GRcade

I've got a real itch for some Metroidvania action at the moment but I just don't know what to play, someone help me out with a suggestion!

I've played the classics like the old school Metroids, Symphony of the Night etc. and have ticked off some more recent examples like Hollow Knight and Axiom Verge but now I'm not sure what to go for next.

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, of course!

Ori & The Blind Forest or Yoku's Island Express.

Jenu-All I Want For Christmas wrote:I've got a real itch for some Metroidvania action at the moment but I just don't know what to play, someone help me out with a suggestion!

I've played the classics like the old school Metroids, Symphony of the Night etc. and have ticked off some more recent examples like Hollow Knight and Axiom Verge but now I'm not sure what to go for next.

Platforms?
Budget?

We need more info

Hexx wrote:

Jenu-All I Want For Christmas wrote:I've got a real itch for some Metroidvania action at the moment but I just don't know what to play, someone help me out with a suggestion!

I've played the classics like the old school Metroids, Symphony of the Night etc. and have ticked off some more recent examples like Hollow Knight and Axiom Verge but now I'm not sure what to go for next.

Platforms?
Budget?

We need more info

Never satisfied are you.

Fair point though - platform wise I've got PC, Switch and PS4 available to me and I'm on Game Pass so if something is on there for PC then even better. As a preference I would say Switch, gotta love that portable option, but I'm not too fussed.

Budget wise I'm looking at the indie end of the spectrum so maybe around the £15 region. If something is literally mind blowing then I would be prepared to go higher.

Ori and Blind Forest
Shadow Complex (although the writer is...controversial to be giving money to...the game is good)

I replayed Shadow Complex recently and found it a bit dull fighting the same enemies and exploring similar corridors over and over. Back in the day I loved it but it's a bit grey and uninspired now. Maybe my tastes have changed but I wouldn't bother with it again or even recommend it.

Xeodrifter is a surprisingly short but decent Metroidvania and it was on PS+ too so if you have a PS4 and PS+ there's a fair chance you already have it.

Maybe try The Nightmare Before Christmas on GBA which is sort of Metroidvania-lite or Ufouria on NES which is a pretty early example of that type of game published by Sunsoft, oddly for a NES game it was a Japan and PAL territories exclusive.

Combat and platforming focused:

- Guacamelee
- Guacamelee 2

Pinball mechanics:

- Yoku's Island Express

NES faithful design:

- Alwa's Awakening

Story driven with very good pixel art:

- Iconoclasts
- Owlboy

Unique movement and artistic world:

- Dandara

Licensed and good:

- Aliens: Infestation
- The Mummy Demastered

I actually played the very early opening sections of Ori via the xCloud test recently so may continue that as it seems to be getting a few nods here (possibly picking it up on Switch)

Bloodstained is a good shout as well, can't believe I forgot about that one!

OrangeXMS wrote:Combat and platforming focused:

- Guacamelee
- Guacamelee 2

Pinball mechanics:

- Yoku's Island Express

NES faithful design:

- Alwa's Awakening

Story driven with very good pixel art:

- Iconoclasts
- Owlboy

Unique movement and artistic world:

- Dandara

Nice, thanks for the list. I seem to remember you posting about Alwa's Awakening in the Switch thread and it looked nice so I may have a look into that one.

I've heard good things about Owlboy and Iconoclasts as well.

Cumberdanes wrote:Xeodrifter is a surprisingly short but decent Metroidvania. Maybe try The Nightmare Before Christmas on GBA which is sort of Metroidvania-lite.

Interesting, I don't think I've heard of Xeodrifter before so I'll give that a bit of research.


Thinking about it I think part of what I'm after is that lonely exploration vibe you get from some of these games, so anything which leans on that and doesn't have too much overt story telling or companion type action would be nice.

Jenu-All I Want For Christmas wrote:I actually played the very early opening sections of Ori via the xCloud test recently so may continue that as it seems to be getting a few nods here (possibly picking it up on Switch)

Ori is fantastic, but starts a little slowly. There's a point though, once you've obtained more abilities, where it opens up and really clicks.

I got it on Switch, which is a great version of it too.

Headlander. I enjoyed it.

Jenu-All I Want For Christmas wrote:I've heard good things about Owlboy and Iconoclasts as well.

...

Thinking about it I think part of what I'm after is that lonely exploration vibe you get from some of these games, so anything which leans on that and doesn't have too much overt story telling or companion type action would be nice.

You'll want to avoid Owlboy and Iconoclasts if that's the case. Most of both games you spend companioned up and there is lots of dialogue and story scenes.

I edited in the WayForward licenced games Aliens: Infestation and The Mummy Demastered. The Mummy Demastered is on Switch and while a little light on complexity of exploration I think it would more suit what you're looking for. Aliens: Infestation is better and super atmospheric, but only on DS.

Going to give you some bad things about Owlboy to weigh up. Story felt alright, but playing it after Celeste it felt like it had all the subtlety of a rusty sledgehammer. The art didn’t do it for me and the dungeons felt derivative. Try before you buy if you can.

Iconoclasts was odd, but worth playing. Only thing I’d say is that it didn’t feel like a Metroidvania. Not much of the backtracking/upgrading loop. Lots of story emphasis instead.

The Guacamelees are very good, but hard. Bloodstained started well but performed like bobbins on Switch, although it has been patched since. I haven’t actually played many others of late...

Full disclosure: Balladeer hates all pixel art

I don't completely disagree though in that both Owlboy and Iconoclasts are a lot more linear because of their story focus, and I don't rate Owlboy's actual gameplay that much, even if it's interesting to design a metroidvania around a character who can freely fly. Iconoclasts has better gameplay but I've actually not yet finished it, it's quite long and I found a little exhausting.

Bloodstained Ritual of the Night, Wonder Boy and the Dragon's Trap, Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom, Guacamelee (not played 2) and Iconoclasts. I may think of more, but all these games are great.

Not a genre I play a huge amount of but I do agree that Ori is a wonderful game, likewise with Bloodstained (although on the whole I preferred Ori).

I'll probably swerve on Owlboy and Iconoclasts for now them - going to add them to my watch list though as even though they may not be what I'm after right now I suspect they will still be up my street in general.

I know that the Guacamelee games are really well received but I think the art/style just doesn't do it for me. Might have a look at what offers there are on the first game because it's been around for a while now so there could be a deal to be had!

I had heard that performance for Bloodstained was a bit poor on the Switch which is annoying because that would be my preferred platform for this kind of thing. Something about playing on Switch just ties in really nicely with these kinds of games.

Has anybody given Bloodstained on Switch a go post-patch? I’m interested in this answer too!

OrangeXMS wrote:Full disclosure: Balladeer hates all pixel art

Celeste and Hyper Light Drifter.

I’ve not loaded it up, has it been updated to 1.04 yet? Or or is still on 1.03? From what I could tell 1.03 was a good improvement, but 1.04 is meant to the be the biggie?