I've played many MVs for 25 years now, my first being super Metroid when I was 10. I can say with certainty that Hollow Knight is the best I've played, but there are some that come close, and this is one of them.
to me this game is way better than Hollow Knight.. the music is amazing!!! try listening to the music in The Void stage with a headset on.. you will shit your pants..
@@MetroidvaniaGuru Ghost Song IS my favorite probably of all time. And not only for Metroidvania reasons. In fact at times it's a little bit clunky and cumbersome in terms of gameplay. But it has living and beating heart at its core. It just hits home :) So much love has been putted in this game.
This was one of those cases where one of my most anticipated metroidvania games actually surpassed my expectations! The devs did an awesome job with gameplay, ambience, as well as music, I mean, the track that plays during the chase sequence was a banger!
great review. Despite being an indie game, this metroidvania has something unique and special. Comparisons with Hollow Kinght do not go unnoticed, but the game has its own essence.
Don't know if it can be considered the king or queen of them but ender lilies will always be my favorite metroidvania ever and I am so pumped for ender magnolia!
Just pointing out the game has a rather generous -20% off introductory offer right now, and is actually doing something pretty unique by also doing collab bundles with either Gestalt or Bo, which are quite good deals for any MV fan who doesn't own either yet.
I really like the narrative and pacing in the Gestalt and personally, I enjoyed the game, but other MV things there are far from ideal, especially damage balance. So Bo is a better option here. As for me, it has only one serious disadvantage, but I won't spoil it here.
Another gem as usual Guru..think I will definitely pick this up..enjoying astral blade after watching your last video...in particular the combat in that game is unique and a blast..keep it up man. Ill be here for the next one
When you said that there will be note taking I got my hopes up because the La Mulana series are my favorite metrovanias, though how MV they are may be debatable since there are actual keys for doors alongside the ability gates.
10 hours into it taking my time, I’m not even gonna watch this video until I complete the game. But I am enjoying it a lot so far. Actually, I’ll fast-forward to the end of the video just to see the tier placement. Guru is the man. Ok throwing in an edit here, A tier with the possibility of S tier is how I feel about 10 hours of this game so far. I have Hollow Knight vibes like crazy all over this game. I just think, jumping on top of an enemy and attacking downward balancing just needs to be perfected a little bit better like Hollow Knight’s downward attack- which is “chef’s kiss” 😚
@ I was just playing some more now and was doing the downward attack again and sometimes it pushes you off too far to the left or too far to the right when you’re attacking downward. If you got it down, that’s awesome.
Maaan ,ever since I started following you I have bought every third game you have had on your channel 😉 💸 I have not finished all of them tho,as I tend to jump between games and get too exited about a new games 😂 but some games just grab you naturally. Started Voidwrought today - I think I am going to finish it - game is stunning ! Keep doing what you are doing man ! One of my favorite channels this one !
My favorite metroidvania is Death's Gambit: Afterlife, but I also think Hollow Knight is probably a general favorite; it just appeals to so many people. Also, 27:08 completely caught me off guard.
I just about 99% Voidwrought recently. (missing one item on the map because of tedious collectable tracking + extremely hidden breakable walls) A very good attempt of Hollow Knight wannable Metrodvania. The art and map design is good overall, but there is some pacing issue + frustration in the beginning~ mid point of the game. One core issue of this game is it's TOO OPEN in the beginning of the game. A good Metrodvania , like Hollow Knight, will start the game with a semi linear progression path , and branch out to open world AFTER they give you sufficient tools to traverse the world. In Hollow Knight's case, the normal pathing you'd take is Green Path -> Mentus Lord , which grant you access to air dash and wall climb . Unless you do some sequence break via poggling , you're are pretty much blocked off venturing into other Biomes UNTIL you go through Green Path and Mentus Lord. Dev make sure you have means to traverse the rest of the world. Voidwrath does not do that. Around 80% of the crucial traversal methods are either optional unlockable , or hidden at the edge of the world . I literally get Wall Climb and Double Jump after I explored like 95% of the world already. This makes my whole exploration a tedium to get through obstacles because I simply don't have the tools to traverse the world, and lead to lots of needless backtracking. Sometimes I venture into couple biomes without any means to progress and have to just turn back multiple times. Also bosses become too easy later on because our weapon upgrade is too op and our character has way too much health. Healing is kinda weak in this game because you can't replenish the flask easily , and they don't heal much, so in return , dev just gives you so much health you can pretty much trade blows with bosses until they die , which take away all the challenge in the game. Some other minor issues including way too many extremely hidden breakable walls at very random spot with zero hint makes 100% completion super tedious . Charms locking to 3 without any method to expand the slot kills the diversity of the build . We should be able to expand the charm slot later on, but given the bosses are so weak, maybe that's not very necessary, but nevertheless a wasted potential . Relic has some balancing issues too, with around 20% very good and 80% completely pointless. Also no means to upgrade the damage of the relics too = another wasted potential. Overall this game gives me an enjoyable 20 hrs~ adventure , but with some tweaking and polishing, it could have been so much more.
Blasphemous map is open in the getgo and it is a blast exploring around . So really disagree with map being too open to soon in the beginning. Not to mention citing the beginning of hollow knight as good design is very bold consider it is the main reason why most new players drop the game . Because the areas not only linear , but big and BORING !
@@nihilistlemon1995 Blasphemous also doesn't require many traversal methods to get around the map, so basically you can head any direction without being blocked off / forced to turn back.
That’s kinda what I like about the game. Everyone’s gonna come away with a different experience. I agree with a lot of your critiques. The devs have stated they’re working on balancing and improving other facets of the game.
@MetroidvaniaGuru oh that's great to hear. from everything I've heard about this game i think I'm going to table it and come back after a patch or two, and it will be an even better game
This game does come close to S-tier for me. If they fix the boss fights and the ending(s), this game will sit on the throne next to Hollow Knight. I also got the UN rather early on and it opened up so much for me. I was glad when I got the other movement upgrades later though, because with those, traversal became much quicker and more fluid. So UN did not invalidate their existence, just offered a different approach.
Honestly, Afterimage holds my MV crown. It's near flawless in every aspect, imo, of course. I'm going through Awaken right now (it's alright, but nothing spectacular), but this actually looks amazing and I've never heard of it. Def. adding it to my list.
Hasta ahora me parece un gran competidor a la corona de los metroidvania, pero así hay varios, este no sera el último ni el primero pero increíble sí es 🔥
I was waiting for this video! Bought this game the day it dropped and I can’t wait to fire it up! I’m late to the game but recently finished Blasphemous and I’m about to wrap up Blasphemous 2…(both incredible) so this is going to be a perfect game to jump into right after.
Well if you like Blasphemous then you should definitely play Moonscars next. It's kind of similar but the atmosphere is just amazing in that game and it has some really good combat.
Good game overall but it gets way too easy halfway if you keep up with the upgrades. Also I feel the base enemies were uninspired after the first couple biomes
This started off very well but just falls off a cliff later on. The sense of balance is just off. You get so many health bar upgrades that you can just stand next to bosses and outdamage them given the combat mechanics. And the level design is mostly focused on putting a bunch of obscure pathpoints everywhere. And then the game just ends out of nowhere after 10 hours. Not long enough, and a severe lack of scope.
I think corpse running was an essential aspect to why HK was to good. Especially in the beginning of the game or when first discovering new areas.. the feeling of being lost and unfamiliar, or weak and scared.. not wanting to die. Not wanting to lose your geo. I think HK would have been a lesser game without corpse running.
I have a couple more bosses left before I am done with this game (unless I go for 100%). I can mimic that it is really good...needs a bit more challenge but the devs are working on that. I am always looking for a new Metroidvania to play, and I have played most of the games from your tier list. In row B, what game is to the left of Crypt Custodian? Same question bottom part of row B to the left of Tevi (3rd from the right)?
Es muy buen juego para disfrutarlo recorriendo si mundo, no es desafiante y eso es lo malo para mí pero en lo demás es bueno y es ampliamente inspirado por los grandes del género. Si sacarán un dlc debería tener un modo para subir la dificultad del mismo.
You are the best!I have played it only 2 hours and you already have the review. By the way, why blashemous 1 is better than the second part? I finished only blashemous 2,but everyone say that the first part has more exciting gameplay.I don't know,maybe play blashemous 1 on switch,but there are so many games..
I’ll be taking a look at my S tier soon to reevaluate if B1 truly deserves the rank, but I do like it more than one, but most people prefer the second. It might be tough for you to play 1 after 2 because 2 is much more like an MV than 1.
@@MetroidvaniaGuru Noreya: the gold project, he is i think a solid metroidvania with a solid art and music direction as well as a fun character control and gameplay, this game have not get a lot of attention i think
I liked the review, this game looks interesting. Do you have any plans of reviewing Exographer? It's just came out last month, it a puzzle oriented metroidvania like animal well.
The true ending requirements is giving me Astalon flashbacks :( I'm just sick of that kind of gating for true endings. Still great review. I'll probably wait a bit since it seems they're working both on the ending stuff and making bosses better.
@@MetroidvaniaGuru Absolutely, it made no sense. It's not like the final boss is harder - I don't need more power to beat it. I got stuck at like 97% or something and gave up and watched the true ending on youtube. Great game though.
I feel the game lacked polish. Right from the getgo you notice the character’s demonic claw just switches from being his left arm to being the right one when his walking direction changes. Like they didn’t even bother to animate it from both sides properly. The jump and movement have no weight to them. It’s way too stiff. Like Hollow Knight and most other MV’s go for more floaty jumps and it works way better. Also the game becomes ridiculously easy after a while. It’s a fine game. 7/10. Fun but nowhere near some of the genre’s greats.
did you figure out what that room in the Court was about? there are 3 lights that you have to turn green, i've only got 2 and i have no idea what i did to turn those on. also what are the Divine Remnants for? great game, but yeah i think everyone agrees it's just too easy. even with harder bosses you just have an insane amount of health by the end, they should make it so that you have to collect 6 shards to get one heart container or something.
Divine Remnants do a few things I don’t want to spoil, but they’re currency, basically. The 3 lights are all in the Courts, and they make it so you can move blocks in a secret area. This game is just full of intrigue 🕵️
@@the_Acaman oh i thought so too, the ones that say "something stirs in the distance?" but upon breaking the 3rd one i only got a charm. maybe there are others though.
MV crown: Hollow Knight wins pretty much because it has a good, solid MV core, spoils players for content, & mostly fixes one of the oldest complaints with the genre - hidden linearity. Most of the complaints folks have with it are subjective & a matter of taste, & none of the nit-picks have to do with the core MV design goal of exploration. So it makes for a GREAT archetype. If you actively dislike HK, you probably aren't going to like any other game in the genre (pseudo-MVs not withstanding); & for many of us it's everything we want in 1 package. re: subjective complaints - special callout for people who think HK's combat is floaty... I'm sorry but I really don't think you even understand what that term means. Hypothetical next crown of the genre will either do what HK did, but drop the souls-likes corpse-runs, OR it will either tune itself to focus more on combat or speed-running. Which won't really make the games better than HK, just have more appeal to the segment of MV players who don't get as much out of HK (& consequently, appeal less to the majority that really, really digs HK).
Duuude - EASY BOSS FIGHTS?! Hell no , this game is NOT EASY 😂 I am getting the hang of it but it’s pretty hard for an old guy like me who suck at these games . I am fighting the engine spike thing now and my left index finger is hurting from playing on a Xbox controller and all the pogoing🤣 hell of a game this one ! Absolutely love it !
Guru has stated that he thinks platforming is a core pillar of the genre, which is much easier to realize in 2D than it is in 3D. See his review on Unsighted, for example. Under that metric, Metroid Prime passes (though the quality of platforming might be debatable), but not most Souls-likes, & especially not the FromSoft Souls games since they restrict jumping. IMHO, Zelda was the 1st actual Metroidvania (Metroid 1 was conceptually Mario + Zelda), & thus all good classic Zelda-likes are also Metroidvanias, including the Souls-likes, but I can see the argument re: the combat, platforming, & speed-running aspects that have also been in the genre since Metroid 1.
I don’t mean to limit it to 2D. These are just the ones I’ve been playing recently, and I try to stay topical. Not too many 3D MVs have come out recently.
What is the king or quin of MV? It does not exist yet (ok, I didn't play the well-known Symfony of the Night, so can't judge). I have 105 MV on the list that I didn't touch, and I played only about 15. Moreover, my opinion is often not the same as others (I just like different things). So what are good MVs on my list 1. HAAK - I finished about 3-4 areas and, as for me, it is the best (but still is not ideal). Very well balanced in all MV aspects. It has an intriguing world, good narrative, ok combat, good platforming, and amazing exploring. But unfortunately, I was stuck on one boss fight and switched to another game. 2. Hollow Knight - I think everybody knows about it. But I played it for only a few hours and I feel that I don't like smth. I don't know what exactly, and I will try to figure out what exactly, but at the moment I just don't want to play it. 3. GRIME - I only played a demo (and watched some reviews), but I really was impressed and think the game is underestimated on Steam. Now I don't play it because I'm not strong in parry mechanics and understand that I need some free time to play and enjoy this game, but... now I don't have this time. 4. Ori, both parts. Good, but is not ideal. Narrative, platforming, and backtracking are good, but combat might be better. 5. Ender Lilies - very good, but exploring and backtracking might be better. 6. Unbound - if you like MV without combat but with extra platforming, it will be very good. But still, it doesn't have a combat. At all. (Also I had an ass-fire when tried to finish it 100%) 7. Bo: Path of the teal lotus - is good overall, but has a few cons 8. Moonlight Pulse - a short, but cozy game which I replayed several and which just left a very pleasant feeling 9. 8Doors: Arum's Afterlife Adventure - looks good to me, but after all prev games it looks like "nothing special" 10. Gestalt: Steam & Cinder - I like it pase and gameplay. I like its narrative very much, but other things... honestly they are pure, especially combat that is broken. The hardest boss for me was 2nd... I would like to see a sequel... very improved sequel. Other games I tried, but am not familiar very well with : - Nine Sols - played demo, played boss challenge (spent 2 hours on the boss), the disadvantage for me - it is parry-based, so it can't be a king for me. - Somber echoes - just finished a demo - it has the potential to be a king, but... need to see what we'll have at the end. This is what I have high hopes for: - Crowsworn - Mariachi Legends - A Sister's Journey - Super Roboy - Ender Magnolia - Selini - Mandragora But you never know what will be in the result... The summary - the best MV for me could be smth like Dead Cells... but MV, so I'm still waiting :) P.S. Sorry for a huge comment.
@@patatedouceyaim1407 Yes, I definitely agree, but if you don't like some basic thing in the game - it will never be an absolute king for you. Every game I listed above either can't be a king for me for some reason or just has a potential that still needs to be revealed. That the main idea was about. Also, all people are different, so anybody could try a listed game and this game may turn out to be "the best of the best" for him.
@@andriiyustyk9378 yeah thats true. great point. i do the same thing with games at the start and its made me almost miss out on a great game because of it. My partner doesnt like hollow knight because the start has no double jump and its very hard. After seeing that ive adapted a method of 8-10 hours minimum before i judge a game to play it or not. i guess your theory is "if i dont get hooked within the first hour of gameplay its not good" which in my opinion isnt a good judgment for any game especially MVs that get better with gametime and progress. If everybody adpated your game judging style they would be missing out on some of the best games ever created. could you imagine a world where you jumped into minecraft or skyrim and said oh its been 30 mins and im jus tin a town. DONT LIKE IT. just my opinion on how i judge games though. Id implore you to stick to HK. its 1 in a million.
I got really put off seeing all the reviews about how easy the game is but this video is making me consider buying it. I do hope the devs patch the difficulty level
this game is too easy. not like when gamers flex their abilities and say that, it is literally a flaw of the game, until true final boss I accidentally skipped upgrading health flasks and still tanked most bosses. I like easy games but that is game breaking easy
I don't like the exploration in this game. There are so many double or triple ability gates which are just not fun to partially unlock. What I mean by this: You get one ability (e.g. the charge attack) to open a the purple gate, only to realize you need another one (e.g. double jump or garbling hook) just one screen further. It's not like you have unlocked a new area, and there is yet another to unlock. No, you need two abilities to unlock a single path.
Just finished it and had a great time, but no it doesn't come close to Hollow Knight for me (which also isn't my all time favorite as great as it was). I think even after all these years that crown still goes to Symphony of the Night when it comes to 2D Metroidvania's out of pure nostalgia. Afterimage and Aeterna Noctis came close though due to the sheer volume of content, and i do love me some nail-bitingly hard platforming challenges in my MVs every now and then.
Far from great for me, not challenging, short, you do allot of going back and forth for nothing, the last boss is some kind of joke as it doesn't hit you. Every room feels very generic. Aesteria or Ori are so much better and in a lower tier. Just finish it, then put it in your tier. Thanks for sharing 😅
Didn't like it, council boss too hard with such weak powers and movement. Uninstalled. Am playing Nine Sols now. Much much more fun, and fair. Voidwrought was like trying to fight as a couch with a fork
Awesome! So glad to have something as close to S-tier❤ it is a rare occasion! Thank you for your work!
This game is so professional in every aspect. It’s a piece of art and it totally surprised me in the best way possible.
I've played many MVs for 25 years now, my first being super Metroid when I was 10. I can say with certainty that Hollow Knight is the best I've played, but there are some that come close, and this is one of them.
Yeah HK is Def king. You ever play the game that inspired HK? Faxanadu
Hope Silksong isn't in development hell or cancelled, and then can somehow top the original
to me this game is way better than Hollow Knight.. the music is amazing!!! try listening to the music in The Void stage with a headset on.. you will shit your pants..
Haak, Moonscars and Ghost Song are must-play metroidvanias. Some of my favorites.
Ghost Song is in my Top 10 (I’m making a new one 🤫)
@@MetroidvaniaGuru Ghost Song IS my favorite probably of all time. And not only for Metroidvania reasons. In fact at times it's a little bit clunky and cumbersome in terms of gameplay. But it has living and beating heart at its core. It just hits home :) So much love has been putted in this game.
@@MetroidvaniaGurughost song?? I thought your review had it pretty B tier sounding
god how satisfying the experience of playing this game was. I've been longing for a MV like this;
Great, thanks for the detailed review. I was waiting for you to cover this before buying it myself. 😀
If you get it, I hope you enjoy it!
Grime is probably my favorite.
Same. No other metroidvania even comes close for me.
GRIME 2 2025?
@@arafatsafin650is it really that good? Please say how the performance is on switch
@@Jumogas I played it on PC. I heard it doesn't look good on Switch.
@@Jumogasit's okay on switch. Some lag in some areas but I beat the whole game without problem
I’m so glad this is as good as we were expecting!
This was one of those cases where one of my most anticipated metroidvania games actually surpassed my expectations! The devs did an awesome job with gameplay, ambience, as well as music, I mean, the track that plays during the chase sequence was a banger!
great review. Despite being an indie game, this metroidvania has something unique and special. Comparisons with Hollow Kinght do not go unnoticed, but the game has its own essence.
Despite being indie???
Don't know if it can be considered the king or queen of them but ender lilies will always be my favorite metroidvania ever and I am so pumped for ender magnolia!
EL is my personal fav. Can’t wait for Magnolia!
Ender Lilies is one of the few MV games that had me thinking about it long after playing it, the music and atmosphere just sticks with you.
Glad you liked it! My personal indie of the year!
Regarding your first question: Nine Sols is the King of Metroidvanias IMO. Blasphemous 1 and 2 (with its DLC announced) are also bangers.
Nine Sols is outstanding
Just pointing out the game has a rather generous -20% off introductory offer right now, and is actually doing something pretty unique by also doing collab bundles with either Gestalt or Bo, which are quite good deals for any MV fan who doesn't own either yet.
Dang, that IS solid! Out of those 2, I’d get Bō.
I really like the narrative and pacing in the Gestalt and personally, I enjoyed the game, but other MV things there are far from ideal, especially damage balance.
So Bo is a better option here. As for me, it has only one serious disadvantage, but I won't spoil it here.
Been playing for a week now and loving it
Ori Junkie here!!! Love the video, def getting this next!!!!
my favorite mv is metroid zero mission. i love how you get the secrets and when you 100% the game
Another gem as usual Guru..think I will definitely pick this up..enjoying astral blade after watching your last video...in particular the combat in that game is unique and a blast..keep it up man. Ill be here for the next one
Thanks! I’ll try not to lead you astray 😆
When you said that there will be note taking I got my hopes up because the La Mulana series are my favorite metrovanias, though how MV they are may be debatable since there are actual keys for doors alongside the ability gates.
Oh, this game isn’t nearly as intense as La Mulana 😆
10 hours into it taking my time, I’m not even gonna watch this video until I complete the game. But I am enjoying it a lot so far. Actually, I’ll fast-forward to the end of the video just to see the tier placement. Guru is the man.
Ok throwing in an edit here, A tier with the possibility of S tier is how I feel about 10 hours of this game so far. I have Hollow Knight vibes like crazy all over this game. I just think, jumping on top of an enemy and attacking downward balancing just needs to be perfected a little bit better like Hollow Knight’s downward attack- which is “chef’s kiss” 😚
It's a timing thing.
Love this game
@ I was just playing some more now and was doing the downward attack again and sometimes it pushes you off too far to the left or too far to the right when you’re attacking downward. If you got it down, that’s awesome.
Maaan ,ever since I started following you I have bought every third game you have had on your channel 😉 💸
I have not finished all of them tho,as I tend to jump between games and get too exited about a new games 😂 but some games just grab you naturally. Started Voidwrought today - I think I am going to finish it - game is stunning ! Keep doing what you are doing man ! One of my favorite channels this one !
Same! I've bought grime, Unsighted, after image, and deaths gambit cos of this channel
@@pilgrimspromise1132i have 3 of 4 of the games you mention -but have not finished any of them🤦😅
@@vasilijmaltsev2501 of those I mentioned unsighted is my favorite
@@pilgrimspromise1132 yea that’s the one I do NOT have - I watched the video after you mentioned it at it did not appeal to me at all 🫣
@@vasilijmaltsev2501 yeah it feels like classic top down Zelda with higher difficulty and combat. A bit of hyper light drifter too
My favorite metroidvania is Death's Gambit: Afterlife, but I also think Hollow Knight is probably a general favorite; it just appeals to so many people. Also, 27:08 completely caught me off guard.
I just about 99% Voidwrought recently. (missing one item on the map because of tedious collectable tracking + extremely hidden breakable walls)
A very good attempt of Hollow Knight wannable Metrodvania.
The art and map design is good overall, but there is some pacing issue + frustration in the beginning~ mid point of the game.
One core issue of this game is it's TOO OPEN in the beginning of the game. A good Metrodvania , like Hollow Knight, will start the game with a semi linear progression path , and branch out to open world AFTER they give you sufficient tools to traverse the world.
In Hollow Knight's case, the normal pathing you'd take is Green Path -> Mentus Lord , which grant you access to air dash and wall climb . Unless you do some sequence break via poggling , you're are pretty much blocked off venturing into other Biomes UNTIL you go through Green Path and Mentus Lord. Dev make sure you have means to traverse the rest of the world.
Voidwrath does not do that. Around 80% of the crucial traversal methods are either optional unlockable , or hidden at the edge of the world . I literally get Wall Climb and Double Jump after I explored like 95% of the world already. This makes my whole exploration a tedium to get through obstacles because I simply don't have the tools to traverse the world, and lead to lots of needless backtracking. Sometimes I venture into couple biomes without any means to progress and have to just turn back multiple times.
Also bosses become too easy later on because our weapon upgrade is too op and our character has way too much health. Healing is kinda weak in this game because you can't replenish the flask easily , and they don't heal much, so in return , dev just gives you so much health you can pretty much trade blows with bosses until they die , which take away all the challenge in the game.
Some other minor issues including way too many extremely hidden breakable walls at very random spot with zero hint makes 100% completion super tedious .
Charms locking to 3 without any method to expand the slot kills the diversity of the build . We should be able to expand the charm slot later on, but given the bosses are so weak, maybe that's not very necessary, but nevertheless a wasted potential .
Relic has some balancing issues too, with around 20% very good and 80% completely pointless. Also no means to upgrade the damage of the relics too = another wasted potential.
Overall this game gives me an enjoyable 20 hrs~ adventure , but with some tweaking and polishing, it could have been so much more.
Luego de leer, esto por partes entiendo que lo que quieres es un hollow knight 2 no un juego nuevo 😂🎉
Blasphemous map is open in the getgo and it is a blast exploring around . So really disagree with map being too open to soon in the beginning. Not to mention citing the beginning of hollow knight as good design is very bold consider it is the main reason why most new players drop the game . Because the areas not only linear , but big and BORING !
@@nihilistlemon1995 Blasphemous also doesn't require many traversal methods to get around the map, so basically you can head any direction without being blocked off / forced to turn back.
That’s kinda what I like about the game. Everyone’s gonna come away with a different experience.
I agree with a lot of your critiques. The devs have stated they’re working on balancing and improving other facets of the game.
@MetroidvaniaGuru oh that's great to hear. from everything I've heard about this game i think I'm going to table it and come back after a patch or two, and it will be an even better game
The room at 14:50 made me instantly think of the end room of Path of Pain from Hollow Knight
I have most of the highest rated Metroidvanias on your tier list. This might be my favorite so far..its certainly up there.
This game does come close to S-tier for me. If they fix the boss fights and the ending(s), this game will sit on the throne next to Hollow Knight.
I also got the UN rather early on and it opened up so much for me. I was glad when I got the other movement upgrades later though, because with those, traversal became much quicker and more fluid. So UN did not invalidate their existence, just offered a different approach.
Honestly, Afterimage holds my MV crown. It's near flawless in every aspect, imo, of course.
I'm going through Awaken right now (it's alright, but nothing spectacular), but this actually looks amazing and I've never heard of it. Def. adding it to my list.
Good stuff, subscribed 👍🏾
Thanks for the sub!
Hasta ahora me parece un gran competidor a la corona de los metroidvania, pero así hay varios, este no sera el último ni el primero pero increíble sí es 🔥
2024 ha tenido grandes juegos 🏆
Unstable nuclei is definitely inspired by the morph ball from metroid 2
This game needs some polish and a few bug fixes. That said, I had a blast with it. Def recommend
I was waiting for this video! Bought this game the day it dropped and I can’t wait to fire it up! I’m late to the game but recently finished Blasphemous and I’m about to wrap up Blasphemous 2…(both incredible) so this is going to be a perfect game to jump into right after.
Well if you like Blasphemous then you should definitely play Moonscars next. It's kind of similar but the atmosphere is just amazing in that game and it has some really good combat.
@@brettpardue8786 yes! that is 100% on my list.
Blasphemous 2 is my favorite MV, so you can imagine how excited I am for Thursday.
Bruh… same…
Good game overall but it gets way too easy halfway if you keep up with the upgrades.
Also I feel the base enemies were uninspired after the first couple biomes
This started off very well but just falls off a cliff later on. The sense of balance is just off. You get so many health bar upgrades that you can just stand next to bosses and outdamage them given the combat mechanics. And the level design is mostly focused on putting a bunch of obscure pathpoints everywhere. And then the game just ends out of nowhere after 10 hours.
Not long enough, and a severe lack of scope.
Hard to argue any of this. Let’s hope the devs patch things up soon.
I love when MV's drop all your look when you die
Your opinion hurts my soul 😆
I think corpse running was an essential aspect to why HK was to good. Especially in the beginning of the game or when first discovering new areas.. the feeling of being lost and unfamiliar, or weak and scared.. not wanting to die. Not wanting to lose your geo. I think HK would have been a lesser game without corpse running.
Nice, will pick this one up. Is there physical copy for switch?
Not yet, but I hope it gets one 🤞
I have a couple more bosses left before I am done with this game (unless I go for 100%). I can mimic that it is really good...needs a bit more challenge but the devs are working on that. I am always looking for a new Metroidvania to play, and I have played most of the games from your tier list. In row B, what game is to the left of Crypt Custodian? Same question bottom part of row B to the left of Tevi (3rd from the right)?
To the left of Crypt Custodian is Turbo Kid, and left of Tevi is Lost Epic.
Exploration was tough at 1st got lost many times but when you have the nuclei ability its just walk in the egyptian theme park😅
Es muy buen juego para disfrutarlo recorriendo si mundo, no es desafiante y eso es lo malo para mí pero en lo demás es bueno y es ampliamente inspirado por los grandes del género. Si sacarán un dlc debería tener un modo para subir la dificultad del mismo.
What an amazing year for mvs
Love this game! 🤘 9/10
Honestly I can’t decide between deaths gambit afterlife and hollow knight for my all time favorite MV
I love em both. I prefer DG:A, but you can’t go wrong with either.
@ I really wish DG;A got more love, it’s a masterpiece and it’s music is so speical
Man you're killing me. Cant wait for Afterimage T-T.
I have a video if you’re interested. And it’ll be hitting the Tier List next month 🏆
You are the best!I have played it only 2 hours and you already have the review. By the way, why blashemous 1 is better than the second part? I finished only blashemous 2,but everyone say that the first part has more exciting gameplay.I don't know,maybe play blashemous 1 on switch,but there are so many games..
I’ll be taking a look at my S tier soon to reevaluate if B1 truly deserves the rank, but I do like it more than one, but most people prefer the second.
It might be tough for you to play 1 after 2 because 2 is much more like an MV than 1.
Def not THE best, but Vigil: Order of Night is seriously a top 5 contender in recent years, and DEFINITELY the most underrated metroidvania.
I love Vigil: The Longest Night. One of my favs of all time.
May i nominate another MV, that i didn't see in your tier list ?
Whatcha got?
@@MetroidvaniaGuru Noreya: the gold project, he is i think a solid metroidvania with a solid art and music direction as well as a fun character control and gameplay, this game have not get a lot of attention i think
@ It’s definitely on my radar
I liked the review, this game looks interesting.
Do you have any plans of reviewing Exographer? It's just came out last month, it a puzzle oriented metroidvania like animal well.
Never even heard of it. I put it on my wishlist. I’ll do my best to at least play it before 2025.
Ah damn it, another one to add to the wishlist.
I swear, I finally get through one and suddenly half a dozen more suddenly appear.
We’ve been eating good in 2024
Wow. I played the demo and thought it was... fine. I'm shocked to see it ahead of Ender Lillies and Prince of Persia on your rankings.
It really is something special
Hello Guru. Will there be a video about the Castlevania dominus collection?
Eventually. Might be early next year, though
I'm stuck on finding all the green lights on the far left of the map. Missing one, but can't find it
The true ending requirements is giving me Astalon flashbacks :( I'm just sick of that kind of gating for true endings. Still great review. I'll probably wait a bit since it seems they're working both on the ending stuff and making bosses better.
100% Astalon vibes, but Astalon is worse. I have the stupid homunculus! Why do I have to 100% the map!?
Still one of my favorite MVs of all time. 🤷♂️
@@MetroidvaniaGuru Absolutely, it made no sense. It's not like the final boss is harder - I don't need more power to beat it. I got stuck at like 97% or something and gave up and watched the true ending on youtube. Great game though.
hi guru. how or where does one find or purchase the unstable nuclei?
You have to go to the Lost Gardens and defeat The Fermented One.
@@MetroidvaniaGuru cool. thanx
Its flawed, but has heart.
I feel the game lacked polish. Right from the getgo you notice the character’s demonic claw just switches from being his left arm to being the right one when his walking direction changes. Like they didn’t even bother to animate it from both sides properly. The jump and movement have no weight to them. It’s way too stiff. Like Hollow Knight and most other MV’s go for more floaty jumps and it works way better. Also the game becomes ridiculously easy after a while. It’s a fine game. 7/10. Fun but nowhere near some of the genre’s greats.
Hey what's on your s and a teir list. It's hard to see.?
Blasphemous, Death’s Gambit: Afterlife, Nine Sols, and Biomorph.
There’s a link in the description to a Google Doc that’s way easier to study.
did you figure out what that room in the Court was about? there are 3 lights that you have to turn green, i've only got 2 and i have no idea what i did to turn those on. also what are the Divine Remnants for? great game, but yeah i think everyone agrees it's just too easy. even with harder bosses you just have an insane amount of health by the end, they should make it so that you have to collect 6 shards to get one heart container or something.
Divine Remnants do a few things I don’t want to spoil, but they’re currency, basically.
The 3 lights are all in the Courts, and they make it so you can move blocks in a secret area. This game is just full of intrigue 🕵️
The 3 "lights" that turn green in the courts,
*spoilers*
are actually tied to certain big rocks you brake in another area.
@@the_Acaman oh i thought so too, the ones that say "something stirs in the distance?" but upon breaking the 3rd one i only got a charm. maybe there are others though.
i mean all MVs should at least have an option to disable corpse running. some of us are adults who have work, house, family to take care of ya know???
Did you say in some cases if you had gone left instead of right you would have found a new ability? But but but MV players always go left first
That’s what I get for playing like a n00b
MV crown: Hollow Knight wins pretty much because it has a good, solid MV core, spoils players for content, & mostly fixes one of the oldest complaints with the genre - hidden linearity. Most of the complaints folks have with it are subjective & a matter of taste, & none of the nit-picks have to do with the core MV design goal of exploration.
So it makes for a GREAT archetype. If you actively dislike HK, you probably aren't going to like any other game in the genre (pseudo-MVs not withstanding); & for many of us it's everything we want in 1 package.
re: subjective complaints - special callout for people who think HK's combat is floaty... I'm sorry but I really don't think you even understand what that term means.
Hypothetical next crown of the genre will either do what HK did, but drop the souls-likes corpse-runs, OR it will either tune itself to focus more on combat or speed-running. Which won't really make the games better than HK, just have more appeal to the segment of MV players who don't get as much out of HK (& consequently, appeal less to the majority that really, really digs HK).
Is it really that good?
It’s really good. I don’t think it’s better than HK, but I was seriously considering it. I loved its atmosphere and exploration.
Could future updates change that? @@MetroidvaniaGuru
Duuude - EASY BOSS FIGHTS?! Hell no , this game is NOT EASY 😂 I am getting the hang of it but it’s pretty hard for an old guy like me who suck at these games . I am fighting the engine spike thing now and my left index finger is hurting from playing on a Xbox controller and all the pogoing🤣 hell of a game this one ! Absolutely love it !
lol yeah. The first couple of bosses are real challenging, but the others fall off as you upgrade.
Great game a little too short and easy but I really enjoyed it.
Btw, why to limit genre to 2D? Means you have perfect Metroidvania like Metroid: Prime (or, as an evolution of the genre - any Souls-like)
Guru has stated that he thinks platforming is a core pillar of the genre, which is much easier to realize in 2D than it is in 3D. See his review on Unsighted, for example. Under that metric, Metroid Prime passes (though the quality of platforming might be debatable), but not most Souls-likes, & especially not the FromSoft Souls games since they restrict jumping.
IMHO, Zelda was the 1st actual Metroidvania (Metroid 1 was conceptually Mario + Zelda), & thus all good classic Zelda-likes are also Metroidvanias, including the Souls-likes, but I can see the argument re: the combat, platforming, & speed-running aspects that have also been in the genre since Metroid 1.
I don’t mean to limit it to 2D. These are just the ones I’ve been playing recently, and I try to stay topical. Not too many 3D MVs have come out recently.
The king and queen of metroidvanias??? I mean it's literally in the name. This game is great though
You alluding to Aeterna Noctis?
I am playing this game and I am loving it. Hollow Knight is too long and this thing about losing your money is a bummer.
What is your personal favorite MV?
Probably Ender Lilies. It’s not perfect, but I love it.
Voidwrought isn’t on console(Xbox) so I’ll wait. And if it doesn’t make it to that platform then I guess I won’t be playing it.
Straight to Zote-tier 😇
💀
Sundered: Eldritch Edition
Wheres Hollow Knight on your tier list or am i trippin'? 29:04
Probably not rated because of the obvious S rating. Everyone already cheered it as one of the gold standards.
I just haven’t covered it on my channel yet. I’m waiting for Silksong, then I’ll drop both on the list.
Yo diria que los combates con los jefes no son fáciles, faciles si les descubres su truco, como en todos los juegos, mas o menos 🧐
Noticed Hollow Knight wasn't in the tier list... Is it its own rank above S tier?
Maybe…
I haven’t covered it on my channel yet is all. I told my discord I’d cover it when Silksong cones out 😆
Glooomyvania
Spookyvania 💀
why am i not seeing hollowknight on the thierlist?
I haven’t covered it in my channel yet. But soon 👀
What is the king or quin of MV? It does not exist yet (ok, I didn't play the well-known Symfony of the Night, so can't judge).
I have 105 MV on the list that I didn't touch, and I played only about 15. Moreover, my opinion is often not the same as others (I just like different things). So what are good MVs on my list
1. HAAK - I finished about 3-4 areas and, as for me, it is the best (but still is not ideal). Very well balanced in all MV aspects. It has an intriguing world, good narrative, ok combat, good platforming, and amazing exploring. But unfortunately, I was stuck on one boss fight and switched to another game.
2. Hollow Knight - I think everybody knows about it. But I played it for only a few hours and I feel that I don't like smth. I don't know what exactly, and I will try to figure out what exactly, but at the moment I just don't want to play it.
3. GRIME - I only played a demo (and watched some reviews), but I really was impressed and think the game is underestimated on Steam. Now I don't play it because I'm not strong in parry mechanics and understand that I need some free time to play and enjoy this game, but... now I don't have this time.
4. Ori, both parts. Good, but is not ideal. Narrative, platforming, and backtracking are good, but combat might be better.
5. Ender Lilies - very good, but exploring and backtracking might be better.
6. Unbound - if you like MV without combat but with extra platforming, it will be very good. But still, it doesn't have a combat. At all. (Also I had an ass-fire when tried to finish it 100%)
7. Bo: Path of the teal lotus - is good overall, but has a few cons
8. Moonlight Pulse - a short, but cozy game which I replayed several and which just left a very pleasant feeling
9. 8Doors: Arum's Afterlife Adventure - looks good to me, but after all prev games it looks like "nothing special"
10. Gestalt: Steam & Cinder - I like it pase and gameplay. I like its narrative very much, but other things... honestly they are pure, especially combat that is broken. The hardest boss for me was 2nd... I would like to see a sequel... very improved sequel.
Other games I tried, but am not familiar very well with :
- Nine Sols - played demo, played boss challenge (spent 2 hours on the boss), the disadvantage for me - it is parry-based, so it can't be a king for me.
- Somber echoes - just finished a demo - it has the potential to be a king, but... need to see what we'll have at the end.
This is what I have high hopes for:
- Crowsworn
- Mariachi Legends
- A Sister's Journey
- Super Roboy
- Ender Magnolia
- Selini
- Mandragora
But you never know what will be in the result...
The summary - the best MV for me could be smth like Dead Cells... but MV, so I'm still waiting :)
P.S. Sorry for a huge comment.
you cant put a list together for Metriodvanias if youve played no more then a demo or a few hours of it.
these games are meant to be 100%d
@@patatedouceyaim1407 Yes, I definitely agree, but if you don't like some basic thing in the game - it will never be an absolute king for you.
Every game I listed above either can't be a king for me for some reason or just has a potential that still needs to be revealed. That the main idea was about.
Also, all people are different, so anybody could try a listed game and this game may turn out to be "the best of the best" for him.
@@andriiyustyk9378 yeah thats true. great point.
i do the same thing with games at the start and its made me almost miss out on a great game because of it.
My partner doesnt like hollow knight because the start has no double jump and its very hard.
After seeing that ive adapted a method of 8-10 hours minimum before i judge a game to play it or not.
i guess your theory is "if i dont get hooked within the first hour of gameplay its not good" which in my opinion isnt a good judgment for any game especially MVs that get better with gametime and progress. If everybody adpated your game judging style they would be missing out on some of the best games ever created.
could you imagine a world where you jumped into minecraft or skyrim and said oh its been 30 mins and im jus tin a town. DONT LIKE IT.
just my opinion on how i judge games though. Id implore you to stick to HK. its 1 in a million.
Looks and sounds very similar to Hollow Knight.
It wears its inspiration on its sleeve.
Algo comment
I played the demo and I wasn't feeling the controls.
The Simulacrum does take some getting used to. He’s really fast and drops from the air fast.
@MetroidvaniaGuru I want to try it again and see if I can get a feel for it. The trailer does look really good haha
I got really put off seeing all the reviews about how easy the game is but this video is making me consider buying it. I do hope the devs patch the difficulty level
they are going to patch it for sure, seems like an easy fix. What a year!
I can’t wait! I’ll go another round with a patched Voidwrought
this game is too easy. not like when gamers flex their abilities and say that, it is literally a flaw of the game, until true final boss I accidentally skipped upgrading health flasks and still tanked most bosses. I like easy games but that is game breaking easy
💯
The devs are working on rebalancing the bosses. I hope they do it soon.
WHERE IS THE DAMN HOOKSHOT
It’s in the Lost Garden.
@MetroidvaniaGuru How do I get there?
@@miserablebrian Check out the room with the water wheels or whatever they are. You may find a new path there
Hollow Knight is still my top favorite but Voidwrought is right there next to it for me
I don't like the exploration in this game. There are so many double or triple ability gates which are just not fun to partially unlock. What I mean by this: You get one ability (e.g. the charge attack) to open a the purple gate, only to realize you need another one (e.g. double jump or garbling hook) just one screen further. It's not like you have unlocked a new area, and there is yet another to unlock. No, you need two abilities to unlock a single path.
You’re 100% right, but I love that 😆
Just finished it and had a great time, but no it doesn't come close to Hollow Knight for me (which also isn't my all time favorite as great as it was). I think even after all these years that crown still goes to Symphony of the Night when it comes to 2D Metroidvania's out of pure nostalgia. Afterimage and Aeterna Noctis came close though due to the sheer volume of content, and i do love me some nail-bitingly hard platforming challenges in my MVs every now and then.
Afterimage ❤️
Didn't like it, refunded it, I don't get how you like it that much
I was hoping I conveyed why I liked it so much in my video.
Sorry you didn’t like it 😔
Far from great for me, not challenging, short, you do allot of going back and forth for nothing, the last boss is some kind of joke as it doesn't hit you. Every room feels very generic. Aesteria or Ori are so much better and in a lower tier. Just finish it, then put it in your tier. Thanks for sharing 😅
Didn't like it, council boss too hard with such weak powers and movement. Uninstalled.
Am playing Nine Sols now. Much much more fun, and fair.
Voidwrought was like trying to fight as a couch with a fork
Love the game but it's so unbalanced. If you seek out the damage upgrades your a tank.
Yeah. They're working on a patch, but rn you can become very overpowered.
your tier list is poo poo
💩
HK is a tad too overrated... and hella ugly.
Why havent you played AfterImage yet?
Also seems like VW is a better HK... I may just try it.
I love Afterimage. I made a video for it of you’re interested. I’m be putting it on the tier list in November
...ok? no hollow knight, no dead cell...
Not good game in the genge. Enemies with too many HP, too high prices in the shop and common poor level design