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.
What are the best games like Hollow Knight to play before Silksong?
The closest games to Hollow Knight are Blasphemous, Blasphemous 2, Death's Gambit: Afterlife, and the Ender Lilies/Ender Magnolia series. Each shares the dark atmosphere, challenging combat, and interconnected world design that define Hollow Knight, making them ideal picks while waiting for Silksong.
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.
What are the best 2D metroidvanias right now?
The standout 2D metroidvanias right now are Nine Sols, Hyper Light Drifter, the Axiom Verge games, and Metroid Dread. Nine Sols delivers parry-focused combat, Hyper Light Drifter nails atmospheric exploration, Axiom Verge goes deep on sci-fi, and Metroid Dread revived the franchise that started it all.
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.
What are the best exploration-focused metroidvanias?
For players who love poking into every corner of a map, Animal Well, Tunic, La-Mulana 2, and Environmental Station Alpha are the top exploration-focused picks. These games reward curiosity and deep engagement with layered secrets, hidden mechanics, and puzzle-dense world design over raw combat skill.
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.
What are the best soulslike metroidvanias?
The best soulslike metroidvanias are Salt and Sanctuary, Salt and Sacrifice, Dark Devotion, and Vigil: The Longest Night. These games blend the punishing combat and stamina management of Dark Souls with 2D metroidvania exploration, delivering gothic, atmospheric worlds full of brutal boss fights.
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.
What are the best action-focused metroidvanias?
For combat-first metroidvania fans, Dead Cells, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Ori and the Blind Forest, and Islands of Insight stand out. Dead Cells combines roguelike replayability with tight action, while the Ori games deliver some of the sharpest precision platforming in the genre.
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.
What are the best atmospheric indie metroidvanias?
GRIS, Hyper Light Drifter, The Messenger, and Dandara are the top atmospheric indie picks. These games prioritize mood, visual storytelling, and unique art direction. They may not all be strict metroidvanias, but they share the same commitment to atmosphere and world-feel that defines Hollow Knight.
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.
What classic metroidvanias are worth revisiting?
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Super Metroid, and Metroid Prime Remastered are the essential classic metroidvanias every fan should play. Symphony of the Night defined the genre, Super Metroid invented it, and Metroid Prime Remastered proves the formula thrives in 3D. All three still hold up.
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.
What are the best recent metroidvania releases?
The strongest recent metroidvania releases include Nine Sols, Afterimage, Moonscars, and F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch. Nine Sols is a must-play from 2024, Afterimage stuns with hand-drawn art, Moonscars leans into dark fantasy soulslike combat, and F.I.S.T. brings a steampunk edge from a Chinese studio.
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.
What games should I play to prepare for Silksong?
To prepare for Silksong's expected emphasis on agile, movement-focused gameplay, play Celeste for precision platforming, Neon White for speed-driven action, Pseudoregalia for fluid 3D exploration, and A Hat in Time for expressive movement. These games train the reflexes and spatial awareness Silksong will likely demand.
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, but we love the genre and respect what Team Cherry is building. Our game Granny's Rampage is a top-down bullet heaven, a different genre entirely. For more 2D action coverage, check our metroidvania and platformer roundups linked below.
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.
What are the best games like Silksong?
The best games like Silksong depend on what you value most. Hollow Knight is the obvious pick, Blasphemous nails dark atmosphere, Nine Sols delivers recent excellence, Salt and Sacrifice scratches the soulslike itch, Animal Well rewards exploration, Dead Cells is pure action, and Symphony of the Night is the timeless classic.
| Priority | Best Pick | Why It Fits |
|---|---|---|
| Direct predecessor | Hollow Knight | The original game Silksong is a sequel to |
| Similar religious atmosphere | Blasphemous or Blasphemous 2 | Spanish horror metroidvanias with deep lore |
| Recent excellence | Nine Sols | Essential 2024 parry-focused metroidvania |
| Soulslike metroidvania | Salt and Sacrifice | 2D soulslike with punishing boss fights |
| Exploration-focus | Animal Well or Tunic | Layered secrets and puzzle-dense worlds |
| Action-focus | Dead Cells | Roguelike metroidvania with tight combat loops |
| Classic | Castlevania: Symphony of the Night | The game that defined the genre |
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best games like Silksong to play while waiting?
The best games like Silksong are Hollow Knight (the direct predecessor), Blasphemous and Blasphemous 2 for dark atmosphere, Nine Sols for recent parry-focused excellence, Salt and Sacrifice for soulslike metroidvania, Animal Well or Tunic for exploration, and Dead Cells for action-focused combat.
What games should I play to prepare for Silksong's movement-focused gameplay?
Celeste, Neon White, Pseudoregalia, and A Hat in Time all emphasize fluid, agile movement similar to what Silksong is expected to deliver. Celeste trains precision platforming, Neon White focuses on speed, and Pseudoregalia offers 3D exploration with smooth traversal.
What are the best soulslike metroidvanias like Hollow Knight?
The best soulslike metroidvanias are Salt and Sanctuary, Salt and Sacrifice, Dark Devotion, Vigil: The Longest Night, and Death's Gambit: Afterlife. All blend punishing combat and stamina-based mechanics with 2D metroidvania exploration and gothic atmospheres.
What is the best recent metroidvania to play in 2024?
Nine Sols is the standout 2024 metroidvania release. It is a Taiwanese action metroidvania with parry-focused combat that has been widely praised. Other strong recent picks include Afterimage, Moonscars, and F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch.
