15 Best Modern Metroidvania Games

BLOODSTAINED: RITUAL OF THE NIGHT

As the man behind the revolutionary Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, there aren’t a lot of people who’ve had as much of an impact as Koji Igarashi has. So it makes sense that his passion project, a spiritual successor to that game, is a accomplished benchmark release for the genre. Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night feels like a cozy homecoming, with tight level design, a map that is a joy to traverse, and an enjoyable combat and progression system that makes even grinding a lot of fun. It’s not a revolutionary game by any means, but it understands what makes a Metroidvania game work, and is, as such, a must-play for all fans of the genre.