10 Hardest Metroidvania Games - Investment Policy

As a seasoned gamer with over two decades under my belt, I’ve seen my fair share of challenging titles that have left me scratching my head in frustration and elation in equal measure. Here are three games that stand out for their unforgiving difficulty, each one more grueling than the last.

They need to maintain a certain level of prestige since they’re associated with games like Metroid and Castlevania, which, it should be noted, can be quite challenging.

As a dedicated gamer, I’ve noticed that many independent games, which are keeping the genre alive today, tend to maintain a similar level of challenge. In some cases, these indies even crank up the difficulty a notch or two.

This list showcases the top Metroidvania games that excel in providing an optimal blend of challenging exploration, intricate platforming, and demanding combat scenarios, pushing your abilities to their limits.

10 Dead Cells

A Tough Metroidvania-ish Roguelike

10 Hardest Metroidvania Games

While it shares some characteristics with the classic Metroidvania genre, its lack of branching paths and the absence of the open-ended exploration found in the Metroid series might be a bit of a deviation from traditional expectations.

As a passionate gamer, I firmly believe that when Steam categorizes a game as Metroidvania and it boasts an extensive crossover with Castlevania, I have every right to consider it one of those genres.

Although the game challenges you to grasp its Metroidvania-style mechanics, the true challenge lies in the random elements embedded within, if I may use a metaphor, like seeds baked into the loaf. This means that each attempt at playing could either bring good fortune or bad luck from the beginning. However, as anyone familiar with Roguelike games can attest, this element of unpredictability is what adds to the excitement.

9 Rain World

A Hostile Ecosystem

Among all the items listed, this one stood out due to its resemblance to classic Metroidvania games, featuring traditional elements and a design reminiscent of the Metroid series. Despite potential backlash from fans, it seemed like a reasonable addition given these similarities.

As a gamer, I find myself immersed in a world where survival is a constant struggle. Every day, I play as these tiny creatures, striving to make it through another day against all odds. It’s not always fair, and sometimes the environment seems cruel, but that’s just part of the game – nature is ruthless, and we have to scavenge every resource to stay alive.

It instills a sense of fear upon encountering any animal bigger than yourself. It’s an incredibly challenging, awe-inspiring, and rewarding game, making it worth persisting through the difficult times.

8 Pseudoregalia

Demanding 3D Platforming

Although Pseudoregalia may not appear to involve intense combat at first glance, its true focus lies in delivering an exceptional 3D platforming experience with a strong emphasis on exploration. This design choice proves to be highly rewarding.

As I honed my platforming abilities during my gaming journey, the creators bestowed upon me an arsenal of parkour moves, such as wall-running and gainer backflips, which became essential for my advancement through the game world.

Mastering a skill is just one step, because you also have to grasp its intricacies and use them harmoniously for maximum impact. Only after that can you navigate effortlessly towards your final success.

If you enjoy tackling demanding platforming stages that showcase your skills while also offering a variety of entertaining powers, then Pseudoregalia is prepared to put your prowess to the test.

7 Cave Story+

The Original Indie Metroidvania

Cave Story is a game that feels like it was made for the future, frequently hailed as the pioneer of indie gaming. It crafted a world reminiscent of Metroid, yet unforgiving with its demanding bosses, intricate platforming sections, and an incredibly tough trial known as the Bloodstained Sanctuary – one of the toughest challenges ever put in a game.

This game offers numerous choices for gameplay and multiple paths to navigate its content, making certain battles less challenging as you delve deeper, as designed.

Originally setting the standard for challenging indie Metroidvania games, and serving as a model for numerous other games in this category to achieve their own success, Cave Story is rightfully recognized as one of the classics. In terms of historical significance, it deserves its place among the greatest.

6 Axiom Verge

Very Metroid, Very Hard

If you enjoy the classic 2D “Metroid” games, you may already be familiar with Axiom Verge, but for those who aren’t, it’s essentially a game that’s very similar to its inspiration, yet benefits from all the great features that modern indie Metroidvania games offer.

Despite its small, independent publisher, the game is far from gentle. Instead, it often delivers strong, repeated hits to keep you humbled.

This game can be described as a “Metroidvania-style” game, where your understanding and knowledge of the game significantly influences its challenge level. Consequently, upon replaying the game, you’ll find it noticeably simpler compared to your initial playthrough.

Indeed, it remains an exciting endeavor to make an attempt at solving the mystery behind defeating each boss, overcoming challenges, and navigating through all the obstacles that lie ahead.

5 Blasphemous

As Punishing As Catholic Guilt

The gameplay style leans towards combining Dark Souls’ challenging yet balanced combat mechanics with classic Metroidvania elements, resulting in a remarkably tough game that requires players to commit boss patterns to memory.

This game is tough, gloomy, and mercilessly demanding, earning it the comparison to “Souls-like” games while also standing strong as an exceptional Metroidvania title.

Among the two options, the first one seems to be the top choice, but it’s worth noting that Blasphemous II, the follow-up, is equally commendable. It addresses several minor issues and maintains its challenging nature just as intensely as before.

4 Metroid Dread

The Longer The Note, The More Dread

Up next, I’d like to highlight what I consider the top game in the Metroid Series. It stands out not only for its challenging gameplay but also due to its integrated sequence breaking features and difficulty settings, making it particularly tough even during a standard playthrough. You’ll encounter difficult boss battles, demanding Shine Sparking challenges, and nerve-wracking stealth sequences.

Interestingly, unlike most games in this collection, it might prove more challenging for less experienced players to complete, as failing to fully explore its depths could leave them ill-prepared for the challenges that lie ahead.

Additional health boosts and missile supplies really make a difference, and this game encourages exploration by presenting multiple paths and side quests. Ignoring these can lead to tougher challenges, which is a key aspect of the Metroidvania genre’s design, making it challenging yet engaging.

As a dedicated Metroid fan, I’ve found a challenging yet balanced game that truly tests my skills to the limit. This title stands head and shoulders above others in its category.

3 Laika: Aged Through Blood

Get On Your Bikes And Ride

The game titled “Laika: Aged Through Blood” isn’t really my cup of tea, but I must say it certainly excels in its stunning artwork and remarkable sound effects. Moreover, it offers a challenging experience right off the bat that keeps you on your toes throughout the gameplay.

From the start, the game challenges players by restricting access to certain content until they master both the cycling-focused platforming and bullet-time shooting mechanics. Since controlling both simultaneously is quite demanding, many find it extremely challenging.

It’s akin to persistently juggling multiple tasks during an entire game, which frequently results in mental fatigue causing mistakes, ultimately leading to a swift defeat.

However, once everything falls into place and you master the sequence of backflips seamlessly, accompanied by dramatic slow-motion headshots, all previous struggles seem insignificant. Overcoming this initial challenge is tough, but it’s undeniably rewarding.

2 Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

Let There Be Blood

If you tend to favor the ‘Vania’ aspect, this game is perfect for you as it aims to replicate nearly all the elements that made Symphony of the Night great, with a key highlight being its challenging combat system.

In simpler terms, playing Exploration and Platforming games is enjoyable, but when you encounter a boss, your skills are really put to the test. If you haven’t spent time improving those skills or leveling up beforehand, chances are, you won’t be able to defeat it easily.

This game starts with intense action and doesn’t let up, offering a relentless barrage of hardship and struggle from start to finish. If you’re looking for an unmatched immersion in violence, this could be what you’re searching for.

1 Hollow Knight

Only For Brave Little Knights

Outside, it has a well-deserved reputation. Known primarily for its immersive, strikingly melancholic environment of Hallownest, exceptional visual and auditory elements, as well as its challenging combat and platforming features.

Despite its adorable appearance, this indie game is notorious for its deceptively challenging nature. Although the core gameplay isn’t excessively tough, the Pantheons of Godhome certainly live up to the difficulty level.

Moreover, what makes this even more remarkable is the inclusion of the Path of Pain, a challenging optional region dedicated solely to grueling platforming trials. This feature is not commonly found in Metroidvania games.

This game is undeniably one of the most captivating, enchanting, challenging, and picturesque Metroidvania-style games out there. In fact, I could go on praising it for eternity, but I think a simple conclusion will suffice.

Silksong, when?

2024-10-24 13:09