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The best Metroidvanias of the 2020s depend on what you want from the format. Hollow Knight: Silksong is the exploration-first headliner now that it released on September 4, 2025; Metroid Dread remains the clearest movement-and-pursuit benchmark; Ori and the Will of the Wisps leads on platforming and emotional spectacle; and ANIMAL WELL turns the genre into a puzzle box. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, Blasphemous 2, and Nine Sols round out the shortlist for polished action, dark-fantasy combat, and demanding deflection play.
What are the best Metroidvanias of the 2020s?
These seven games are the strongest player-fit recommendations rather than an objective ranking. Each combines an interconnected world with ability-gated progression, return trips to earlier areas, and discoveries that change how you read the map. The key differences are where each game puts its emphasis: movement, combat, platforming, puzzles, atmosphere, or story.
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| Game | Best for | Core emphasis | Release and platform evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hollow Knight: Silksong | Exploration and secrets | Large interconnected world, vertical discovery, precise action | Released September 4, 2025; Steam listing |
| Metroid Dread | Movement and pursuit | Parkour, sliding, counters, ability-gated backtracking, E.M.M.I. chases | October 8, 2021; Nintendo Switch |
| Ori and the Will of the Wisps | Platforming and emotional story | Fluid traversal, puzzles, spirit weapons, spells, shards, bosses | September 17, 2020 Switch release |
| ANIMAL WELL | Puzzles and secret hunting | Environmental manipulation, nonlinear routes, layered secrets | Released May 9, 2024; Steam listing |
| Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown | Polished action-adventure | Time powers, combo combat, mythic biomes | Platform availability and edition vary |
| Blasphemous 2 | Dark fantasy and lore | Nonlinear exploration, heavy combat, multiple endings | Released August 24, 2023; Steam listing |
| Nine Sols | Hard, technical combat | Sekiro-inspired deflections and high combat depth | Platform availability varies |
Is Silksong finally out, and is it the best exploration Metroidvania?
Yes. Team Cherry’s Hollow Knight: Silksong is a released game, not an upcoming promise. The Steam listing gives September 4, 2025 as its release date and describes a haunted kingdom ruled by silk and song.
Silksong is the natural choice if your favorite part of a Metroidvania is getting lost, finding a new route, and understanding a world through repeated returns. Its exploration-first identity makes map connectivity, vertical movement, and secret density more important than a simple checklist of upgrades. Steam’s 2026 snapshot recorded 93% positive English reviews from 146,979 reviews, a volatile figure that can change as more players review the game.
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Choose it after Hollow Knight if you want another large world built around discovery. Choose a different game if you prefer a tightly directed campaign or a gentler difficulty curve.
Why is Metroid Dread the movement-and-pursuit benchmark?
Metroid Dread is the strongest pick for players who want movement to feel like the main event. Nintendo’s design centers on a labyrinth of enemies, parkour, sliding, counters, ability-gated returns, and E.M.M.I. robots that turn exploration into active pursuit on Planet ZDR.
Its progression repeatedly gives you a reason to revisit familiar rooms with a new movement or combat ability. The result is a compact, readable structure: you learn the rules quickly, then apply them under pressure. Metacritic lists an 88 critic Metascore from 124 reviews.
It released on October 8, 2021 for Nintendo Switch. If you are searching for “Metroid Dread Nintendo Switch,” the edition and platform are unambiguous; no separate hardware version is required.
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Should I play Ori and the Will of the Wisps after Metroid Dread?
Play Ori and the Will of the Wisps next if you want more expressive platforming, visual spectacle, and an emotional story rather than another pursuit-focused campaign.
Nintendo describes a vast world filled with towering enemies and challenging puzzles, alongside new spirit weapons, spells, a shard system, large bosses, and Spirit Trials. Ori’s movement has a flowing, almost musical quality, so success often comes from chaining jumps, launches, and directional abilities rather than stopping to trade hits.
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What makes ANIMAL WELL different from a normal action Metroidvania?
ANIMAL WELL shifts the formula toward puzzles, secrets, and environmental manipulation. Steam describes a dense, interconnected labyrinth whose items alter how you understand and move through the environment; it released May 9, 2024.
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Combat is not the sole measure of progress. The central pleasure is noticing an interaction, testing it somewhere else, and uncovering a deeper layer of the map. That makes it ideal for players who enjoy nonlinear problem solving and atmosphere more than constant boss fights.
Metacritic lists a 90 Metascore. Steam’s 2026 snapshot showed 95% positive English reviews from 13,107 reviews; both that percentage and the underlying count are time-sensitive.
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There is no single winner because these games ask for different kinds of combat skill. Use the following split rather than treating “best combat” as one category.
For responsive, all-purpose action: Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is the polished action-adventure option. Its design combines time powers, combo combat, and mythic biomes, making it a broad entry point for players who want a modern structure without committing to the harshest combat systems.
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For dark-fantasy weight and lore: Blasphemous 2
Blasphemous 2 continues the Penitent One’s struggle against the Miracle. Its Steam listing identifies nonlinear exploration, multiple endings, and Metroidvania and Souls-like tags. It released August 24, 2023 and suits players who want deliberate fights, grim visual design, and lore embedded in the world.
Steam’s 2026 snapshot recorded 90% positive English reviews from 6,255 reviews. That is a current signal, not a permanent score.
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For demanding deflections: Nine Sols
Nine Sols is the specialist pick for players who enjoy Sekiro-inspired timing. Its defining challenge is deflection-focused combat, and the 2026 comparison places it high on combat depth. Expect the fighting to be the reason you continue, not merely an obstacle between exploration sections.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How should I choose between these games?
Match the game to the activity you want to repeat for hours:
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- Exploring and hunting secrets: Silksong.
- Mastering movement while escaping threats: Metroid Dread.
- Platforming and story-driven spectacle: Ori and the Will of the Wisps.
- Solving environmental puzzles and decoding a world: ANIMAL WELL.
- Accessible, polished action-adventure structure: Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown.
- Bleak lore, nonlinear routes, and heavy attacks: Blasphemous 2.
- Precision deflections and high combat demand: Nine Sols.
Also check platform before buying. Metroid Dread and Ori and the Will of the Wisps have official Nintendo Switch product pages, while Silksong, ANIMAL WELL, and Blasphemous 2 have current Steam listings. Availability, editions, prices, and physical stock can change by region and date.
What should you know about difficulty, replay value, and backtracking?
Difficulty is not interchangeable across the list. Metroid Dread tests reactions during pursuit and boss encounters; Nine Sols concentrates difficulty in combat timing; Blasphemous 2 asks you to learn enemy patterns; and ANIMAL WELL can be demanding through obscure solutions rather than damage output.
Backtracking is similarly varied. In Silksong and Metroid Dread, returning with new abilities is a primary progression loop. Ori makes revisits feel like traversal challenges, while ANIMAL WELL rewards returning when an item reveals a previously invisible interaction. The best choice is the one whose repetition you find satisfying.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the easiest game on this Metroidvania list?
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is the broadest action-adventure starting point, while Ori and the Will of the Wisps offers movement that many players find intuitive. Individual difficulty settings and comfort with platforming or combat will still affect the experience.
Which game has the most secrets?
ANIMAL WELL is built around layered, environmental secrets rather than simply hiding extra rooms behind stronger weapons. Silksong is the better choice if you want secret hunting combined with a larger action-focused world.
Can I play these games without having played the original Metroid or Hollow Knight?
Yes. Each listed game is designed as a playable entry point, although familiarity with earlier games can add context. Blasphemous 2 and Silksong contain references and returning ideas that returning players may recognize.
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Metroid Dread and ANIMAL WELL both support focused sessions because rooms, puzzles, and objectives provide clear stopping points. A large exploration game such as Silksong may be more rewarding when you can remember where you left off.
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