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If you want in-depth exploration with great enemy encounters and fights, then here are the best 5 Metroidvania games with great combat.
Metroidvania is a genre centered around exploration and unique levels and game design with little to no focus on combat. However, some titles push the ordinary boundaries of the category and aspire to become something more.
In the modern age of gaming, there are a lot of Metroidvania games that feature robust combat systems with the trademark world-building and distinctive art styles. So, if you like to build flashy combos or time a perfect dodge, you would find the five Metroidvania games given below interesting.
Top 5 Metroidvania Games With Great Combat To Play in 2025
The titles in the curated list below are our picks of the 5 best Metroidvania games that have great combat. They might differ in age; however, you can try all of them in 2025, and they hold a significant place in the entire genre. Furthermore, the games given below share distinctive qualities, and surely you will find one of them suited to your taste.
1. Nine Sols
Red Candle Games’ Nine Sols is a 2024 title that was released with critical acclaim and massive praise from fans of the genre. Even in 2025, it is considered a masterpiece for its Sekiro-inspired, parry-heavy combat system and mesmerizing, hand-drawn 2D cyberpunk setting. Exploration and combat remain the main focus of the game throughout, as players travel through the well-crafted world and take on the nine bosses who betrayed the protagonist, Yi. Additionally, Nine Sols might sound simple in theory, but the experience it provides is a testament to the boundless potential of the Metroidvania genre.
2. Dead Cells
Many would agree that Dead Cells is not a true Metroidvania title. However, the game features many elements of the genre that earn its place in this list. Dead Cells’ rogue-like features, blended with a Metroidvania spine, create a unique experience that delivers a distinctive art style and one of the best combat systems the genre has ever seen. Even though the title focuses largely on dodge-based fights, the various weapons and buffs keep the playthroughs fresh. Furthermore, the mobile port of the game provides greater accessibility for players to enjoy endless runs and experiment with the mechanics on the fly.
3. Guacamelee 2
Guacamelee 2 might not be the latest title, but it still holds up quite well in 2025. If you like the idea of traversing a world inspired by Mexican folklore with quirky characters, beautiful game design, and a fun story, then this is your game. Moreover, the 2018 platformer shines with its luchador-inspired movesets, puzzles, and unique chicken mechanics. The combat remains fluid, interesting, and fresh while you take on the new antagonist, Salvador, thanks to the inception of unique ideas and gameplay elements. Lastly, Guacamelee 2 successfully picks up the torch of its predecessor and grabs a win at the end of the round.
4. Hollow Knight
It is hard to talk about the Metroidvania genre without mentioning Hollow Knight at least once. To this day, the title from Team Cherry possesses a strong and significant grip at the head of the table with its thought-provoking journey of the Hollownest. The game’s combat is quite simple; players can only jump, swing their weapon, and dash. However, the developers implemented the mechanics in such a way that it allows players to engage with every enemy differently. Despite the simplicity, Hollow Knight’s combat is unforgiving and polished, and fits incredibly well with its overall approach to the Metroidvania genre.
5. Blasphemous
If you would like a Metroidvania game that feels like a Dark Souls title, then Blasphemous is the closest thing that you can try. The game wears its Souls inspiration on its sleeve with a dark fantasy setting and cryptic dialogue that gradually reveals the underlying depth of the world through exploration. As one would expect, the combat in this game is absolutely brutal and unforgiving, which invokes a simple philosophy: adapt or face death. Indeed, Blasphemous is six years old in 2025, but it never fails to challenge the player and pushes the boundaries of the genre to the extreme, where every step you take feels like an achievement.
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