Best Metroidvania Game to Play in 2025

Patrick_Yu

Metroidvania games are perfect for players who enjoy getting lost in big, mysterious worlds. These games let you explore at your own pace, find hidden paths, and unlock new powers as you go. In 2025, the selection is better than ever. From older classics to fresh indie hits, the genre keeps growing in exciting ways. Whether you love detailed pixel art, deep stories, or tough boss fights, there’s something here for you. This list will guide you to the best Metroidvania games you can play this year.

1. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is the game that helped define the Metroidvania genre. First released in 1997, it remains one of the most influential and widely praised action-platformers of all time. You play as Alucard, the son of Dracula, exploring a sprawling, interconnected castle filled with secrets, monsters, and power-ups. Unlike earlier Castlevania titles, this game ditched the linear level design in favor of open-ended exploration. You gain new abilities over time, such as double-jumping or turning into mist, which let you reach previously blocked areas and encourage constant backtracking and discovery.

The art design, music, and RPG-like progression system still hold up remarkably well. Even after nearly three decades, few games match its balance of atmosphere, gameplay depth, and freedom. Fans of the Castlevania Netflix series will find plenty of familiar faces and lore threads woven throughout the game. It's available on modern platforms like PlayStation, Xbox, and mobile, making it easy to experience or revisit in 2025.

2. Metroid Dread

Metroid Dread is a modern revival of Nintendo’s classic sci-fi series, released in 2021 for the Nintendo Switch. It continues the story from Metroid Fusion, placing you once again in control of Samus Aran as she explores a dangerous alien planet teeming with secrets, hostile lifeforms, and ancient Chozo technology. The game blends smooth movement, responsive combat, and a steady stream of upgrades that gradually open up new areas.

A major addition is the E.M.M.I. robots, relentless, nearly indestructible machines that patrol specific zones. Their presence creates a tense cat-and-mouse dynamic that adds urgency to the usual exploration. The map design is tight and layered, rewarding curiosity while rarely feeling aimless.

With clean visuals, sharp design, and a strong sense of momentum, Metroid Dread succeeds at both honoring its roots and pushing the formula forward. It’s a standout in the genre and a great showcase of how well 2D Metroidvanias can still evolve.

3. Animal Well

Animal Well is a different kind of Metroidvania that replaces combat with curiosity and trades boss fights for brain-teasers. You play as a small, silent blob emerging from a flower bud into a dark, beautifully pixelated world. There’s no map at first, no clear guidance, and no explanation of your purpose. You explore, experiment, and gradually piece together meaning from the cryptic surroundings. Every item you find, like a frisbee, firecracker, or slinky, becomes a strange new tool for solving puzzles and reaching hidden areas.

This is also the first title published by Bigmode, the label founded by YouTuber Video Game Dunkey. While his name helped bring early attention, the game shines entirely on its own. Nearly every screen holds a secret, and the further you explore, the more complex and rewarding the mysteries become. Even after the credits roll, you're far from finished.

For players who love solving puzzles, experimenting with mechanics, and trading discoveries with others, Animal Well is one of the most original Metroidvania experiences available

4. Blasphemous 2

Blasphemous 2 is a grotesque and gorgeously crafted Metroidvania that leans fully into its themes of religious horror, unsettling imagery, and cryptic lore. You once again take control of The Penitent One, a silent warrior navigating a nightmarish world shaped by suffering and devotion. While the sequel doesn't reinvent the genre, it builds confidently on the foundation of the first game with tighter mechanics, more varied exploration, and a richly disturbing atmosphere.

This time around, you’re given three distinct weapons early on: a heavy flail, a fast rapier and dagger set, and a balanced greatsword. Each weapon offers a unique movement ability that helps you access new areas and adds variety to both combat and platforming. The world is packed with detailed pixel art and grotesque scenes that linger in your mind long after you’ve put down the controller.

With its unforgettable visuals, refined gameplay, and oppressive yet captivating tone, Blasphemous 2 is a standout title for anyone looking to get lost in a dark and deeply unsettling Metroidvania.

5. Dead Cells

Dead Cells is a fast-paced, stylish blend of Metroidvania exploration and roguelike progression. Released in 2018 and still actively updated years later, it remains one of the most addictive and replayable entries in the genre. You play as a mysterious creature inhabiting a headless corpse, fighting your way through a shifting series of biomes filled with deadly traps, challenging enemies, and secrets around every corner.

Unlike traditional Metroidvanias, Dead Cells features procedurally generated levels that change with each run. But it still keeps the core of the genre intact, with branching paths, ability-based progression, and new zones becoming accessible as you collect permanent upgrades. Combat is quick and fluid, with dozens of weapons, skills, and mutations that let you tailor your build to your playstyle. Whether you prefer long-range traps or up-close brutality, the game gives you plenty of tools to experiment with.

It also features post-launch expansions that have added new content and even crossovers with other indie games. In 2023, Return to Castlevania brought a full DLC that paid tribute to the series that helped define the genre. With tight gameplay, gorgeous pixel art, and near-endless variety, Dead Cells continues to stand as a must-play action-platformer.

6. Hollow Knight

Hollow Knight is often considered a modern classic of the Metroidvania genre. Developed by Team Cherry and released in 2017, it set a new benchmark for world-building, atmosphere, and emotional depth in 2D exploration games. You play as a silent, masked knight delving into the ruined kingdom of Hallownest, a vast underground world filled with decaying civilizations, haunting lore, and brutal enemies.

The game blends tight, responsive combat with rich environmental storytelling. Each area feels distinct and interconnected, rewarding players who take the time to explore every hidden path. Progression is tied to acquiring new abilities like wall-jumping, dashing, and double-jumping, which slowly open up deeper layers of the map. Despite its challenge, Hollow Knight is never unfair. Every boss fight, secret, and upgrade feels earned.

At The Game Awards 2017, Hollow Knight was nominated for Best Independent Game and Best Debut Indie Game. It didn’t take home a trophy, but it left a lasting impact on the genre and the indie scene as a whole. With Silksong still on the horizon, now is the perfect time to experience this beautifully crafted adventure.

7. Ori and the Will of the Wisps

Ori and the Will of the Wisps is a visually stunning and emotionally rich Metroidvania that expands on the tight platforming and heartfelt storytelling of its predecessor. Developed by Moon Studios and published by Xbox Game Studios, this 2020 follow-up to Ori and the Blind Forest trades simplicity for scale, offering a much larger world, deeper mechanics, and more combat-focused gameplay. You guide Ori through ten beautifully crafted biomes filled with secrets, upgrades, and increasingly tricky platforming challenges.

The game introduces a host of new movement abilities, from grappling through the air to burrowing through sand, and these skills make traversal a constant joy. While the combat can feel clunky at times, especially compared to how fluid the platforming is, it doesn’t overshadow the game’s core strengths. The escape sequences and multi-phase boss fights can be frustrating, but the satisfaction of mastering them is undeniable.

At its best, Will of the Wisps delivers moments of pure flow, where movement, music, and animation come together seamlessly. It's not without flaws, but its charm, emotional weight, and breathtaking art direction make it one of the most memorable Metroidvania experiences still worth playing in 2025.

8. Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is a love letter to Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, crafted by none other than Symphony’s assistant director, Koji Igarashi. Marketed from the start as a spiritual successor, Bloodstained delivers on its promise with gothic flair, satisfying progression, and a massive castle teeming with secrets. You play as Miriam, a shardbinder who can absorb the powers of demons she defeats, creating endless options for building a combat style that fits your preferences.

From floating familiars and magical shields to martial arts and greatswords, Bloodstained offers a staggering variety of weapons and abilities. The world itself is equally diverse, moving beyond classic cathedral and dungeon aesthetics into surreal, unexpected environments that feel alive with detail and menace. Hidden walls, fast-travel rooms, and impressively lit vistas reward careful exploration at every turn.

Despite some technical hiccups on release, especially on the Switch, Bloodstained stands as one of the finest modern Metroidvanias. It’s a long-awaited return to form for the genre's golden era and a reminder that Igarashi's brand of exploration-heavy, loot-driven gameplay still has plenty of life left in it.

9. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown reimagines the long-dormant franchise by fusing its classic platforming roots with the depth and exploration of a modern Metroidvania. Developed by Ubisoft Montpellier, this 2.5D action-platformer shifts away from the cinematic 3D entries of the past and returns to a side-scrolling perspective, one that allows for sharp combat, precise traversal, and one of the most polished gameplay experiences in the genre today.

You play as Sargon, a member of the elite Immortals, who is sent to the mythological Mount Qaf to rescue the kidnapped prince. The story taps into Persian mythology and time distortion, though some of its more intriguing narrative threads don’t fully develop. Still, the core gameplay is what makes this title shine. From the start, Sargon is fast, deadly, and equipped with a wide array of melee abilities that make every encounter feel intense and stylish. The game’s combat evokes the rhythm and complexity of titles like Sekiro, with parries, combos, and cinematic finishers giving each fight dramatic weight.

Platforming is just as satisfying. Classic Metroidvania upgrades like double jumps and grapples gradually open up a sprawling, interconnected world full of secrets, optional challenges, and cleverly layered obstacles. One standout feature is the photo map system, which lets you tag points of interest by taking snapshots, an elegant solution to the genre’s often-tedious backtracking.

While its story may leave a few threads hanging, The Lost Crown excels where it counts: refined combat, fluid movement, and intricate level design. It’s a bold return for the series and one of the strongest Metroidvania titles available to play in 2025.

10. Hollow Knight: Silksong

Hollow Knight: Silksong remains one of the most anticipated Metroidvania games in the world, and after years of near silence, 2025 finally feels like the year it arrives. Originally announced in 2019, the sequel to Hollow Knight puts players in control of Hornet, the agile and sharp-tongued warrior who played a key role in the first game. This time, she steps into the spotlight as the main character, navigating a new haunted kingdom filled with danger, mystery, and vertical exploration.

While there is still no confirmed release date, Team Cherry has announced a 2025 launch window. With Silksong scheduled to be playable at Australia’s ACMI Game Worlds exhibition starting September 18, there’s a strong chance it will be released to the public before then. If so, it could easily become the biggest indie launch of the year.

Early footage highlights a faster, more combat-oriented experience. Hornet’s acrobatic movement and needle-based attacks promise a distinct feel from the original. With new biomes, dozens of enemies, and a reworked quest system, Silksong has all the makings of another modern Metroidvania classic.

If you’re diving into Metroidvanias for the first time or revisiting old favorites, 2025 offers some of the strongest entries the genre has ever seen. To get the most out of these richly detailed worlds and split-second platforming challenges, high-performance gear makes all the difference. Acer Predator computers, monitors, and accessories deliver the speed, clarity, and responsiveness serious players demand.

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