Festive Feature #3 – The Five Best Metroidvanias of 2024
As a seasoned gamer with decades of experience under my belt, I must say that this year has been a veritable treasure trove for platformer enthusiasts like myself. From the hauntingly beautiful Animal Well to the martial arts mastery of Nine Sols, each game in this collection offers a unique and immersive experience that is sure to leave a lasting impression.
2024 saw an exceptional abundance of outstanding Metroidvania games, making for quite a festive year! Each of these games offers a unique perspective, allowing us to explore the genre from various angles and gain fresh insights. Given that the blueprint for this style was established in the eighties and refined in the nineties, it’s remarkable how little has changed since then, except perhaps for added polish or 3D dimensions. However, there’s no need to alter the formula significantly. Despite this, Metroidvanias seem to stir up a desire within us to reflect on them more deeply. Perhaps it’s because introspection and looking back are inherent aspects of the genre, and over time, the genre itself has evolved into a Metroidvania, as developers revisit old paths with new twists, aiming to uncover a promising future.
“Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Crown
Journey Along the Teal Lotus Path
In a year overflowing with outstanding Metroidvania games, Tales of Kenzera: ZAU might have slipped through the cracks, which is unfortunate because it excels at all the essential elements of a great Metroidvania game. Moreover, it delivers an engaging narrative. Driven by the sorrow of losing his father, director Abubakar Salim (also known as Bayek’s voice in Assassin’s Creed Origins) crafted this story to help him cope with his grief, narrating the journey of Zuberi as he uncovers the deeds of his late father, Zau. The game offers a challenging platforming experience, blending fluid melee and ranged attacks with an array of supernatural abilities bestowed by mystical Sun and Moon masks. As you advance, you’ll acquire new movement capabilities that will prove crucial during intense boss fights and nail-biting chase scenes. Tales of Kenzera: ZAU boasts stunning visuals, but it’s the personal touch that Salim infuses into his pain that sets this game apart.
Title Translation: Animal Well – Who doesn’t enjoy a ghostly themed game? The creator of this enigmatic title, Billy Basso, seems to have a soft spot for these spectral entities. Not only do we encounter an array of eerie spirits that glide through the darkness like jelly, but what makes it even more enticing is the ghostly residue of other games. Classic games. If you were raised on the expansive, yet claustrophobic backdrops of Metroid, this will stir up your nostalgia. Moreover, the visual effects (explosions, waterfalls, lamplight) possess a chilly quality reminiscent of Game Boy Color effects, faded and flickering. In essence, one can envision the entire game leaking from a corrupted cartridge. There is no traditional combat; instead, Basso encourages you to battle your inner compass – your sense of direction and uncertainty – and navigate your way through. It’s a quintessential representation of its genre: a game about mysteries, about pondering and revisiting paths, about the present being haunted, illuminated, and unlocked by the past.
Savor the Rare Gem: Nine Sols – Given the scarcity of games featuring a martial arts proficient cat as its protagonist, it’s worth taking the time to appreciate Nine Sols. The developer, Red Candle Games, is renowned for creating thought-provoking horror that is both highly acclaimed and hard to find – an uncertain venture. Their previous game, Devotion, was removed from certain online stores due to content deemed offensive by the Chinese government. Rest assured, there are no such issues with this new game.
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2024-12-28 16:12