Upcoming Metroidvania Games We Can't Wait To Play In 2023

"Biomorph" is one of many Metroidvania games coming out in 2023 that also features soulslike mechanics. Anyone who has played a game such as "Bloodborne" or "Elden Ring" will be familiar with the idea of going out and exploring a large open world, something that "Biomorph" will task players with doing. Along the way, the protagonist will be able to find new abilities, upgrades, and designs to unlock additional weapons.

Perhaps the most compelling reason to check "Biomorph" out is the gameplay's focus on stealing powers from enemies. After defeating a creature, you are able to take on its form and use its unique skills for a short period of time. This opens up a wide range of possibilities in terms of battling other enemies and overcoming potential obstacles or puzzles that block the way. These monsters can even learn new powers of their own as they adapt to your playstyle and actions.

This is an interesting twist on the traditional Metroidvania formula and one that definitely has plenty of people eagerly anticipating the release of the game when it finally arrives on Nintendo Switch and PC later this year.

"The Last Faith" is a Metroidvania game that has been described as a soulslike by its developer Kumi Souls Games. This means that it contains many of the same elements that games such as "Dark Souls" have, such as intense difficulty levels, a severe loss of progress if a checkpoint is not reached, and an RPG-like improvement for the protagonist. In the case of "The Last Faith," this involves a methodical combat system and challenging bosses that will likely take multiple attempts to beat.

Fans of "Blasphemous" will enjoy the similar art style and religious overtones, although "The Last Faith" does appear to be a very different game in terms of its precise swordplay and graphic executions. There's also a wide variety of weapons to choose from and a wide array of enemies. Taking control of Eric, players will learn more about the character who has lost his memory and slowly sees his mind deteriorate as he traverses the bizarre gothic region that makes up the environment.

"Fallen Tear: The Ascension" is a 2D Metroidvania from Winter Crew. Due to launch exclusively on PC, the game combines action, platforming, and role-playing elements together to create a very distinctive-looking experience. Closely resembling "Dust: An Elysian Tail," in terms of visuals at least, it features a hand-drawn animation style that brings the world and characters to life in a vibrant way. The story follows a young hero known as Hira and his attempts to bring balance back to the magical world of Raoah. Along the way, this child will have to fight a series of dangerous monsters and powerful enemies who oppose him.

According to the developer, "Fallen Tear: The Ascension" includes a world that can change depending on your actions and choices, while puzzles and obstacles will block the path. The vast open world of Raoah holds many secrets and characters to meet, some of whom can teach Hira new powers to add to his arsenal. With a colorful style and a fully-voiced cast, this game has a presentation that few Metroidvania games can rival and has enough content to provide up to 40 hours of gameplay when it releases this year.

Developed by The Game Kitchen and published by "Worms" studio Team17, "Blasphemous 2" is a sequel to the 2019 game "Blasphemous." The first game took place in the fictional land known as Cvstodia with a knight who travels through the region as part of his pilgrimage. Using both melee combat and magic spells, this silent hero battles through hordes of enemies and attains a number of upgrades as he tries to overthrow the current leader of the church.

Very little has been revealed about "Blasphemous 2" so far, but if it is anything like its predecessor, then players will be in for a treat. After all, it currently sits with a Metacritic rating of 77 and has sold more than a million copies across all platforms (via Nintendo Life). Speaking to GameReactor, studio director Mauricio Garcia explained that the sequel would be "bigger and better basically, that's the summary." He also promised that more news would be shared in the near future.

The pedigree of "Blasphemous 2" means that even without any trailers or screenshots, fans will be excited to enter the world of Cvstodia again and once again take control of the Penitent One. What we can safely assume is that it will feature similar gameplay, including the ability to find upgrades and have to learn enemy attack patterns to successfully parry during combat.

Some of the best Metroidvania games are the ones that don't give you too much information or guidance. Instead, they thrust players into the world to find out things for themselves. That seems to be the approach that "Worldless" is taking, with the minimalistic title dropping players into a strange world where the laws of physics don't apply and the universe has not yet taken form. Featuring highly stylized visuals, the story largely revolves around the astral and physical worlds colliding as they battle to become the dominant force.

"Worldless" certainly appears to have a more contemplative feel to it, with turn-based combat requiring a thoughtful technique and movement being slower than most other platform games. The charming graphics and the soothing orchestral soundtrack should also mean that it is a relaxing affair that won't be quite as frantic as you'd expect from a Metroidvania release. There's still no word on an exact release date but when it does become available, players will be able to experience a truly atmospheric world.

From the new development team Cool Tapir Studios, "Last Vanguard" is an open-world Metroidvania game with a distinctive style. Taking a different approach to the standard pixel art visuals of most of the games of this genre, this release has a more comic book and cartoon feel that certainly helps it jump out from the screen and stand out from the crowd. The other way that "Last Vanguard" is unique is in the way it focuses on shooter gameplay rather than traditional melee combat, with players having to constantly find new guns and upgrade their weapons to progress through the story.

From what has been shown so far, it appears as if users will have a lot of options when it comes to customizing loadouts and choosing a playstyle that best suits their skills. Combined with the ability to choose different abilities, "Last Vanguard" should offer plenty of value in terms of replayability as well. With some 15 bosses to tackle across three varied dungeons, the game also looks like a frantic and difficult challenge.

"Hollow Knight" might well be the best Metroidvania game of the last few years, with the 2017 release winning numerous awards and achieving widespread critical acclaim across all of the platforms it was available on. The game followed a nameless insect knight who travels in the underground environment of Hallownest to rid the land of a curse. Along the way, the warrior fights an enemy known as Hornet, who is now the protagonist of the sequel "Hollow Knight: Silksong."

The fact that the new main character is a faster and more acrobatic figure gives the new game a different feel. Despite the gameplay being largely the same, it will involve gameplay that revolves around speed and platforming. This time around, the action takes place in a new area called Pharloom, a kingdom that Hornet is taken to, and she must climb to the top of the citadel to discover why she is there.

Coming to practically every platform, "Hollow Knight: Silksong" is expected to release in the first half of the year. One of the most eagerly anticipated games of 2023, if it has any of the same qualities as its predecessor, then it is sure to be a hit that will have players enthralled.