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.
Bad Run – Turbo Edition
2.5 out of 5. An Endless Runner with some open castles to explore and test your skills. It won’t change your mind if you’re not into its genre, but it does offer something unique if you are.
Luna Sky RDX
2.5 out of 5. Reviewed in Early Access. A wild combo of Sonic the Hedgehog and RPG Style Metroidvania games that you may want to check out in spite of some wonky physics and uninspired level design.
Miracle Mia
2.5 out of 5. A great concept with a lot of potential, but lack of polish on the physics makes it too easy at its best and frustrating at its worst.
Pankapu
4 out of 5. Pankapu is an underrated linear platformer with a gorgeous dreamlike atmosphere and some Metroidvania elements to enjoy. Technically incomplete, but the story vagueness may be a feature.
Super Panda Adventures
3.5 out of 5. A tremendously high value for the price point. If you enjoy frequent rewards, tons of exploration, and a cast of funny characters satirizing game culture, you can’t lose on this one.
Tower Hunter: Erza’s Trial
2.5 out of 5. A lighthearted and more RPG-focused interpretation of Dead Cells that, in spite of some wonky design choices and stiff enemies, will still provide a few hours of relaxing Roguevania fun.
8 Eyes
2 out of 5. Not a Metroidvania. This forgotten classic-vania hits Steam, sharing its unique two-player gameplay and riddle antics with the modern generation. Recommended for game design students.
Eagle Island
4.5 out of 5. Eagle Island doesn’t care about genre rules. It just takes inspiration and makes a wholly unique, and truly amazing, game out of it. It’s a roguelike platformer you won’t want to miss.
Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon
4.5 out of 5. Not a Metroidvania. An absolutely fantastic revival of the Classic-vania style that any fan of the original Castlevania games – partiicularly the third one – should not miss!
Castlevania Anniversary Collection
4 out of 5. Its only “Metroidvania” game, Simon’s Quest, may be skippable for most players, but the rest of these games are must have hard-but-fair classics. Save states help with accessibility.
Kid Dracula
This Review was done as part of our review of the Castlevania Anniversary Collection. What a weird game to end […]
Castlevania Bloodlines
4 out of 5. A hidden gem from the vaults of Konami’s accomplishments. A fun alternative to the rock hard difficulty of other Classic-vania games.
Castlevania II: Belmont’s Revenge
3.5 out of 5. Some Brutally Hard moments aside, the creativity of this Gameboy title sets it apart from its Classic-Vania console counterparts.
Castlevania: The Adventure
1.5 out of 5. The Classic-vania games have a reputation for difficulty, but Castlevania the Adventure serves to be nothing more than a study piece of how to be unfair with its challenges.
Super Castlevania IV
4 out of 5. More accessible than its predecessors, but by no means is it easier. This remake of the first Castlevania is an epic foray into the 16 bit era.
Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse
4.5 out of 5. A glorious evolution of the original classic, with multiple paths to choose from and several endings to see. Perhaps the best Classic-vania of them all.
Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest
2 out of 5. There are interesting design ideas in Simon’s Quest, but a ton of little niggles prevent it from being as good as it could have been.
Castlevania
4 out of 5. The start of the Castlevania series still holds up today as a cerebral linear platformer. It’s short, but its challenges will provide deep satisfaction.
Dust: An Elysian Tail
3 out of 5. Gorgeous visuals and music create a nice relaxing world to escape to, with charming characters and interesting plot twists. Just don’t expect anything particularly deep overall.
Furwind
3.5 out of 5. Not a true Metroidvania, but worth checking out anyway if you like the genre. Great visuals, music, and spot-on controls for fun platforming challenges make this easy to recommend.
Dead Cells
3.5 out of 5 – Roguevania – Delightfully addictive. Fast and fluid combat and movement is designed where Skill will still trump the RNG, but that RNG will still provide plenty of aggravating runs.
Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse
3 out of 5. Heads and shoulders above its predecessor, Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse is a exciting romp in a colorful world with quirky characters and slightly dark humor.
Pharaoh Rebirth+
4 out of 5. A True Hidden Gem. Its flaws are eclipsed by the pure fun provided by its lovable characters, power-tripping weapons, delightful treasure-hunting, and challenging bosses.