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In this article, we shall go over five of the very best Metroidvania games that you should try out in 2025.
With the rise of open-world games in the mid to late 2010s, several developers put their eggs in the open-world basket, and the Metroidvania genre suffered for it. However, with open-world fatigue setting in, the Metroidvania genre is once again back in the spotlight, with several notable titles in the last few years. The genre’s emphasis on exploration and backtracking makes these titles compact yet memorable experiences and ones you don’t want to miss out on.
Now, heading into 2025, we have an impressive selection of Metroidvania games to pick from. In this article, we shall go over the five best Metroidvania games you should try out in 2025.
1) Hollow Knight
Starting off this list is Hollow Knight, which was developed and published by Team Cherry in 2017. The game immediately grew a sizeable fanbase with its tight level design and memorable bosses. The game’s art style and music added to the grim and hopeless tone of the game while also ensuring a fair supply of variety. Hollow Knight’s locations are memorable, yet never stray too far from its tone.
The bosses all hold memorable backstories, adding emotional context to each encounter. Hollow Knight is a cult classic and, to this day, has a sizeable audience that craves its sequel.
2) Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights
Following the success of Hollow Knight, many developers started to emulate the formula in an attempt to recreate the magic. The only one that really came close, however, was Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knight. The game builds upon the foundation set by Hollow Knight while forging its own path with a greater emphasis on combat. The game’s bosses are difficult, and you will die, but this is by design. The combat is crisp and offers enough variety to soften the blow of the difficulty, making for a memorable game.
3) Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
The Prince of Persia series faded away from the mainstream in the early 2010s, with the series seemingly put into hiatus in favor of Assassin’s Creed. Fast forward to 2024, Ubisoft released Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, a Metroidvania entry into the series. While Warrior Within had featured Metroidvania elements, it was never quite to the extent as The Lost Crown.
The Lost Crown features tight level design, all centered around the protagonist’s abilities, while routinely throwing enemies to slice up. The game’s mix of combat and parkour is worthy of the Prince of Persia tag and makes for one hell of a Metroidvania game.
4) Blasphemous 2
The original Blasphemous was a great game, but one that overstayed its welcome due to noticeable pacing issues. Blasphemous 2 fixes all the issues of the original to give a more compact, memorable experience. The game’s level design is top-notch, a concoction of combat and platforming. The visuals, too, are a callback to games from the 80s and leave a lasting impression. Lastly, the game’s tone is dark and haunting while drawing from dark fantasy literature, making it a unique setting.
5) Ori and the Will of the Wisps
Ori and the Will of the Wisp is a spectacular follow-up to 2015’s Ori and the Blind Forest. The sequel improves upon the original in every single way, all while treading familiar ground. The first thing you’ll notice is the crisper visuals. Ori and the Will of the Wisp is a beautiful game with visuals and an art style that gives it a fairy-tale-esque vibe. Backtracking is a crucial part of any Metroidvania experience, and Ori’s gorgeous backdrop ensures that you’ll keep coming back for more.
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