Other Metroidvania beside Igavania

Someone asked something similar on the KS comments. I suggested Valdis story, many people seemed to agree after. I didn't realize anyone knew the game other than me =P

It's weird... The video looks very promising, but a lot of folks I've asked about the game have had very mixed feelings about the game.  I went ahead and got it, so we'll see.

Funny though, one of the negative comments I remember reading on Steam for it was that it only took the guy 9 hours to beat the game.  To me that's a pretty lame excuse not to like a game.  If it only took him 0.5-1.5 hours, ok I'd give him that that's a bit short.  But 9 hours?  Come on.  This isn't Final Fantasy after all.

I played Dust about a year ago or so when it came up on sale on XBL. Absolutely loved the game, the art, AND the music.

I just recently (as in about 2-5 days ago) picked up Axiom Verge, Dungeon of the Endless, Shovel Knight, and last night went ahead and got Rogue Legacy (it's on sale for like $5).

I'll have to take a look at Guacamelee... I've seen it show up in quite a few places, least of all being mentioned in the live streams in the Bloodstained KS page.

Oh? I see now. Is Dust the only one you know and like? What other game would you like to share with us? Have you played Cave Story? The weapons can be leveled up in that game.

Cave Story.. yeah, totally forgot about that, yup did play AND love it! ^^ 

Besides Shadow Complex (which was 100% Metroid and 0% vania) that should be it.. I think. Can't guarantee for forgotten things ^^

There's also the Shantae games, which I recently got into.

Something that bothers me about all of the above games: there is no -vania in them at all. I've posted this elsewhere already most likely, but I'm really glad IGA differentiated "Igavania" from "Metroidvania" because pretty much every game described as the latter is all of the Metroid with none of the Castlevania.

This is what an Igarashi Castlevania game is: an exploration side-scrolling RPG game defined by collection of something - in SotN it was weapons, in Sorrow weapons also but mostly monster soul powers, and a differently balanced mix for PoR and OoE as well. They are also less linear than an average Metroid style game, where progress is more strictly limited by acquiring the next attack/movement option. They are also populated with many destructible objects that drop resources, a huge variety of enemies and an emphasis on fast gameplay and the countless options provided from the aforementioned collection of weapons/souls/spells etc.

All of these other games are this: Metroid progression with combo attacks, skill trees/points and either a single or 2-3 weapons. A lot of time there's a guard or invincible dodge. What I mean by Metroid progression is like how very early, your area of operations is very restricted until you get the ball form, and then you have to use the ball form bombs/bomb jump, and then immediately after you need the missile to open a door, and then you need power shot to open more doors, etc etc. This is almost exactly the same in a game like Strider (slide, charged Cipher and so on).

Castlevania games are more free and open, to the point that oftentimes you can even use unconventional means outside of obvious mobility upgrades to get around, as with using transformation jump height boosts as Alucard to reach higher spots. Progression is less often separated by one-solution walls/doors.

So, what I'm basically saying here is...I see a lot, like...a LOT nowadays, the "Metroidvania" term thrown around, and I used to get excited about hearing about a new one...but it usually didn't last long because they're all essentially just all the Metroid with none of the Castle(Iga)vania. Not that there's anything inherently wrong with that, I've played and liked Guacamelee, Valdis Story, Rogue Legacy, Strider, and so on...but they're all Metroid/skill tree action games.

There are often hybrid models of that where RPG elements are used (exp, stats, skils), but not the myriad equipment items/slots plus souls/spells. You can improve your character in an RPG fashion, but you're stuck with your hands/one sword/arm cannon.

For whatever reason, "Metroidvania" means at most Metroid with level ups. On a base level, I guess that's what Igarashi's Castlevania games are, but their real uniqueness and what really drew me and many others to them was the fun of constantly getting something new to play with. You are essentially playing an actual classic RPG as a sidescroller, moreso than an action game or pure platformer.

The genre created from these games unfortunately never actually crosses over into being all that much like what they were. I suppose Metroid-clones or Metroid RPGs just doesn't sound quite as appealing.

Fuck yeah, love axiom verge, there arent many games that have more than a couple songs that reach zelda level of repeatability