Monster Sanctuary
4.5 out of 5. A monster collecting turn-based battler wrapped up in a Metroidvania world. It accomplishes this rather eloquently in the ways that matter the most. even if there are a few small caveats
Mega Man ZX
3 out of 5. Combining Mega Man X with Metroidvania level design seems like a match made in heaven, but Mega Man ZX needed some significant changes to make it really work.
Dr. Atominus
3 out of 5. It’s not particularly challenging, and it will likely be over in less than an hour, but that’s also part of the point. Dr. Atominus is another fun Mini Metroidvania experience.
Blasphemous: The Stir of Dawn
4 out of 5. With the latest patch, Blasphemous is a great value, with five new great bosses, fixes to old content, and three new modes to extend your play time in challenging ways.
The Aquatic Adventure of the Last Human
4 out of 5. While its story may be a case study in ludo-narrative dissonance, The Aquatic Adventure of the Last Human provides a unique underwater take on metroidvania design with some great bosses.
AeternoBlade
2.5 out of 5. AeternoBlade ambitiously tackles deep concepts like time travel and psychological character development, but its obsession with padding its length is detrimental to the experience.
Castlevania: The Lecarde Chronicles 2
4 out of 5. A delightful marriage between Classicvania and Metroidvania that will surely please fans of both. Challenging combat and a deep world to explore make for a wholly memorable game.
MindSeize Version 1.4.0
4 out of 5. A sword and gun style platformer in the vein of the Mega Man Zero series with more emphasis on non-linear exploration. Combat depth and excellent level design sets this game apart.
Drilly Willis
2 out of 5. Drilly Willis has fun exploration and a lot of heart, but it can be broken and frustrating in other aspects. The first impressions you had looking at its screenshots are probably right.
BatBarian: Testament of the Primordials
4.5 out of 5. A multitasking focused action puzzle-platformer that will bend your brain in creative ways, with all of its challenges being wrapped up in great music and a charming layered narrative.
An Untitled Story
4 out of 5. Maddy Thorson’s earlier work still holds up in terms of game design, offering a robust Metroidvania world to explore and plenty of precision platforming challenges.
Castlevania: Curse of Darkness
4 out of 5. All of the fat has been trimmed off the previous 3D Castlevania title, leaving strong combat and a new addictive monster raising system to keep it interesting for multiple playthroughs.
Artifacts
3 out of 5. Strong level design in combination with novel concepts creates a fun risk/reward Metroidvania experience, even if a lot could be improved in terms of technical polish.
Vigil: The Longest Night
4 out of 5. Greater than the sum of its parts. If you enjoy exploring an open Metroidvania world with the occasional amazing boss fight, then its charms can easily outweigh its flaws.
Ato
4 out of 5. Frenetic gameplay and novel and deep mechanics are wrapped up by an emotional silent narrative, making Ato one of more memorable experiences within the Metroidvania genre.
Smelted Kin
2 out of 5. The first half of the game is intensely engaging and has an alluring lonely atmosphere once you learn how to play, but the payoff for your efforts will likely leave you disappointed.
Castlevania: Lament of Innocence
3 out of 5. Competent crunchy action and addictive exploration are marred by fixed camera angles and awkward story presentation, creating an enjoyable but somewhat flawed Belmont Origin story.
Super Daryl Deluxe
3.5 out of 5. It’s so incredibly stupid that it circles around to being purely entertaining. You have to be the type that enjoys its brand of humor, but if you are then you’re in for a good time.
Aquaria
3.5 out of 5. In spite of some rougher edges around its gameplay, Aqauria’s world is like no other, and if you allow yourself to be immersed within it, it will doubtlessly bind itself to your memory.
Enter Digiton
3 out of 5. Clever and sometimes relaxing platforming challenges are intermixed with mostly frustrating boss fights and a bit of loose control design. What sets it apart is its one-of-a-kind charm.
Castlevania: Circle of the Moon
3.5 out of 5. Between its no-handholding castle and the card system, there are undeniably some impressive things about Circle of the Moon, but you do need to accept that you have to grind to get there.
Sheepo
3 out of 5. A functional and fun platformer that manages to wear just a little thin with its gimmicks even with its short playtime, but makes up for it with a uniquely bizarre atmosphere.
UnEpic – Single Player Mode
3.5 out of 5. UnEpic pulls off strategy and action with varying degrees of success, but the true value of the game will come from whether you are in the target audience for the story it presents.
Intrepid Izzy
3 out of 5. When a game is as drenched in charm as Intrepid Izzy, it’s easy to look past what could have been and just enjoy the mood. It’s not a masterpiece, but it doesn’t need to be.
Metroid: Other M
3 out of 5. You’ve already heard about its problems, but there are some of positives to enjoy, making it a fun game. In an alternate universe this could have been a perfect Metroid game.
Rain World
4.5 out of 5. It is beautiful and terrifying, and you’ll hate it a long time before you may fall in love with it. But if you make it to love, it becomes one of the most unique masterpieces out there.
Weapon Hacker
4 out of 5. Tight controls and strategic gameplay make this roguelite Metroid style game a great way to spend an hour, or maybe a hundred hours. Customize your weapons on the fly and conquer.
Metroid Fusion
4 out of 5. A must play for fans of the Metroid series as it progresses the story in ingenious ways. It also takes the foreboding atmosphere that Metroid has been so good at to the next level.
3000th Duel
3 out of 5. A mostly formulaic Souls-like experience that offers up fun exploration with good verticality and combat that is competently executed.
Maptroid
3 out of 5. A fun (and free) 15-minute parody of the Metroidvania map system that is well worth taking the time to play.