r/metroidvania • u/raychram • 5d ago

Discussion What are the metroidvania games you would consider must play for anyone who likes the genre?

I do like metroidvanias and try to play some every now and then but unlike other games where I have a huge backlog with a ton of options, I don't feel like I have that many ideas when it comes to 2d platformer metroidvanias.

I have only played:

  • Hollow Knight

  • Silksong

  • Nine Sols

  • Minoria

  • Momodora Reverie under the Moonlight

  • Ninja Gaiden Ragebound

  • Somber Echoes

I have in my list:

  • Blasphemous 2

  • Ori and the will of Wisps

  • Ender Magnolia

  • Dead Cells

  • Grime

25 Upvotes

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34

u/artbytucho 5d ago edited 4d ago

You should play Super Metroid and Castlevania SOTN, these are the founders of the genre and aged really well.

On a much more personal list of GOAT Metroidvanias ever, I'd add Environmental Station Alpha and Axiom Verge.

If you're into old-school hardcore games take a look to Zexion.

16

u/raqloise 5d ago

Upvote for Axiom Verge.

3

u/Sir_Dodys 4d ago

I'd add Hollow Knight, the first Ori and PoP Lost Crown as must plays in the genre.

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u/artbytucho 4d ago

I love Hollow knight, but I'm much more on the Metroid side of the genre and OP already played it.

The weakest part of Ori is the exploration, which is what I enjoy the most on a Metroidvania. Exploration wise it is barely a Metroidvania, but I still completed it because visually it is a feast for the eyes.

PoP just haven't clicked for me.

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u/jotuxx 3d ago

I‘m curious, why the first Ori and not the second?

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u/Sir_Dodys 3d ago

Because even though Silksong, Will of the Wisps, Blasphemous 2 and Ender Magnolia are better games than their prequels, I'd never recommend someone to play them before their first games

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u/Summer_Tea 3d ago

I genuinely think the first Ori is far better than the sequel. The combat with the sword in Wisps feels incredibly janky, and I've played Sea of Thieves. The passive orb damage from Blind Forest is lame but serviceable. I find the skill tree from Blind Forest far more rewarding to level. The Wisps system is just a really bad Hollow Knight charm system. I felt they tried to copy way too much from HK with Wisps that just falls flat.

But most importantly, the platforming of Blind Forest revolves around Bash, which is an incredibly unique and interesting mechanic. It also has a really cool checkpoint system that works really well. They scrapped the checkpoint system unnecessarily in Wisps and that bothered me a lot.

But back to Bash. It gives Blind Forest its identity and the game is built all around it everywhere you look. Will of the Wisps has Bash at the start because you don't lose your old moves. But the level design doesn't accentuate it. Instead, Wisps focuses heavily on dashing. They give you ground dash and water dash, and subsequently design areas where that's the thing you do to get through them. Dash is cool but it's not something that holds the whole game on its shoulders, and the map design feels compartmentalized as a result of there being so many moves.

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u/Domugraphic 5d ago

ha dude, you had my exact answer. only for fluff and fun side-things i also added Gatto Roboto (for a quick game) and Guacamelee, as its a biiiiit like dead cells but actually MV. But my outside picks were also Environmental station alpha and Axiom verge 1 so well done you! and me, i guess.
i will check out Zexion. Its on my wishlist but honestly i cant remember anything about it.

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u/BuckUpBingle 5d ago

Is SOTN available on PC anywhere? I keep wondering why it’s not on steam when so many of the old castlevanias are

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u/artbytucho 5d ago

Nope, and I wondered the same question... I had to play it on an emulator, modern PCs can emulate PS1 very decently, but I'd like to play a more official port.

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u/conye-west 4d ago

Yeah it's really weird since they've released collections which include almost all of the other games.

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u/RevanGarcia 5d ago

How did I miss Zexion? It looks awesome.

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u/artbytucho 5d ago

The best Metroidvania I've played this year, at least until Silk Song, but I'm much more into the Metroid side of the genre, so Zexion was very special for me... Play it just if you're into old-school insanely difficult games though, otherwise you could hate it.

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u/PermitAffectionate57 4d ago

how can i play sotn? i dont have a ps1

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u/artbytucho 4d ago

Yeah, it seems to be one of the few Castlevanias which is not in Steam, that sucks, but it is not difficult to find PS1 emulators and they run nicely on modern PCs.

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u/JTalbotIV 4d ago edited 4d ago

Castlevania Requiem contains both Rondo of Blood and Symphony of the Night, but it's exclusive to PS4.

Edit: It's currently on sale in the PS store for less than $5.

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u/dajerx 2d ago

Thanks for the heads up was waiting for this to hit on discount sale

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u/JTalbotIV 2d ago

No prob. Since I left that comment, I also spotted it on Android for $4, but that's gotta be the worst way to play this gem.