Hell yeah Ori and Hollow knight where they belong up top! I really hope we get more from both of these franchises. I feel like both of these are the true worthy successors to Castlevania and Metroid and could do what they did, defining a genre for a whole generation
@@ethanbrust5917 yeah, the snes and the saturn were probably the golden age. Not to say they arent great now, but that was when they where truly huge budget and everywhere
Me too. Then i played Half-Genie Hero and my love that has built it self up for the series got immediately destroyed. Don't play that game! Just play Pirates Curse and keep your good memories.
@@dunkelwelpling Half Genie Hero is the only linear game in the series and is beyond short, so I can see why you didn't like it. It literally only has like 5 levels and that's it. Ultimate Edition tried to make up for it with 100+ random bonus modes, but even that can't make up for a game so absurdly short. While mediocre, at least Seven Sirens was an actual semi-metroidvania and had skill cards which were basically souls/shards from Castlevania so that's cool. They were also able to better impliment animal transformations into the exploration, something they weren't able to do seemlessly until this game. Heck, the meta reason why they didn't use transformations in pirates curse (and why Shantae lost her powers) was because they thought transformations couldn't be implimented we into Metroidvania gameplay. Luckily they were able to find a good middle ground with seven sirens which returned to the series standard, so yay. If you liked Pirates Curse, you should play the other games you haven't played yet in Chronological Order. Shantae on the Game Boy Color, Shantae Risky's Revenge on the DS, and Shantae and the Seven Sirens on iOS. Of course, all the games have been ported to both steam (and therefore the upcoming Steam Deck) and the switch, and I highly buying and playing them on there rather than on their original consoles.
@@CaelenSawyers i completed the first guacamelee, the super turbo etcetera... and guacamelee 2. And imho Guacamelee 2 is more balanced and less frustrating.
I had just moved back to the US after living in Korea for two years when Dust came out. Missing Korea, I picked this up, and it has been one of my favorite games since. A must play.
Valdis Story is so underrated and forgotten, it was such a good metroidvania. It had multiple characters, secret weapons, hidden bosses, hidden storylines that impact the world. Nobody ever mentions it.
My favorite game in the genre is actually my favorite game of all time: La-Mulana. I can't recommend it enough, and hopefully one day Jirard will make a video of this masterpiece of a game.
@@Raktasdelespacio I haven' finished 2, but I still played a lot to tell you this: While 2 does improve in several minor aspects, it also is a sequel that relies on you having played the first one to fully understand what's going on. The story isn't incomprehesable if you haven't, but you'll be missing a lot of context. And the remake still holds up great. I personally recommend playing it in order. Even better if you first try the freeware version, but that one is very difficult to make it run propertly on modern OS.
It also has a brilliant soundtrack, though so many of the games that made the list did. Really, metroidvanias have some of the best music in gaming. But the chiptunes from the OG La-Mulana will always hold a special place for me
Iconoclasts is one of the best metroidvania's I personally have ever played. It has such I great story with nice gameplay plus a great soundtrack all made by 1 guy. I suggest anybody to play it. The story gets better and better as you uncover things throughout the game. It truly is a master piece!
I agree. I thought it was a great game with really great art and an excellent story. To be honest though, I can't remember now if I actually finished the game.. Definitely put a lot of hours into it but I'm not positive I finished it. Definitely need to boot it up and check.
That is in my top 5 for sure. I even know one of the voice actresses in that game. Amber Lee Conners aka the one who voiced Ginger and was also Android 18 in DBZ abridged! She's a friend for mine!
ngl Dust was the worst Metroidvania I have ever played -there are 3 movement upgrades (I won't spoil what they are but they are all boring, and the first of which you don't unlock until the game is 75% over) -said movement upgrades aren't used to get to any new or interesting areas. every single one iirc is used to get to a chest/key which unlocks a chest, which gives you money to buy more keys to unlock more chests -as other people have said, the combat is horrible, mindless beat em up button mashing -and perhaps the cardinal sin a metroidvania can commit: the map is NOT interconnected. when you get to the end of an area it brings you to a world map where you choose where to go next.... absolutely horrendous
Both fighting and traversing the world are bolstered by our protagonist's abilities. It's something fans of metroidvanias should check out. My only gripe with the game is that I just want more.
So glad to see Cave Story on the list. It too often gets left out of the Metroidvania conversation because it's progression is largely story driven rather than exploration focused, but it wears the Metroid influence too closely to not deserve the nod.
@@L33PL4Y I'm not a fan of naming a game type after the series that did it first. It's like calling all FPS' "Doomlike", or all platformers "Mariolike". Chasm for example plays like Symphony of the Night. Is it then a Castlevanialike or a Metroidlike?
Forgotten gem, some of the level packs people made for that have stuck with me after many years. Iji isn't quite a Metroidvania, but it's also a good forgotten indie from that era
@@casualjordan9844 Never. We haven't heard literally anything since January 2020 and that was only an update that they're still alive. It's been over a year and a half with no updates whatsoever. Last gameplay we saw was at E3 2019 with the kiosk demo. (That I actually played, fun fact) Don't be surprised if something bad happened to one of the devs (it's only a two person team) and the game's cancelled. The game should be out by now. It looked relatively complete back in 2019. At least they could give us another trailer or even an update but we've got nothing. Hollow Knight fans are so desperate for new content that they're literally producing their own fan-sequels/ripoffs to tide themselves over.
@@krimsonkatt Iirc, there was an article published by EDGE last december about Silksong, they interviewed Team Cherry and asked some questions about the game. Hollow Knight is a big-ass game, especially for a metroidvania, and Team Cherry has repeatedly talked about Silksong being an even bigger game. Whilst i do agree that they could be a little more "communicative" about the state of the game, i don't think them being radio silent is some sort of bad omen, they just want to work on their game and hype everyone up when the time comes.
Ender Lilies also just came out, one of my favorite games so far ❤️❤️ the gorgeous environments and beautiful music and such a sorrowful yet hope-filled story is truely breathtaking
Mine too. It took a little bit from hollow knight but did it's own thing as well. THANK GOD the HK fandom did not go after this game. Did you see what happened to crowsworne or whatever its name was?
@@arishkhan5918 Crowsworn has literally made more than 5x its kickstarter taret with 12 day left to go, it's doing excellently. Now there was another game I don't remember the name of that also got a lot of flak for looking a lot like Hollow Knight that didn't do so well.
A game that deserved a spot is Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom, a really good metroidvania, full of stuff to unlock and secret to discover, it's pretty long and has a good and fun story too.
It's an incredible game! One of my favourite metroidvania games for sure, and probably one of the most polished games in the genre. You can tell it was a labour of love
I started it after I got it for free on epic. But I was immediately put off from not being able to use the mouse as part of the controls, so it felt horrible to play. At the time I didn't have a controller to use, but I do now. Does it support controller?
Honestly though one thing I love about Hollow Knight is the massive replayability the game has. So many charm builds to experiment with. Even the pantheons offer different bindings to challenge yourself with. Hollow Knight is my favourite game in the entire galactic universe :). I an currently replaying it on my Switch OLED in wait for its sequel Hollow Knight Silksong where you get to play as Hornet!
Yeah. Every time I see something hollow knight I just sigh in fond memories. My gaming habits haven't been the same since I completed it. I have been gaming since 1995 and It's one of the best games of all time. Period!
I loved the messenger, its just a really good game in every way, so while i would place HK #1 still, i really like the messenger earning a really high spot
Couldn’t agree more. Hollow Knight is my favorite game of all time, but I still respect the heck out of the messenger, and would not be shocked at anyone listing it as their favorite
Completely agree. Both were really fun. I can see why Gerard ordered them the way he did, even if I would not have. Ori is also a good choice for third, although I haven't even played the second one yet, the first was short but sweet.
I love the look the music the world its self but it needs a wuss mode for those of us who just want to experience the whole game I finally beat the main game only to dlc kick my ass in
So happy to see Yoku on the list! My top two are definitely Quackamelee and The Messenger but I've yet to experience Shantae and looking forward to them!
I hoped I would see Iconoclasts on this list. I played it earlier this year and finished it so fast. Idk if there will be more but that game was addicting with fun characters and writing.
I’m 30, I’ve played Super Metroid and Symphony of the Night when the were released and they changed my gaming tastes forever. However, I can safely take my nostalgic glasses off and recognize that Hollow Knight is the greatest Motroidvania ever. What a flawless game.
41 here. Definitely played a lot of games. But Ori 1 and 2 lasted longer on my mind then hollow knight did. But my problem always is trying to say one game was better then another when I absolutely loved both while playing.
@@LeanPicachu I can somewhat understand your opinion but in my opinion the Metroid lore is way more interesting. It’s not even like I haven’t played hollowknight I literally 112% the game and beat every possible challenge + watched the mossbag lore videos it’s just that I think I will always prefer Metroids sci fi lore instead of bugs and shadow demons and though I love both games gameplay the lore is why I buy the games I just enjoy slowly picking away at it and then watching countless theory videos after beating the game
My favorite rn has to be monster sanctuary, it’s an indie metroidvania monster tamer, 3v3 combat and the battle mechanics are so fun to experiment with
I played the demo years ago and it blew my mind that I was basically playing a pinball Metroidvania with a ton of character and unique ideas. It’s always been in my mind. Thanks for the reminder
Wanted to see your opinion on these: - Blasphemous - Salt and Sanctuary - Ender Lilies - Mummy Demastered - Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth (Newest one) Hope you have the time to make a part two :)
@@recht_voor_zijn_raap5506 From my experience anyone whose played Hollow Knight as their first MV ends up dissapointed by Super Metroid. Be it for the slower gameplay, somewhat dated controls, low difficulty, relatively simple platform design, thin lore, and muffled music/sound design.
@@halowillneverbegoodagain1868 You can rebind the controls of Super Metroid on the main menu, if placement is the issue. Otherwise, any particular reason that you find the controls outdated? I played Hollow Knight recently but couldn't get into it. I got to the three bug lords in the praying mantis area and I just got bored to tears with no desire to pick it back up. I don't think it's bad, not in the least; it's wonderfully constructed in nearly every way, but I just couldn't stick with it. Super Metroid I could play every day though. That game is so engaging and it tends to go between my 1st and 2nd favourite game, depending on the day.
@@residentevilman64 Ive played Super Metroid upwards of 100 times and ive never found a binding that made shooting or inventory feel natural. Not gamebreaking by any means but its really hard to go back too after the GBA games. Super is still one of the GOATs but may feel basic to those who have indulged in so many unique indie offerings.
@@halowillneverbegoodagain1868 I sacrifice my down-angle aiming and put run on L, shoot on Y, jump on B, cancel on A and weapon cycle on X. I see where you're coming from though; the weapon cycling took me a while to get used to and the default layout feels awkward. I hadn't considered what playing newer games might do to Super Metroid. Thank you for the new perspective. I've often wondered what my young cousin would do if I sat him down in front of the original Metroid. I envision a deer-in-headlights look from him.
You know this is coming but fuck it I gotta say it: There is no way in hell Messenger is a better metroidvania than Hollow Knight. You know it in your heart of hearts to be true and that cheap attempt of fake suspense the 1st place can’t fool anyone who played it.
The Messenger isn't even a proper metroidvania. Gaining new abilities to get access to new areas is an important part of what defines the genre, but after the world of the Messenger opens up, you only get one new ability. The "metroidvania" portion of the game is generally the part that players dislike. It may be a good game, but it is a bad metroidvania.
The shopkeeper was awesome, probably the best part of the game. The level design was infuriating though, because I wanted to go fast, and the level designs required a lot of waiting... especially near the end of the game. The Messenger started out fun, but by the end I couldn't wait to be done so I could put it away and never play it again. Whoever did the writing deserves a raise, but the level designer should probably choose a different type of work.
@@ToyKeeper Honestly, had the game ended before the big twist reveal where it turns into a metroidvania, I wouldn't have been mad. It felt excruciatingly long / tedious getting through all those levels, having the story say you were almost done, and then it pushing more at you over and over again. By the time the big reveal happened, I was like "Are you F'kn serious?" and just stopped playing the game. Sure, it was a neat twist, but godamn that game had terrible consistency and pacing.
@@ToadstedCroaks Yeah, that's definitely the point where it started to go downhill. It's no mystery why most of the speedrunners only do the first portion of the game... since that's where most of the fun is. After that, it kinda turns into a walking simulator.
I love metroidvanias, but there are so many games on this list that would go no where near my top 10. Some of mine are: VVVVVV Strider Dust Valdis Story Deedlit in Wonder Labrinth/Luna Nights La Mulana Fez
@@DontGiveUp_Skeleton when people coined the term metroidvania, it was born after Symphony of the Night. So previous metroidvanias Unlocking new abilities that help with exploration and unlocking paths. Just like how Samus and Alucard gained new abilities that helped them move past areas. It's more than a 2d platformer with a metroid/SotN map.
Weird, I've never though of Cave Story as a metroidvania 🤔 I usually saw it more akin to the megaman zero games, tho it does fit as a metroidvania now that I think about it.
i liked super metroid before SOTN but i never owned it till i was a teenager, by than SOTN was already out and i had play it till my eyes bleed. i also have the first metroid for NES that i got back in the early 90s.
@@joeplumley3238 I too have my original Metroid for NES. It's lacking the casing so I can only play it when I plug it into the Game Genie. Can't remember how the casing came off for the life of me. I suspect my brother had a hand in that.
Rabi-Ribi still remains one of my favorite Metroidvania with Luna Nights. You should also check Ender Lilies : Quietus of the Knight that just released recently and encompasses all the good aspects of the Metroidvania with a Dark Soulesque setting.
Rabi-Ribi's great! A lot of Metroidvania's will have you tackle areas in a specific order, but Rabi-Ribi is so non-linear that you can play the game in just about any order you can think of. It's honestly the #1 example of what a good Metroidvania should be, IMO.
Rabi-Ribi just feels gross to watch, let alone play. I’ve never felt like such a creepy person as when I watched that game being played. Like seriously! Put some damn pants on your characters!
I'm so pleased to see Yoku's Island Express here. That game needs all the love it can get cause I want an expanded sequel so badly. The gameplay was so unique and the world was so enjoyable.
"What? What can possibly top Hollow Knight?" "Oh. Yeah I'll allow it." I played The Messanger because of Jirard and I was blown away, easily one of the best games I played, I only wish I wasn't in such a terrible place emotionally then. (Maybe I can use this as an excuse to play it all again!)
Hell yeah! Love this list. I'm more surprised to see SteamWorld Dig 2 beat out Axiom Verge in your rankings than I am to see The Messenger beat out Hollow Knight, but I'm also just so damn happy that you've played and enjoyed any SteamWorld game. Such a vastly underrated series. I hope you complete SWD2 someday...but I hope you'll complete SteamWorld Heist more. Bet you're looking forward to Metroid Dread!
I watched the top 10 hoping to find some games that I might add to my collection as I love Metroidvanias. I come away with two: Yoku's Island Express and Steamworld Dig 2. I already own the rest.
I'm very pleasantly surprised that Yoku made the list, it's a very novel mashup that I had a blast going for 100% on! I'd also LOVE to recommend Dandara to anyone reading the comments here!
@@desmondhawkins5362 Because there is no imrpvement in the character's mobility or traversal abilities that enhance exploration and backtracking, opening up previously unreachable areas. All you get in Blasphemous are combat abilities and keys. If that can be called a metroidvania, then all old school Resident Evil games are metroidvania, all open world games are metroidvania, almost every game with a bit of exploration become a metroidvania. And if all those game are metroidvanias, then there is no real metridvania genre at all.
Just last night i was watching your top 10 2d platformers episode and thought "Damn i hope he does a metriodvania episode soon". I was far from dissappointed. I have been looking for a new MV and now can't decide which to start next lol. Keep on keepin on! Can't wait to see what the next vid will be. I actually love you. Don't tell my dad.
Hollow Knight is pretty great. Guacamelee is silly and full of mechanics which feel good to use. Haven't tried Axiom but I hear it's awesome. The Messenger, however, is really not much of a Metroidvania. It technically is one, but it's not very good at it. I stopped enjoying it about halfway through, but finished it anyway, and then was happy and relieved to go back to other games. I never get sick of Hollow Knight, for example. And Celeste (not a Metroidvania) feels so good to play that I got into speedrunning it. But The Messenger feels like a chore now, and I'm not surprised that its speedrunning community mostly focuses only on the early game. The late game, where it has some Metroidvania features, is kind of slow and tedious.
Got to go old school with Wonder Boy 3: The Dragon's Trap and new school with the two Alwa games: Alwa's Awakening and Alwa's Legacy. As well as Timespinners!
While watching this I found myself thinking of Ghost 1.0, which definitely gives me Metroidvania vibes and has a control scheme that is both different and utterly satisfying.
I think you should try Phoenotopia: Awakening and Enderlillies. They're more recent Metroidvania types and I think they're excellent. Although Phoenotopia's learning curve and power up progress could be improved but I suppose they were keeping the "complete game without picking up a single heart ruby" folks in mind.
Hollow Knight is awesome. A small tip I have for you is stay determined. Some bosses will seem impossible at first, but once you memorize their patterns, when its safe to heal, and the best tims to use spells, you'll wonder why you ever thought they were hard.
The Cave Story+ -version is where the publisher, Nicalis, REALLY fucked over the original developer and the fans of the game. If you don't own the game yet, go grab the original somewhere, instead.
I don’t know all the details, but I think it’s something along the lines of Nicalis with a finely worded contract now owning all the rights to Cave Story instead of Pixel. In other words, Pixel can’t make any other Cave Story follow ups on his own. Unrelatedly Nicalis is also rude and unprofessional in their business dealings last I heard.
@@ivanquote1807 From what I heard, that's not the case. Pixel is still friendly towards Nicalis and still gets money from Cave Story purchases. Nicalis may have a very bad reputation, but there's little evidence to support this rumor.
I'm gonna throw in three that I love. Chasm, Outland, and severed. Chasm is randomly generated each new game and so has great replay without being a roguelite, Outland takes the mechanics of ikaruga and translates them into a metroidvania, and although severed is first person it definitely belongs here and it's story and world are so haunting
I wish people ( not directed at you personally ) would stop saying Chasm is a metroidvania, or a roguelite. Nothing about that game requires new powers / items other than as a key to get into the next zone; it's entirely redundant. There's no backtracking, or anything resembling a metroid game. It's basically a 2d platformer with some redundant leveling aspect to it. As for the randomization / roguelite aspects, it has zero of that. All the random items are pointless, and aren't even that random; the same goes for the room layouts which are always done in the same pattern, just shuffling some of the foliage around. The creator even acknowledged the game doesn't really do anything random, it's just to make it look like it does. He kept the terms as a marketing tag to sell the game, since he was constantly removing huge portions of the game that would have made it those two genres, before finally releasing a shell of his original plan just so it would finally get out and earn some money after half a decade of being overwhelmed with no idea what he was doing. It's a fine game for a first playthrough, if you go in expecting nothing and having heard nothing about what the game was suppose to provide. It's certainly not something with huge replay-ability, variety, or interesting game mechanics. It barely has a story to begin with after you leave the intro castle; dropped that interesting plot almost immediately.
I was glad to see a Shantae game on this list. Seven Sirens is my favorite Metroidvania ever. I am not a very skilled gamer and it is super easy. A lot of the time I find myself getting stuck on a game and feeling like I wasted my money on it.
Glad to see The Messenger in the number 1 spot :) Quite possibly one of my favorite games of all time. It just has a really satisfying feel to it all around like it's one of the most polished games I've played, the flow to it is intense! Plus that soundtrack is fantastic and was definitely a big reason for many of my NG+ playthroughs
Hollow Knight refuses to click with me somehow, I always start a new game, play about 3 to 5 hours until I beat Hornet and by then I'm somehow so worn out that i just drop it. I wish it weren't so and I really wished it clicked better but something about the pacing just throws me off every time I try to get into it.
@@cornpop2630 no I meant 3-5 hours from start of game to Hornet. Hornet herself isn't hard, those first few hours are just such a draggy experience that I lose interest by the time I get to her.
@@cornpop2630 maybe I'm misjudging the time. Either way, like I said, it's not hard, it's just... not fun? Traversing in the first few hours of the game isn't fun and by the time I get the tool that begins to make traversing "fun", I'm bored and just stop playing. Like I said, it repeatedly fails to click because of pacing issues. I think we can agree that the game isnt for me. I've played harder games but they kept me on with the pacing.
@@PewPew_McPewster I suppose the beginning could have had better pacing but you should go further it does pick up and is one of the more rewarding games in the genre.
Youre God damn right the messenger is #1. That game took me back to childhood. I could not put that game down and couldn't shut up about it. Best game, best soundtrack, best I've felt personally in a long time was that game
I absolutely loved Enders Game in middle school, something I considered to be one of my favorites. I hadn't paid attention to Card recently so I just looked him up after seeing this. So disappointing to learn all the really shitty stuff he's done and said. Yikes
@@gamingwhilebroken2355 We could go back and forth discussing how the Estate of Michael Jackson has a vested interest in burying the actions of MJ since there potentially could be legal action asking for money for damages caused by him. Not justifying Rowling for being a Bigot, but she has not physically abused children who are still alive today processing that trauma.
@@MungkaeX I’d argue Rowling is worse. She can (and almost certainly is) funding political groups that actively hurt people. That can lead to thousands of people being harmed. For example, OSC funds political groups promoting and fighting for conversion therapy. That leads to lots of harm (mostly to children I might add, as both what Rowling and Card advocate for targets children). The potential for harm is a always greater when people exert the power at the systemic level rather than the individual. I get the initial reaction to thinking MJ is worse, because he directly harmed people, whereas Rowling and OSC is abstract. Also, while MJ estate may want to suppress, that’s not something they’re actually capable of doing. It’s common knowledge now.
Yeah, it wasn't really about exploration and growth... it was mostly a series of long fetch quests involving a whole lot of walking and waiting. The early game was fun, but later on, the only thing which kept me going was the sunken cost fallacy, the feeling that after investing time and money, I was obligated to finish it.
Props for not going the predictable route and putting HK at #1. Although I'm in a very small minority of people that HATED The Messenger, I absolutely respect your decision. Cool list and video!
Oh wow, I'm _genuinely_ surprised to see SteamWorld Dig on here! I never see anyone talk about those games. They're not my all-time favorite Metroidvanias, but they're easily the two that I've revisited the absolute most. That "choose your own path" gimmick is way too fun. Also, _very_ good call on choosing Pirate's Curse. It's the smoothest experience, with only Seven Sirens coming close.
I agree, the Steamworld Dig games are both amazing. I didn't buy them for years because I wasn't sure about that "make your own way"-gimmick, but one day I could get the first one for 3€ and I gave it a try. I was so surprised how good it was and also played the second one of course which was great as well. Hope they make a third one in the future.
Talking about indie developers, I'd also like to remember Iji and Within a deep forest, plus all the other games by Nifflas. They sadly don't get the recognition they deserve. They are a must try for all metroidvania lovers, and free to boot!
Fair play for not picking Hollow Knight. I feel like it's a tricky position to be in because it's cliche as fuck to say it's the best non metroid/castlevania game but it's also insanely good and totally deserves it haha
Love your list 🙂 Personally I would have added both Alwa games - Awakening and Legacy - love these games. I could also recommend Cathedral for a very lengthy Metroidvania
Here is one everyone misses: Timespinner. This is a time travel focused one that has a pretty decent story. You are the most recent Time Messanger that was trained. Your caravan was attacked by the evil Lechiem Empire and you get stranded on their planet via an accident involving the Timespinner getting attacked as you tried to jump to the past. You now jump between the past and future of this planet to take your revenge. It feels and plays like a lost Nintendo DS game and it plays like the best of those games. It is worth a playthrough.
Me and the boys waiting patiently for Hollow Knight to be on the list
Same
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"I'm doing it again and you can't stop me!"
Me: *Pauses video* "I win."
Be honest. You unpaused the video after.
@@RanEncounter actually i didn't i just left or he would've won XP
He paused the video! GET 'IM!
@@smartboy201 AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!
@@killeing LAAAAAAAME
Hell yeah Ori and Hollow knight where they belong up top! I really hope we get more from both of these franchises. I feel like both of these are the true worthy successors to Castlevania and Metroid and could do what they did, defining a genre for a whole generation
The Completionist is my hero because he’s the only youtuber with a large following who has talked about Ori lol
@@wizaro2487 Fr
@@wizaro2487 yeah
Metroid is back though, so it's great to see the king along with it's "knights". ;)
@@Ray_2112 eyyyyyyy
We're living in a golden age of 2D platformers right now. I'm enjoying it cause it won't last forever.
I feel like the golden age was the Sega saturn
@@ethanbrust5917 yeah, the snes and the saturn were probably the golden age. Not to say they arent great now, but that was when they where truly huge budget and everywhere
One that might've slipped under everyone's radar is Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom, a successor to the Wonder Boy series.
Came here to say this. Just actually played it recently for the first time. Super underrated but great.
That game is super charming though.... I don't think it hits as hard as these one, but it's definitely worthy of a top 20 spot along with Blasphemous.
I agree, it was a wonderful surprise of a game and it's definitely in my top 10
Just another one that wants to add Monster Boy. It's great advancement to the gameplay of Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap.
Yes this game is beautiful to look at too.
Pirates curse was the first Shantae game I ever played, it was pretty enjoyable. The art style is great and the music is good too
Me too. Then i played Half-Genie Hero and my love that has built it self up for the series got immediately destroyed. Don't play that game! Just play Pirates Curse and keep your good memories.
It's the only good one "If you like Metroidvania's" unfortunately.. The other games just don't have the same charm outside the quirks of the story.
The biggest issue I have with Pirate's Curse is simply that Shantae didn't keep the pirate look beyond a gag scene :(
Shantae series is my favorite gaming experience
@@dunkelwelpling Half Genie Hero is the only linear game in the series and is beyond short, so I can see why you didn't like it. It literally only has like 5 levels and that's it. Ultimate Edition tried to make up for it with 100+ random bonus modes, but even that can't make up for a game so absurdly short. While mediocre, at least Seven Sirens was an actual semi-metroidvania and had skill cards which were basically souls/shards from Castlevania so that's cool. They were also able to better impliment animal transformations into the exploration, something they weren't able to do seemlessly until this game. Heck, the meta reason why they didn't use transformations in pirates curse (and why Shantae lost her powers) was because they thought transformations couldn't be implimented we into Metroidvania gameplay. Luckily they were able to find a good middle ground with seven sirens which returned to the series standard, so yay. If you liked Pirates Curse, you should play the other games you haven't played yet in Chronological Order. Shantae on the Game Boy Color, Shantae Risky's Revenge on the DS, and Shantae and the Seven Sirens on iOS. Of course, all the games have been ported to both steam (and therefore the upcoming Steam Deck) and the switch, and I highly buying and playing them on there rather than on their original consoles.
Happy to see Guacamelee here!
The overall presentation of those games really stand out to me.
Feel like saying the second one is better when it has so much less content is a bit strange but they are both very good games
@@CaelenSawyers i completed the first guacamelee, the super turbo etcetera... and guacamelee 2.
And imho Guacamelee 2 is more balanced and less frustrating.
I felt the first one had a better story and better characters.
Ever played Dust: An Elysian Tale? That one is awesome, definitely recommend
I had just moved back to the US after living in Korea for two years when Dust came out. Missing Korea, I picked this up, and it has been one of my favorite games since.
A must play.
Valdis Story is so underrated and forgotten, it was such a good metroidvania. It had multiple characters, secret weapons, hidden bosses, hidden storylines that impact the world. Nobody ever mentions it.
Just got to #10 and had to say: Yoku's Island Express is amazing!
My favorite game in the genre is actually my favorite game of all time: La-Mulana.
I can't recommend it enough, and hopefully one day Jirard will make a video of this masterpiece of a game.
I'm wishlisting it. Should I play 1 or would you recommend to dive into 2 right away?
@@Raktasdelespacio I haven' finished 2, but I still played a lot to tell you this: While 2 does improve in several minor aspects, it also is a sequel that relies on you having played the first one to fully understand what's going on.
The story isn't incomprehesable if you haven't, but you'll be missing a lot of context. And the remake still holds up great. I personally recommend playing it in order. Even better if you first try the freeware version, but that one is very difficult to make it run propertly on modern OS.
Yes! La Mulana is also my favorite game of all time!! Such an underrated masterpiece.
It also has a brilliant soundtrack, though so many of the games that made the list did. Really, metroidvanias have some of the best music in gaming. But the chiptunes from the OG La-Mulana will always hold a special place for me
@@Raktasdelespacio definitely start with one
Iconoclasts is one of the best metroidvania's I personally have ever played. It has such I great story with nice gameplay plus a great soundtrack all made by 1 guy. I suggest anybody to play it. The story gets better and better as you uncover things throughout the game. It truly is a master piece!
Yeah, that's the one that stands out as missing to me. It's not as well-known as it ought to be.
Iconoclasts was OK, but I found some of the puzzles to be tedious.
Iconoclasts is one of my favorite metroidvania, I really love this game.
the art is great but the game itself is pretty meh
I agree. I thought it was a great game with really great art and an excellent story. To be honest though, I can't remember now if I actually finished the game.. Definitely put a lot of hours into it but I'm not positive I finished it. Definitely need to boot it up and check.
Dust: An Elysian Tail is an amazingly good Metroidvania, made by one person. The art style and gameplay are breathtaking.
The problem with Dust is that it uses a braindead brawler combat system, with gated screens where you have to defeat the enemies to continue.
@@zzasdfwas I really dont think its braindead. Just normal is far to easy. Try and see if though or hardcore suite you better!
That is in my top 5 for sure. I even know one of the voice actresses in that game. Amber Lee Conners aka the one who voiced Ginger and was also Android 18 in DBZ abridged! She's a friend for mine!
ngl Dust was the worst Metroidvania I have ever played
-there are 3 movement upgrades (I won't spoil what they are but they are all boring, and the first of which you don't unlock until the game is 75% over)
-said movement upgrades aren't used to get to any new or interesting areas. every single one iirc is used to get to a chest/key which unlocks a chest, which gives you money to buy more keys to unlock more chests
-as other people have said, the combat is horrible, mindless beat em up button mashing
-and perhaps the cardinal sin a metroidvania can commit: the map is NOT interconnected. when you get to the end of an area it brings you to a world map where you choose where to go next.... absolutely horrendous
I've been having a great time with Ender Lillies, highly recommend it. As for the list, some great names, probably my favorite is Ori.
Yes, I hope to see A Completionist video about that game
Hollow knight is definitely on a different level of amazing. You feel like a GOD by the end of your first playthrough.
You essentially become a god. Although i know Terraria isnt a metroidvania, it definately has the same feeling towards the end.
gotta agree, one of the few games where I keep coming back to it for more playthroughs
Disagree. I enjoyed the game, but didn't feel like a God by the end of my first playthrough. I WOULD feel like a God if I finished the Godmaster DLC.
Hollow Knight just really doesn't give you incentive to do anything. It's all but feeling like a god, you don't even have upgrades.
@@Thirteen13551355 ???
Ori and the Will of the Wisps is definitely my number one. That game is the definition of a masterpiece. I can't wait for the third game.
There will be no third game.
Yea will of the wisp was the last one in the series.
Did it make u cry like a bitch?
damn, i thought Dust: An Elysian Tail would be somewhere on this list
I don’t think jirard has ever played dust
Took the words right out of my mouth. Great game, great story, underwhelming final boss, but that is acceptable because the ending is fantastic.
Dust is good and unlike many on this list, it actually is a Metroidvania.
@@hepwo91222 i feel like the term for many encompasses a ton of sidescrolling videogames. The term has lost a lot of its meaning.
Dust was great. I heard that there might be a sequel some day which really excites me.
Touhou Luna Nights is an amazing metroidvania. Everything from the animation to the remixed music is top notch I just hope we get a sequel
Hell yes! Bullet hell and Metroidvania are amazing. Rabi Ribi is another amazing Metroidvania bullet hell. Fanservice aside
Yes! A rare gem that I felt lucky to have discovered.
yes, underrated Metroidvania. Some of the games on Jirard's list aren't even Metroidvanias.
Both fighting and traversing the world are bolstered by our protagonist's abilities. It's something fans of metroidvanias should check out. My only gripe with the game is that I just want more.
I have the same sentiments. When your only complaint with a game is “I wish there was more of it”, that’s when you know it’s a masterpiece.
So glad to see Cave Story on the list. It too often gets left out of the Metroidvania conversation because it's progression is largely story driven rather than exploration focused, but it wears the Metroid influence too closely to not deserve the nod.
Especially the final escape. It reminds me of any Metroid game but harder.
What is a Metroidvania?
A FUN LITTLE PILE OF SECRETS!
A bullshit term people use when they really mean Metroidlike!
Enough talk have at you!
@@L33PL4Y but what if they want it Castlevanialike?
@@niclaswa5408 Castlevania is just an action-platformer series. Only a few Castlevania games are Metroidlikes.
@@L33PL4Y I'm not a fan of naming a game type after the series that did it first. It's like calling all FPS' "Doomlike", or all platformers "Mariolike".
Chasm for example plays like Symphony of the Night. Is it then a Castlevanialike or a Metroidlike?
The Knytt games were some of my favorites as a kid, there's something so surreally peaceful about them
Forgotten gem, some of the level packs people made for that have stuck with me after many years. Iji isn't quite a Metroidvania, but it's also a good forgotten indie from that era
i absolutely adored knytt and knytt stories. would love to see them put on modern consoles one day!
@@hisgrinningskull2122 there's knytt underground but that one was a bit too ambitious for me
Hell yeah, Axiom Verge is on this list. IIRC, the sequel is coming out this year, assuming it doesn't get delayed further.
speaking of sequels, when are we getting more silksong news
@@casualjordan9844 Never. We haven't heard literally anything since January 2020 and that was only an update that they're still alive. It's been over a year and a half with no updates whatsoever. Last gameplay we saw was at E3 2019 with the kiosk demo. (That I actually played, fun fact) Don't be surprised if something bad happened to one of the devs (it's only a two person team) and the game's cancelled. The game should be out by now. It looked relatively complete back in 2019. At least they could give us another trailer or even an update but we've got nothing. Hollow Knight fans are so desperate for new content that they're literally producing their own fan-sequels/ripoffs to tide themselves over.
@@krimsonkatt Iirc, there was an article published by EDGE last december about Silksong, they interviewed Team Cherry and asked some questions about the game. Hollow Knight is a big-ass game, especially for a metroidvania, and Team Cherry has repeatedly talked about Silksong being an even bigger game. Whilst i do agree that they could be a little more "communicative" about the state of the game, i don't think them being radio silent is some sort of bad omen, they just want to work on their game and hype everyone up when the time comes.
@@dimi-kun5968 Oh okay. But that's still a long time ago. At least I know now that they PROBABLY didn't die to CV19.
That game was grating to my ears and eyes. I tried so hard to like it, instead it drove me mad. Horrible and overrated game.
I had a feeling the messenger wasn't gonna be on here, but I'm so happy it was. My favorite game I've played this year.
Yes! The Messenger doesn’t get talked about enough, it’s such a fantastic experience.
Ender Lilies also just came out, one of my favorite games so far ❤️❤️ the gorgeous environments and beautiful music and such a sorrowful yet hope-filled story is truely breathtaking
Mine too. It took a little bit from hollow knight but did it's own thing as well. THANK GOD the HK fandom did not go after this game. Did you see what happened to crowsworne or whatever its name was?
@@arishkhan5918 Crowsworn has literally made more than 5x its kickstarter taret with 12 day left to go, it's doing excellently. Now there was another game I don't remember the name of that also got a lot of flak for looking a lot like Hollow Knight that didn't do so well.
Same!! Just finished it after 152 hours lol
@@julieta12 how much content does the game have???
@@arishkhan5918 not more than Hollow Knight. But I would say enough content to keep you busy for a week if you play everyday for 5+ hr each day.
A game that deserved a spot is Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom, a really good metroidvania, full of stuff to unlock and secret to discover, it's pretty long and has a good and fun story too.
This one definitely doesn't get enough love. Fantastic game.
I really lov that game. I remember buying it at 0 o clock and then just playing 11 hours straight. Couldn't put it down the game is so beautiful.
Yes definitely. It's no Monster World, but it's great in it's own way.
@@HappyLight. Same, i started the game just to try it for a bit, and suddenly 7 hours were passed. I coudn't put down the game at all.
It's an incredible game! One of my favourite metroidvania games for sure, and probably one of the most polished games in the genre. You can tell it was a labour of love
The Messenger is a MASTERPIECE. I wish they were making a second one but am still looking forward to their next project.
It was amazing. I only died enough to read all the unique death dialogue twice!
What a game
I wish they would release a retail physical :( not those limited bs
Oh yeah. Not gonna lie, I was like “whaaat Hollow knight is #2? What’s better than- OH THE MESSENGER, okay nevermind have a great day.”
I started it after I got it for free on epic. But I was immediately put off from not being able to use the mouse as part of the controls, so it felt horrible to play. At the time I didn't have a controller to use, but I do now. Does it support controller?
Ever since playing & finishing Hollow Knight my life hasn't been the same. Such a masterpiece
Honestly though one thing I love about Hollow Knight is the massive replayability the game has. So many charm builds to experiment with. Even the pantheons offer different bindings to challenge yourself with. Hollow Knight is my favourite game in the entire galactic universe :). I an currently replaying it on my Switch OLED in wait for its sequel Hollow Knight Silksong where you get to play as Hornet!
Yeah. Every time I see something hollow knight I just sigh in fond memories. My gaming habits haven't been the same since I completed it. I have been gaming since 1995 and It's one of the best games of all time. Period!
I love your pick for #1. The humor, plottwists and gameplay make this game so unique and awesome.
I loved the messenger, its just a really good game in every way, so while i would place HK #1 still, i really like the messenger earning a really high spot
I totally agree
Potentially waiting for the prequel before playing this.
Couldn’t agree more. Hollow Knight is my favorite game of all time, but I still respect the heck out of the messenger, and would not be shocked at anyone listing it as their favorite
Completely agree. Both were really fun. I can see why Gerard ordered them the way he did, even if I would not have. Ori is also a good choice for third, although I haven't even played the second one yet, the first was short but sweet.
@@stolidfox7528 ori isn’t really a metroidvania imo. It’s far too linear
I'm surprised Blasphemous wasn't mentioned even though it was shown.
It's kind of blasphemous to be honest.
Its pretty weird that Blasphemous isn't on this list. It has to be one of the better ones I've played in a long time.
It would be my number one. But I understand it is not everyone’s cup of tea
I love the look the music the world its self but it needs a wuss mode for those of us who just want to experience the whole game I finally beat the main game only to dlc kick my ass in
Can't mention EVERY game in a top 10 list...
So happy to see Yoku on the list! My top two are definitely Quackamelee and The Messenger but I've yet to experience Shantae and looking forward to them!
I think my favorite metroidvania is Owlboy. That game just means a lot to me.
Really
I hoped I would see Iconoclasts on this list. I played it earlier this year and finished it so fast. Idk if there will be more but that game was addicting with fun characters and writing.
Iconoclasts had such a great start but the last half of the game really fell off sadly T_T.
Strider 2014 is definitely one of my top Metroidvanias. Really cool, fun, and criminally overlooked game.
I 100% agree. It's amazing, yet I never see anyone mention it in these lists.
I enjoyed it, however there was something off when playing it.
Strider 2014 is a game for closet homosexuals.
Good game gets alot of hate even from my family while playing it like wtf lol lil bro was not impressed haha
@@Ponaru Why exactly is the game "gay?" I don't understand.
I’m 30, I’ve played Super Metroid and Symphony of the Night when the were released and they changed my gaming tastes forever. However, I can safely take my nostalgic glasses off and recognize that Hollow Knight is the greatest Motroidvania ever. What a flawless game.
metroid DREAD
41 here. Definitely played a lot of games. But Ori 1 and 2 lasted longer on my mind then hollow knight did. But my problem always is trying to say one game was better then another when I absolutely loved both while playing.
@@A_cracker14 hollow knight in my opinion is a better game and is $15 instead of 60 not buying overpriced Metroid dread
I will just borrow a cartridge from someone and dump the rom and emulate it
@@LeanPicachu I can somewhat understand your opinion but in my opinion the Metroid lore is way more interesting. It’s not even like I haven’t played hollowknight I literally 112% the game and beat every possible challenge + watched the mossbag lore videos it’s just that I think I will always prefer Metroids sci fi lore instead of bugs and shadow demons and though I love both games gameplay the lore is why I buy the games I just enjoy slowly picking away at it and then watching countless theory videos after beating the game
My favorite rn has to be monster sanctuary, it’s an indie metroidvania monster tamer, 3v3 combat and the battle mechanics are so fun to experiment with
I love that game, too!
Yes! Monster Sanctuary is my second favorite game of all time!
God, I love the Ori games! I originally bought Blind Forest because of the art style and thought my niece would love to play it.
Just want to add, if you want a SotN itch scratched, check out Ender Lilies.
Ender Lilies is fantastic
never heard of it. maybe ill have to look that game up.
Just watched the trailer and I'm sold. Buying now!
@@chesspunk489 If you want your hollow knight itch to be filled play enderlilies
@@arishkhan5918 to be honest i am one of the few who doesn't like hollow knight.
I loved Yoku's Island Express! Found it so chill, no rush, no fight, no death, no frustration.. just fun
I played the demo years ago and it blew my mind that I was basically playing a pinball Metroidvania with a ton of character and unique ideas. It’s always been in my mind. Thanks for the reminder
Wanted to see your opinion on these:
- Blasphemous
- Salt and Sanctuary
- Ender Lilies
- Mummy Demastered
- Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth (Newest one)
Hope you have the time to make a part two :)
Hollow knight is what got me into the genre and I love it
Try Super Metroid.
Its still the best Metroidvania ever.. (for obvious reasons)
@@recht_voor_zijn_raap5506 From my experience anyone whose played Hollow Knight as their first MV ends up dissapointed by Super Metroid. Be it for the slower gameplay, somewhat dated controls, low difficulty, relatively simple platform design, thin lore, and muffled music/sound design.
@@halowillneverbegoodagain1868 You can rebind the controls of Super Metroid on the main menu, if placement is the issue. Otherwise, any particular reason that you find the controls outdated?
I played Hollow Knight recently but couldn't get into it. I got to the three bug lords in the praying mantis area and I just got bored to tears with no desire to pick it back up. I don't think it's bad, not in the least; it's wonderfully constructed in nearly every way, but I just couldn't stick with it. Super Metroid I could play every day though. That game is so engaging and it tends to go between my 1st and 2nd favourite game, depending on the day.
@@residentevilman64 Ive played Super Metroid upwards of 100 times and ive never found a binding that made shooting or inventory feel natural. Not gamebreaking by any means but its really hard to go back too after the GBA games. Super is still one of the GOATs but may feel basic to those who have indulged in so many unique indie offerings.
@@halowillneverbegoodagain1868 I sacrifice my down-angle aiming and put run on L, shoot on Y, jump on B, cancel on A and weapon cycle on X. I see where you're coming from though; the weapon cycling took me a while to get used to and the default layout feels awkward.
I hadn't considered what playing newer games might do to Super Metroid. Thank you for the new perspective.
I've often wondered what my young cousin would do if I sat him down in front of the original Metroid. I envision a deer-in-headlights look from him.
Jirad should play La-Mulana sometime. I want to see his reaction to the reward for completing the bonus dungeon. ;)
yeah, should complete both games
I’ve literally never heard of this game, but the idea of a bonus dungeon, presumably as a completion reward, actually sounds really awesome.
*Jirard
Super glad someone else brought up this game. He should play the original MSX style one first, then the remake... Then 2!
@@co11in__18 It's an insane game for insane people! But maybe the greatest of all time!
Call me basic, but Hollow Knight stole my heart and it's not letting go.
You know this is coming but fuck it I gotta say it:
There is no way in hell Messenger is a better metroidvania than Hollow Knight.
You know it in your heart of hearts to be true and that cheap attempt of fake suspense the 1st place can’t fool anyone who played it.
Yea the messenger is fantastic until it becomes a metroidvania lmao. Fantastic game but mostly for the first half
The Messenger isn't even a proper metroidvania. Gaining new abilities to get access to new areas is an important part of what defines the genre, but after the world of the Messenger opens up, you only get one new ability.
The "metroidvania" portion of the game is generally the part that players dislike.
It may be a good game, but it is a bad metroidvania.
The Messenger is the funniest game I have ever played. The shopkeeper is one the best characters ever.
The shopkeeper was awesome, probably the best part of the game. The level design was infuriating though, because I wanted to go fast, and the level designs required a lot of waiting... especially near the end of the game. The Messenger started out fun, but by the end I couldn't wait to be done so I could put it away and never play it again. Whoever did the writing deserves a raise, but the level designer should probably choose a different type of work.
@@ToyKeeper Honestly, had the game ended before the big twist reveal where it turns into a metroidvania, I wouldn't have been mad. It felt excruciatingly long / tedious getting through all those levels, having the story say you were almost done, and then it pushing more at you over and over again. By the time the big reveal happened, I was like "Are you F'kn serious?" and just stopped playing the game.
Sure, it was a neat twist, but godamn that game had terrible consistency and pacing.
@@ToadstedCroaks Yeah, that's definitely the point where it started to go downhill. It's no mystery why most of the speedrunners only do the first portion of the game... since that's where most of the fun is. After that, it kinda turns into a walking simulator.
I love metroidvanias, but there are so many games on this list that would go no where near my top 10. Some of mine are:
VVVVVV
Strider
Dust
Valdis Story
Deedlit in Wonder Labrinth/Luna Nights
La Mulana
Fez
Honestly some of these aren't metroidvanias. Similar but metroidvanias aren't just 2d platformers with a metroid map
@@kevinvu5432 You think that isn't is the unifying element between metroid and castlevania?
@@DontGiveUp_Skeleton when people coined the term metroidvania, it was born after Symphony of the Night. So previous metroidvanias Unlocking new abilities that help with exploration and unlocking paths. Just like how Samus and Alucard gained new abilities that helped them move past areas.
It's more than a 2d platformer with a metroid/SotN map.
@@kevinvu5432 you'll have to help me then, because literally every game I listed gate areas behind abilities or items.
@@DontGiveUp_Skeleton not your list. The completionists list. Yours is fine.
Weird, I've never though of Cave Story as a metroidvania 🤔
I usually saw it more akin to the megaman zero games, tho it does fit as a metroidvania now that I think about it.
I honestly don't see it as a metroidvania either. Decent game, but i wouldn't put it on a top 10 Metroidvania
Almost all games on these list aren't metroidvanias!
@@jerrygomez3825 it isn’t.
@@deepenigmametroidvaniastea8384 Including Castlevannia.
metroidvanias have been my favorite genre since SOTN came out!
I was too young when I had Super Metroid to truly appreciate it so I'm in the same boat.
Metroid for me, but I totally agree.
i liked super metroid before SOTN but i never owned it till i was a teenager, by than SOTN was already out and i had play it till my eyes bleed. i also have the first metroid for NES that i got back in the early 90s.
@@joeplumley3238 I too have my original Metroid for NES. It's lacking the casing so I can only play it when I plug it into the Game Genie. Can't remember how the casing came off for the life of me. I suspect my brother had a hand in that.
Rabi-Ribi still remains one of my favorite Metroidvania with Luna Nights. You should also check Ender Lilies : Quietus of the Knight that just released recently and encompasses all the good aspects of the Metroidvania with a Dark Soulesque setting.
I LOVE ENDER LILIES. But what's ribi rabi?
Rabi-Ribi's great! A lot of Metroidvania's will have you tackle areas in a specific order, but Rabi-Ribi is so non-linear that you can play the game in just about any order you can think of. It's honestly the #1 example of what a good Metroidvania should be, IMO.
@@TheMultiTasker3 I see. Let me search it up.
@@TheMultiTasker3 I searched it up right now... Is it a metroidvania?
Rabi-Ribi just feels gross to watch, let alone play. I’ve never felt like such a creepy person as when I watched that game being played. Like seriously! Put some damn pants on your characters!
Messenger is a very solid choice and easily one of my favorite games in the last years
Record of Lodoss War-Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth, the metroidvania the internet forgot.
With a title like that I can see why; no criticism of the game itself but man that name is a mouthful
I can't wait for that game to finish being made. It's great so far.
@@Humbird00 It's finished already lol
yeah its one of the best. another one from same devs - touhou luna nights. both are short and sweet.
@@zeebs101 Luna Nights's got the highest rating out of any metroidvania on steam.
I'm so pleased to see Yoku's Island Express here. That game needs all the love it can get cause I want an expanded sequel so badly. The gameplay was so unique and the world was so enjoyable.
For me it's Blasphemous and Dust: An Elysian Tail
"What? What can possibly top Hollow Knight?"
"Oh. Yeah I'll allow it."
I played The Messanger because of Jirard and I was blown away, easily one of the best games I played, I only wish I wasn't in such a terrible place emotionally then. (Maybe I can use this as an excuse to play it all again!)
I hate your combination of picture and name lmao
@@L33PL4Y thanks
Hell yeah! Love this list.
I'm more surprised to see SteamWorld Dig 2 beat out Axiom Verge in your rankings than I am to see The Messenger beat out Hollow Knight, but I'm also just so damn happy that you've played and enjoyed any SteamWorld game. Such a vastly underrated series. I hope you complete SWD2 someday...but I hope you'll complete SteamWorld Heist more. Bet you're looking forward to Metroid Dread!
me: tries to get a friend to play cave story
My friend: gets visibly sad and starts talking about the completionist's mom
Maybe not something to bring up so casually
@@chardrive Dude, please.
Pro move putting the messenger at the top, well played sir, well played
Yoooo finally someone picked the Messenger. It's easily my favorite indie game I've ever played.
I watched the top 10 hoping to find some games that I might add to my collection as I love Metroidvanias.
I come away with two: Yoku's Island Express and Steamworld Dig 2. I already own the rest.
It’s pretty weird how on a list of Metroidvanias only like one game really took the sotn approach and had the heavy rpg mechanics
Heavy RPG mechanics are fairly unique to the Castlevania games in the genre. Most don't have any, including the Metroid games themselves.
I'm very pleasantly surprised that Yoku made the list, it's a very novel mashup that I had a blast going for 100% on!
I'd also LOVE to recommend Dandara to anyone reading the comments here!
Looks interesting!
A good game in its own right but it’s very light on the metroidvania elements in my opinion. It’s also pretty short. I liked it however.
I just started Steamworld Dig 2 last night and it was so good, I had trouble putting it down. Freaking excellent game!
great vid! also blasphemous is a good one
It's not a metroidvania.
@@TheMetalOverlord I'm not too familiar with this genre but I did play Blasphemous. How is it not a metroidvania?
@@desmondhawkins5362 Because there is no imrpvement in the character's mobility or traversal abilities that enhance exploration and backtracking, opening up previously unreachable areas. All you get in Blasphemous are combat abilities and keys. If that can be called a metroidvania, then all old school Resident Evil games are metroidvania, all open world games are metroidvania, almost every game with a bit of exploration become a metroidvania. And if all those game are metroidvanias, then there is no real metridvania genre at all.
@@TheMetalOverlord oh I understand now. Appreciate that!
@@TheMetalOverlord Um did you play Blashpemous? There are literally items that do open up new paths.
Just last night i was watching your top 10 2d platformers episode and thought "Damn i hope he does a metriodvania episode soon". I was far from dissappointed. I have been looking for a new MV and now can't decide which to start next lol. Keep on keepin on! Can't wait to see what the next vid will be. I actually love you. Don't tell my dad.
The metroidvania will always be one of my top 5 favorite game genres
The Messenger is amazing. Absolutely a fantastic game.
Also I think it's funny that Chasm was part of the intro but didn't make your list.
Finally! A lot of people shit on The Messenger's metroidvania twist but I absolutely loved it and glad to see it getting recognition like this!
Love Axiom Verge & Guacamele, just started playing Hollow Knight, and The Messenger is on my buying list.
Hollow Knight is pretty solid through and through. Go for the true ending, and it'll be more satisfying.
Hollow Knight is pretty great. Guacamelee is silly and full of mechanics which feel good to use. Haven't tried Axiom but I hear it's awesome. The Messenger, however, is really not much of a Metroidvania. It technically is one, but it's not very good at it. I stopped enjoying it about halfway through, but finished it anyway, and then was happy and relieved to go back to other games. I never get sick of Hollow Knight, for example. And Celeste (not a Metroidvania) feels so good to play that I got into speedrunning it. But The Messenger feels like a chore now, and I'm not surprised that its speedrunning community mostly focuses only on the early game. The late game, where it has some Metroidvania features, is kind of slow and tedious.
Honestly more upset over La Mulana not making the list than Hollow Knight at the spot it's at.
agreed!
Got to go old school with Wonder Boy 3: The Dragon's Trap and new school with the two Alwa games: Alwa's Awakening and Alwa's Legacy. As well as Timespinners!
While watching this I found myself thinking of Ghost 1.0, which definitely gives me Metroidvania vibes and has a control scheme that is both different and utterly satisfying.
The world has a huge shortage of 3d metroidvanias
Fallen order and metroid prime and...yeah
first Dark Souls kinda qualifies, maybe also The Surge 2
@@matts3155 fallen order is not a metroidvania. Just like GOW2018 isn't and that's the same game.
My personal favourite Metroidvania is touhou Luna nights you don’t even need to be a touhou fan to enjoy it
I was hoping for it to be on the list
for me one of the best metroidvanias has to be Rabi-Ribi, it's just so good
I think you should try Phoenotopia: Awakening and Enderlillies. They're more recent Metroidvania types and I think they're excellent.
Although Phoenotopia's learning curve and power up progress could be improved but I suppose they were keeping the "complete game without picking up a single heart ruby" folks in mind.
The messenger shopkeeper will forever be one of the best video gsmw charavters of all time
Just started playing Hollow knight and I’m loving it so far.
You’ll get sucked into it more more, it’s my favorite Metroidvania but a tip make sure to upgrade your nail a lot!
Hollow Knight is awesome. A small tip I have for you is stay determined. Some bosses will seem impossible at first, but once you memorize their patterns, when its safe to heal, and the best tims to use spells, you'll wonder why you ever thought they were hard.
@@jacobcain9008 What kind of tip is that...
@@Thirteen13551355 its a tip thats true. Hollow Knight is hard, and there's parts where you'll want to give up.
@@jacobcain9008 Tip: Just keep trying. That's not helpful in any way, so it's not much of a tip.
The Cave Story+ -version is where the publisher, Nicalis, REALLY fucked over the original developer and the fans of the game. If you don't own the game yet, go grab the original somewhere, instead.
Wait what happened with Cave Story+?
Can you explain?
I don’t know all the details, but I think it’s something along the lines of Nicalis with a finely worded contract now owning all the rights to Cave Story instead of Pixel. In other words, Pixel can’t make any other Cave Story follow ups on his own. Unrelatedly Nicalis is also rude and unprofessional in their business dealings last I heard.
@@ivanquote1807 That's really unfortunate to hear.. Sadly you should always get a professional to read a contract (especially from any bigger ones..)
@@ivanquote1807 From what I heard, that's not the case. Pixel is still friendly towards Nicalis and still gets money from Cave Story purchases. Nicalis may have a very bad reputation, but there's little evidence to support this rumor.
Good list. La-Mulana 1 and 2 are masterpieces in my opinion, would include them as well!
I'm gonna throw in three that I love. Chasm, Outland, and severed. Chasm is randomly generated each new game and so has great replay without being a roguelite, Outland takes the mechanics of ikaruga and translates them into a metroidvania, and although severed is first person it definitely belongs here and it's story and world are so haunting
I wish people ( not directed at you personally ) would stop saying Chasm is a metroidvania, or a roguelite. Nothing about that game requires new powers / items other than as a key to get into the next zone; it's entirely redundant. There's no backtracking, or anything resembling a metroid game. It's basically a 2d platformer with some redundant leveling aspect to it. As for the randomization / roguelite aspects, it has zero of that. All the random items are pointless, and aren't even that random; the same goes for the room layouts which are always done in the same pattern, just shuffling some of the foliage around.
The creator even acknowledged the game doesn't really do anything random, it's just to make it look like it does. He kept the terms as a marketing tag to sell the game, since he was constantly removing huge portions of the game that would have made it those two genres, before finally releasing a shell of his original plan just so it would finally get out and earn some money after half a decade of being overwhelmed with no idea what he was doing.
It's a fine game for a first playthrough, if you go in expecting nothing and having heard nothing about what the game was suppose to provide. It's certainly not something with huge replay-ability, variety, or interesting game mechanics. It barely has a story to begin with after you leave the intro castle; dropped that interesting plot almost immediately.
I just beat ori and the Will of the wisps and yes it fully deserves to be on the list. Great video!
I was glad to see a Shantae game on this list. Seven Sirens is my favorite Metroidvania ever. I am not a very skilled gamer and it is super easy. A lot of the time I find myself getting stuck on a game and feeling like I wasted my money on it.
Glad to see The Messenger in the number 1 spot :)
Quite possibly one of my favorite games of all time. It just has a really satisfying feel to it all around like it's one of the most polished games I've played, the flow to it is intense! Plus that soundtrack is fantastic and was definitely a big reason for many of my NG+ playthroughs
When the opening music lets you know this guy knows what he’s talking about.
So happy Axiom Verge made this list!
Child of Light and Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight
I only played Minoria and I enjoyed playing it. I wanna give momodora rutm a shot.
Hollow Knight refuses to click with me somehow, I always start a new game, play about 3 to 5 hours until I beat Hornet and by then I'm somehow so worn out that i just drop it. I wish it weren't so and I really wished it clicked better but something about the pacing just throws me off every time I try to get into it.
if it takes you 3-5 hours just to beat hornet, this might not be the game for you lol. Its a more difficult metroidvania for sure
@@cornpop2630 no I meant 3-5 hours from start of game to Hornet. Hornet herself isn't hard, those first few hours are just such a draggy experience that I lose interest by the time I get to her.
@@PewPew_McPewster but I am talking about the 3-5 hours before hornet, like shes literally the 2nd boss of a game that has 47 bosses lmao
@@cornpop2630 maybe I'm misjudging the time. Either way, like I said, it's not hard, it's just... not fun? Traversing in the first few hours of the game isn't fun and by the time I get the tool that begins to make traversing "fun", I'm bored and just stop playing. Like I said, it repeatedly fails to click because of pacing issues. I think we can agree that the game isnt for me. I've played harder games but they kept me on with the pacing.
@@PewPew_McPewster I suppose the beginning could have had better pacing but you should go further it does pick up and is one of the more rewarding games in the genre.
a robot named fight is one of my favorite metroidvanias
Youre God damn right the messenger is #1. That game took me back to childhood. I could not put that game down and couldn't shut up about it. Best game, best soundtrack, best I've felt personally in a long time was that game
“Great thing, bad person” is my life when it comes to Orson Scott Card, it still annoys me that Ender’s Game is one of my favorite books of all time
It’s the same thing with music and Michael Jackson.
@@MungkaeX
Or JRK Rowling. Honestly, MJ is dead, so consuming his work does not support or condone him or his actions in anyway.
I absolutely loved Enders Game in middle school, something I considered to be one of my favorites. I hadn't paid attention to Card recently so I just looked him up after seeing this. So disappointing to learn all the really shitty stuff he's done and said. Yikes
@@gamingwhilebroken2355 We could go back and forth discussing how the Estate of Michael Jackson has a vested interest in burying the actions of MJ since there potentially could be legal action asking for money for damages caused by him.
Not justifying Rowling for being a Bigot, but she has not physically abused children who are still alive today processing that trauma.
@@MungkaeX
I’d argue Rowling is worse. She can (and almost certainly is) funding political groups that actively hurt people. That can lead to thousands of people being harmed. For example, OSC funds political groups promoting and fighting for conversion therapy. That leads to lots of harm (mostly to children I might add, as both what Rowling and Card advocate for targets children). The potential for harm is a always greater when people exert the power at the systemic level rather than the individual.
I get the initial reaction to thinking MJ is worse, because he directly harmed people, whereas Rowling and OSC is abstract. Also, while MJ estate may want to suppress, that’s not something they’re actually capable of doing. It’s common knowledge now.
The messenger is a really good action platformer, but for me the whole point of metroidvanias is exploration and it's too guided to fit that aspect.
Yeah, it wasn't really about exploration and growth... it was mostly a series of long fetch quests involving a whole lot of walking and waiting. The early game was fun, but later on, the only thing which kept me going was the sunken cost fallacy, the feeling that after investing time and money, I was obligated to finish it.
Props for not going the predictable route and putting HK at #1. Although I'm in a very small minority of people that HATED The Messenger, I absolutely respect your decision. Cool list and video!
Oh wow, I'm _genuinely_ surprised to see SteamWorld Dig on here! I never see anyone talk about those games. They're not my all-time favorite Metroidvanias, but they're easily the two that I've revisited the absolute most. That "choose your own path" gimmick is way too fun.
Also, _very_ good call on choosing Pirate's Curse. It's the smoothest experience, with only Seven Sirens coming close.
I agree, the Steamworld Dig games are both amazing. I didn't buy them for years because I wasn't sure about that "make your own way"-gimmick, but one day I could get the first one for 3€ and I gave it a try. I was so surprised how good it was and also played the second one of course which was great as well. Hope they make a third one in the future.
I'm so glad to see a top 10 Metroidvania list that doesn't have Hollow Knight as number 1. Also, glad you gave some love to Yoku's Island Express XD
Talking about indie developers, I'd also like to remember Iji and Within a deep forest, plus all the other games by Nifflas. They sadly don't get the recognition they deserve. They are a must try for all metroidvania lovers, and free to boot!
Fair play for not picking Hollow Knight. I feel like it's a tricky position to be in because it's cliche as fuck to say it's the best non metroid/castlevania game but it's also insanely good and totally deserves it haha
"This is my list, so I will put my favorite in number one."
That's fair.
Love your list 🙂 Personally I would have added both Alwa games - Awakening and Legacy - love these games. I could also recommend Cathedral for a very lengthy Metroidvania
Here is one everyone misses: Timespinner. This is a time travel focused one that has a pretty decent story. You are the most recent Time Messanger that was trained. Your caravan was attacked by the evil Lechiem Empire and you get stranded on their planet via an accident involving the Timespinner getting attacked as you tried to jump to the past. You now jump between the past and future of this planet to take your revenge.
It feels and plays like a lost Nintendo DS game and it plays like the best of those games. It is worth a playthrough.