Games Like Silksong: Metroidvanias Worth Playing While You Wait
The best games like Hollow Knight Silksong — metroidvanias with precise combat, atmospheric worlds, and the specific design craft of Team Cherry's work.
Hollow Knight: Silksong is among the most anticipated indie games ever. Announced in 2019 as a Hollow Knight DLC that grew into a full sequel, the game's development has been the subject of seven years of memes, conspiracy theories, and genuine anticipation. Team Cherry has been silent about release plans for extended periods, which has only heightened expectations.
While you wait (or after you've played), these metroidvanias capture different pieces of what makes Hollow Knight and presumably Silksong special.
The direct Hollow Knight successors
Hollow Knight is obviously the starting point if you haven't played it. Still among the best indie games ever made. The games like Hollow Knight post has more.
Blasphemous and Blasphemous 2 are Spanish religious horror metroidvanias with similar atmospheric commitment.
Death's Gambit: Afterlife is 2D soulslike metroidvania with heavy narrative.
Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights and Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist are atmospheric metroidvanias with ghostly aesthetic.
The 2D metroidvania gems
Nine Sols is Taiwanese action metroidvania with parry-focused combat. Genuinely excellent.
Hyper Light Drifter is atmospheric action-adventure with exploration focus.
Axiom Verge and Axiom Verge 2 are sci-fi metroidvanias with alien aesthetic.
Metroid Dread is the first new 2D Metroid in 19 years.
The exploration-focused picks
Animal Well is metroidvania-puzzle hybrid rewarding deep engagement. The games like Animal Well post has more.
Tunic is isometric Zelda-inspired exploration with deep secrets.
La-Mulana 2 is hardcore puzzle metroidvania.
Environmental Station Alpha is pixel-art metroidvania with deep secrets.
The soulslike metroidvanias
Salt and Sanctuary is 2D soulslike metroidvania.
Salt and Sacrifice is the sequel.
Dark Devotion is pixel-art soulslike with religious horror.
Vigil: The Longest Night is gothic horror metroidvania.
The action-focused metroidvanias
Dead Cells is roguelike metroidvania. The games like Dead Cells post has more.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps is precision platforming with metroidvania exploration.
Ori and the Blind Forest is the predecessor.
Islands of Insight is puzzle-focused 3D metroidvania-like.
The indie atmospheric picks
GRIS is 2D platformer about grief. Not strictly metroidvania but shares the atmospheric commitment.
Hyper Light Drifter — mentioned above.
The Messenger blends retro platforming with metroidvania surprisingly.
Dandara: Trials of Fear Edition is unique movement-based metroidvania.
The classic metroidvanias worth revisiting
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night remains the defining metroidvania.
Super Metroid invented the subgenre. Available on Nintendo Switch Online.
Metroid Prime Remastered is the 3D Metroid remaster.
The recent releases
Nine Sols — mentioned above. Essential 2024 release.
Afterimage is 2D metroidvania with beautiful hand-drawn art.
Moonscars is dark fantasy metroidvania with soulslike combat.
F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch is Chinese metroidvania with steampunk aesthetic.
The specific Silksong preparation
Since Silksong is expected to be Team Cherry's take on a more agile, movement-focused metroidvania, games with similar movement emphasis:
Celeste is precision platforming with tight movement.
Neon White is movement-focused first-person action.
Pseudoregalia is 3D exploration with fluid movement.
Hat in Time — 3D platformer with expressive movement.
What we make at Choost
We don't make metroidvanias — the art scope and exploration design required are enormous for small teams. Granny's Rampage is top-down bullet heaven, different genre entirely. But we love the metroidvania form and respect what Team Cherry is taking years to perfect. For more 2D action content, the best platformer games, games like Dead Cells, and best metroidvania games posts have more.
The short answer
For the direct predecessor: Hollow Knight.
For similar religious atmosphere: Blasphemous or Blasphemous 2.
For recent excellence: Nine Sols.
For soulslike metroidvania: Salt and Sacrifice.
For exploration-focus: Animal Well or Tunic.
For action-focus: Dead Cells.
For classic: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.
Silksong's eventual release will be genuinely special given the years of development. While you wait, the metroidvania genre has never been richer. Nine Sols, Animal Well, and Blasphemous 2 are all within recent years. The wait is long but the adjacent territory is healthier than ever.