Current Events > My late discovery of Metroidvania.

(+) Yeah! (+)

Bloodstained: Ritual Of The Night releases, friend gives me a copy.

"Hey this is pretty fun" as I proceed to 100% the map, kill every boss and collect every item in just under 60 hours of gameplay. I was addicted.

Friend: "Wow, if you liked Bloodstained that much, you should go play Castlevania: Symphony of the night."
Me: "Okay."

Holy fuck how did I not know about that game during the Ps1 era? It's awesome.
So I demolished that game too.

I then proceeded to go even further back and play Super Metroid. Great game.

Now I'm playing Hollow Knight on my Switch while trying to figure out which metroidvanias to play next.

I never thought that at 27 years old I would still discover an entire genre of games that I didn't know I liked.

Rabi Ribi best metroidvania

All the the GBA and DS Castlevania Metroidvania games are great and if you loved Bloodstained and SOTN chances are you will love to play them. Aria of Sorrow and Order of Ecclesia are usually recognized as the best out of the bunch for the GBA and DS games.
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YellowSUV posted...

All the the GBA and DS Castlevania Metroidvania games are great and if you loved Bloodstained and SOTN chances are you will love to play them. Aria of Sorrow and Order of Ecclesia are usually recognized as the best out of the bunch for the GBA and DS games.

Yeah I've heard that about the GBA and DS games. However they are fairly pricy to get ahold of these days.

Nidhoggr posted...

YellowSUV posted...

All the the GBA and DS Castlevania Metroidvania games are great and if you loved Bloodstained and SOTN chances are you will love to play them. Aria of Sorrow and Order of Ecclesia are usually recognized as the best out of the bunch for the GBA and DS games.

Yeah I've heard that about the GBA and DS games. However they are fairly pricy to get ahold of these days.

Prices may go down after the hype from Bloodstained dies down since it is basically the spiritual sequel to the Castlevania games. However, Aria and Order both likely had low print runs have always maintained a fairly high value. You might be able to get Dawn of Sorrow for failry cheap since it was an early DS game and had a lot of copies made of it.

Konami also may finally re-release the games but I kind of doubt it since they would have to put in effort of reworking the issues of the DS games being on 2 screens. They can't just do a quick port like they did with the pre-SOTN Castlevania games.
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So not having played Metroidvanias until now includes the Metroid games? Dude, you should get on that series. Super Metroid is fantastic, but so is the Prime trilogy (with 4 coming...who knows when), Zero Mission, and Samus Returns (the 3DS remake of Metroid 2). And speaking of a Metroid 2 remake I actually recommend AM2R. You'll be able to find a download for it. Excellent fan game that rivals official Metroid titles.

After those comes Metroid Fusion and any other Metroid title you might feel like playing. Only one I wouldn't recommend is Other M as they basically took Metroid and made it a linear action game with a bad story to boot.

Aside from Metroid though, Guacamelee 1 and 2 are great Metroidvanias, as well as Dead Cells (rogue-like elements), and Axiom Verge.
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I just beat Ori and the Blind Forest the other day, it was great.

Dust An Elysian Tale is one I will fully recommend.

Shadow Complex might be my favorite though.
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Nidhoggr posted...

I never thought that at 27 years old I would still discover an entire genre of games that I didn't know I liked.

Same sort of thing happened to me when I gave Torchlight 1 a try, like, five years ago because it was free for a weekend and discovered I absolutely love hack and slash ARPGs like Diablo.
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billcom6 posted...

I just beat Ori and the Blind Forest the other day, it was great.

Dust An Elysian Tale is one I will fully recommend.

Shadow Complex might be my favorite though.

Came to post two of these, agree with all 3.

I also add Headlander, a vastly unknown, underappreciated gem. It's on Xbox Gamepass also.

Both Guacamelee games are fantastic also.
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Also, I recommend Salt & Sanctuary. It's not strictly a Metroidvania, but it's pretty close.
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Guacamelee for sure.
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I'm happy you found a new thing to love and enjoy, TC
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The Guacamelee games are really fun
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billcom6 posted...

Dust An Elysian Tale is one I will fully recommend.

I can't play that one because it looks like something furries love.

Nidhoggr posted...

billcom6 posted...

Dust An Elysian Tale is one I will fully recommend.

I can't play that one because it looks like something furries love.

No, seriously, hear me out. I hate Anime. And I mean it, I really hate it. I don't like furries. I don't like any of it. The gameplay very well outweighs any of that. It's such an amazing experience, and you are in full-on badass mode for most of the game. It does the genre almost perfectly. It's so good.
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Nidhoggr posted...

Bloodstained: Ritual Of The Night releases, friend gives me a copy.

"Hey this is pretty fun" as I proceed to 100% the map, kill every boss and collect every item in just under 60 hours of gameplay. I was addicted.

Friend: "Wow, if you liked Bloodstained that much, you should go play Castlevania: Symphony of the night."
Me: "Okay."

Holy fuck how did I not know about that game during the Ps1 era? It's awesome.
So I demolished that game too.

I then proceeded to go even further back and play Super Metroid. Great game.

Now I'm playing Hollow Knight on my Switch while trying to figure out which metroidvanias to play next.

I never thought that at 27 years old I would still discover an entire genre of games that I didn't know I liked.

Think I was about that age maybe 26 when I discovered the genre myself. Though with the original metroid while I was on a old-school gaming kick and getting around to old games I missed that are considered classics.

I had played a 3d castlevania when I was a teen but wasnt impressed. Later found adventure cheap on 3ds VC and went from. there. Though the earlier titles dont fit the genre but it led the way to me eventually getting sotn.
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The messenger! Buy it.
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Nidhoggr posted...

billcom6 posted...

Dust An Elysian Tale is one I will fully recommend.

I can't play that one because it looks like something furries love.

FWIW, TotalBiscuit enjoyed it a lot.
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Dead Cells is great if you want to give a roguelike spin to your metroidvanias.

Chelsea and the 7 Devils is a fun indie regular metroidvania.

Also on the indie vein, and if you like crossovers between videogame universes, the Distorted Travesty series. Tough as balls though.
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ArchangelBaruch posted...

Dead Cells is great if you want to give a roguelike spin to your metroidvanias.

Chelsea and the 7 Devils is a fun indie one.

Also on the indie vein, and if you like crossovers between videogame universes, the Distorted Travesty series. Tough as balls though.

While I agree, Roguelike has really taken it's own genre, especially recently. I love the games, the difference is TC if you aren't aware, Metroidvania, all progress is saved, it's an ongoing push forward, and there is little to no penalty from death.

Roguelike, you start all over when you die, unless the game permits you keep any unlocks and add-ons. It's a genre to see how far you can go, mostly on one life, but game progress resets when you perish.

As a long time Metroidvania fan, this was the most recent genre I got into because it creates a much larger challenge, while maintaining the spirit of the game style.
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Rogue Legacy might be worth looking into. It's not truly a metroidvania, but the gameplay is still very similar. I love it myself.
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MabusIncarnate posted...

ArchangelBaruch posted...

Dead Cells is great if you want to give a roguelike spin to your metroidvanias.

Chelsea and the 7 Devils is a fun indie one.

Also on the indie vein, and if you like crossovers between videogame universes, the Distorted Travesty series. Tough as balls though.

While I agree, Roguelike has really taken it's own genre, especially recently. I love the games, the difference is TC if you aren't aware, Metroidvania, all progress is saved, it's an ongoing push forward, and there is little to no penalty from death.

Roguelike, you start all over when you die, unless the game permits you keep any unlocks and add-ons. It's a genre to see how far you can go, mostly on one life, but game progress resets when you perish.

As a long time Metroidvania fan, this was the most recent genre I got into because it creates a much larger challenge, while maintaining the spirit of the game style.

I bought Dead Cells the same time I bought Hollow Knight. Love that game too.

Aquaria is a must play.

beautiful game

https://store.steampowered.com/app/24420/Aquaria/
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Nidhoggr posted...

Now I'm playing Hollow Knight on my Switch while trying to figure out which metroidvanias to play next.

Wonderboy: The Dragon's Trap if you want a 'classic style' one. Yoku's Island Express if you want a weird one.

You need to play Super Metroid, the Metroid in Metroidvania.
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While maybe not ENTIRELY "Metroidvania", Steamworld Dig 2 was awesome fun and in that same vane.

Axiom Verge was pretty darn good, and I really enjoyed Shadow Complex.
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Jeff AKA Snoopy posted...

Axiom Verge was pretty darn good

If you enjoy everything taking way too many hits to kill, sure.

and I really enjoyed Shadow Complex.

If you ever played Super Metroid, Shadow Complex is like a warm pair of socks right out of the dryer.

Hehe, Axiom can get a little ridiculous for sure. I'm glad you mentioned Wonderboy. As someone who grew up with the Master System, that was always my go-to when people talked about how great the NES was. Not saying they were wrong, but still.... >_>
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Jeff AKA Snoopy posted...

Hehe, Axiom can get a little ridiculous for sure.

The stupid drill ends up being my primary weapon for most of the game, because it's the only thing that kills stuff consistently and quickly until flamethrower.

Dust was excellent. Pick up Sundered too. You'll love the speed.

lifeindamines posted...

Pick up Sundered too.

Is it any good, for a "what's over there?" type of person?

Axiom Verge is surprisingly excellent. One of the more difficult metroidvania games I've played.
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BlazinBlue88 posted...

One of the more difficult metroidvania games I've played.

Except it's not. It's just tedious.

Getting mauled by a boss just means you missed the weapon along the way that tears it up, or at least makes the fight not take upwards of half an hour pecking at it between hiding behind some blocks.

Questionmarktarius posted...

BlazinBlue88 posted...

One of the more difficult metroidvania games I've played.

Except it's not. It's just tedious.

Getting mauled by a boss just means you missed the weapon along the way that tears it up, or at least makes the fight not take upwards of half an hour pecking at it between hiding behind some blocks.

I found myself dying a few times before finding most of the attack power ups. Also like you mentioned, a lot of the enemies had more health than they should.
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I'm surprised that I haven't seen La Mulana mentioned. And its sequel. I have yet to play it myself, but I know it gets a lot of praise.
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Better late than never at all.
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Questionmarktarius posted...

Is it any good, for a "what's over there?" type of person?

Oh yes. I've beaten about 28 games this year, and its top3 for me, along with Nioh and Quantum Break. The speed, reflexes required, even the story is atypical and holds your interest. Its an eclectic mix of Lovecraft and Viking lore. Its also beautiful and has great flow even with portions of it being procedurally generated.

If you want MultiPlayer Castlevania:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castlevania:_Harmony_of_Despair

That should set you up to have you and many friends work together on a Castlevania map.
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I'm three bosses in. So far exploration and finding stuff is really fun,, but all three bosses I've fought have been horribly janky messes.
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Now your next journey is to Dark Souls
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ultimate reaver posted...

I'm three bosses in. So far exploration and finding stuff is really fun,, but all three bosses I've fought have been horribly janky messes.

I told ya it was good!
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Banjo2553 posted...

Only one I wouldn't recommend is Other M as they basically took Metroid and made it a linear action game with a bad story to boot.

I actually thought the story was the one interesting part, if you just write off the authorization thing as a simple method of withholding upgrades, since that's really all it is.

I mean it still wasn't great but it was better than the trainwreck that was the gameplay.
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Nidhoggr posted...

Bloodstained: Ritual Of The Night releases, friend gives me a copy.

"Hey this is pretty fun" as I proceed to 100% the map, kill every boss and collect every item in just under 60 hours of gameplay. I was addicted.

Friend: "Wow, if you liked Bloodstained that much, you should go play Castlevania: Symphony of the night."
Me: "Okay."

Holy fuck how did I not know about that game during the Ps1 era? It's awesome.
So I demolished that game too.

I then proceeded to go even further back and play Super Metroid. Great game.

Now I'm playing Hollow Knight on my Switch while trying to figure out which metroidvanias to play next.

I never thought that at 27 years old I would still discover an entire genre of games that I didn't know I liked.

If you love those game, be sure to give Dead Cells a try, it's my crack at the moment.
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Zodd3224 posted...

Now your next journey is to Dark Souls

Been there done that. I still claim to be the best invader in Dark Souls 3.

Of the titles listed so far, I'd say Shadow Complex is the best of the bunch. They had a lot of consideration for postgame content too, so you get challenge maps, and a secret thing I won't tell about that involves speedrunning!
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a bunch of the games I would have suggested have already been posted, but yeah.. here's some that I didn't notice anyone suggesting

- Ghost 1.0
- Sundered (Metroidvania with Roguelike elements)

.. I guess that's it, all the other ones I enjoyed got suggested already (I have a few others on my wishlist but can't really suggest them since I didn't try them yet)
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stone posted...

Ghost 1.0

aw hell naw

this game was an abomination
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stone posted...

- Ghost 1.0

Why do you want to take TC's joy away?

Well, I enjoyed that game. Not the best one but it was an enjoyable experience to me.
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