Read our Axiom Verge review and Axiom Verge 2 review.

If you're not in the mood to start pondering the very nature of existence though, the Axiom Verge games easily function as a brilliant fusion between Metroid and Contra that feel constantly rewarding when you dive head-first into them. These stages also house secrets that can distort its own design, breaking its own reality while dropping heavy theological questions into the mix that are coated with the nostalgic appeal of 8-bit graphics. Possibly the biggest draw of Axiom Verge is the atmosphere that it invites you to explore, as the alien nature of these levels coupled with the isolation that you'll have to endure is cold and unnerving. What makes the Axiom Verge approach feel so special is a truly staggering assortment of weapons, which range from your run-of-the-mill blasters to exotic guns that rip reality itself apart. Axiom Verge series Axiom VergeĪ gorgeous homage to Super Metroid, the Axiom Verge games merge gripping stories with incredible moment-to-moment gunplay.

Metroid Dread is featured on our roundup of the best Nintendo Switch games. Though we left Metroid Dread off of this list because we figured it'd be cheating, Switch owners absolutely should play through Samus' latest adventure.

Which metroidvania is best for you though? We've gone through a castle library of games in the genre, and found 15 examples that we've listed in alphabetical order below to help you get started on a 2D dive into this stylish field of games. Metroidvanias are one of the more popular genres out there, and with the gap between new Castlevania or Metroid games usually being lengthy, seeing the best elements of those franchises combined into games that find fascinating new ways to put a unique spin on the formula makes for some great entertainment. The best metroidvanias are games that provide massive maps to explore, obstacles to conquer, and progression systems that provide constant 'eureka' moments during your journey.

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