Highlights
- Metroidvanias are a unique subgenre combining elements of the Metroid and Castlevania franchises, often featuring large open areas and progression through finding key items and abilities.
- Some Metroidvania games have incorporated RPG mechanics to add variety to the gameplay.
- Games like Darksiders 3, Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth, and Valdis Story: Abyssal City are worth playing for fans of the Metroidvania genre.
Metroidvanias are a very unique subgenre in the video game sphere. Named after a portmanteau of two influential franchises in the genre (Metroid and Castlevania), Metroidvanias generally involve the player traveling through a large open area searching for key items and new abilities to progress into new areas.
While Metroidvanias did not always feature RPG mechanics, some newer entries have included them for the sake of providing more variety in the concept's gameplay. While Metroidvanias with RPG elements remain incredibly rare, there are quite a few that are worth playing.
8 Darksiders 3
Metacritic Score: 70
The third Darksiders game follows Fury of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse as she is ordered to hunt down the Seven Deadly Sins. It runs parallel to the events of Darksiders 2 while also serving as a prequel to the first Darksiders.
Designed by a new company, Darksiders 3 completely revamps the gameplay of the series, making it very different from the first two games. It adopted mechanics from Metroidvanias, Soulslikes, and RPGs. While Metroidvania fans may find it enjoyable, the game has been criticized for being too simple.
7 Record Of Lodoss War: Deedlit In Wonder Labyrinth
Metacritic Score: 74
Record of Lodoss War -Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth-
- Released
- March 12, 2020
- Platform(s)
- PC , PS4 , PS5 , Switch , Xbox One , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S
- Developer
- Why so serious?, Team Ladybug
- Genre(s)
- Action
Record of Lodoss War is a classic fantasy anime from the '90s, based on a novel series by Ryo Mizuno. This game follows the adventures of the popular character Deedlit as she wanders a strange labyrinth filled with past enemies and allies.
Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth is a game that is clearly inspired by Symphony of the Night, which is evident from its retro-2D aesthetic and UI. While it doesn't do anything new, fans of Metroidvanias are sure to enjoy this classic throwback.
6 Valdis Story: Abyssal City
Metacritic Score: 83
When a ship is attacked by monsters and sunk, four plucky adventurers awaken in the city of Sitheil, a long-lost city. As they fight horrific creatures and search for the missing crew, the four adventurers wander the city and discover a secret that changes everything they know about their world.
Valdis Story: Abyssal City is one of many indie games that take influence from the Metroidvania genre. A Kickstarter game, it received far beyond its initial goal in support and was received incredibly positively.
5 Dust: An Elysian Tail
Metacritic Score: 83
In a world where anthropomorphic animals walk the land, Dust awakens with no memories. Joined by the Blade of Ahrah and Fidget, the sword's guardian, Dust decides to wander the land as he searches for answers.
An indie game developed for Microsoft Studios, Dust: An Elysian Tail was created entirely by one person. The game features unique characters and power-ups on top of gaining experience to level up Dust's various attributes. Aside from classic Metroidvania games, the creator has also taken influence from hack-and-slash action games like Golden Axe and Ys I & II.
4 Bloodstained: Ritual Of The Night
Metacritic Score: 83
Miriam awakens after being asleep for years to learn that England is being threatened by a man named Gebel. A Shardbinder with the power to control the powers of demons, Miriam sets out to stop Gebel, eventually infiltrating his castle, the hellhold.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Nightis a spiritual successor developed by Koji Igarashi, the man behind Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and many of its classic games. The game takes its cues from classic Castlevania games of that era, although it certainly has a few unique elements of its own.
3 Salt And Sanctuary
Metacritic Score: 84
A ship to deliver a princess to be married to the king of another country is attacked by marauders. The ship is wrecked, and a stowaway on the ship awakens on a mysterious island. The stowaway sets off to find the missing princess, with little help aside from a strange old man he meets on the island.
Salt and Sanctuary is an indie game that takes as much from Dark Souls as it does from Metroidvanias. Despite its rather simple concept, the game was considerably well-received and gained a sequel called Salt and Sacrifice in 2022.
2 Castlevania: Symphony Of The Night
Metacritic Score: 89
When Richter Belmont disappears and Dracula's castle reappears despite its owner's death, Alucard, the son of Dracula, is forced to investigate. Alucard enters the castle only to learn that Richter has somehow been possessed, and a sinister plan to resurrect Dracula is fomenting.
Unlike the other progenitor of Metroidvanias, Castlevania has never shied away from adding elements from other genres into its gameplay. Symphony of the Night was the first Castlevania game to feature RPG mechanics, allowing its main character Alucard to become stronger as he gains experience.
1 Castlevania: Aria Of Sorrow
Metacritic Score: 91
In 2035, Soma Cruz finds himself suddenly transported to Dracula's Castle, which was sealed away within a solar eclipse. Discovering that he has the ability to absorb and copy the abilities of the monsters in the castle, Soma begins exploring the castle to find a way home.
Aria of Sorrow is one of the greatest Castlevania games of all time and a pioneer for Metroidvanias with RPG mechanics. Aria of Sorrow delves deeper into RPG mechanics than Symphony of the Night does, and its influence on the genre remains great even after all these years.
