Summary
- Metroidvania games reward exploration and progression, unlocking new areas.
- Metroidvanias like Dust & Ori have engaging exploration and evolving skills that change how players move around.
- Games like Bloodstained and Blasphemous 2 offer satisfying exploration and combat.
Metroidvania games are known for letting players enjoy some great exploration that rewards their progress, allowing them to access previously locked areas after acquiring certain abilities. It's the core of these games that makes every quality metroidvania a joy to play through.
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Players will love jumping into these metroidvania titles and exploring their complex worlds. Seeing a character's skills evolve until they can go to any place they want without any problems is a huge part of what makes these games so special.
8 Dust: An Elysian Tail
An Underrated Metroidvania With Fun Exploration
Dust: An Elysian Tail
- Released
- August 15, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
One of the most underrated metroidvania games around, the beautiful hand-painted visuals of Dust: An Elysian Tail offer a feast for the eyes. As one would expect, exploration is dynamic and lets players enter previously inaccessible areas after getting some new exciting powers to mess around with.
The combat system is also great and lets players enjoy more of what this game has to offer, ensuring that exploration doesn't become too tiresome. Leveling up, unlocking skills, and tackling tough bosses is a blast and helps Dust: An Elysian Tail leave a lasting impression on players.
7 Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
A Great Castlevania Successor Where Exploring Feels Natural
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
- Released
- June 18, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- ArtPlay
- Publisher(s)
- 505 Games
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Metroidvania, Side-scroller
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Stadia, Xbox One
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
It was only a given that a game with Koji Igarashi at the helm would do justice to the spirit of the Castlevania series. While Ritual of the Night may share a lot of similarities with the Castlevania series, this isn't something that fans of the genre will have a problem with.
It guarantees that exploration is rewarding for players once they acquire more abilities and become more adept at moving around the game world—and facing the monstrous foes in their path. This nostalgic gameplay loop is a blast to engage with and ensures that Bloodstained lives up to its legacy as a spiritual successor to the Castlevania series.
6 Ori and the Will of the Wisps
The Sequel Features Many Improvements Over the First Game, Including Exploration Itself
Ori and the Will of the Wisps
- Released
- March 11, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Moon Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Xbox Game Studios
- Genre(s)
- Platformer, Adventure
- Platform(s)
- Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Switch, PC
One of the most beautiful metroidvanias players can check out, Ori and the Will of the Wisps is an excellent sequel that expands upon almost everything from Ori and the Blind Forest. The smooth movement mechanics and painterly environments ensure that exploration never ceases to be engaging.
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Players must master Ori's movement if they want to get past the devious platforming challenges in this game while taking out the many enemies that stand in his way. The evocative storytelling and emotional core of this game ensure that Will of the Wisps is a worthy sequel in the eyes of fans.
5 Blasphemous 2
The Striking and Grotesque Art Design Ensures That Exploration Will Always Be Tense
Blasphemous 2
- Released
- August 24, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- The Game Kitchen
- Publisher(s)
- Team17
- Genre(s)
- Soulslike, Metroidvania, Platformer
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS5, Switch, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
One of the best sequels in terms of the improvements it brings to the table, Blasphemous 2 makes things bigger and bolder than ever before, ensuring that the irritations from the first game are a thing of the past.
The instant death spike traps are nowhere near as frustrating now, especially since platforming isn't rage-inducing anymore. This, coupled with the amazing art design, ensures that players will love mastering the game's tough combat just so they can gaze upon more of the incredible art in this game.
4 Animal Well
An Exploration-Driven Metroidvania That's Gorgeous and Distinct
Animal Well
- Released
- May 9, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Shared Memory
- Publisher(s)
- Bigmode
- Genre(s)
- Metroidvania, Puzzle
- Platform(s)
- PS5, PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Animal Well came out of nowhere and established itself as one of the most imaginative metroidvanias players can get their hands on. The fact that some of the puzzles in this game require a printer and multiple people collaborating to find a solution should make it clear just how wacky this indie gem is.
It helps that the serene visuals ensure that exploration will never get old as players soak in the game's charming level design. Since players can't exactly defend themselves in combat, the exploration needed to do a lot of the heavy lifting, and Animal Well succeeded in this department.
3 Super Metroid
There's a Reason Why This Title Led to the Rise of a Whole New Genre
Super Metroid
- Released
- April 18, 1994
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure, Metroidvania
- Platform(s)
- SNES
It would be impossible to praise the best metroidvania games with tight exploration without giving due props to the GOATs of this genre. Super Metroid's gameplay design wowed fans as they were encouraged to restore Samus' suit powers and acquire the abilities they needed to make exploration easier for them.
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The imaginative boss fights, a steady sense of progression, and open-ended exploration ensured that Super Metroid would cement its name in the video game history books. It's one of the best video games ever made and a must-play for fans of classic titles that have aged gracefully.
2 Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
The Reveal of the Inverted Castle Is a Flex That Makes the Exploration Unforgettable
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
- Released
- October 2, 1997
WHERE TO PLAY
Symphony of the Night boasts one of the biggest flexes in gaming history. Alucard's smooth movement and the game's satisfying RPG elements ensured that exploring Dracula's Castle would feel fresh and engaging, only for Konami to show how the upgrades of the PS1 could help their game reach new heights.
The Inverted World is one of the most pleasant surprises in video game history, which managed to make exploration engaging once again. The changes in this altered world make combat and traversal feel fresh all over again as Alucard embarks on the adventure of a lifetime to stop his deranged father.
1 Hollow Knight
Hallownest is Hauntingly Beautiful and Full of Secrets
Hollow Knight
- Released
- February 24, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Team Cherry
- Publisher(s)
- Team Cherry
- Genre(s)
- Metroidvania
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, macOS, Linux
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
There's a reason why players are salivating for Silksong to grace their systems sooner rather than later. Their first adventure in Hallownest was a magical time that easily established Hollow Knight as one of the best takes on the metroidvania genre.
Hollow Knight ensured that exploring this decaying world felt great, although players had to master the combat as quickly as they could if they didn't want to get stuck on some of the more challenging bosses in the game. From delving into the horrors of Deepnest to wandering the rain-drenched streets of City of Tears, the world of Hallownest feels lived in, with each location offering an exciting new aesthetic to fall in love with.
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