The Metroidvania genre takes cues from the two namesakes for which it is called: Matroid and Castlevania. Specifically, one of the best SNES games, Super Metroid, and one of the best PS1 games, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. It describes a kind of game where the player explores an open map with multiple paths and areas locked off until they acquire some item or power with which to unlock and further explore.
That formula has become so popular that dozens of current and upcoming video games have iterated on that style with new mechanics, perspectives, art styles, and more. Some of the best PS5 games are Metroidvanias, and the platform is home to the best the genre has to offer. If you’re searching for your next Metroidvania to get lost in, here are the best ones you can play right now.
Hollow Knight
It is hard for a modern game to compete with nostalgia. The classics of Super Metroid and Symphony of the Night are still considered the peak of the genre for some, but even those who adored those games in the past have to admit that Hollow Knight matches, if not exceeds, those titles. Hollow Knight has a massive world to explore as you’d expect, but it is one of the most atmospheric and immersive we’ve ever played.
The art and design of every location, enemy, and boss lends so much life to this creepy, quiet world. Combat is kept simple but expects you to master all the nuances by the end. There are almost no faults to be found here, which have made expectations of Silksong skyrocket.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
The Prince of Persia series has reinvented itself a few times, but Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is the first time it has taken a true stab at the Metroidvania genre. Now that we have it, we can’t believe it hasn’t done it before. Every core component of the series, from parkour and sword combat to time-based powers is such a perfect and obvious fit for this genre.
This game does not waste that potential, either. It feels amazing to control, you get great powers that apply to combat and environmental obstacles, and plenty of reasons to revisit locations to find more upgrades. It would be a shame if this was the last time the series appeared in this form.
Animal Well
Animal Well is a 2D metroidvania, but one of the most open and off-beat you will play. The art style, sounds, and tone of the game is unlike anything else in the space. You can see the creator’s passion, but also an understanding of what we expect from Metroidvanias and how to subvert those expectations. The game encourages you to follow your own curiosity for exploration but requires it to figure out alternate ways to use the game’s strange powers to fight and solve puzzles. It is a game best experienced without any outside influence or expectations for the satisfaction you feel every time something clicks into place in your mind.
Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist
We loved Ender Lilies before, but it had a few quirks and wrinkles to iron out. Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist is the perfect execution of what the first game was attempting to be. It is set in a dreary, melancholy world with a story as gripping as it is depressing.
What is unique about both of these games is the fact that your main character doesn’t fight themselves but instead summons Homunculi to attack and perform moves for them. Using them to reach new areas and beat bosses to find more is the perfect gameplay loop to encourage players to explore the world thoroughly. While the game is meant to be challenging, you can tune the difficulty down if you prefer to enjoy the lonely story and atmosphere.
Axiom Verge 2
Most Metroidvanias lean a bit heavier on the Castlevania influence, but Axiom Verge 2 might as well just be a Metroid game under a different name. Made by a single developer, this game is all about getting new weapons to fight and traverse with. There is also the unique mechanic of hacking enemies to change how they act.
There is a normal progression, but Axiom Verge 2 encourages sequence-breaking more than most games to the point where players can skip nearly every boss in the game. It manages to make exploration and navigation equally as challenging and as fun as the combat.
Blasphemous II
Every great Metroidvania establishes a compelling world that players want to explore. Blasphemous 2 is no exception, but doesn’t rely on the typical medieval or sci-fi tropes we see so often. Set in Cvstodia, Blasphemous 2 is unmistakably influenced by Roman Catholicism in every pixel, building, and enemy. The first game focused on a single main weapon along with some powers to unlock, but the sequel introduces a new arsenal that you unlock over the course of the game.
Each one has its own attacks and skills to unlock, which in turn lets you access more locations. Unlike many Metroidvanias, Blasphemous 2 is not afraid to be brutally gory in its cutscenes, story, and gameplay. It is dark, difficult, but incredibly addicting.
Tunic
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Tunic is very clearly trying to evoke memories of the best Zelda games. Besides having an adorable look and cozy world to explore, the unique twist Tunic brings to the table is its manual. The main collectible, besides weapons and abilities, are pages of the game’s manual like you would get in old game boxes.
However, the pages you collect are in a different language, so you have to use pictures and other cues to understand what secret or instructions they are telling you. It is a more challenging game than it appears, but also full of very secret puzzles and challenges that reward players who can think critically.
