5 Most Anticipated Metroidvania Games Coming Out in 2023

So far, so good. With an impressive list of upcoming games to look forward to, 2023 appears to be shaping up to be a great year in gaming, particularly in Metroidvania. Metroidvania is a fancy way to describe the merger between the Metroid and Castlevania franchises from way back during the NES era. Now a standard gaming term, “Metroidvania” describes a sub-genre of action-adventure or platformer games that offer guided non-linearity and utility-gated exploration and progression. 

Over the years, the growing popularity of Metroidvania games has inspired developers to incorporate their own twists and turns into the original formula. As a result, upcoming games often provide new, wholesome experiences. However, a sizable number is a complete mess too. So, to save you the trouble of sorting through the muck, we’ve compiled the five most anticipated Metroidvania games in 2023 that promise the most fun.

5. 9 Years of Shadows

Freedom Games, the creators of Dark Deity and Coromon, are hard at work preparing for their next publishing of Halberd Studios’ 9 Years of Shadows. So far, it looks like the game features some gorgeous hand-drawn art, vibrant-looking 32-bit visuals, and quite fast and deadly combat. 

On your quest through Talso Castle, Europa takes up companions, mainly a teddy bear ghost thing as your guide and elemental armor to solve puzzles with. There are different ways to customize your armor, as well as new techniques to unlock as you progress. Oh, and it seems you'll be able to heal yourself through music, which is something I'm particularly curious to see how it works.

Release Date: 2023

Platform(s): Switch, PC

4. Blasphemous 2

If you’ve played Blasphemous, the brutal action-platformer whose Souls-like punishing gameplay was not only a hidden indie gem but a million-seller a few years ago, you’ll be happy to know Spanish developer The Game Kitchen is working on a new sequel called Blasphemous 2. 

Before the sequel’s announcement, Blasphemous stacked up high praise for its gorgeous pixel art, intricate animations, and unforgiving, at times unfair, combat. It did so well that the developer released a final free DLC chapter called Blasphemous: Wounds of Eventide, illustrating the game’s true ending. And now, a sequel that picks up where the first game left off.

As the name suggests, Blasphemous tells the story of a foul curse called “The Miracle” placed on the land of Cvstodia and its people. Like the first game, players will take the role of the Penitent One in Blasphemous 2, embarking on a hopefully just as enticing, dark, and full-of-heart adventure as the first. Overall, you can expect fast-paced, skilled hack-and-slash combat and a deep, evocative story that creates an eerie Metroidvania 2D gameplay to remember. 

Release Date: 2023

Platform(s): PC

3. The Last Faith

Unlike most Metroidvania games of today, The Last Faith takes a different approach to the retro-based realm by way of 16-bit visuals, visceral combat, and a Bloodborne-esque sort of theme. It’s about a disease-ridden city that shows no mercy to its people, much like Blasphemous 2 thrives in its deep religious undertones and gory-filled violence. In fact, the two games are largely similar in the pixel-art, side-scroller sense that you can jump on either of the two that comes out the fastest.

In The Last Faith, players use complex melee combat and RPG gameplay to maneuver its gothic world. Among the opponents, you’ll fight are beasts like the giant, multi-headed hydra you may have seen in early-release footage of the game. So far, The Last Faith exemplifies Souls-like gameplay, so you can expect to face some harsh brutality and even die a couple of times. With its gorgeous pixel art, though, dying is sure to feel a lot easier as you progress.

Release Date: 2023

Platform(s): Switch, PS 4, PS 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, macOS, PC

2. Hollow Knight: Silksong

Hollow Knight: Silksong needs no introduction, given the overwhelming anticipation for its release. It’s not only the most anticipated Metroidvania game in 2023 but also among the most anticipated games in general. 

Set in a subterranean insect world, Team Cherry’s Silksong is a sequel to early 2017’s Hollow Knight. Part of the huge anticipation stems from the high praise for Hollow Knight. It’s not every day a small indie title stirs the Metroidvania world. Now, the sequel is shaping up to have a faster, deeper, and more complex combat system than its predecessor. It’ll also shift focus to the supporting character, Hornet, who’s much more frisky and mobile than the Knight. 

There’s also the fact that Silksong’s early release footage shows great promise with its visually stunning, more vibrant-looking Hallownest. Perhaps it’s this meticulous effort to push the boundaries of the first that has forced us into a long wait from its expected release sometime in 2020 to now, in 2023. Hopefully, Silksong doesn’t get pushed any further into 2024 because we simply can’t wait any longer.  

Release Date: 2023

Platform(s): Switch, PS 4, PS 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, macOS, PC

1. The Last Case of Benedict Fox

Instead of aggressive insects, you could face demons in The Last Case of Benedict Fox. Taking on the role of Benedict Fox, players will battle against the subconscious mind thanks to his gift-and-a-curse ability to read the minds of murder victims. Every secret you uncover builds up toward solving some hopefully mind-boggling mysteries. 

In the past, Benedict Fox put more focus on a narrative-driven adventure. Now, it seems they’re shifting toward solving elaborate puzzles within occult thriller settings. Regardless, it’s a quite different Metroidvania game that puts its own spin on cosmic horror. So, while you won’t find plenty of combat scenarios, the shift toward puzzles and exploration is quite a unique take in the Metroidvania genre and does pique our interest in the release slightly higher.

Release Date: 2023

Platform(s): Xbox Series X/S, PC

So, what’s your take? Will you be picking up any of the five most anticipated Metroidvania games coming out in 2023? Are there more games we should know about? Let us know down in the comments or over on our socials here.