Best Of
10 Best Metroidvania Games on PC
Discover ten PC Metroidvanias, including Silksong, Nine Sols and Animal Well, with useful comparisons and official game trailers.
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A good Metroidvania makes a new ability change the meaning of an old room. These ten PC games approach that idea through combat, movement, puzzles, or a mixture of all three. Some offer a demanding boss fight around every corner; others make exploration the main attraction. If that sounds like something that suits your requirements, then you ought to consider these following Metroidvania favorites on PC.
For more options, explore our roguelites for beginners guide.
10. SteamWorld Dig 2
SteamWorld Dig 2 turns digging into a satisfying cycle of discovery and improvement. You head underground, collect resources, and return better equipped to reach the next promising passage. Its movement upgrades make navigation increasingly expressive without burying the adventure under a huge combat system. Choose it if you like visible progress and a world that becomes easier to read as your tools improve. The compact structure is also helpful when you want a complete exploration game without committing to an enormous map.
Official trailer — Nintendo of America. SteamWorld Dig 2 – Nintendo Switch Launch Trailer.
9. Yoku’s Island Express
Yoku’s Island Express sends a small postal worker across an island through pinball movement. Bumpers, flippers, and carefully aimed launches become your tools for reaching new routes. That unusual combination makes the map feel different from a platformer built around running and jumping. It is our lightest recommendation for players who want exploration without making punishing combat the center of every session. Expect to learn how a space redirects momentum, then enjoy seeing familiar paths open up from a new angle.
Official trailer — Nintendo of America. Yoku’s Island Express Launch Trailer – Nintendo Switch.
8. ENDER LILIES: Quietus of the Knights
ENDER LILIES pairs a ruined kingdom with the spirits of fallen warriors, whose abilities become part of your combat and exploration. Trying different skills gives you room to find a style that suits a difficult encounter. The melancholy setting makes each new area feel like part of a larger tragedy. Choose it if atmosphere matters as much as fighting, and you enjoy connecting the history of a place through what remains. It is a more combat-focused recommendation than Yoku’s Island Express or Animal Well.
Official trailer — Nintendo of America. ENDER LILIES: Quietus of the Knights – Announcement Trailer – Nintendo Switch.
7. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
The Lost Crown makes movement and combat reinforce each other. Sargon’s abilities help you cross increasingly demanding spaces, while precise defensive timing and a useful range of attacks keep battles active. Its map tools also make it easier to remember a promising route you cannot use yet. Choose it if you want a substantial action platformer that treats navigation seriously. There is plenty of challenge, but the available difficulty and accessibility options give you ways to shape that challenge around your preferences.
Official trailer — Ubisoft. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown – Launch Trailer.
6. ANIMAL WELL
Animal Well makes an unfamiliar room interesting before you know what it contains. Its tools tend to reveal possibilities rather than simply increase damage, encouraging you to revisit spaces and question small details. The result is a quieter, puzzle-led interpretation of interconnected exploration. It is best approached with as little foreknowledge as possible. Pick it if testing an idea and noticing an overlooked connection sound more satisfying than collecting a long chain of combat upgrades. Use guides sparingly if discovery is your main reason to play.
Official trailer — Nintendo of America. ANIMAL WELL – Launch Trailer – Nintendo Switch.
5. Nine Sols
Nine Sols puts precise, deflection-focused combat at the center of an interconnected world. Bosses ask you to understand timing and attack patterns rather than rely on an ever-larger health bar. The setting combines technology, mythology, and a striking visual identity, giving the action a strong narrative frame. Choose it if you enjoy practicing a difficult encounter until its rhythm becomes readable. Players mainly looking for relaxed exploration should consider another entry, because its demanding fights are a major part of the recommendation.
Official trailer — PlayStation. Nine Sols – Launch Trailer | PS5 & PS4 Games.
4. Blasphemous 2
Blasphemous 2 gives the Penitent One several weapons whose differences matter both in combat and when moving through the map. That makes finding a new route feel tied to learning what your equipment can do. Its elaborate religious imagery supplies a distinctive world, though the grotesque presentation will not suit everyone. Pick it for deliberate action, memorable environments, and a structure that rewards careful exploration. It is the sequel recommended here; the first Blasphemous remains a separate game with its own mechanics.
Official trailer — PlayStation. Blasphemous 2 – Launch Trailer | PS5 Games.
3. Ori and the Will of the Wisps
Ori and the Will of the Wisps makes crossing the world a pleasure in itself. Chaining movement abilities through its spaces creates a flowing rhythm, while combat has more room to develop than in the first Ori. Its expressive animation and music support an emotional adventure without replacing the need to master traversal. Choose it if you want precision platforming alongside exploration. Some escape sequences move quickly, so expect moments when reacting and maintaining momentum matter more than patiently examining a room.
Official trailer — Nintendo of America. Ori and the Will of the Wisps – Launch Trailer – Nintendo Switch.
2. Hollow Knight
Hollow Knight gives you a kingdom large enough to get lost in, then makes learning its connections part of the reward. Combat begins with a simple set of actions, but enemy patterns and optional challenges give those actions lasting depth. It is a strong choice if you enjoy uncertainty and the satisfaction of gradually understanding a place. The demands can rise sharply in optional areas. Take time to explore elsewhere when a route feels unmanageable instead of assuming every obstacle must be solved immediately.
Official trailer — Team Cherry. Hollow Knight – Release Trailer.
1. Hollow Knight: Silksong
Silksong builds a new adventure around Hornet’s agile movement and distinctive approach to fighting. Ascending through Pharloom changes the shape of exploration, while tools and encounters give the journey an identity beyond being more Hollow Knight. It is a released PC game, so the question is which style of adventure you want rather than whether it has arrived. Choose it for an ambitious, demanding Metroidvania with expressive traversal. The original Hollow Knight remains a worthwhile introduction if you prefer to begin with that world’s earlier story.
Official trailer — Team Cherry. Hollow Knight: Silksong – Release Trailer.
Which Game Should You Start With?
Start with SteamWorld Dig 2 for a focused journey, Animal Well for puzzles, or Ori for movement. Nine Sols suits players seeking demanding deflection combat. Hollow Knight and Silksong are the picks for a longer expedition through a world you gradually learn to understand.
