Edit: Poorly worded title, but I'm referring to games that feel "metroidvania-ish" because they have metroidvania elements, not "metroidvania-lite" games.
I've recently been playing Pokemon Green, first time playing this specific version (in Japanese) but I've played Pokemon Red, Blue and Yellow several times throughout the years since their release (as well as FireRed and LeafGreen). This is the first time I've replayed a gen 1 game in 6 or so years though.
While I've been playing it, it's reminded me of one of the things I liked so much about gen 1 - the gated exploration and interconnected world. You'll come across areas that you initially can't access because you need a move like Cut or surf, or you otherwise can't progress much (if at all) until you've obtained a certain item like the Silph Scope to see the ghost Pokemon in the tower in Lavender Town. So there's a lot of backtracking required (though there's also some unlockable shortcuts), but that's something I actually really enjoy about the Kanto games, and it reminds me of what I generally like about metroidvania games.
Metroidvania is one of those genres where I don't really know what "qualifies" something as being "truly" part of that genre, as I've seen a lot of debates on what does or doesn't make a metroidvania throughout the years (sometimes even seen arguments that metroidvanias specifically HAVE to be 2D). For example I rarely see Resident Evil 1-3 referred to as metroidvanias, but they definitely have some metroidvania elements in progression being gated behind obtaining certain items, rooms showing a different colour on the map based on whether everything in them has been looted or not, etc.
I guess for me personally, I generally see "true" metroidvanias as games where gated progression (via obtaining new abilities and items more-so than things like puzzles), mapping and backtracking are pretty much the main focus, and generally the game will be classified as "action adventure" secondary to being a metroidvania.
I was wondering if there's any other "metroidvania-like" games that aren't quite "full/true" metroidvanias that anyone could recommend? Basically, any games that have gated progression/exploration, required backtracking and/or an interconnected map, but are otherwise generally different genres entirely, like RE primarily being a survival horror and Pokemon being a turn based RPG.
Also before anyone recommends the FromSoft Souls games, I've already played all of them (sans Elden Ring, waiting for the DLC) and have appreciated the metroidvania-like elements in those as well. I'd argue King's Field has some metroidvania-ish aspects as well, which I've also enjoyed.
I've recently been playing Pokemon Green, first time playing this specific version (in Japanese) but I've played Pokemon Red, Blue and Yellow several times throughout the years since their release (as well as FireRed and LeafGreen). This is the first time I've replayed a gen 1 game in 6 or so years though.
While I've been playing it, it's reminded me of one of the things I liked so much about gen 1 - the gated exploration and interconnected world. You'll come across areas that you initially can't access because you need a move like Cut or surf, or you otherwise can't progress much (if at all) until you've obtained a certain item like the Silph Scope to see the ghost Pokemon in the tower in Lavender Town. So there's a lot of backtracking required (though there's also some unlockable shortcuts), but that's something I actually really enjoy about the Kanto games, and it reminds me of what I generally like about metroidvania games.
Metroidvania is one of those genres where I don't really know what "qualifies" something as being "truly" part of that genre, as I've seen a lot of debates on what does or doesn't make a metroidvania throughout the years (sometimes even seen arguments that metroidvanias specifically HAVE to be 2D). For example I rarely see Resident Evil 1-3 referred to as metroidvanias, but they definitely have some metroidvania elements in progression being gated behind obtaining certain items, rooms showing a different colour on the map based on whether everything in them has been looted or not, etc.
I guess for me personally, I generally see "true" metroidvanias as games where gated progression (via obtaining new abilities and items more-so than things like puzzles), mapping and backtracking are pretty much the main focus, and generally the game will be classified as "action adventure" secondary to being a metroidvania.
I was wondering if there's any other "metroidvania-like" games that aren't quite "full/true" metroidvanias that anyone could recommend? Basically, any games that have gated progression/exploration, required backtracking and/or an interconnected map, but are otherwise generally different genres entirely, like RE primarily being a survival horror and Pokemon being a turn based RPG.
Also before anyone recommends the FromSoft Souls games, I've already played all of them (sans Elden Ring, waiting for the DLC) and have appreciated the metroidvania-like elements in those as well. I'd argue King's Field has some metroidvania-ish aspects as well, which I've also enjoyed.
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