Articles Blasphemous 2

The soulslike genre owes its existence to Demon's Souls, released by FromSoftware in 2009. A PlayStation exclusive, it first earned a cult following among hardcore players in its homeland of Japan. From its core mechanics, FromSoftware's lead designer Hidetaka Miyazaki built a new game — Dark Souls — which launched a series that became iconic the world over. Soon the "soulslikes" started arriving: games that copy the Dark Souls formula of success. An entire genre was born, built on the hallmarks of Dark Souls — punishing difficulty, "bonfires" (checkpoints for saving and leveling up), enemies that respawn on a location once you die, collecting experience ("souls"), stamina management in combat, fragmentary storytelling, and — most importantly — gruelling boss fights that force you to learn every move set.

Metroidvanias are one of those genres where world exploration matters just as much as combat. The best games in the spirit of Metroid and Castlevania gradually reveal the map, hide new abilities behind locked passages, and constantly push you to return to familiar locations to find secrets, bosses, and optional challenges. In this list, we have collected the best metroidvanias on PC, consoles, and handheld platforms — from acknowledged classics to modern indie hits.

The action-adventure genre is one of the most varied in the industry: it covers a huge range of subgenres, from GTA-style games and open-world titles to metroidvanias and cinematic blockbusters. What unites all action-adventure games is a focus on dynamic combat, world exploration, overcoming obstacles, puzzle-solving, stealth, and strong narrative. This list includes games for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch / Switch 2.