good day! I was never into metroidvania-style games because I didn't grow up with consoles.. but now I have a Switch and decided to give Hollow Knight a try despite my inability to play anything involving platforms (I spent an embarrasingly long time in the tutorial section just because I kept falling off.. but now I'm at 105% completion, and /hooked/). I LOVE the music, aesthetic, story and responsive/precise controls.. can you recommend any similar games for me to try out?
If I just started reccing Metroidvanias we’d be here all week, so I’m going to construe “similar” narrowly: we’re looking for sidescrolling precision platformers with a melancholy or Gothic atmosphere and a story you need to piece together from fragments tucked in out-of-the-way locations (i.e., as opposed to being communicated via large infodumps or narrative cutscenes). I’m going to focus primarily on the PC because that’s my platform of choice, though I’ll note when a Switch version is also available; in most cases I have not played the Switch version, so I can’t speak to whether there are any porting issues.
Alwa’s Awakening - This one’s a bit of a shot in the dark, as it’s very retro – think NES retro, not PS2 retro. Strong puzzle-solving focus, with basically only the bosses posing a challenge in combat. Two caveats: first, the controls, while precise, are… not exactly sluggish, but definitely very deliberate; and second, there’s almost no signposting, so don’t hesitate to use a guide if you need to. Switch version available.
Axiom Verge - A speedrun-friendly sci-fi title with a strong exploration focus. This one’s gimmick is that many of the abilities you find play with the boundaries of the medium by letting you glitch through walls, corrupt enemy sprites, and so forth. As you may have gathered from that brief, it leans heavily on surreal brainfuck tropes, and isn’t above the occasional jump-scare. Switch version available.
Ori and the Blind Forest - I’ll level with you: I’m plugging this one for the soundtrack, and the fact that it meets most of our other criteria is a happy coincidence! A nearly pure puzzle-platformer, Ori’s Big Idea is that it has set-piece chase/escape sequences rather than boss fights. Definitely one to check out if you’re a fan of running away from stuff. No Switch version at this time, though one is reportedly planned.
Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight - A relatively slow-paced Gothic fantasy title with a combo-based combat system. Technically the fourth game in the series, but chronologically the earliest, so no prior experience is needed. Don’t get discouraged early on; the first area is actually considerably more difficult than the next few due to the fact that it’s trying to teach you all the moves at once. Switch version available.
Teslagrad - A steampunk action-puzzler where most challenges revolve around manipulating the environment using electricity and magnetism. Encounters with enemies are largely avoidance-focused, as you have no direct attacks and die in one hit, though the generous checkpointing makes it less unforgiving than you’d expect; my biggest criticism is that it’s very linear for a Metroidvania. Switch version available.
In terms of upcoming and early access titles, you might also keep an eye on Ghost Song, Inmost, Plague Huntress, The Siege and the Sandfox, and Unbound: Worlds Apart. As these are all forthcoming, I haven’t a clue whether any of them are bound for the Switch, though we can hope!
