The Best Metroidvania Games Of 2022

Since the "Metroid" and "Castlevania" series forged the genre, Metroidvania titles have occupied a unique place in the industry. The category manages to blend mechanical skill with the thrill of exploring vibrant and unique worlds across various settings. It is defined by open-ended exploration, the ability to increase in power by finding and mastering new skills, and fantastic boss battles that put everything the player learns to the test. Metroidvanias have also evolved over the decades, incorporating elements of other genres, experimenting with pillar features, and creating unforgettable experiences. 

In recent years, indie titles like "Hollow Knight" and "Ori and the Blind Forest" have infused the Metroidvania genre with new blood thanks to passion-driven development teams willing to take more risks with their projects. As in the past, 2022 has proven a great year for Metroidvania releases, with several games breaking away from the pack to capture the hearts of fans.

A follow-up to 2016's "Salt and Sanctuary," "Salt and Sacrifice" changed the map design of its predecessor to be more segmented and introduced a larger skill tree and more equipment options. The game blends Metroidvania 2D exploration with Soulslike combat featuring towering behemoths and brutally high damage numbers. "Sacrifice" also gives players a ton of options when it comes to building their characters, allowing them to beat each of the game's obstacles in a variety of ways. 

One of the most attractive aspects of "Salt and Sacrifice" is that the entry can be played in its entirety with two-player co-op. Given the variation in builds, bringing a friend along to work together and form strategies is an absolute blast that many fans have connected with. "Sacrifice" does learn more heavily into fighting than many Metroidvanias, however, so genre fans should only check it out if they are looking for high difficulty and an emphasis on combat rather than platforming. 

• Release Date: May 10, 2022
• Genre: Metroidvania, RPG, Souls-like
• Game Modes: Single-Player, Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op
• Metacritic Score: 72 (PC), 73 (PlayStation 5), N/A (PlayStation 4)

"Moonscars" has proven to be an extraordinarily punishing Metroidvania that blends the most difficult elements of Roguelikes and Soulslikes to make a new experience that only certain players will enjoy. Its difficulty is too much for many people, but those looking to test themselves may find mastering "Moonscars" particularly rewarding. The game's difficulty stems not only from its high sakes combat, but also the severe decisions that players have to make throughout a playthrough. 

Players frequently lose their accumulated gear, forcing them to re-calibrate and find a new way to continue forward. Players will also occasionally have to decide whether or not to reset their builds for checkpoints and other mechanics, which leads to a very interesting experience for players that have the patience for it. While "Moonscars" is far from a game for everybody, it has found many dedicated fans that have fallen in love with its challenges.

• Release Date: September 27, 2022
• Genre: Soulslike, Metroidvania, Roguelite
• Game Modes: Single-Player Only
• Metacritic Score: 76 (PC), N/A (PlayStation 4), 71 (PlayStation 5), 66 (Switch), N/A (Xbox One), N/A (Xbox Series X|S)

"B.I.O.T.A." is a well-hidden gem of a Metroidvania that has graphics heavily inspired by titles from the original Game Boy. Its story follows multiple individuals hired to eradicate an alien presence from a complicated mine of interweaving tunnels and corridors. Each of the eight playable characters has their own upgrades available to them, offering players multiple ways to navigate the game's platforming and action-filled combat sequences. Half of the characters need to be unlocked during a playthrough, but each one comes with its own ability and starting weapon to make unlocking them feel rewarding.

Despite its old school appearance and inspiration, "B.I.O.T.A." comes with a bevy of modern features and mechanics. Players can perform wall kicks, it has full modern controller support, and its color scheme can be changed at any time to one of 54 different configurations. It also boasts several vehicle segments to mix up the pacing, multiple endings, and an arcade mode to revisit levels after finishing the game, leading to plenty of praise from outlets like mxdwn.com. 

• Release Date: April 12, 2022
• Genre: Metroidvania, Shooter
• Game Modes: Single-Player Only
• Metacritic Score: 71 (PC)

"Supraland: Six Inches Under" began development as an expansion for the popular "Supraland." However, it eventually blossomed in scope enough to become a standalone release with a dedicated following and great reviews from outlets like PC Invasion. The game is also unique amongst most Metroidvanias because of its first-person presentation. Its world is filled with puzzles to solve, abilities to find, and plenty of combat encounters as well as various tools that players can pick from to overcome its challenges. 

"Six Inches Under" stays true to the core of the Metroidvania genre by sectioning off parts of its world until the player has accumulated the necessary abilities to access them in addition to supporting a non-linear structure. It also has an incredible amount of content, with many of its greatest puzzles and challenges unlocking only after the player has already finished the base game. Metroidvania fans that don't mind the change in perspective should find plenty to love in "Supraland: Six Inches Under," especially if they enjoy uncovering mysteries and figuring things out through exploration and experimentation.

• Release Date: January 14, 2022
• Genre: First-Person, Metroidvania, Puzzle, Adventure
• Game Modes: Single-Player Only

"Souldiers" was subject to a rough launch plagued by bugs and optimization issues, but in the time since its release those have mostly been resolved with numerous patches and hot fixes. This has allowed the game's incredible charm and quality to get the attention it deserves from players and critics like RPGamer. The title boasts an impressive average playtime of around 40 hours thanks to its massive, interconnected world. 

The world of "Souldiers" is also home to tons of detail and interesting lore that helps it feel like one of the most alive and fully-realized settings of the year. Its story also does an admirable job of exploring its various characters and developing them in interesting ways that feel right at home in its lush surroundings. Fans of learning enemy patterns will also find a lot to love in "Souldiers," as its difficulty strikes a delicate balance that allows overcoming its challenges to be addicting both in its platforming and its combat.

• Release Date: June 2, 2022
• Genre: Metroidvania, RPG, Shooter, Puzzle
• Game Modes: Single Player
• Metacritic Score: 77 (PC), N/A (PlayStation 4), 77 (PlayStation 5), 72 (Switch), N/A (Xbox One), 78 (Xbox Series X|S)