Metroidvania Still Feels Like A Niche Genre That Deserves Better

The original Metroid and Castlevania both turn 40 years old this fall. As the two series most responsible for creating the “metroidvania,” we’re taking this occasion to take a comprehensive view of the popular genre. This is Metroidvania Week. Within the vast and overcrowded Steam store, there are over 3,100 titles with the “metroidvania” tag. Last year, Hollow Knight: Silksong accomplished a rare feat for an indie game, crashing storefronts upon its launch. And later this year, one of the ge...