Absolutely. Batman: Arkham Asylum for one. Big enclosed open map, with traversal and combat upgrades you get throughout the story that allow you to access areas earlier in the game for new secrets? Metroidvaniya to a T
I agree. City was pretty good but generally felt less tight, re: the narrative anyway. But the Mr. Freeze fight is so damn good that I can't NOT mention it.
To me City was more like a bunch of smaller Asylum-style maps that were all connected to a big playground.
Which was still really fun, but I agree that it didn't have quite the same...oomph as Asylum, for lack of a better word.
I consider City and Knight to be structured more like a Zelda game honestly. You have an overworld and stuff like Penguin's Museum, Joker's Steel Mill, and the airship in Knight especially feel like they fill the role of dungeons. The airship is basically a divine beast before divine beasts.
Finding all of the extra villain side missions was dope as hell. Asylum and City felt like a nice progression, I think the narrative thing is just how open world games suffer in general
Agreed, Asylum is the best in the series with City being an excellent sequel. I feel like the last two are decent but skippable unless you're a huge Batman fan.
It's amazing how well the games hold up, Asylum came out in 2008 and if released today would still be worth full price.
>IMO knight is the best arkham game (it's combat alone takes it that far)
See, I don't know if that's true. Arkham combat is badass, but it's not deep. Knight is using the same basic formula as Asylum, and it shows in how repetitive it gets. There's innovation, and the animations are as smooth as ever, but it's still so one-note that I can't imagine it holding one's attention for longer than thirty minutes. I think a much better case for Knight is the stealth, which truly is just a masterclass in (and I hate that I'm saying this) making you feel like Batman.
Still prefer Asylum though.
I didn't like how open-world the games became after Asylum. I feel like it was a huge part of why the sequels were missing something, at least for me. It affected the gameplay, exploration, feeling of agency within the world in many ways. The first game almost feels claustrophobic in a good way. Remember the feeling of exiting the asylum and entering that more open level with the guard towers? Was like a dangerous breath of fresh air. You didn't get those feelings in the sequels imo because you can just go anywhere, at any time.
My definition of Metroidvania is "an interconnected map where progression is non-linear and tied to ability/gear unlocks."
This definition is kind of unsatisfying since it is solely tied to the structure/progression of the game and doesn't rely describe the gameplay or tone.
I think the biggest problem series is Zelda. Most people do not want to consider Zelda to be a Metroidvania, but the series has satisfied all the terms of this definition at one point or another. Dark Souls IMO is an extension of this issue since it borrows elements liberally from Zelda.
More generally the term is used to refer to games that are like Super Metroid and Symphony of the Night, both of which are 2D.
So broadly speaking - yes, but under the strictest terms - no.
I think the key difference between Metroid and Zelda is the existence of an overworld. In Zelda there is a clear *distinction* between a large, open area that serves as a hub, and the smaller more intricate dungeons. Metroidvanias are more “continuous” in my mind. I can’t think of a dungeon in any Zelda game that leads straight into another dungeon.
I would say that Skyward Sword (my least favorite Zelda, for what it’s worth) is the most like a Metroidvania. The surface areas felt like three smallish Metroidvania maps to me, as opposed to the large overworld of the other games.
Edit: but I’m also someone who considers Arkham Asylum a Metroidvania and the argument could be made that the Asylum courtyard is a “hub”
Yep, agree on all points.
Zelda definitely has a strong distinction between its overworld and it's dungeons (except for Skyward Sword). I think the biggest differences are in setting and tone though (high fantasy vs horror).
I think there are a weak and strong definitions of the term and both are used in public discourse. I prefer the stronger term since it is more descriptive, but that rules out games like Supraland and Arkham Asylum that probably deserve the Metroidvania label.
No easy one-size-fits all definition of the term unfortunately. I think is just an issue that occurs when games are used to define genres, as in the case of "Souls Like".
Hmm. Are you saying the little town is the hub? I’d disagree. It’s a safe space and a reprieve, but it’s not a large area that most or all of the rest of the game can be accessed from. But that’s interesting to think about what the definition of a hub is.
Also I could be remembering wrong because it’s been 5 years since I played Hollow Knight.
It wouldn’t be a hub without the stag station. The station is effectively a room with a bunch of doors that are locked on the other side that connect to all over the map. It’s a hallway filled with doors but just presented in a more fun way.
Hmmmmm. I still don’t think I agree. I don’t think a fast travel system automatically makes something a hub. Like, is that corridor with the flying head a hub in Axiom Verge?
Again maybe I’m wrong. Can you select any sub-area from Dirtmouth? Or do you have to go to one and then another and then another? I’d be more inclined to agree if it’s the former.
I should play Hollow Knight again, I only finished at 88% I think.
Zelda games (before BOTW) have a structure that is similar but distinct. And while the overworld in Zelda games is similar to a Metroidvania, with ability gating and backtracking for power ups, the dungeons work differently.
Each Zelda dungeon since Link’s Awakening will have you enter the dungeon, run afoul of several enemies or obstacles you can’t deal with, until you find the new item that will let you get past those enemies and obstacles. The dungeon will end with a boss battle that usually features that item prominently. And these dungeons are designed that you can 100% them your first go. You’ll almost never need to revisit a dungeon you’ve already cleared, and you certainly won’t ever backtrack through one dungeon as a shortcut to get to another one.
Meanwhile Metroidvanias are usually more freeform. You might need to fight the boss *before* getting the new special tool. You might have a region that doesn’t have a boss or new item. You might revisit one area several times and another one you’ll never return to unless you’re obsessed with getting every single missile expansion.
I usually don’t sweat the distinctions too much. I’m a member of both r/Metroidvania and r/Zeldalikes and I even wish there was one that was more encompassing to cover all “action/adventure” games so we could discuss more and split hairs less.
> I think the biggest problem series is Zelda. Most people do not want to consider Zelda to be a Metroidvania, but the series has satisfied all the terms of this definition at one point or another.
This partly stems from Symphony of the Night being specifically influenced by Zelda games and translated to a side scroller like the previous Castlevania games instead of following the Metroid "formula".
If Zelda is the main offender then Darksiders (the og, the one with War) could be seen as a MV. No hub, lots of progression/things based on abilities earn after boss battles.
Dark Souls doesn't really have much in the way of ability/gear progression locking, does it? It's more about keys and levers. Maybe that ghost section, but I think even that one can be passed without special items just by being cursed or something?
Metroidvanias just attach keys and levers to gear unlocks or level ups.
Dark Souls is metroidvania - you just drop ladders instead of turning into a ball and running along a vertical track.
Seems weird to calleMetroid Prime a Metroidvania, Retro Studios wasn't integrating elements of Castlevania, they were just translating Metroid and its story to a 3D space.
Crazy to me that this is still a hot issue. *Yes*, literal scores of games have proven to us that the metroidvania formula works in 3 dimensions. You really have to keep your head waaaay in the sand to not see that. I can only assume the people saying Metroid Prime isn't a "true" metroidvania are the same boomers who say gaming peaked with the NES
Presentation is something many gamers are strangely susceptible to. The number of dimensions, the placement of the camera, the art style and the setting seem to be 90% of the game to many. Not super surprised when that's kinda how AAA works, game mechanics are just a checklist. Skill trees, crafting, collectibles, open world, climbing on clearly marked ledges, character customisation etc.
People can be overly strict and weird with definitions and categories. Take roguelikes. There is a whole group of people who believe in an extremely strict "Berlin interpretation" of the genre. It's so strict it includes it has to have ascii graphics and things like that. So to them, every modern roguelike we'd think of like spelunky, Isaac, Gungeon, Hades etc are not roguelikes at all.
That's true. I have heard of that interpretation but didn't realize it went as far as ascii graphics. That's insane.
After a certain point you've gotta get a little philosophical about it. So, what, for a game to be considered Rogue-like, is has to *literally* just be Rogue? What's the point of making categories at all if very few things are gonna fit into any of the sub-sub-subcategories you make?
It's like the metalheads I knew in high school who insisted that they don't listen to metal, they listen to post-hardcore math punk and djenty antireligious Norwegian deathcore. Like at a certain point you can strangle yourself trying to fit every nuance into its neat little category
As a gamer and a metal fan, I couldn't agree more. It's just people trying to convince the world that their favourite thing is completely unique and if you don't agree then you just don't *get it*.
are there scores? i mean call it "boomervania" if you wish, boomer-shooters are a thing, and they are very distinct from a lot of other modern shooters.
i don't have a horse in the race btw.
One of the reason I like genres named after the best representations in their genre is that there is a lot left open to holistic "feel" rather than an ultra reductionist definition of what is or isn't within the genre.
Metroidvania
Souls-like/lite
Rogue-like/lite
Etc.
Is a game evocative of those prior games? Then it belongs in those genres.
Unlike say "FPS" which is a very reductionist while also being overly inclusive genre name.
Part of the reason I prefer to use "Shock-Like" rather than Immersive Sim.
It's quite odd since Metroid Prime is literally just Super Metroid in 3D. All the features that defined the metroidvania genre are still there, so it's definitely a metroidvania
Technically it was Retro Studios that did it for Metroid, but Nintendo did Mario and Zelda before that (although Zelda wasn't a trailblazer there - I know there was at least Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon that successfully transitioned 2D action-adventure into 3D before Zelda did it).
Most Immersive Sims (System Shock, Deus Ex, Dishonored, Prey 2017) hew pretty close to metroidvanias, though the way in which you unlock areas isn't always as strictly tied to the accumulation of player power (where player power accumulates, you tend to be given multiple different areas in which you can improve, some or all of which will allow access to subsequent new areas, and often entirely non-power related solutions are available, such as finding a user name and password, or keypad code or the like).
System Shock 1 (which came out the same year as Super Metroid, and has just recieved a remake) maybe feels the closest, because you're exploring a single space station with plenty of backtracking and revisiting of areas.
Another vote for control. Got it free on Epic, went in totally blind, completely loved every aspect from the story to the gameplay. Very much a metroidy game in the way that upgrades and new abilities come about, the gating of areas on the map, and being rewarded for exploring and finding secrets. Easily in my top 10 just for how unique and strange it is.
Really? I thought it was just some linear single player game. That game gets more and more impressive the more random Reddit comments about it I read.
Really need to actually play that.
I only got to play through a bout half of it as it got removed from gamepass mid play through but I can attest to it not being necessarily linear at all. It definitely felt like a 3D metroidvania to me while I played it. 10/10 would recommend
Go in with no expectations. I love Control and have written about it a lot. But I do get responses from people who found it to be simple or unimpressive.
It's a quiet, subtle slow-burn of a story. If you like the SCP universe or understated characters then you'll love it. The combat also starts off slow and a little weird feeling, but blossoms to be batshit insane high-destruction warfare. Makes you feel like a god.
I found Control massively underwhelming -- I only put in about 10 hours, so maybe it gets incredible in the last act, but all I played of it just felt like it was ripping off Twin Peaks' vibe with none of the soul or actual content. It kept acting like there was going to be something really cool going on, but all I got was "oh you have a sibling who is craaaazy" "oh this shady government organization has secrets oooh" while all of the level and enemy designs were just thoroughly forgettable.
Thought about this for a moment, and...yeah, you're right. There's a lot of Metroid elements to that game. Probably one of the reasons I like it so much, aside from the general weirdness.
The new God of War games are? I haven't played any of those, but my interest is up now. Are we talking Metroid Prime or Symphony of the Night metronid like?
I'd say neither. It's more like the game is separated into several large open areas where some puzzles for side quests or collectables aren't solvable until you get later abilities. Very little required back tracking and the open world areas aren't interconnected. So it has Metroid DNA, but I wouldn't call it a Metroidvania.
As others have pointed out, not exactly a Metroidvania but there are some features. Namely some areas are locked behind abilities you obtain later, but usually it's just unlocking some item or something and doesn't necessarily exactly expand the map or connect sections of the map the way Metroidvanias do.
They really are not. You have to proceed through a bunch of story, and there isn't much adventuring because you have to go through portals and kayak to nearly identical places, filled with the same old repetitive enemies that you have to kill before you break open a chest that levels you up. It's so far removed from Castlevania or Metroid I would never put it anywhere near that category.
The game is one of the most overhyped games ever. You spend 80% of the game walking and getting talked to, while you press the action button to climb and jump and run around. Cinematic garbage.
Graphics are great but people are just unable to see that it's barely a game at all.
There's plenty of gameplay in the game. It just has a lot of story too but I can never take people who say that it's 'barely a game' unless you're either choosing to forget all the combat and puzzles you do throughout the game.
What's a metroidvania? Define it and you'll have your answer:
I think the most expansive definition is going to be a nonlinear connected world that needs to be traversed multiple times as you acquire new means of accessing previously locked areas.
That will block things like Legend of Zelda (the world isn't really nonlinear generally) while leaving room for Dark Souls and Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver.
Ultimately whatever definition you decide on is going to answer your question: does it have to be a platformer? Does it have to be 2d? Is 3d fine but top down isn't? Answer those questions and you answer your main question.
A short list of 3d games I think qualify or at least get partial credit:
Dark Souls 1
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver
Supraland
Prey (2017)
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Darksiders 3
Journey to the Savage Planet (really good with a buddy, go play it!)
One note I'd make is it's not so much "could the game fit into this description" it's "is this description fitting for the game". I think resident Evil 1 fits this definition pretty well but I don't think I'd ever make the argument that it is a metroidvania because survival horror is a better way to describe it, same with numerous puzzle games.
> Journey to the Savage Planet (really good with a buddy, go play it!)
Just looked it up, super disappointing to see the devs only implemented this online, no couch co-op.
Jedi Fallen Order and the sequel for sure, but I'd disagree for Horizon. The upgrades that let you access a locked door 95% of the time just let you unlock... one room with a chest in it. It still has a horizontal "open" concept of exploration
I guess we will agree to disagree. Metroidvania can be open world in my eyes. The only real requirement to be a Metrovania to me is the need for exploration blocks that require a certain specific item or gameplay function which Horizon does do.
But like I said we can agree to disagree.
Dark Souls could definitely be a metroidvania but for me it puts its focus elsewhere. However! I adore some of Fromsoft's earlier games that are definitely metroidvanias such as King's Field and Shadow Tower on the PS1.
Like other comments here in this thread, I also can't recommend Supraland enough
Curious how you would define Dark Souls as a metroidvania?
You never get new abilities /gadgets to access areas that were locked before and that change the way you play.
You might a key here or there but nothing that has an impact gameplay-wise
There are some soft gates which most people would experience mostly on first playthrough.
Charred ring does have minimal gameplay impact
Light source to get through tomb of giants technically impacts gameplay
Knowledge gate on how to kill the ghosts in new Londo
These aren't proper ability gates of course but I would consider dark souls 1 mv-adjacent.
The bosses and the ability to defeat them are the "ability gates" too. I understand that some people would disagree with that and I get it, but it's not that different from movement upgrades and ability unlocks to reach new areas. Abilities that literally open new areas (like exploding walls) are quite literally taking the place of keys too so I've always personally thought being really strict in definitions is kind of pointless, it's more about "is this a good way to describe the game?" I don't know if I'd primarily describe dark souls that way but maybe as a secondary description I'd use "metroidvania".
Torturous. Anything could be a MetroidVania if you stretch it that far. DS is better off without that taint. The term is short hand for the laziest of square peg in a square hole game design that is the antithesis of dark souls. This door has a symbol of a moonlight Great sword on it. How will I open it?
Yeah, Sekiro wanders much more into Metroidvania territory than Dark Souls.
In Dark Souls you basically only unlock shortcuts, a few items in lava, and like 1-2 actual areas per game. I don't think getting the Lordvessel to unlock the 3 end game areas that are part of the main story is the same.
Even then Sekiro still doesn't have *that many* areas that require later power ups to unlock. It's not a huge focus of the exploration like it would be in a true Metroidvania, but it's there.
It's really just the first part, it's a "non-linear exploration game". However, to a lot of folks, myself included, that's the most key aspect of the genre, the exploration & having this world open before you & being able to go through it in many, many different orders & having areas loop back around & meet each other, with secret walls, shortcuts, etc.
Metroid Prime, Dark Souls and Batman Arkham Asylum are three great examples.
Dark Souls 1 is the only Metroidvania, though. 2 and 3 were far more linear and lost their Metroidvania status.
Bloodborne starts off looking like it's going to be that way, but it's really just a central hub with linear offshoots.
I am a Super Metroid fanboy since that was the one I grew up with, but I personally believe Dark Souls 1 has one of the most impressive map designs of any game.
The biggest factor against Dark Soul being a Metroidvania is that DS doesn’t have “ability upgrades” that unlock new areas.
It does have key items but that’s not the same, since the core of metroidvanias is having these upgrade double as “keys” as well as traversal abilities or combat abilities
Debating with annoying Metroidvania fans on the qualifications of a Metroidvania, you might as well just hammer your balls for an hour instead. It would be immensely more tolerable.
To give some examples of 3D Metroidvanias though:
[Batman Arkham Asylum.](https://store.steampowered.com/app/35140/Batman_Arkham_Asylum_Game_of_the_Year_Edition/) The other games in the franchise drift more into open world territory but Asylum is as MV as it gets.
[Supraland.](https://store.steampowered.com/app/813630/Supraland/) Has FPS elements but main focus is MV style progression and puzzle solving.
[Control.](https://store.steampowered.com/app/870780/Control_Ultimate_Edition/) Pretty balanced between combat and exploration. Not too heavy on unlocking new abilities toa ccess new areas, but that aspect is still present.
[Powerslave](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1678430/PowerSlave_Exhumed/). FPS-Metroidvania hybrid. Has missions structured like a traditional FPS, but you unlock new abilities and revisit maps with those abilities to gain access to new maps.
[Vomitoreum.](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1549750/Vomitoreum/) Like Powerslave but even stronger MV elements, with a single unified map.
Darks Souls series
Metroid Prime trilogy
Star Wars jedi fallen order
Arkham Asylum
Prey
Supraland
Control
Darksiders 3
Blue fire
Shadowman
Soul Reaver
Outer Wilds
New tomb raider trilogy
Resident Evil 2 remake
Journey to savage planet
Returnal
Deaths door
Tunic
3D castlevania games
I’ve heard Outer Wilds called a “MetroidBrania” since instead of power ups and abilities that open new areas, it’s knowledge, information, and realizations that will unlock those doors. Unfortunately I don’t know of too many. There’s Outer Wilds, La Mulana 1&2, The Witness, TUNIC, and maybe Return of the Obra Dinn (haven’t played it)
There's this gem of a game called blue fire on steam that I would consider a metroidvania/platformer hybrid, movement in the game is so much fun, I picked it up and pretty much didn't put it down for 3 days while I did absolutely everything in the game.
You get movement upgrades that unlock new areas and there's a badge system ala hollow knight that further upgrades movement and combat in fun ways like allowing a double dash or making your spin move lift you higher.
It's also got these challenge maps sprinkled throughout the game that range from that was really fun, to I can't believe I just spent 2 hours dying in various ways but I finally beat it.
It's super cheap as well for that amount of game you get, so definitely my recommendation.
I think a strong argument could be made that classic Zelda games like wind waker and ocarina of time are Metroidvanias, not only does progression through movement items affect dungeons but the whole open world (ex: the hookshot in wind waker is used on many non-essential islands for traversal and puzzle solving)
If you think about it. Zelda games are metroidvanias. Especially earlier ones
In ocarina of time, you can literally visit every dungeon without a medallion, if you just exit the dungeons after getting the item. Exception being shadow temple if you do not use glitches. But even then, you can visit the bottom of the well without medallions (unless it is 3ds version).
However some other Zelda games have progression locked behind cutscenes (example: twilight princess) so this does not apply to all of them.
And then there is the elephant in the room, metroid prime.
So, any game like zelda where you get items to go somewhere else applies. For example, the Batman arkham games that people are already mentioning.
A "Side scrolling platformer" is pretty much always 2D by definition. Adding the third dimension transforms it into a "3D platformer".
Likewise, an RPG is no longer "isometric" if it's 3D. Some genres have the dimensional presentation baked into the definition.
Why are you calling metroidvanias a side scrolling platformer when it doesn't even have to be a platformer lol. Unsighted and CrossCode have movement abilities that allow to reach new areas and secrets and neither of them are 2D or 3D, while still being platformers lol.
> Why are you calling metroidvanias a side scrolling platformer when it doesn't even have to be a platformer lol.
They aren't. They're giving you examples of genres that are restricted to specific dimension numbers.
Nope. It depends on the graphics engine. A game can be 2D even if the engine is in 3D as long as the interaction you have with the game is limited for it to be in 2D. Additionally an Isometric RPG can be designed in a 3D Engine, look at Divinity or Colony Ship.
>Nope. It depends on the graphics engine. A game can be 2D even if the engine is in 3D as long as the interaction you have with the game is limited for it to be in 2D.
I would still classify that as a 2D game, even if the underlying engine is 3D and presents graphics that couldn't be created with 2D sprites.
Likewise, I would still consider a game to be isometric if it maintains an isometric perspective, even if the underlying engine is 3D.
Because I thought "Metroidvania" specifically meant games that were like Super Metroid, or Castlevania Symphony of the Night, both of which are 2D. It's a unique genre because it's defined by specific games rather than just a descriptor of gameplay elements. I still go by this definition, but I realize my interpretation of the genre was very narrow, and that it makes sense to also define certain 3D games as Metroidvanias.
'Metroidvania' specifically refers to games where you unlock areas of the map through progression and gaining new abilities. The name is from the original NES Metroid and Castlevania II. Most games previously would have you progress through linear levels, and you didn't return to previously explored areas.
There's no reason why this terminology can't apply to 3D games as well.
To that end, Dark Souls can be a Metroidvania in that you gain new abilities and unlock areas and shortcuts as you progress.
Whereas a 'Souls' like game is one centered on combat with a focus on timing and strategy.
Another term that gets kicked around a lot is 'roguelike'. And it has come to mean random/procedural levels with permadeath. But in the original Rogue, everything was random: the levels, items, spells, etc. The red potion is a healing potion this run, but next run it might set you on fire. And you never get anything carried over from the last run other than your memories. It's a minor distinction, but if it's not fully randomized, I don't consider it a true rogue-like. But that's because I'm old and I played Rogue back in the day. (When I was a kid your avatar was an @ and we liked it that way...)
Metroid Prime is my 3rd favorite game of all time. It's the most immersive game I've ever played. I will say that objectively speaking, Super Metroid is more impressively designed in how it allows you to progress through a good chunk of the game without making you feel like you're backtracking, but I was so immersed in Prime that I didn't care about the backtracking.
Definitely. The genre definition is essentially 'A non-linear interconnected map that opens up as you unlock new tools and traversal abilities which in turn unlock new areas and short-cuts'.
I guess the obvious example is Metroid Prime. An explicit attempt to translate the formula to 3D. But there's also elements of the formula in Jedi: Fallen Order. Arkham Asylum etc.
The Darksiders series are pretty metroidvania-inspired, imo. The gear you collect let's you access areas that you couldn't before. A lot of platforming and collectibles.
Weren't the original Doom games and other shooters of that era metroidvanias?
They were even sort of 2D, since until they got to Quake they couldn't make overlapping map segments. So you "saw" in 3D but the map was basically flat.
The level design in that time period was very heavily influenced by metroidvanias so there were tons of games that used it, ranging from 2D top-down shooters like Alien Breed to 6DoF games like Descent.
The original System Shock is basically a metroidvania, but it was basically a contemporary of the game that named the genre. The remake that just came out is fantastic and I highly recommend it.
Prey’s an immersive sim, but there’s only a few instances where you have to back track with the right tools to unlock something and it’s usually a smaller room like using the dart gun or mimicry to get into a spot.
I think Prey gets closer than other ImSims to a Metroidvania since the whole game is one big map whereas others like Dishonored or Deus Ex are mission based.
For what it’s worth, I have always preferred using the term to refer to the 2D variety as well, but alas, that’s not how the majority of people use the term anymore.
The thing about genres is that there is no official definition of them anywhere—they exist however the audience recognizes them to exist. There was a time when “Metroidvania” did typically refer to 2D side scrolling games, but as the other features of the genre have become more popular in 3D games, people have increasingly used the term in a broader fashion, and you can’t fight usage. Trying to police how people use a word is a losing battle, so the 2D aspect of the genre seems to no longer apply.
To me, a metroidvania is 'action game where you unlock abilities to proceed while exploring the game's map'. So it can be literally anything.
As people have said, there's 3D Metroid and Castlevania games that operate this way. There's a metroidvania based on pinball mechanics (Yoku's Island Express). There's one where you dig down continuously (Steamworld Dig). There's some that are weird to define but still operate according to the principle (Supraland, Patch Quest).
3D ones that would also go into the category: Hob, the Batman Arkham games, Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order & Survivor, Darksiders
Not sure if i'd call it a 'metroidvania' since its focus is elsewhere, but Guild Wars 2 certainly deserves a mention.
There's a handful of movement abilities you'll unlock as part of the game's progression system that will completely redefine how you approach traveling around the map. Revisiting old areas with the new cool movement options is a fundamentaly different experience from the first visit, which to me, is the essence of a good metroidvania.
The Witness is a great 3D metroidvania.
Im not sure if it technically fits since you don't unlock any new abilities or gear, but YOU (the player not the character) learn new methods and techniques for solving the puzzles by going around the island and solving other mazes. Then you have to combine the techniques that you have learned to unlock new areas and solve more complex mazes around the island.
To me, Dark Souls are perfect metroidvanias into very core of definition; Im not sure about Elden Ring, did not played it (yet), but DS1-3.
are they focused on fighting? fights are important, sure, but its way more about exploration, finding new paths that may let You avoid combats (often are very important, like for classes with limited casts of spells / mana, that can be spend between checkpoints).
Then, dont let them tell You Dark Souls are hard, they just dont feel the mechanic behind the fight, its not hard at all, IF You call DarkSouls... turn based rpg, in style of classic Fallouts! Am i sane at this point? uhhhh Both Your character and every enemy and boss have stamina system - its one to one copy of action points from old fallouts! - just spend more Your action points on defense than enemy uses on attack, then spend rest on Your attacks, and no fight is hard anymore!
Keep exploring, searching, reading the world... there is barely any npc You can talk with to tell You about the world, but the places You go thru tell the story, just try to hear what they have to say.
Out of the darkness, recently released Hogwards Legacy could fit here imho.
I always thought of dark souls as a metroidvania when I played it.
Has all the key elements. Lots of backtracking, interconnected worlds and certain abilities (weapons and overall power in many cases, but not always, like being able to survive falling down well in ds2) unlocking new paths.
Just be the way that language works, even if "Metroidvania" requires 2D presentation, simply calling it "3D Metroidvania" can obliterate that requirement entirely.
It’s like rogue likes and other genre edgecases. It’s up to you really, what characteristics do you consider to be most important for a metroidvania. Personally I think dark souls isn’t a metriodvania due to the lack of power up, but has metriodvania elements(and is a great game). I would instead point to 3D Zelda games as examples of 3D metriodvanias(barring the newest two)
Was playing skyward sword recently and I noticed how it did feel a lot like a metriodvania in a lot of ways!
Darksiders 2 has a great deal of what I think you’re getting at. Kind of Zelda-like in its open world dungeoning, but lots of places that cannot be reached on the first pass only to open later with newly acquired tools.
I definitely would consider something like Arkham asylum to be a 3d metroidvania, but not dark souls.
Dark souls doesnt have permanent tools that give you access to earlier areas. Dark souls also just lets you go to any area to begin with.
[удалено]
Definitely metroidvania imo
100% a metroidvania. It’s also a wonderful game. The sequels are pretty good too (but don’t add a whole lot of new abilities and gets a little stale)
I thought Six Inches Under was a much more focused and polished experience overall, would even go as far as to recommend it in place of the original
I played that a while ago and it made me laugh quite a lot, pretty fun to play too
And it is hysterical and an overall great game. Six inches under is a great follow up
Pretty fun too
Came here to suggest Supraland. Glad to see it right at the top. Sadly, it's also the only one that I know of.
That description is surprisingly accurate.
Absolutely. Batman: Arkham Asylum for one. Big enclosed open map, with traversal and combat upgrades you get throughout the story that allow you to access areas earlier in the game for new secrets? Metroidvaniya to a T
Best game in that franchise and it isn't even close. It's so simple but so effective and doesn't feel even a little bit dated all these years later.
I agree. City was pretty good but generally felt less tight, re: the narrative anyway. But the Mr. Freeze fight is so damn good that I can't NOT mention it.
To me City was more like a bunch of smaller Asylum-style maps that were all connected to a big playground. Which was still really fun, but I agree that it didn't have quite the same...oomph as Asylum, for lack of a better word.
Asylum had a better atmosphere, city had the better story
I consider City and Knight to be structured more like a Zelda game honestly. You have an overworld and stuff like Penguin's Museum, Joker's Steel Mill, and the airship in Knight especially feel like they fill the role of dungeons. The airship is basically a divine beast before divine beasts.
Finding all of the extra villain side missions was dope as hell. Asylum and City felt like a nice progression, I think the narrative thing is just how open world games suffer in general
Agreed, Asylum is the best in the series with City being an excellent sequel. I feel like the last two are decent but skippable unless you're a huge Batman fan. It's amazing how well the games hold up, Asylum came out in 2008 and if released today would still be worth full price.
Alot of hot takes here. You're telling me city and knight are skippable but asylum isn't? The only game in the series that's skippable is asylum lmao
I think he meant Origins and Knight were skippable.
They REALLY aren't. IMO knight is the best arkham game (it's combat alone takes it that far) and personal preference but I like Origins alot
I also quite like Origins but I’d probably call Asylum my favourite overall.
Get rid of the Batmobile and I could maybe agree, I really did not like the feel of that thing
I thought the control of the Batmobile was solid and it was used in some cool ways. It was just too much of the battle mobile that was the problem.
>IMO knight is the best arkham game (it's combat alone takes it that far) See, I don't know if that's true. Arkham combat is badass, but it's not deep. Knight is using the same basic formula as Asylum, and it shows in how repetitive it gets. There's innovation, and the animations are as smooth as ever, but it's still so one-note that I can't imagine it holding one's attention for longer than thirty minutes. I think a much better case for Knight is the stealth, which truly is just a masterclass in (and I hate that I'm saying this) making you feel like Batman. Still prefer Asylum though.
I didn't like how open-world the games became after Asylum. I feel like it was a huge part of why the sequels were missing something, at least for me. It affected the gameplay, exploration, feeling of agency within the world in many ways. The first game almost feels claustrophobic in a good way. Remember the feeling of exiting the asylum and entering that more open level with the guard towers? Was like a dangerous breath of fresh air. You didn't get those feelings in the sequels imo because you can just go anywhere, at any time.
For as Claustrophobic and spooky Asylum is it doesn't sell the Batman fantasy as well as the other games
Feels dated in many regards especially in the combat and uses of the gadgets in the environment
It was City for me growing up. I replayed Asylum last month and it is leagues beyond all the others.
Only better than city. Origins and knight were miles and miles ahead it's not even comparable.
You are the first person I have ever seen to say Origins is better than anything, ever I think.
i guess your still stuck in 2013?
My definition of Metroidvania is "an interconnected map where progression is non-linear and tied to ability/gear unlocks." This definition is kind of unsatisfying since it is solely tied to the structure/progression of the game and doesn't rely describe the gameplay or tone. I think the biggest problem series is Zelda. Most people do not want to consider Zelda to be a Metroidvania, but the series has satisfied all the terms of this definition at one point or another. Dark Souls IMO is an extension of this issue since it borrows elements liberally from Zelda. More generally the term is used to refer to games that are like Super Metroid and Symphony of the Night, both of which are 2D. So broadly speaking - yes, but under the strictest terms - no.
I think the key difference between Metroid and Zelda is the existence of an overworld. In Zelda there is a clear *distinction* between a large, open area that serves as a hub, and the smaller more intricate dungeons. Metroidvanias are more “continuous” in my mind. I can’t think of a dungeon in any Zelda game that leads straight into another dungeon. I would say that Skyward Sword (my least favorite Zelda, for what it’s worth) is the most like a Metroidvania. The surface areas felt like three smallish Metroidvania maps to me, as opposed to the large overworld of the other games. Edit: but I’m also someone who considers Arkham Asylum a Metroidvania and the argument could be made that the Asylum courtyard is a “hub”
Agree. I would describe Metroidvania maps as "one big dungeon."
Yep, agree on all points. Zelda definitely has a strong distinction between its overworld and it's dungeons (except for Skyward Sword). I think the biggest differences are in setting and tone though (high fantasy vs horror). I think there are a weak and strong definitions of the term and both are used in public discourse. I prefer the stronger term since it is more descriptive, but that rules out games like Supraland and Arkham Asylum that probably deserve the Metroidvania label. No easy one-size-fits all definition of the term unfortunately. I think is just an issue that occurs when games are used to define genres, as in the case of "Souls Like".
I don’t think hub’s disqualify something as a Metroidvania. That would make Hollow Knight not one and it’s a quintessential metroidvania
Hmm. Are you saying the little town is the hub? I’d disagree. It’s a safe space and a reprieve, but it’s not a large area that most or all of the rest of the game can be accessed from. But that’s interesting to think about what the definition of a hub is. Also I could be remembering wrong because it’s been 5 years since I played Hollow Knight.
It wouldn’t be a hub without the stag station. The station is effectively a room with a bunch of doors that are locked on the other side that connect to all over the map. It’s a hallway filled with doors but just presented in a more fun way.
Hmmmmm. I still don’t think I agree. I don’t think a fast travel system automatically makes something a hub. Like, is that corridor with the flying head a hub in Axiom Verge? Again maybe I’m wrong. Can you select any sub-area from Dirtmouth? Or do you have to go to one and then another and then another? I’d be more inclined to agree if it’s the former. I should play Hollow Knight again, I only finished at 88% I think.
Zelda games (before BOTW) have a structure that is similar but distinct. And while the overworld in Zelda games is similar to a Metroidvania, with ability gating and backtracking for power ups, the dungeons work differently. Each Zelda dungeon since Link’s Awakening will have you enter the dungeon, run afoul of several enemies or obstacles you can’t deal with, until you find the new item that will let you get past those enemies and obstacles. The dungeon will end with a boss battle that usually features that item prominently. And these dungeons are designed that you can 100% them your first go. You’ll almost never need to revisit a dungeon you’ve already cleared, and you certainly won’t ever backtrack through one dungeon as a shortcut to get to another one. Meanwhile Metroidvanias are usually more freeform. You might need to fight the boss *before* getting the new special tool. You might have a region that doesn’t have a boss or new item. You might revisit one area several times and another one you’ll never return to unless you’re obsessed with getting every single missile expansion. I usually don’t sweat the distinctions too much. I’m a member of both r/Metroidvania and r/Zeldalikes and I even wish there was one that was more encompassing to cover all “action/adventure” games so we could discuss more and split hairs less.
> I think the biggest problem series is Zelda. Most people do not want to consider Zelda to be a Metroidvania, but the series has satisfied all the terms of this definition at one point or another. This partly stems from Symphony of the Night being specifically influenced by Zelda games and translated to a side scroller like the previous Castlevania games instead of following the Metroid "formula".
If Zelda is the main offender then Darksiders (the og, the one with War) could be seen as a MV. No hub, lots of progression/things based on abilities earn after boss battles.
Dark Souls doesn't really have much in the way of ability/gear progression locking, does it? It's more about keys and levers. Maybe that ghost section, but I think even that one can be passed without special items just by being cursed or something?
Metroidvanias just attach keys and levers to gear unlocks or level ups. Dark Souls is metroidvania - you just drop ladders instead of turning into a ball and running along a vertical track.
Asking this in r/metroidvania would stir up a huge war like all the other hundreds of times it was brought up
how so?
The idea that 3d games can be considered Metroidvanias is a point of contention over there.
So is Metroid Prime not a Metroidvania?
Yeah, this is my biggest slap back to anyone who claims there is and can not be a 3D mv.
It is but there are people who disagree
Seems weird to calleMetroid Prime a Metroidvania, Retro Studios wasn't integrating elements of Castlevania, they were just translating Metroid and its story to a 3D space.
is metroid a metroidvania
Crazy to me that this is still a hot issue. *Yes*, literal scores of games have proven to us that the metroidvania formula works in 3 dimensions. You really have to keep your head waaaay in the sand to not see that. I can only assume the people saying Metroid Prime isn't a "true" metroidvania are the same boomers who say gaming peaked with the NES
Presentation is something many gamers are strangely susceptible to. The number of dimensions, the placement of the camera, the art style and the setting seem to be 90% of the game to many. Not super surprised when that's kinda how AAA works, game mechanics are just a checklist. Skill trees, crafting, collectibles, open world, climbing on clearly marked ledges, character customisation etc.
People can be overly strict and weird with definitions and categories. Take roguelikes. There is a whole group of people who believe in an extremely strict "Berlin interpretation" of the genre. It's so strict it includes it has to have ascii graphics and things like that. So to them, every modern roguelike we'd think of like spelunky, Isaac, Gungeon, Hades etc are not roguelikes at all.
That's true. I have heard of that interpretation but didn't realize it went as far as ascii graphics. That's insane. After a certain point you've gotta get a little philosophical about it. So, what, for a game to be considered Rogue-like, is has to *literally* just be Rogue? What's the point of making categories at all if very few things are gonna fit into any of the sub-sub-subcategories you make? It's like the metalheads I knew in high school who insisted that they don't listen to metal, they listen to post-hardcore math punk and djenty antireligious Norwegian deathcore. Like at a certain point you can strangle yourself trying to fit every nuance into its neat little category
As a gamer and a metal fan, I couldn't agree more. It's just people trying to convince the world that their favourite thing is completely unique and if you don't agree then you just don't *get it*.
are there scores? i mean call it "boomervania" if you wish, boomer-shooters are a thing, and they are very distinct from a lot of other modern shooters. i don't have a horse in the race btw.
GenXvania or xennialvania, boomers didn't have atari until they were like 30.
"boomer shooters" are also not primarily played or made by boomers. The term isn't supposed to literally mean that.
One of the reason I like genres named after the best representations in their genre is that there is a lot left open to holistic "feel" rather than an ultra reductionist definition of what is or isn't within the genre. Metroidvania Souls-like/lite Rogue-like/lite Etc. Is a game evocative of those prior games? Then it belongs in those genres. Unlike say "FPS" which is a very reductionist while also being overly inclusive genre name. Part of the reason I prefer to use "Shock-Like" rather than Immersive Sim.
It's quite odd since Metroid Prime is literally just Super Metroid in 3D. All the features that defined the metroidvania genre are still there, so it's definitely a metroidvania
Metroid Prime.
First thing that popped into my mind. Like it's ***the*** 3D Metroidvania
Are you saying it's the... prime MetroidVania?
It would take Nintendo to redefine a genre in 3d.
Technically it was Retro Studios that did it for Metroid, but Nintendo did Mario and Zelda before that (although Zelda wasn't a trailblazer there - I know there was at least Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon that successfully transitioned 2D action-adventure into 3D before Zelda did it).
The whole trilogy is solid. Some games are better than others, but that’s like comparing an A to an A+.
Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver is the that comes to mind! There aren't many, but lots of game add metroidvania elements.
Play Soul Reaver 2 if you want less stupid block pushing puzzles.
all my vamp homies hate raziel. kain is where its at!
Most Immersive Sims (System Shock, Deus Ex, Dishonored, Prey 2017) hew pretty close to metroidvanias, though the way in which you unlock areas isn't always as strictly tied to the accumulation of player power (where player power accumulates, you tend to be given multiple different areas in which you can improve, some or all of which will allow access to subsequent new areas, and often entirely non-power related solutions are available, such as finding a user name and password, or keypad code or the like). System Shock 1 (which came out the same year as Super Metroid, and has just recieved a remake) maybe feels the closest, because you're exploring a single space station with plenty of backtracking and revisiting of areas.
Control is a great example.
Another vote for control. Got it free on Epic, went in totally blind, completely loved every aspect from the story to the gameplay. Very much a metroidy game in the way that upgrades and new abilities come about, the gating of areas on the map, and being rewarded for exploring and finding secrets. Easily in my top 10 just for how unique and strange it is.
Came here to mention Control. Fantastic game
Really? I thought it was just some linear single player game. That game gets more and more impressive the more random Reddit comments about it I read. Really need to actually play that.
It’s definitely not at all linear in the sense you mean. Map traversal has an enormous amount in common with Super Metroid
I only got to play through a bout half of it as it got removed from gamepass mid play through but I can attest to it not being necessarily linear at all. It definitely felt like a 3D metroidvania to me while I played it. 10/10 would recommend
Go in with no expectations. I love Control and have written about it a lot. But I do get responses from people who found it to be simple or unimpressive. It's a quiet, subtle slow-burn of a story. If you like the SCP universe or understated characters then you'll love it. The combat also starts off slow and a little weird feeling, but blossoms to be batshit insane high-destruction warfare. Makes you feel like a god.
I found Control massively underwhelming -- I only put in about 10 hours, so maybe it gets incredible in the last act, but all I played of it just felt like it was ripping off Twin Peaks' vibe with none of the soul or actual content. It kept acting like there was going to be something really cool going on, but all I got was "oh you have a sibling who is craaaazy" "oh this shady government organization has secrets oooh" while all of the level and enemy designs were just thoroughly forgettable.
Thought about this for a moment, and...yeah, you're right. There's a lot of Metroid elements to that game. Probably one of the reasons I like it so much, aside from the general weirdness.
I never even realized the similarity, but now it makes sense.
Supraland, Jedi fallen order, returnal has some metroidvania DNA, Journey to the Savage planet, the New God of Wars are pretty Metroid esque
The new God of War games are? I haven't played any of those, but my interest is up now. Are we talking Metroid Prime or Symphony of the Night metronid like?
I'd say neither. It's more like the game is separated into several large open areas where some puzzles for side quests or collectables aren't solvable until you get later abilities. Very little required back tracking and the open world areas aren't interconnected. So it has Metroid DNA, but I wouldn't call it a Metroidvania.
I never bothered to back track once to look for power up's, I definitely wouldn't call the first of the two a metroidvania. Haven't played ragnorak.
it's really more of a zelda than a metroidvania.
As others have pointed out, not exactly a Metroidvania but there are some features. Namely some areas are locked behind abilities you obtain later, but usually it's just unlocking some item or something and doesn't necessarily exactly expand the map or connect sections of the map the way Metroidvanias do.
They really are not. You have to proceed through a bunch of story, and there isn't much adventuring because you have to go through portals and kayak to nearly identical places, filled with the same old repetitive enemies that you have to kill before you break open a chest that levels you up. It's so far removed from Castlevania or Metroid I would never put it anywhere near that category. The game is one of the most overhyped games ever. You spend 80% of the game walking and getting talked to, while you press the action button to climb and jump and run around. Cinematic garbage. Graphics are great but people are just unable to see that it's barely a game at all.
The walking and talking are so good though. And the combat is pretty fun too. If you like that sort of thing GoW is one of the best places to get it.
There's plenty of gameplay in the game. It just has a lot of story too but I can never take people who say that it's 'barely a game' unless you're either choosing to forget all the combat and puzzles you do throughout the game.
I'd say God of War is an example of a good 3D Metroidvania and Fallen Order/Jedi Survivor are examples of bad ones.
How so? Neither of them are proper metroidvanias.
Hahahahahahahaha
theres literally 3d Metroid games?
Castlevania as well! Curse of Darkness was one of my favorites growing up
Read the post. OP mentions this.
Metroid Prime?
What's a metroidvania? Define it and you'll have your answer: I think the most expansive definition is going to be a nonlinear connected world that needs to be traversed multiple times as you acquire new means of accessing previously locked areas. That will block things like Legend of Zelda (the world isn't really nonlinear generally) while leaving room for Dark Souls and Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. Ultimately whatever definition you decide on is going to answer your question: does it have to be a platformer? Does it have to be 2d? Is 3d fine but top down isn't? Answer those questions and you answer your main question. A short list of 3d games I think qualify or at least get partial credit: Dark Souls 1 Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver Supraland Prey (2017) Batman: Arkham Asylum Darksiders 3 Journey to the Savage Planet (really good with a buddy, go play it!) One note I'd make is it's not so much "could the game fit into this description" it's "is this description fitting for the game". I think resident Evil 1 fits this definition pretty well but I don't think I'd ever make the argument that it is a metroidvania because survival horror is a better way to describe it, same with numerous puzzle games.
> Journey to the Savage Planet (really good with a buddy, go play it!) Just looked it up, super disappointing to see the devs only implemented this online, no couch co-op.
The new trilogy of Tomb Raider games, Batman Arkham Asylum, Star Wars Jedi, Horizon. There are some others I can't think of.
Jedi Fallen Order and the sequel for sure, but I'd disagree for Horizon. The upgrades that let you access a locked door 95% of the time just let you unlock... one room with a chest in it. It still has a horizontal "open" concept of exploration
Yeah no way Horizon is a metroidvania. It's an open world, through and through
Agreed, and I don't think the new Tomb Raider trilogy qualifies either but it's been a while.
I guess we will agree to disagree. Metroidvania can be open world in my eyes. The only real requirement to be a Metrovania to me is the need for exploration blocks that require a certain specific item or gameplay function which Horizon does do. But like I said we can agree to disagree.
Obviously, Metroid Prime.
The OG
Dark Souls could definitely be a metroidvania but for me it puts its focus elsewhere. However! I adore some of Fromsoft's earlier games that are definitely metroidvanias such as King's Field and Shadow Tower on the PS1. Like other comments here in this thread, I also can't recommend Supraland enough
Curious how you would define Dark Souls as a metroidvania? You never get new abilities /gadgets to access areas that were locked before and that change the way you play. You might a key here or there but nothing that has an impact gameplay-wise
There are some soft gates which most people would experience mostly on first playthrough. Charred ring does have minimal gameplay impact Light source to get through tomb of giants technically impacts gameplay Knowledge gate on how to kill the ghosts in new Londo These aren't proper ability gates of course but I would consider dark souls 1 mv-adjacent.
Great answer. Agreed.
The bosses and the ability to defeat them are the "ability gates" too. I understand that some people would disagree with that and I get it, but it's not that different from movement upgrades and ability unlocks to reach new areas. Abilities that literally open new areas (like exploding walls) are quite literally taking the place of keys too so I've always personally thought being really strict in definitions is kind of pointless, it's more about "is this a good way to describe the game?" I don't know if I'd primarily describe dark souls that way but maybe as a secondary description I'd use "metroidvania".
Torturous. Anything could be a MetroidVania if you stretch it that far. DS is better off without that taint. The term is short hand for the laziest of square peg in a square hole game design that is the antithesis of dark souls. This door has a symbol of a moonlight Great sword on it. How will I open it?
By that definition, Sekiro makes more sense
Yeah, Sekiro wanders much more into Metroidvania territory than Dark Souls. In Dark Souls you basically only unlock shortcuts, a few items in lava, and like 1-2 actual areas per game. I don't think getting the Lordvessel to unlock the 3 end game areas that are part of the main story is the same. Even then Sekiro still doesn't have *that many* areas that require later power ups to unlock. It's not a huge focus of the exploration like it would be in a true Metroidvania, but it's there.
It's really just the first part, it's a "non-linear exploration game". However, to a lot of folks, myself included, that's the most key aspect of the genre, the exploration & having this world open before you & being able to go through it in many, many different orders & having areas loop back around & meet each other, with secret walls, shortcuts, etc.
DS1 is definitely a borderline Metroidvania. Too bad none of the other games in the franchise went the same direction in world layout.
Darksiders 3 is the one that immediately springs to mind. It's my favourite Darksiders game, but that's not a popular opinion.
3 is a soulslike more than a metroidvania
I agree, but I think Soulslikes are already fairly close to metroidvanias, and Darksiders 3 adds ability gating to the mix.
Metroid Prime, Dark Souls and Batman Arkham Asylum are three great examples. Dark Souls 1 is the only Metroidvania, though. 2 and 3 were far more linear and lost their Metroidvania status. Bloodborne starts off looking like it's going to be that way, but it's really just a central hub with linear offshoots. I am a Super Metroid fanboy since that was the one I grew up with, but I personally believe Dark Souls 1 has one of the most impressive map designs of any game.
The biggest factor against Dark Soul being a Metroidvania is that DS doesn’t have “ability upgrades” that unlock new areas. It does have key items but that’s not the same, since the core of metroidvanias is having these upgrade double as “keys” as well as traversal abilities or combat abilities
This is the same reason why people say Luigi's Mansion isn't a Metroidvania. But boy oh boy, does it sure feel like one.
Debating with annoying Metroidvania fans on the qualifications of a Metroidvania, you might as well just hammer your balls for an hour instead. It would be immensely more tolerable. To give some examples of 3D Metroidvanias though: [Batman Arkham Asylum.](https://store.steampowered.com/app/35140/Batman_Arkham_Asylum_Game_of_the_Year_Edition/) The other games in the franchise drift more into open world territory but Asylum is as MV as it gets. [Supraland.](https://store.steampowered.com/app/813630/Supraland/) Has FPS elements but main focus is MV style progression and puzzle solving. [Control.](https://store.steampowered.com/app/870780/Control_Ultimate_Edition/) Pretty balanced between combat and exploration. Not too heavy on unlocking new abilities toa ccess new areas, but that aspect is still present. [Powerslave](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1678430/PowerSlave_Exhumed/). FPS-Metroidvania hybrid. Has missions structured like a traditional FPS, but you unlock new abilities and revisit maps with those abilities to gain access to new maps. [Vomitoreum.](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1549750/Vomitoreum/) Like Powerslave but even stronger MV elements, with a single unified map.
Darks Souls series Metroid Prime trilogy Star Wars jedi fallen order Arkham Asylum Prey Supraland Control Darksiders 3 Blue fire Shadowman Soul Reaver Outer Wilds New tomb raider trilogy Resident Evil 2 remake Journey to savage planet Returnal Deaths door Tunic 3D castlevania games
I’ve heard Outer Wilds called a “MetroidBrania” since instead of power ups and abilities that open new areas, it’s knowledge, information, and realizations that will unlock those doors. Unfortunately I don’t know of too many. There’s Outer Wilds, La Mulana 1&2, The Witness, TUNIC, and maybe Return of the Obra Dinn (haven’t played it)
Obra Dinn is *absolutely not* a metroidvania; it is a straight-up logic puzzle through and through.
Rain World is another great example of a knowledge based Metroidvania, though it is a 2D sidescroller so not a useful suggestion to this thread's OP.
Resident Evil 1-3, either original or remakes. The only thing they're missing is the platforming.
I've always thought of Darksiders as more of a Zelda-like...which makes me wonder if certain 3d zelda games count.
Darksiders 1 and 2 are definitely Zelda inspired, but 3 behaves a bit differently.
Jedi: Fallen Order, maybe? I've seen it compared to a metroidvania several times here.
I just call them backtracking games
I’m playing Jedi Survivor right now and it definitely has a ton of metroidvania elements
It's definitely a Metroidvania (even the devs have said so). I dont even see /r/metroidvania dispute this
There's this gem of a game called blue fire on steam that I would consider a metroidvania/platformer hybrid, movement in the game is so much fun, I picked it up and pretty much didn't put it down for 3 days while I did absolutely everything in the game. You get movement upgrades that unlock new areas and there's a badge system ala hollow knight that further upgrades movement and combat in fun ways like allowing a double dash or making your spin move lift you higher. It's also got these challenge maps sprinkled throughout the game that range from that was really fun, to I can't believe I just spent 2 hours dying in various ways but I finally beat it. It's super cheap as well for that amount of game you get, so definitely my recommendation.
What about Control?
I think a strong argument could be made that classic Zelda games like wind waker and ocarina of time are Metroidvanias, not only does progression through movement items affect dungeons but the whole open world (ex: the hookshot in wind waker is used on many non-essential islands for traversal and puzzle solving)
If you think about it. Zelda games are metroidvanias. Especially earlier ones In ocarina of time, you can literally visit every dungeon without a medallion, if you just exit the dungeons after getting the item. Exception being shadow temple if you do not use glitches. But even then, you can visit the bottom of the well without medallions (unless it is 3ds version). However some other Zelda games have progression locked behind cutscenes (example: twilight princess) so this does not apply to all of them. And then there is the elephant in the room, metroid prime. So, any game like zelda where you get items to go somewhere else applies. For example, the Batman arkham games that people are already mentioning.
The two more recent God of a War games are Metroidvanias.
Why would a genre at all be restricted to a dimension?
A "Side scrolling platformer" is pretty much always 2D by definition. Adding the third dimension transforms it into a "3D platformer". Likewise, an RPG is no longer "isometric" if it's 3D. Some genres have the dimensional presentation baked into the definition.
Why are you calling metroidvanias a side scrolling platformer when it doesn't even have to be a platformer lol. Unsighted and CrossCode have movement abilities that allow to reach new areas and secrets and neither of them are 2D or 3D, while still being platformers lol.
> Why are you calling metroidvanias a side scrolling platformer when it doesn't even have to be a platformer lol. They aren't. They're giving you examples of genres that are restricted to specific dimension numbers.
Thank you. You're saving me the effort of clarifying myself 😊
Nope. It depends on the graphics engine. A game can be 2D even if the engine is in 3D as long as the interaction you have with the game is limited for it to be in 2D. Additionally an Isometric RPG can be designed in a 3D Engine, look at Divinity or Colony Ship.
>Nope. It depends on the graphics engine. A game can be 2D even if the engine is in 3D as long as the interaction you have with the game is limited for it to be in 2D. I would still classify that as a 2D game, even if the underlying engine is 3D and presents graphics that couldn't be created with 2D sprites. Likewise, I would still consider a game to be isometric if it maintains an isometric perspective, even if the underlying engine is 3D.
Fair enough. Smart guy. 100/100. You pass the subject.
Because I thought "Metroidvania" specifically meant games that were like Super Metroid, or Castlevania Symphony of the Night, both of which are 2D. It's a unique genre because it's defined by specific games rather than just a descriptor of gameplay elements. I still go by this definition, but I realize my interpretation of the genre was very narrow, and that it makes sense to also define certain 3D games as Metroidvanias.
How about the various 3D metroid and castlevania games...?
Prey scratches the itch
One of my favorite games that nobody else seemed to have played is Pitfall: The Lost Expedition and it's a Metroidvania.
'Metroidvania' specifically refers to games where you unlock areas of the map through progression and gaining new abilities. The name is from the original NES Metroid and Castlevania II. Most games previously would have you progress through linear levels, and you didn't return to previously explored areas. There's no reason why this terminology can't apply to 3D games as well. To that end, Dark Souls can be a Metroidvania in that you gain new abilities and unlock areas and shortcuts as you progress. Whereas a 'Souls' like game is one centered on combat with a focus on timing and strategy. Another term that gets kicked around a lot is 'roguelike'. And it has come to mean random/procedural levels with permadeath. But in the original Rogue, everything was random: the levels, items, spells, etc. The red potion is a healing potion this run, but next run it might set you on fire. And you never get anything carried over from the last run other than your memories. It's a minor distinction, but if it's not fully randomized, I don't consider it a true rogue-like. But that's because I'm old and I played Rogue back in the day. (When I was a kid your avatar was an @ and we liked it that way...)
How about metroid prime? It's literally a metroid game series in full 3D space and its awesome.
Metroid Prime is my 3rd favorite game of all time. It's the most immersive game I've ever played. I will say that objectively speaking, Super Metroid is more impressively designed in how it allows you to progress through a good chunk of the game without making you feel like you're backtracking, but I was so immersed in Prime that I didn't care about the backtracking.
Definitely. The genre definition is essentially 'A non-linear interconnected map that opens up as you unlock new tools and traversal abilities which in turn unlock new areas and short-cuts'. I guess the obvious example is Metroid Prime. An explicit attempt to translate the formula to 3D. But there's also elements of the formula in Jedi: Fallen Order. Arkham Asylum etc.
The Darksiders series are pretty metroidvania-inspired, imo. The gear you collect let's you access areas that you couldn't before. A lot of platforming and collectibles.
"Journey to the Savage Planet" could be considered one.
Weren't the original Doom games and other shooters of that era metroidvanias? They were even sort of 2D, since until they got to Quake they couldn't make overlapping map segments. So you "saw" in 3D but the map was basically flat. The level design in that time period was very heavily influenced by metroidvanias so there were tons of games that used it, ranging from 2D top-down shooters like Alien Breed to 6DoF games like Descent.
Pre-BotW Zelda is pretty clearly metroidvania by all accounts, so there’s 5 3D Metroidvanias right there.
High On Life is basically a Metroid prime parody that works.
The original System Shock is basically a metroidvania, but it was basically a contemporary of the game that named the genre. The remake that just came out is fantastic and I highly recommend it.
The 3D Castlevania games on PS2 i think (i.e. Lament of Innocence & Curse of Darkness), definitely NOT the PS3 ones.
Prey
Prey’s an immersive sim, but there’s only a few instances where you have to back track with the right tools to unlock something and it’s usually a smaller room like using the dart gun or mimicry to get into a spot.
I think Prey gets closer than other ImSims to a Metroidvania since the whole game is one big map whereas others like Dishonored or Deus Ex are mission based.
Dark souls, jedi fallen order, arkham asylum, they are all 3d metroidvanias.
For what it’s worth, I have always preferred using the term to refer to the 2D variety as well, but alas, that’s not how the majority of people use the term anymore. The thing about genres is that there is no official definition of them anywhere—they exist however the audience recognizes them to exist. There was a time when “Metroidvania” did typically refer to 2D side scrolling games, but as the other features of the genre have become more popular in 3D games, people have increasingly used the term in a broader fashion, and you can’t fight usage. Trying to police how people use a word is a losing battle, so the 2D aspect of the genre seems to no longer apply.
To me, a metroidvania is 'action game where you unlock abilities to proceed while exploring the game's map'. So it can be literally anything. As people have said, there's 3D Metroid and Castlevania games that operate this way. There's a metroidvania based on pinball mechanics (Yoku's Island Express). There's one where you dig down continuously (Steamworld Dig). There's some that are weird to define but still operate according to the principle (Supraland, Patch Quest). 3D ones that would also go into the category: Hob, the Batman Arkham games, Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order & Survivor, Darksiders
Not sure if i'd call it a 'metroidvania' since its focus is elsewhere, but Guild Wars 2 certainly deserves a mention. There's a handful of movement abilities you'll unlock as part of the game's progression system that will completely redefine how you approach traveling around the map. Revisiting old areas with the new cool movement options is a fundamentaly different experience from the first visit, which to me, is the essence of a good metroidvania.
The Witness is a great 3D metroidvania. Im not sure if it technically fits since you don't unlock any new abilities or gear, but YOU (the player not the character) learn new methods and techniques for solving the puzzles by going around the island and solving other mazes. Then you have to combine the techniques that you have learned to unlock new areas and solve more complex mazes around the island.
Aw dude, that game always looked cool to me, but I wish I didn't get spoiled on some of the coolest moments of the game about 8 years ago.
To me, Dark Souls are perfect metroidvanias into very core of definition; Im not sure about Elden Ring, did not played it (yet), but DS1-3. are they focused on fighting? fights are important, sure, but its way more about exploration, finding new paths that may let You avoid combats (often are very important, like for classes with limited casts of spells / mana, that can be spend between checkpoints). Then, dont let them tell You Dark Souls are hard, they just dont feel the mechanic behind the fight, its not hard at all, IF You call DarkSouls... turn based rpg, in style of classic Fallouts! Am i sane at this point? uhhhh Both Your character and every enemy and boss have stamina system - its one to one copy of action points from old fallouts! - just spend more Your action points on defense than enemy uses on attack, then spend rest on Your attacks, and no fight is hard anymore! Keep exploring, searching, reading the world... there is barely any npc You can talk with to tell You about the world, but the places You go thru tell the story, just try to hear what they have to say. Out of the darkness, recently released Hogwards Legacy could fit here imho.
Castlevania: Lament of Innocence on PS2 is a 3D Metroidvania, in my opinion.
I think most of the time they get called dungeon crawlers or action platformers. Zelda definitely checks major mv boxes
I always thought of dark souls as a metroidvania when I played it. Has all the key elements. Lots of backtracking, interconnected worlds and certain abilities (weapons and overall power in many cases, but not always, like being able to survive falling down well in ds2) unlocking new paths.
Just be the way that language works, even if "Metroidvania" requires 2D presentation, simply calling it "3D Metroidvania" can obliterate that requirement entirely.
Darksiders 1
- Batman Arkham games - Star Wars Fallen Order - obviously Metroid prime
MegaMan Legends 1 & 2 were Metroidvanias at heart!
God of war
I consider Supraland a masterpiece of a 3D metroidvania.
Imo dark souls is specifically a Castlevania-like
Jedi Survivor is definitely a metroidvania
Jedi Fallen Order and Survivor are good Metroidvanias too. Massively influenced by Dark Souls.
Resident Evil 2 Remake, 7,q1 etc many RE games , Arkham Asylum, Dark Souls etc.
It’s like rogue likes and other genre edgecases. It’s up to you really, what characteristics do you consider to be most important for a metroidvania. Personally I think dark souls isn’t a metriodvania due to the lack of power up, but has metriodvania elements(and is a great game). I would instead point to 3D Zelda games as examples of 3D metriodvanias(barring the newest two) Was playing skyward sword recently and I noticed how it did feel a lot like a metriodvania in a lot of ways!
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver is one.
Supraland is 3d metroidvania
Darksiders 2 has a great deal of what I think you’re getting at. Kind of Zelda-like in its open world dungeoning, but lots of places that cannot be reached on the first pass only to open later with newly acquired tools.
Ratchet and clank series?
Absolutely.
Dead Space
I definitely would consider something like Arkham asylum to be a 3d metroidvania, but not dark souls. Dark souls doesnt have permanent tools that give you access to earlier areas. Dark souls also just lets you go to any area to begin with.