Despite not having an official release date yet, Team Cherry’s Hollow Knight: Silksong is one of the most anticipated indie games going into 2021. A sequel to the wildly popular Hollow Knight, the series has become extremely popular and has helped usher in the resurgence of the Metroidvania subgenre. A combination of the Metroid and Castlevania game series, Metroidvania games are typically side-scrollers with a heavy emphasis on exploration and character progression. They often feature interconnected maps with obstacles that must be unlocked through items or upgrades.
With the huge success of Hollow Knight and the anticipation behind Hollow Knight: Silksong, fans looking for similar games should delve into the Metroidvania subgenre. Though Hollow Knight’s incredibly detailed art style and worldbuilding sets it apart from most games, there are a number of fantastic Metroidvania games that fans should not miss out on.
When it comes to Metroidvania games, the Ori and the Blind Forest series has often been cited as one of the best; featuring tight controls, a beautiful art style, and a cinematic soundtrack. Players control a small guardian spirit named Ori, and must navigate through platforming sections and puzzles to save the forest of Nibel. As players acquire different abilities and upgrades for Ori, previously inaccessible areas become unlocked, emphasizing backtracking and exploration. The intricate level design of the series has received praise and should be appealing for Hollow Knight fans who loved its worldbuilding.
The original Ori and the Blind Forest was both a critical and commercial success which allowed Moon Studios to develop a sequel, Ori and the Will of Wisps in 2020. Overhauling certain mechanics with the introduction of autosaving, side quests, and a brand new upgrade system, Ori and the Will of Wisps was released to critical acclaim like its predecessor. Hollow Knight fans should give both Ori games a try, as the detailed art style and cohesive level design should be familiar territory.
On the other hand, Hollow Knight fans looking for a game stylistically similar to the Castlevania series should give Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night a try. Conceived by former Castlevania producer Koji Igarashi, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night was a new Metroidvania game created after his departure from Konami in 2014. After founding a new indie studio called ArtPlay, Igarashi hosted a Kickstarter campaign, where Castlevania fans would help raise over $5 million for the development of Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night allows players to take control of Miriam, a young girl cursed with demonic powers. Much like the Castlevania series, players will explore a labyrinth of platforming rooms fighting monsters and gaining the power to open previously closed off areas. Miriam is also able to use a variety of weapons and special abilities to fight, of which the game has received praise for its tight, responsive controls. Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night also features a crafting/enhancement system that opens up more combat possibilities. A spiritual successor to the series that started it all, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is a must play for Hollow Knight fans that want to experience a classic take on the Metroidvania subgenre.
Although Valdis Story: Abyssal City has often been overlooked when it comes to Metroidvania games, it’s one of the subgenre’s best hidden gems. Developed by indie studio Endless Fluff, players control one of four protagonists as they explore a large interconnected map. With a complex combat system focused on combos, players can attack, use magic, evade, and even parry their way through rooms of enemies and bosses. While Valdis Story: Abyssal City has a lot of RPG elements such as skill trees and loot, it also features classic Metroidvania elements like complex puzzles and areas rendered inaccessible until new abilities are unlocked.
Fans of Hollow Knight might find Valdis Story: Abyssal City difficult at first given that its combat system is quite complex, and requires evading and parrying much like the Dark Souls franchise. However, Valdis Story: Abyssal City is also extremely rewarding for players that master its combat. The exploration mechanics are fantastic and the blend of RPG elements in a Metroidvania foundation should give players a unique experience. Though the difficulty can be initially off-putting, Valdis Story: Abyssal City is great for Hollow Knight fans looking for a challenge.
Often described as a “roguevania,” Rogue Legacy combines the permadeath mechanics of roguelikes together with the side-scrolling platformer mechanics of Metroidvania games. Featuring randomly generated dungeons, players will explore and fight enemies until they die, transferring control over to one of three randomly generated heirs. Each descendant has their own unique abilities and genetic quirks that change up the playstyle. Although the original Rogue Legacy was intended to be a Metroidvania game, it ended up only featuring a few elements like side-scrolling platformer mechanics. However, the success of the original Rogue Legacy allowed Cellar Door Games to create a sequel titled Rogue Legacy 2 and transform the series into a true Metroidvania.
Though Rogue Legacy 2 is still in early access on Steam, it features several upgrades like an updated art style and a new system for biome generation. Its biggest overhaul however, is the transformation to a full Metroidvania design, alongside the procedurally-generated mechanics. Rogue Legacy 2 introduces new items known as heirlooms, which will permanently give characters new abilities to unlock secrets with. These powers will fundamentally change the playstyle of characters and they are quite difficult to find. As a result, Rogue Legacy 2 is a fantastic game for Hollow Knight fans looking for a Metroidvania game that has roguelike mechanics as well.
Hollow Knight fans who are looking to play a game styled after the Metroid series should try Axiom Verge. Players control a scientist by the name of Trace who wakes up after a lab accident in a high-tech, alien world. Trace must explore the gigantic, labyrinthine world in order to uncover its secrets. Focusing heavily on exploration and discovery, Axiom Verge takes inspiration from classic side-scrollers and 2D shooters like Metroid and Contra.
Though modern Metroidvania games have deviated from traditional elements of the subgenre, Axiom Verge perfectly captures the unsettling atmosphere found in classics like Metroid. Moreover, Axiom Verge has some of the best level design that the subgenre has to offer, and the discovery of secrets is quite rewarding. Alongside a retro-inspired soundtrack and plenty of replay value, Axiom Verge is a great Metroidvania game for Hollow Knight fans that enjoyed open world exploration and detailed lore.
Hollow Knight: Silksong is currently in development for PC and Nintendo Switch.
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