Metroidvanias Are Having a Moment
STARTING SCREEN | Hollow Knight leads a fantastically strong crop of recent metroidvanias.
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A friend of mine was telling me last night about how she had just wrapped up Hollow Knight on the Nintendo Switch. She struggled with some of the tougher bosses, but she ultimately pushed through. "I loved it," she said.
With Hollow Knight wrapped up, she's now moved on to Axiom Verge, with Owlboy waiting in the wings (heh). I told her that she also needs to check out Dead Cells, which incorprates elements of the roguelike and metroidvania genres. She doesn't have a great PC, but if she did, I'd also suggest Guacamelee 2, which is out later this month.
It seems that metroidvanias are once again having a moment. Initially a rather niche genre, the growth of metroidvanias has roughly coincided with that of indie gaming as a whole, as solo developers have turned to reimagining the games they loved growing up. Metroidvanias and so-called "roguelites" like Spelunky have arguably been the biggest beneficiaries of the indie boom.
Metroidvanias have been released at a steady rate for more than five years now, but this period has been particularly notable for a few reasons:
1. Hollow Knight is Just Really Good: Much like Fortnite, Hollow Knight was released in 2017, but didn't truly explode into the public consciousness until 2018. Its massive world, gorgeous art, and dark storytelling has captivated fans and earned it universal acclaim from critics. It in turn has driven interest in the aforementioned metroidvanias like Axiom Verge, which are tremendous in their own right. Many of these games have benefited from the rise of one platform in particular.
2. The Switch is the Perfect Platform for Metroidvanias: It feels appropriate that the Switch should be the single best platform for metroidvanias right now. The Switch has rapidly evolved into a beast of an indie console, with everything from Stardew Valley to Thimbleweed Park experiencing outsized success on the system. Indies are arguably the single biggest driver of the Switch's success, effectively filling the gap between big Nintendo releases by bringing hit Steam games to mass audiences.
Metroidvanias have been particularly successful on the Switch because they tend to have outstanding art, allowing them to shine on the platform's handheld screen. Additionally, metroidvanias are a skill-focused genre, which means they don't easily translate to mobile. Retro-style genres will always have a ready home on Switch owing to the system's emphasis on portability over graphics, but metroidvanias in particular feel tailormade for Switch.
3. Metroidvanias Are Extremely Flexible: The metroidvania formula can be combined with many different genres to great effect. They can be beat-'em-ups, puzzle-platformers, shooters, and even roguelites. The only real overarching requirement is that they feature a steadily expanding dungeon that can be explored in a non-linear fashion.
This is most evident in the two games that comprise the genre's namesake: Metroid and Castlevania. Metroid is by its nature a puzzle-platformer with a heavy emphasis on combat and exploration. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night borrows many of its elements from the RPG space (amusing, designer Koji Igarashi was emulating Zelda 2 rather than Metroid when designing SOTN), which heavily influences its progression. These two fundamentally similar but ultimately wildly different games are the basis for a diverse and fascinating genre that has yet to become stale.
I've written in the past that we're in a post-graphics age—an era exemplified by games like Hollow Knight and Guacamelee. With their timeless mechanics, high-quality art, and ability to seamlessly incorporate new ideas, metroidvanias are uniquely suited for this particular period. And with the rise of the Switch, it's easier than ever for a great indie on Steam to make the leap to a large audience on console.
Happily, the founders of the genre are getting back in on the action as well. Metroid: Samus Returns enjoyed a positive reception on 3DS last year, and Metroid Prime 4 is likely to be released in 2019. Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is likewise expected to arrive in the next year or so (hopefully).
As little as a decade ago, it was hard to imagine any metroidvania having the sort of cachet that Hollow Knight has today. Sure, we had Shadow Complex, but both Castlevania and Metroid were notably on the decline thank to half-baked releases like Metroid: Other M and Portrait of Ruin (admittedly, I liked Portrait of Ruin more than most). The genre's rise in the years since has very much been an indie success story.
With Hollow Knight being one of the most popular games of 2018 and the likes of Dead Cells and Guacamelee 2 set to follow, metroidvanias are more popular than ever. And with the Switch proving its staying power, they're unlikely to lose their hard-won momentum anytime soon.
Looking Ahead to the Rest of the Week
- Dead Cells (Switch, PC, PS4, Xbox One) [August 7]: After a period of early access testing, Dead Cells is ready for a full release. I mentioned it up above, but it bears repeating that this combination of metroidvania and roguelite elements is really, really good.
- Overcooked 2 (Switch, PC, PS4, Xbox One) [August 7]: A sequel to another indie darling arrives on all major platforms this week. The original was a phenomenal couch co-op game in which you worked together with friends to efficiently make meals. It also had the capacity to end friendships. Expect many arguments when it releases tomorrow.
- Monster Hunter: World (PC) [August 9]: Monster Hunter: World finally arrives on PC on Thursday. The initial release is currently my Game of the Year, so I guess you could say that I recommend it. Look for a full breakdown of how it improves on the console version in the next couple days.
- Okami HD (Switch) [August 9]: Zelda has few peers, but Okami might be one of them. When it first launched back in 2006, many argued that it was superior than Twilight Princess. It's certainly held up better over the years than its more popular counterpart.
- Madden 19 (Xbox One, PS4, PC) [August 10]: Do you hear that? The games are coming. The release of Madden invariably heralds the wave of fall releases. It's almost time. I was a bit more down on this year's version than some, but for what it's worth, that animation is really nice. And it's reportedly sublime on PC.
- We Happy Few (Xbox One, PS4, PC) [August 10]: Compulsion's quirky survival game hits full release on Friday. Set in an alternate 1960s, it has a psychedelic look to it that should at least be interesting. This should be Compulsion's last multi-console release, as it was gobbled up by Microsoft Game Studios earlier this year. We Happy Few may be an indicator of what's to come.
Nadia's Note Block Beat Box: A Curious Happening (Secret of Mana)
It's Secret of Mana's 25th anniversary! This ambitious (and sometimes messed-up) RPG means a lot to me for a number of reasons. Reason one: Its soundtrack slaps. Reason two: Though it may be surprising to consider nowadays, some of Secret of Mana's story elements were unusual for the time. "A Curious Happening" is a great little piece of music that highlights the strength of Mana's soundtrack while also reminding me of how different the game felt from other RPGs when I first played it.
"A Curious Happening" is the tune that accompanies you when you visit a town in Secret of Mana that's ruled over by the Empire. As a kid, I was used to occupied towns being busted-up, run-down hellholes. In Secret of Mana though, said towns are clean and orderly, if not nerve-wracking (the soldiers in the streets who search constantly for the Resistance are all you need to remind you you're not in friendly territory). "A Curious Happening" is folksy, but something about it makes me nervous too. Might be that build-up and fall at the 0:44 mark. Or the hapless citizens who've had their souls drained and then set loose to just mingle with the regular population like it ain't no thang.
Caty’s AltGame Corner
I remember the first time I saw and played World of Horror's demo from my old gig, where I basically just surfed through itch.io to write about any oddities that crossed my path. I was in awe of its Junji Ito-inspired eerie-ness, its early Macintosh 1-bit aesthetic, its interesting twist on the detective-driven adventure genre. World of Horror is expanding beyond its 2016 demo though. Last week, it was confirmed for a full Steam, PS4, and Nintendo Switch for release in 2019, along with "turn-based combat" and roguelite sensibilities. I, for one, can't wait for it. In the meantime, you can download World of Horror's demo for free on itch.io.
This Week's News and Notes
- H1Z1's Battle Pass is out tomorrow on PS4. Developers are very much out on loot boxes, but they seem perfectly happy to sell battle passes to gamers. How long before it's the new controversy du jour?
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 hit beta over the weekend, allowing players to try out the revamped specialists for the first time. Mostly, though, it was an opportunity to see its hilariously broken dogs in action.
- It recently came out that the official pronounciation of "NES" is "Ness" rather than "N.E.S." Nadia tells me that this is the correct pronunciation.
- I had some free time for the first time in a while over the weekend, and I intended to use it to play some more Earthbound (as well as another game I can't talk about yet). Instead I found myself once again being sucked inexorably into No Man's Sky, a game that is profoundly boring and yet somehow fascinating. I spent most of my time building my base, tending to my flock of dinosaurs, and skirting around annoying glitches. It wasn't the greatest use of my time, but I'll say this: It's an amazing podcast game.
- Looking for an amusing YouTube channel to pass the time? TierZoo seamlessly marries Animal Planet-style education with competitive gaming commentary, pitching the animal kingdom as a vast ongoing metagame in which every organism is a character build. You can find one of my favorites above.
- Axe of the Blood God: I'm joined by Shane Bettenhausen for number 19 in our Top 25 RPG countdown: Phantasy Star 4! Also, Nadia and I ponder why there aren't more space RPGs. Subscription info here!
