Metroidvanias

PostRe: Metroidvanias by **Dig Dug** » Wed Jul 25, 2018 1:41 am

I like metroidvania games a lot but I especially like 3D games with that metroidvania world structure of item/power up based progression, progress gates and interconnected areas that you frequently visit and explore.
Metroid Prime is the obvious one but I also class Dark Souls and classic Resident Evil as these kind of games, they have adventure gaming elements but aren't strictly adventure games in the way that something like Zelda is. The map design and how the play is designed around navigating that map is a key element. I want to play more games like them (Got Genma Onimusha on my to-do list).

I've played all the 2D Metroid and Castlvania games but I need to play more of the indy stuff, currently playing the struggle that is La-Mulana. It's a solid game and plays well but it has a very, very heavy emphasis on puzzles which makes it really easy to get stuck (you can also essentially soft lock yourself if you don't get the teleport item at the start).

PostRe: Metroidvanias by **Saint of Killers** » Wed Jul 25, 2018 7:55 am

My favourite bit in Guacamelee (other than the time it asked the most complex finger gymnastics of me) is the bit where you spend an age clambering up a tree (?) only for the final progression to be that you come crashing down through everything you just beat and end up just below the starting point. :lol:

PostRe: Metroidvanias by **Victor Mildew** » Wed Jul 25, 2018 8:02 am

I loved Guacamelee, platinumed it on the vita and got most of the way through it again on the ps4. Didn't realise the second one was out next month

PostRe: Metroidvanias by **Balladeer** » Wed Jul 25, 2018 9:51 am

Guacamelee was a quality game. The only real criticism I have of it was that it felt too small, something I’m sure the sequel will fix. Just need it to come to Switch now!

Metroid Prime remains one of my favourite games ever.

PostRe: Metroidvanias by **Jenuall** » Wed Jul 25, 2018 11:30 am

I really enjoy a good Metroidvania although this thread has made me realise that I probably haven't actually played all that many of them! From the Metroid franchise I would say that Prime is probably still my favourite, closely followed by Super and Fusion.

Can't think of any that haven't been mentioned by others, but other highlights of the genre for me would be: Castlevania SoTN (classic, but can feel a bit slow these days), Axiom Verge (so good, and the soundtrack is phenomenal), and Hollow Knight (wasn't sure on this at first but it was really taken hold of me over the last couple of plays).

Not strictly a Metroidvania but another fantastic game that shares some ground with the genre is Waking Mars - worth checking out!

PostRe: Metroidvanias by **Johnny Ryall** » Sat Jul 28, 2018 3:24 pm

Alright so I'm coming around on guacemelee, it's got some excellent platforming. Still not huge on the visual style and I'm not sure what a sequel will bring.

I'm waiting for iconoclasts to come to switch now.

PostRe: Metroidvanias by **Johnny Ryall** » Sun Jul 29, 2018 8:03 am

I am going to push on with Symphony of the Night today because I feel I have to be missing something. I honestly find it harder than Hollow Knight.

I finished Guacemelee, 5 and a bit hours a lot shorter than I expected, I think it expects you to replay to get a good ending but I'm not sure I liked it enough to do that. Maybe later. It was good though, curious about that sequel.

PostRe: Metroidvanias by **Johnny Ryall** » Sun Jul 29, 2018 5:02 pm

Yeah so the scales do tip from dying constantly to being overpowered quickly. Just got to the inverted tower at 98% I'm taking a break. Not sure I like the idea of the same game upside down seems lazy.

I think super metroid has aged better (only played that last year so no nostalgia). But it's still decent.

7256930752 · PostRe: Metroidvanias by **7256930752** » Sun Jul 29, 2018 7:12 pm

Johnny Ryall wrote:Yeah so the scales do tip from dying constantly to being overpowered quickly. Just got to the inverted tower at 98% I'm taking a break. Not sure I like the idea of the same game upside down seems lazy.

I think super metroid has aged better (only played that last year so no nostalgia). But it's still decent.

SOTN didn't really do it for me to be honest. I'll definitely give it another go but I didn't immediately take to the setting like I did with Metroid.

Someone said about Resident Evil, that's a great shout as a sort of Metroidvania-lite.

PostRe: Metroidvanias by **Johnny Ryall** » Sun Jul 29, 2018 8:54 pm

I hear the GBA and DS vanias are better but I didn't want to work back from the best.

PostRe: Metroidvanias by **Parksey** » Mon Jul 30, 2018 1:30 am

The downside to Guacamelee was that, if I remember correctly, your unlocks were basically moves like a shoulder barge and whatnot, and they opened up the world quite inorganically - you would get a new move and it would say, "Now you can break these red blocks".

It wasn't the same as getting a new power and suddenly making sense of something you had seen on your travels. Of thinking, "Oh this is what that was for". I remember in Metroid Prime suddenly realising one part of the left was a massive half pipe, for example.

It's a less obvious way of blocking and unblocking your progress than just saying "here's your key, it unlocks these doors".

I mean, Metroid Prime did that too with its beams and doors, so even the best games do it.

Man, now I fancy a Metroidvania. Is Fez that much of one? I played through some of it but not to completion, and it didn't strike me as one...

PostRe: Metroidvanias by **OldSoulCyborg** » Mon Jul 30, 2018 1:47 am

I don't think Fez would qualify, but parts of it do embody that philosophy of "Oh, I get what to do in that place now!"

You could probably argue for The Witness scratching the Metroidvania itch, but instead of acquiring abilities and upgrades that open up new areas it's more about learning the puzzle mechanics. In a way learning a new puzzle rule or mechanic in The Witness is like picking up a new ability like a double jump or something.

PostRe: Metroidvanias by **Victor Mildew** » Mon Jul 30, 2018 7:51 am

The witness is also one of the greatest games I've ever played, so metroidvania progression through puzzle solving is the icing on the cake for me.

PostRe: Metroidvanias by **Jenuall** » Mon Jul 30, 2018 10:49 am

I don't think Resident Evil fits the Metroidvania mould at all personally. Progression in Resi is about overcoming individual "puzzles" which almost always are through the use of a single, one use item - a key or crest or whatever.

There are no new skills to learn that re-contextualise areas you have been to in the past and allow you to uncover new routes through the application of those skills.

PostRe: Metroidvanias by **Dig Dug** » Mon Jul 30, 2018 11:47 am

True Enough. I suppose Dark Souls is more Resident Evil than Metroid in how it does progression into new areas.

PostRe: Metroidvanias by **Johnny Ryall** » Mon Jul 30, 2018 2:43 pm

I keep thinking I should give dark souls another go and try and be more patient.

PostRe: Metroidvanias by **Knoyleo** » Fri Aug 10, 2018 1:14 pm

Are there any good metroidvanias on mobile? It seems like a platform that would suit the 2D ones well, but I've no idea if there's anything decent out there.

PostRe: Metroidvanias by **Cumberdanes** » Fri Aug 10, 2018 4:26 pm

I love a good Metroidvania even though I didn't play SotN until it was released on XBLA. I played all the GBA Castlevanias on Wii U a year or two back, the first was hard as nails but somehow I managed to beat it.

I'd love to give the DS games a go as I only ever played Dawn of Sorrow on that system.

PostRe: Metroidvanias by **Knoyleo** » Fri Aug 10, 2018 5:10 pm

Knoyleo wrote:Are there any good metroidvanias on mobile? It seems like a platform that would suit the 2D ones well, but I've no idea if there's anything decent out there.

OK, so I bought Dandara, and it's strawberry floating brilliant, and the touch screen controls work perfectly, because you just snap to a surface, so don't need to be 100% precise, and your weapon fires a spread shot, which I've already managed to upgrade from 3 to 4 projectiles. Map layout feels good so far, but the rate you gain salt for upgrades feels slow, especially given how quickly upgrade costs ramp up.

Anyone else played this? It's on consoles and PC, too.

PostRe: Metroidvanias by **Johnny Ryall** » Mon Aug 20, 2018 7:12 pm

Getting back into clearing out the inverted castle in sotn after giving it a break after doing the first map. You really do just abuse the mist and go from save room to save room but it's fun being overpowered. It's really a victory lap so far.

Metroidvanias

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