and roguelike elements.
I find high difficulty in metroidvanias generally detrimental because exploration means covering a lot of ground without knowing where you're meant to go and when going anywhere is tough then I want to minimize the distances I travel and always have to worry about reaching save points and health refills in time.
I'll keep pointing at A Robot Named Fight (PC/Switch) as a good example of combining metroidvania and roguelike elements.
I would describe Guacamelee as like a linear metroidvania with the way it leads you around.
I'm playing Timespinner right now and it's almost too close to SotN. Like, some of the layouts of rooms are identical.
Which is sad because SotN doesn't have great level design imo.
I haven't played some of the big hitters this year like Dead Cells (is that even a real mv?) or Iconoclasts, but I adored Hollow Knight and spent way too much time on it, both on pc and Switch. Felt like a new bar has been set with that game.
The Swapper has been mentioned in the OP and that's a genius must play puzzle game with some intricate and genius puzzles, but not a metroidvania
The Swapper has been mentioned in the OP and that's a genius must play puzzle game with some intricate and genius puzzles, but not a metroidvania
This is the first thing I saw, and I agree 100%. That game is cool and a hidden gem on the DS. It was even featured in Nintendo Power, which is how I found out about it!
Here's some music:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3VRMpbBVGQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZE4DSrJKZ9E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dpgREX2blg
Finished both Alwa's Awakening and Messenger to 100% on Switch recently. Both I really enjoyed and would recommend.
Iconoclasts is one I am still going through slowly. It has a lot of great ideas, good boss design, neat puzzles. Just not a fan of the writing and progression. Informing the player of the next objective can be a bit obscure to figure out at times, especially if taking long breaks as I have been.
Started Ghost 1.0 also and I'm quite enjoying it. It's unique in that it has a classic progression unlocking system(buy upgrades/weapons freely with cash) or a survival mode similar to a rogue-like where the many upgrades are gifted randomly and lost after death. It's really neat and have been trying both styles with different save slots. It's less focused on exploration, though it does have a map you sort of freely explore. UnEpic by the same team is also great and leans very heavily on the RPG elements with tons of weapons, magic, and character growth options while exploring a massive castle/dungeon environment. Very humorous.
Iconoclasts is one I am still going through slowly. It has a lot of great ideas, good boss design, neat puzzles. Just not a fan of the writing and progression. Informing the player of the next objective can be a bit obscure to figure out at times, especially if taking long breaks as I have been.
Started Ghost 1.0 also and I'm quite enjoying it. It's unique in that it has a classic progression unlocking system(buy upgrades/weapons freely with cash) or a survival mode similar to a rogue-like where the many upgrades are gifted randomly and lost after death. It's really neat and have been trying both styles with different save slots. It's less focused on exploration, though it does have a map you sort of freely explore. UnEpic by the same team is also great and leans very heavily on the RPG elements with tons of weapons, magic, and character growth options while exploring a massive castle/dungeon environment. Very humorous.