Upcoming Metroidvania Games We’re Looking Forward to Getting Lost In

The ongoing Metroidvania renaissance continues unabated as 2025 rolls on. Several noteworthy titles in the genre have already been released in the last 6 months alone, and there are several more promising-looking upcoming Metroidvania games to get excited about for the rest of 2025 and 2026. The announcement of the Switch 2 seems to have kickstarted a slow trickle of news on Hollow Knight: Silksong, which could see the light of day before the end of 2025 after 8 long years in development. But Silksong is far from the only Metroidvania that fans of the genre are incredibly hyped for, as Clover Bite's incredible GRIME is supposedly getting its previously announced sequel before the end of the year, too.

• Release Date — TBA
• Developer — HypeTrain Digital
• Publisher — HypeTrain Digital
• Platforms — PC, Nintendo Switch

HypeTrain Digital's Akatori seemingly came out of nowhere with an incredible Steam demo ahead of its release, and it's enough of a gameplay slice to assert that it's a title that needs to be on Metroidvania fans' radars. In addition to its excellent platforming and combat on display in the currently available demo, Akatori also showcases some incredible art direction and animations, making it an upcoming Metroidvania game that's as appealing to look at as it is to play. No set release date for this one just yet, but it's worth noting that most of the indie Metroidvanias on this list will likely structure their eventual releases so as to give Hollow Knight: Silksong a wide berth.

• Release Date — TBA 2025
• Developer — NERDS TAKE OVER
• Publisher — NERDS TAKE OVER
• Platforms — PC

There have been some other attempts at "2D Bloodborne" in the Metroidvania or Metroidvania-adjacent space, but none of them so clearly wear their inspirations on their sleeve as Tearscape. Best described as "Link's Awakening meets Bloodborne", Tearscape definitely skews more on the Zelda-like spectrum of action-adventure games, but it does feature some Metroidvania elements such as a large, interconnected map with plenty of ability-gated areas. Like many of the other upcoming Metroidvania games on this list, Tearscape also has a great public demo available on Steam that does a great job of immediately selling you on its premise.

• Release Date — Q4 2025
• Developer — btf
• Publisher — btf, ByteRocker's Games
• Platforms — PC

The excellent-looking Constance is one of several upcoming titles that use a captivating hand-drawn art style, but it's perhaps the only one that incorporates art into its gameplay loop and story. You play as the titular character, an artist wielding a paintbrush who uses her powers to both traverse and transform the world around her, and Constance backs up its unique premise with some airtight platforming and combat that look to be precisely what seasoned Metroidvania fans are looking for in a new genre entry. There's no public demo available as of right now, but the Summer Steam Next Fest is just around the corner, meaning we might see one show up then.

• Release Date — TBA 2025
• Developer — Nootbox Games
• Publisher — Nootbox Games
• Platforms — PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Anyone looking for a new Metroidvania game to fill the Momodora-sized hole in their hearts needs look no further than Rune Fencer Illyia. One look at Rune Fencer's art style and animations is all it takes for the Momodora comparisons to rise to the surface, but early impressions of the game also seem to indicate that it has plenty of substance to back up its style. Rune Fencer Illyia has been in development for quite a while and supposedly features a massive world for players to explore, but the most recent comments from developer Nootbox Games seem to indicate that it will definitely be arriving at some point in 2025.

• Release Date — TBA
• Developer — Voragine Game Studio
• Publisher — Voragine Game Studio
• Platforms — PC

After waiting for Eden's Guardian for what felt like an eternity, Voragine Game Studio finally released a public demo as part of February's Steam Next Fest, and it somehow made the wait for the full game even harder. Though Eden's Guardian's visuals have a distinctive Blasphemous influence, its combat and platforming are much more forgiving, with the former being more swift and momentum-focused while the latter is faster and less methodical. Eden's Guardian strikes a nice balance between old-school Metroidvania design and the newer Metroidvania/Soulslike hybrids, and the full game will be something special if the demo is any indication.

• Release Date — TBA
• Developer — Moth Atlas
• Publisher — Midwest Games
• Platforms — PC

Another top-down, 2D Metroidvania/Soulslike/Zelda-like hybrid akin to Tearscape, Tombwater definitely errs more on the Soulslike side but still has some Metroidvania elements. Most notably, Tombwater features an impressively vast and interconnected map split into distinct biomes that require using different abilities and upgrades to traverse. So even if its combat and progression are more FromSoftware than a typical Metroidvania, the core genre elements players have come to expect are still front and center in Tombwater. Plus, anyone looking for a suitably challenging Metroidvania has their work cut out for them with Tombwater's nail-biting difficulty.

• Release Date — TBA
• Developer — Bit Kid, Inc.
• Publisher — Bit Kid, Inc.
• Platforms — PC

Metroidvania fans were already treated to an excellent run n' gun/Metroidvania hybrid earlier this year with the excellent Guns of Fury, but there's another upcoming title that looks to scratch that same itch. Bit Kid's Wolfhound is a sort of 2D Metroidvania take on the Wolfenstein series, right down to its World War II-era setting and mixture of human and supernatural enemies, and it features some visuals that are somewhat reminiscent of the criminally underrated The Mummy Demastered. If any of Wolfhound's elements are even half as strong as the games that their pulled from, it'll be a Metroidvania game worth grabbing.

• Release Date — TBA
• Developer — The Matte Black Studio
• Publisher — Apogee Entertainment
• Platforms — PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Most modern Metroidvania games mix combat and platforming in equal measure, but sometimes a title comes along that focuses on one of those elements over another. The upcoming Lucid is one of those games that, while it features combat, places an emphasis on its tight controls and precision platforming across its unique, crystalline world. Lucid has been in development for some time now, but a steady stream of more recent updates seems to indicate that the title will release at some point in late 2025 or early 2026, and being able to go hands-on with its Celeste-style platforming challenges can't come soon enough.

• Release Date — TBA
• Developer — 2Awesome Studio
• Publisher — Critical Reflex
• Platforms — PC

Since it was initially revealed last year, Altered Alma has routinely shown up in conversations among Metroidvania fans as one of the genre's most anticipated games, and for good reason. A cyberpunk Metroidvania set in a futuristic version of the developer's native Barcelona, Altered Alma looks absolutely stunning, and it happens to feature some strong gameplay supporting its eye-catching visuals. The boomerang teleport that Alma has is incredibly fun to use, and Altered Alma's incorporation of Mass Effect 2-style crew and relationship management adds a nice narrative wrinkle that's not seen all that often in the Metroidvania genre.

• Release Date — TBA
• Developer — Pixel Arc Studios
• Publisher — Pixel Arc Studios
• Platforms — PC, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One

Other than Hollow Knight: Silksong, Bushiden is the game that's been in development the longest at the time of writing, with the title originally launching its Kickstarter back in 2018. Since that initial successful crowdfunding, Bushiden has survived both a global pandemic and the loss of its publisher (Humble Games) and has come out the other side as one of the best-looking and most promising upcoming action platformer games. The recent backer demo for Bushiden was a long time coming, but it ultimately served to reassure fans that the game was on track to be an incredible mix of Ninja Gaiden, Mega Man X, and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

• Release Date — TBA
• Developer — Winter Crew Studios
• Publisher — CMD Studios
• Platforms — PC, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Another upcoming Metroidvania game initially revealed last year, Fallen Tear: The Ascension has been making waves ever since its successful Kickstarter. This JRPG-inspired Metroidvania game features some stunning art and environmental design, and its unique party system and recruitable allies add another layer to its already great platforming and combat present in the initial demo. Fallen Tear might be a bit of a way out from release at this point, but the clear roadmap laid out by developer Winter Crew Studios lays bare all the reasons players should be comfortable with letting them continue to cook until it's ready.

• Release Date — TBA 2026
• Developer — Little Legendary
• Publisher — Little Legendary
• Platforms — PC

The most recently revealed game on this list is SHADE Protocol. The debut title from newer indie developer Little Legendary, SHADE Protocol is perhaps one of the most exciting upcoming Metroidvanias thanks to the level of polish it displays in its initial trailer. If the game already looks this good, you can only imagine what the final product will deliver when it arrives in 2026. SHADE Protocol features some classic Metroidvania combat and platforming in its trailer, but the kicker is the world-splitting mechanic that players can use to splice reality and reach previously inaccessible areas.

• Release Date — TBA
• Developer — Clover Bite
• Publisher — Kwalee
• Platforms — PC

Clover Bite's GRIME is perhaps one of the best 2D Soulslikes and one of the best Metroidvanias. So to see that it was developing a sequel, GRIME II, was both a welcome and somewhat expected surprise. Clover Bite has been somewhat quiet since GRIME II's initial reveal, but a recent update confirmed that the game is still on track to hopefully release in 2025. Given the first game's incredible environmental and boss design, the pull of a brand new world hiding more monstrosities to overcome is almost too strong to ignore.

• Release Date — TBA
• Developer — Team Cherry
• Publisher — Team Cherry
• Platforms — PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

At this point, Silksong's protracted development has seen the game become a bit of a victim of its own hype. But even with players continually being disappointed by a lack of concrete info regarding Silksong's official release date, there's no denying that the game's launch will be one of the biggest events in gaming when it finally happens. The long-awaited sequel to Hollow Knight, the game most responsible for kickstarting the ongoing renaissance of the Metroidvania, Hollow Knight: Silksong promises to be bigger and more expansive than its predecessor in any way. Hollow Knight is perhaps the greatest of the modern Metroidvanias, and if Silksong is even half as good, it'll sit right alongside it as one of the genre's best titles.