It’s been six years and four months from the time of writing since Team Cherry announced Silk Song (last February 14, 2019), a sequel to the ever-popular Hollow Knight. Since then, we’ve waited and waited. We hear rumors, whispers in the wind, that 2025 is that year.
But the longer we wait, the more frustrated we’re going to be.
So while we’re waiting, here are 10 Metroidvanias you can play before the release of Silk Song. Oh, and by the way, three of these games have sequels which, if you haven’t played the first games, will give you enough content to satisfy your Metroidvania cravings if you get both titles.
Nine Sols
Nine Sols is a sci-fi platformer with a Sekiro-inspired parry system. Take on the role of Yi, who aims to defeat the Nine Sols (title of the game!) to get revenge. The Taiwanese developer, Red Candle, describes this game as Taopunk (a combination of Taoism and Cyberpunk), melding sci-fi elements with Eastern mythology. There is a Jade system that gives you upgrades closely similar to Hollow Knight’s charms. You’ll be sure to spend hours, even days, on this game just trying to beat some of the bosses.
Blasphemous 2
A sequel to Blasphemous and set after “Wounds of Eventide” from the original game. You continue your quest as the Penitent One, the quiet knight, set out to prevent the rebirth of the Miracle, a supernatural entity who gives power to those who would protect it and is manifested through mortal suffering. This time, you now have a choice of using three new weapons: a war censer (think incense burner but attached to a flail), a rapier and dagger (for fast attacks), and a curved blade. But if you wanted to use the original sword, the Mea Culpa, it comes as a paid DLC.
ENDER MAGNOLIA: Bloom in the Mist
Another sequel on the list. ENDER MAGNOLIA: Bloom in the Mist takes place decades after the events of ENDER LILIES. Artificial life forms known as Homunculi are being corrupted by underground toxic gases, causing them to go crazy and become violent. You investigate this as Lilac, a girl with the ability to purify Homunculi. Like a giant JoJo reference, the Homunculi act like “stands” in the game, giving you additional attack options to fit your playstyle.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps
Wow. All these Metroidvanias with sequels. I wonder what others will come out with a sequel next? But I digress. Taking place immediately after the Blind Forest, Ori and Ku, a young owl, got separated by a storm as they were flying out, and are now in an unfamiliar forest. It’s Ori’s quest to find Ku and save the land from a force terrorizing it. Thankfully, this game now has an autosave feature instead of a manual save like its predecessor, which is a godsend ‘cause I always forget to save.
Prince of Persia The Lost Crown
Finally, one that isn’t a sequel. Here, Sargon, a member of the warrior clan called the Immortals, sets out to rescue the kidnapped Prince Hassan. As with the modern Prince of Persia games, you have a slew of time-based powers as well as dual blades to help you defeat the forces of evil. To keep the spirit of the original games, there are a number of secret rooms to explore and puzzles to solve.
Laika: Aged Through Blood
This is what you get when you cross Mad Max Furiosa and Zootopia. Laika is a motorcycle-riding mother fox fighting to protect her family and community from a brutal avian empire that deems itself the superior species. That’s right, folks: Fascist birds. But don’t be fooled by the wide-eyed, anthropomorphic characters; this game is extremely violent. With physics-based bike controls, precision gunplay, deadly accurate NPCs, and a parry system (you heard me, you can parry with your motorcycle), it’s a gritty, skill-heavy twist on the genre.
Castlevania Dominus Collection
This is a compilation of three Castlevania games from the Nintendo DS. What a steal! In Dawn of Sorrow, Soma Cruz, Dracula’s reincarnation, faces challenges to resist becoming the new dark lord. In Portrait of Ruin, a sequel to Castlevania: Bloodlines and set during World War II, choose between the characters of Jonathan Morris and Charlotte Aulin in the battle to stop the resurrection of Dracula. And finally, in Order of Ecclesia, set after Symphony of the Night, order member Shanoa fights off vampires and pursues Albus, who stole the magical glyph called Dominus.
Animal Well
There’s really no major plot to Animal Well. You play as a small blob… potato… goomba type… thing, and your job is to explore and solve puzzles. And there are animals. But don’t let the lack of a story or the simplistic graphics fool you. This game is absolutely amazing. The retro, pixelated style adds to the nostalgia and, at times, the uneasiness. With less focus on combat and more on exploration, I have never enjoyed getting lost more than I have in Animal Well.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
Made as a spiritual successor to the Castlevania series and designed by Koji Igarashi, the man behind many popular Castlevania titles, Bloodstained has the most nostalgic vibe for a modern Metroidvania. Wield demonic powers as the Shardbinder Miriam after being implanted with a crystal that’s both a gift and a curse. Use these powers to stop the man you have loved like a brother from opening what could be the very gates of Hell. And if you’ve ever played the first Blasphemous, you’ll know that Miriam is in the game as a free DLC, “Strife and Ruin”.
Honorable Mention: Hollow Knight
Crypt Custodian
A charming and easy Metroidvania to get into, Crypt Custodian is about cleaning up the afterlife. Play as the recently deceased cat named Pluto and, having just lost the last of your nine lives, are sentenced to janitorial work in the afterlife for all eternity! Learn special attacks, upgrade your skills, and make new friends who will help you through your journey while cleaning up the mess you found yourself in. This is also the newest game on the list (released in August 2024).
What other Metroidvanias do you think should be on this list?
[UPDATE] SILK SONG IS OUT! THIS IS NOT A DRILL! I REPEAT! THIS IS NOT A DRILL!
