Silksong is a game that is taking its time to arrive. After its very brief appearance in the Nintendo Switch 2 presentation, which has even offended some people due to its brevity, there are doubts about whether the project will actually be released this year. But for now, we have no reason to believe it will be delayed again. New images of the game have been released, it has been confirmed that it will be released this year, and it will be available on both the original Nintendo Switch and its successor.
That said, we know you want to play it. That you have the itch. That’s why we’re going to offer you eight alternatives to satisfy that need to play Silksong right now. They are not Hollow Knight, but they are excellent games. And who knows: you might even find a game that fascinates you.
Super Metroid
The father of all metroidvanias. The third installment of the Metroid franchise and one of the most acclaimed games in video game history, not just on its console. Because Super Metroid looked at what the excellent Metroid and Metroid II: Return of Samus did and raised the stakes in a game that, even today, still seems to come from the future. Is it the best Metroid? That could be debated. But what is indisputable is that it remains an exceptional metroidvania.
Cave Story
In the rise of the indie scene in the early 00s, before any American made a move, it was a Japanese who made everything start to fall into place. Daisuke “Pixel” Amaya released Cave Story on December 20, 2004, and forever changed the history of video games. The first great indie video game is also an excellent metroidvania and an exceptionally narrative and aesthetically pleasing game. A delight without which Hollow Knight would be impossible.
Rain World
Is it a metroidvania? Is it a survival game with expressive platforming elements? The answer to both questions is yes. Because Rain World takes the structure and logic of the former to create the latter. And it does so with a dark world, filled with fascinating lore and an overwhelming complexity that doesn’t diminish no matter how many times we visit it. An absolute must-have that will soon receive an expansion that promises to make it even more fascinating and strange.
Ori and the Blind Forest
The prettiest game on the list, although not necessarily the simplest. Ori and the Blind Forest hides behind its cute aesthetics a game with much more bite than it seems, both in narrative and mechanics, which would be even more amplified in its excellent sequel, Ori and the Will of the Wisps. A diptych that, especially fans of Hollow Knight, should not miss for anything in the world.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
What would happen if we introduced elements of combat inherited from fighting games into a metroidvania, along with an incredibly intuitive map? We would have one of the best metroidvanias of recent years: Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. Although we won’t have a sequel because it didn’t meet Ubisoft’s expectations, don’t pay attention to the suits and listen to us. This game is a masterpiece. And you should play it as soon as possible.
Blasphemous
Metroidvanias are also made in Spain. For example, we have the excellent Blasphemous, a game heavily inspired by Catholicism and all the grotesque and very bloody imagery that surrounds it. With a notable sequel as well, these are two tremendously interesting games that stand out for both their aesthetics and their unique use of everything related to the religious. Something surprising and fresh that makes us wish more people would do the same with the culture of their countries or regions.
Ender Magnolia
The most recent of our elections is also one of the easiest to connect with if you are a fan of Hollow Knight. Sequel to the interesting Ender Lillies, Ender Magnolias polishes all the flaws of the original by adding new layers to its combat and exploration, making it a tremendously dense, deep, and interesting game. If you want lore, complex battles, and platforming that requires precision, really: you don’t need to wait for Silksong with Ender Magnolia.
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Ending without mentioning the father of all metroidvanias is a bit absurd. And we can accept that for many new players, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night can feel slow or repetitive, but it doesn’t seem that way to us. Here is all the DNA of all those that would come after, and this is where it is enjoyed and where it truly demonstrates its genius: how the entire foundation is here. And even though we pretend otherwise, when we strip away the garments, all the others are nothing but Symphony of the Night, now in another outfit.
