Best Of: Metroidvania
Metroidvania. What a weird word that means absolutely nothing to people outside of games. In a way, I love it - every medium has its own jargon that only makes sense in context. AAA gaming is mostly devoid of the genre, but this collection of indies take the well known formula and give the people what they want.
Supraland Six Inches Under
The Supraland games are somehow both underground and have quite a large audience, thanks to their impeccable quality and incredibly fun gameplay. "Portal, Zelda and Metroid” is quite the bundle of games to lump together and compare yourself to, but these games manage to clear that very high bar.
Haiku, the Robot
Hollow Knight lovers, take heed. Haiku hits those high notes, with great exploration, art and mechanics to back it up. A wonderful thirst quencher should you be frothing at the mouth for Silksong.
Islets
A gorgeous metroidvania with a wholesome tilt. The challenge is toned down somewhat (not completely though!) to focus more on this being a fun adventure.
B.I.O.T.A.
Has demo
A little lighter on the metroidvania and leaning more toward the 2D platformer realm, nevertheless this lovely gameboy-nostalgia focused game is a wonderful romp with precise action.
Delta Manifold
Not many games have been able to step up to the first person Metroid Prime plate, but this one may have just done it. A wonderful shorter experience than can be completed in a single decent sitting.
Ghost Song
An atmospheric adventure full of mystery and terror. A true labor of love that shines through as a great of the genre.
The Knight Witch
Has demo
A dash of metroidvania, a helping of bullet hell, an essence of deck building. A mishmash of mechanics combined with a lovely art style that might not always get it 100% right, but is a fun time nonetheless.