2025 promises to be an exciting year for enthusiasts of the Metroidvania genre, with several highly anticipated titles on the horizon. This year will see the release of the long-awaited “Hollow Knight: Silksong”, while “Metroid Prime 4: Beyond” is set to make its debut on the Nintendo Switch 2. Additionally, the Pac-Man spin-off, “Shadow Labyrinth”, is slated for a future release. The indie game scene also offers a variety of notable Metroidvania releases, including the crowdfunded gothic action game “Crowsworn”, the hard-drawn adventure title “The Eternal Life of Goldman”, and the sci-fi platformer “MIO: Memories in Orbit”, all aiming for a 2025 launch.
Another fascinating Metroidvania game, developed by an unanticipated studio, is set to release this year. Heart Machine, known for their successful action RPG, Hyper Light Drifter, announced a few months back that they were collaborating with Devolver Digital on a new project called Possessor(s). This upcoming title, which appears to deviate from Heart Machine’s previous works, has been characterized as an action side-scroller featuring combat reminiscent of Super Smash Bros. Although it shares similarities with numerous popular Metroidvanias currently available, Heart Machine claims that Possessor(s) does not truly belong to the genre in its traditional sense.
The Hyper Light Drifter Devs Are Making a New Game Called Possessor(s)
Possessor(s) is Being Described as a Search Action Game, Not a Metroidvania
In an interview at GDC 2025 with Gamesradar, Heart Machine founder Alx Preston voiced his disagreements with the name “Metroidvania,” believing it didn’t truly reflect the kind of game Possessor(s) aimed to create. For those who may be familiar, Metroidvania is a term derived from combining “Metroid” and “Castlevania,” two iconic video game franchises from the 1980s. The original Metroid and Castlevania games were known for their side-scrolling gameplay and nonlinear level design. Over time, the term Metroidvania has been commonly used to categorize action-platformers that share these features. However, Alx Preston feels this label doesn’t fully capture the essence of Possessor(s) due to its unique characteristics.
In recent times, the term “Metroidvania” has been used quite broadly, labeling games that share little similarities. This bothers Alx Preston, who expressed his dislike for the word during a GDC interview. He argues that many games labeled as Metroidvanias lack the essential Vania aspect and are essentially just Metroid-style games without the Vania element. Consequently, Preston prefers to use the term “search action game” (the Japanese name for Metroidvanias) when describing Possessor(s).
Possessor(s) Has a Lot of Metroidvania Elements, But It Also Incorporates Features from Other Genres
The game, referred to as “Possessor(s)”, exhibits numerous characteristics typical of the Metroidvania genre. It features a nonlinear layout for its levels, an expansive, interconnected world that players can explore freely, frequent backtracking, an art style reminiscent of anime, and a strong emphasis on swift 2D platforming. Unlike certain other renowned Metroidvanias, the narrative in “Possessor(s)” significantly impacts the overall gameplay experience. The ending of the game varies based on the paths chosen by players within its vast world. The story is communicated through segments that resemble visual novels and incorporates a significant amount of science fiction and horror elements.
Previous games from Heart Machine, such as Solar Ash and Hyper Light Drifter, predominantly told their stories through visuals rather than dialogue or characters. On the other hand, Possessor(s) is taking a unique approach compared to these titles. This could be indicative of the game’s innovative design philosophy. Unlike its predecessors, Possessor(s) offers open-ended environments similar to a Metroid game, incorporates the combat of a platform fighter, and presents a branching narrative like a nonlinear RPG. Given its genre-mixing characteristics, it might be misleading to label Possessor(s) as a Metroidvania. As Alx Preston would put it, the game has plenty of Metroid elements, but not much Vania.
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2025-04-27 03:07