DarkTone | 1,017 Posted June 26, 2020 Share Posted June 26, 2020 NOT metroidvania. Anyway, do you think Metroid style games have oversaturated the market? Love the 2D Metroid games, and some games that followed after. But it feels like theres WAY too many now. What are your thoughts? Are Metroid style games the new zombie of games? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RH | 5,252 Posted June 26, 2020 Share Posted June 26, 2020 Ok, here's a fair question--what is a "metroid"/"metroidvania" game? IMHO, it's a side-scrolling adventure (vs. top-down) and you explore in all directions. This means you need to be in the middle of a castle, on a big star ship or like in Metroid, exploring caverns. Furthermore, you generally start out weak but gain strength by acquiring items to beef up your ability to attack. With that generalized, personal definition I'm going to say that the genre is not overplayed. It may largely lack creativity, but not overplayed. One of the reasons why I loved Axiom Verge so much is because Thomas Happ really tapped in what makes this style of game really, really awesome but he had a fresh take that didn't feel like a Metroid-clone. Sure, there were similarities but the power-ups and how you progressed through the game were very different. But lack of creative story telling and environments is my main complaint and it's actually similar to RPGs. In the case of RPGs, you play a game where you build up stats by leveling to beef up your party and progress through a story. Battle attacks are turn based and I really like that type of mechanic. But... RPGs are around 95% magic/fantasy based. I'm not saying that can't be fun, but I'd really wish there would have been more creative breakthroughs in the past 35 years where good stories and games could be crafted in different types of worlds. They exist, but they're rare. The same is true with Metroidvania games. They are called that because you are either running around caves (Metroid) or running around Castles and such (like Castlevania.) Regardless, fresh takes on gaming mechanics and new environments would be really awesome. I'm sure they exist but they aren't as common. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RH | 5,252 Posted June 26, 2020 Share Posted June 26, 2020 Also note, to me all of these games are 2D. Are there games that are considered to fall into this category that are 3D? I mean, I know Metroid made the 3D jump to fusion, but that feels less like a Metroid game and more like an FPS/Platforming game. I'm not saying it's not fun and that "that's not Metroid". It is, but not like the 2D games that legit built their own genre of game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Makar | 2,062 Posted June 26, 2020 Share Posted June 26, 2020 Huh? Too many Metroid games? Like what? Are you talking about platformers? If so I could see your point. Lots of platformers out there. Honestly not sure what the separation is from a metroidvania and a platformer. Isn't Metroid a game under the platformer genre? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeppelin03 | 314 Posted June 26, 2020 Share Posted June 26, 2020 There are enough Metroid games but I could definitely go for more Castlevanias. Symphony of the Night is when the genre really took off in my eyes. Can't have enough of these kind of games. There are diverse settings, music, abilities, and enemies across the genre. I can't see anything wrong with options. Some of my favorites are recent titles. Guacamelee, Hollow Knight (need to finish that one), Shantae (Vania light), and of course Bloodstained. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reed Rothchild | 9,980 Editorials Team · Posted June 26, 2020 Share Posted June 26, 2020 Metroidvania games are at saturation, yes. I passed on both Gaucamelees and Iconoclasts because I already had so many others to play. That wouldn't have happened in a million years back in the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fox | 1,779 Posted June 26, 2020 Share Posted June 26, 2020 If they are high quality like Blasphemous and Hollow Knight, bring em’ on. Used to be just Castlevania and Metroid, both of which fell off so nice to see others step up to the plate to fill that void. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fox | 1,779 Posted June 26, 2020 Share Posted June 26, 2020 5 hours ago, RH said: Are there games that are considered to fall into this category that are 3D? Arkham Asylum. One big location to explore that opened up more as you acquired upgrades. Later titles not so much since they had more open world/over-world design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fox | 1,779 Posted June 26, 2020 Share Posted June 26, 2020 5 hours ago, Makar said: Isn't Metroid a game under the platformer genre? Main focus is more on non-linear exploration. The platforming is really simple. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Makar | 2,062 Posted June 26, 2020 Share Posted June 26, 2020 49 minutes ago, fox said: Main focus is more on non-linear exploration. The platforming is really simple. So is shovel knight a metroidvania then? Same with mega man? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fox | 1,779 Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 1 hour ago, Makar said: So is shovel knight a metroidvania then? Same with mega man? No those are divided up into individual levels and not an interconnected map. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeppelin03 | 314 Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 43 minutes ago, fox said: No those are divided up into individual levels and not an interconnected map. That's the differentiator I would use too. Shantae is the only game I can think of that bridges the gap. Pirates Curse had regular side scrolling areas and dungeons that expanded based on abilities. Guacamelee does it a bit too on the overworld. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Makar | 2,062 Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 1 hour ago, fox said: No those are divided up into individual levels and not an interconnected map. Interesting that that one difference warrants a separate genre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMR | 546 Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 I just think there are too many that are half assed. There will never be enough GOOD metroid style games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nostalgic Machine | 27 Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 These types of debates always fascinate me; I LOVE the psychology of people feeling the need to HAVE to choose one or the other, or bash one for completely irrational personal reasons - that are just as valid as the reasons they enjoy another game, lol. I love ALL styles of Metroid. Metroidvania improved a lot of what the first two suffered from IMHO. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sumez | 3,176 Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 Tons of metroidvanias out there, but there's a severe lack of actual Metroid style games. The distinction is notable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanooki | 5,155 Posted June 28, 2020 Share Posted June 28, 2020 I guess Axiom Verge would fall more squarely into the Metroid style of things so that should count for something. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sumez | 3,176 Posted June 29, 2020 Share Posted June 29, 2020 Axiom Verge sure looks and sounds the part, but it plays and feels nothing like Metroid, really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deadeye | 1,601 Homebrew Team · Posted June 29, 2020 Share Posted June 29, 2020 On 6/27/2020 at 7:34 AM, Sumez said: Tons of metroidvanias out there, but there's a severe lack of actual Metroid style games. The distinction is notable. Why do you feel that way? Is the setting and isolated felling? I feel the opposite. Plenty of games claiming to be Metroidvanias, but a severe lack of actual -vanias. They are mostly Metroid style games. They have the back tracking, exploration, unlocking the map attributes, but lacking inventory management, RPG elements, and increased action to make it a true metroidvania. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sumez | 3,176 Posted June 30, 2020 Share Posted June 30, 2020 I don't think superfluous padding like that is what makes a distinction, and it's definitely not what made any of the metroid'y Castlevanias great. Most action games are better off without that stuff, but I struggle to think of any modern metroidvania that doesn't let you upgrade the character's skills and stats along the way. No, I'm thinking of the overall map design, not knowing where you are or where to go, the reliance on the obscure and hidden. The things that make Metroid Metroid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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