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Australian indie game studio Team Cherry released Hollow Knight: Silksong on Sept. 4, and within three weeks, the combat/platformer climbed up Steam’s most played chart, made Xbox’s most played list, and gained legions of fans on Switch and PlayStation consoles. So a lot of people are playing it. If you’re one of them, and you’ve uncovered every secret in Pharloom (or you just need a break), here are 10 more games you might like.
They’re (roughly) all in the metroidvania family of games, so they feature 2D platforming, exploration of interconnected worlds, and unlockable upgrades that both open new-areas and add skills. But those seemingly narrow genre conventions can contain everything from the lighthearted comedy of Guacamelee! to the grim, dark world of Blasphemous 2.
Hollow Knight (2017)
If you went out of order and played the sequel first, you can still go back and check out the first game. Made by the same studio as Silksong, Hollow Knight offers a similar mix of platforming, combat, and exploration in the same universe as Silksong. If you’re into story, the lore revealed in Hollow Knight will almost definitely give context to everything in Silksong. Added bonus: while Hollow Knight is not an easy game by any definition, it has a more gentle learning curve than its sequel.
Hollow Knight is available on PC, Mac, Switch, Playstation, and Xbox systems.
Super Metroid (1994)
The metroidvania sub-genre is half-named for the Metroid series, so you gotta check out the blueprint. All of the Metroid games have their merit, but, in my opinion, the first entry in the series that totally gelled is 1994’s Super Metroid, an all-time classic originally released for the Super Nintendo. The controls can take a little getting used to for modern gamers, but Metroid invented the “exploration+combat+platforming” genre vibe, and it’s still a top-notch gaming experience, even for people who weren’t born when the original came out.
Super Metroid is playable on every Nintendo system, from the Super Nintendo to the Switch 2.
Castlevania: Circle of the Moon (2001)
The “vania” part of the metroidvania genre refers to the Castlevania series, so video game archeologists who like Silksong would be doing themselves a huge favor by checking out some Castlevania. But be judicious in your choices: some games in the series are amazing and some are…less so. You could make a case for many other Castlevania games, but Circle of the Moon is my pick if you like Silksong. It’s extremely challenging, features beautiful graphics (for 2001) and tons of secrets to uncover through open-world platforming, just like Hollow Knight: Silksong.
Circle of the Moon was re-released as part of the Castlevania Advance Collection (that also includes Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance, Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, and Castlevania: Dracula X) for Switch, PlayStation, Windows, and Xbox systems.
Animal Well (2024)
Enough moldy oldies! If your favorite parts of Silksong are the beautiful graphics, sweeping soundtrack, exploration, and deep lore, but you’re not so hot on the combat and punishing platforming, check out Animal Well, a metroidvania game that’s heavier on puzzles than fast reflexes. Animal Well is the kind of game you get deeply addicted to. It lures you in with beautiful visuals and a lighthearted vibe, but you’ll soon find yourself awake at three in the morning, trying to uncover every last secret this work-of-video-game-art is hiding.
Animal Well is available for Windows, Playstation, Xbox, and Nintendo systems.
Cuphead (2017)
Okay, Cuphead isn’t really a metroidvania game, but I’m including it here for people who crave the difficult platforming and punishing boss battles of Silksong, but don’t really care for the exploration. This universally beloved game features a vibe based on cartoons from the 1920s and 30s, and presents players with some of the hardest boss battles in video game history. Like Silksong, Cuphead looks so stylish you might not expect the difficulty, but downing bosses is crazy hard, though it rarely feels frustrating because it’s so satisfying.
Cuphead is playable on PC, Mac, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch.
Ori and the Blind Forest (2015)
Both Ori and the Blind Forest and its sequel, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, are excellent follow-ups to Hollow Knight: Silksong. They look beautiful and offer the joy of exploration, combat using a myriad of constantly unlocking new powers, deep and engaging lore, and an extremely smooth progression from powerless nooblet to God-tier combatant.
You can play Ori and the Blind Forest on Switch, PC, and Xbox systems.
Cave Story (2004)
Back in 2004, Cave Story was envisioned as a throwback to the golden age of Nintendo platformers of the 1980s. The ensuing 20 years of gaming added an extra layer of nostalgia, but Cave Story totally works, no matter what era you play it in. Level design has rarely been done better, the story starts simple but moves in surprising directions, and the pixel art style still looks retro-fresh. The gameplay is more linear than the Hollow Knight games, but it still offers a world of hidden secrets to uncover, addictive platforming, and creative boss battles.
You can play Cave Story on PC, Mac, and Switch.
Islets (2022)
If you’ve just finished Silksong, your cramped-up hands could probably use a break. A bit of an undiscovered gem, Islets is an indie metrovania game with a cozy vibe courtesy of graphics that look hand-drawn, smooth-as-butter gameplay, an intriguing story, and memorable, hilarious characters. Many of the elements are shared across games, but Islets differs from Silksong in terms of mood and difficulty. Where Silksong is heavy on dark mystery, Islets is more charming, funny, and hopeful. It’s also a lot more forgiving if you have slower reflexes.
You can play Islets on PC, Switch, and Xbox systems.
Guacamelee! (2013)
Speaking of giving yourself a break, Guacamelee! is 180-degree tonal change Hollow Knight: Silksong. Inspired by Mexican folklore, Guacamelee! casts the player as a luchador saving a colorful world through beating up tons of bad guys. It nearly totally lacks the broody energy of Hollow Knight: Silksong, but the 2D platforming, skill-based progression, and exploration of interconnected world will be familiar.
You can play Guacamelee! on PC, Mac, Xbox, Playstation, and Switch systems.
Blasphemous 2 (2023)
If you want a game that’s darker than Hollow Knight: Silksong, Blasphemous 2 might be the download for you. Its Spanish Gothic visuals are a far cry from the colorful world of Hollow Knight, and its dark, religious tone and brutally visceral combat provides a nice contrast to Silksong’s cute vibe. Looks and tone-wise, Blasphemous 2 sits squarely on the “Castlevania” side of metroidvanias, but maybe the darkest of its many secrets is that it’s not as punishingly difficult as the Hollow Knight games.
You can play Blasphemous 2 on PC, Switch, Playstation, and Xbox consoles.
Original Source: https://lifehacker.com/entertainment/best-games-to-play-after-hollow-knight-silksong?utm_medium=RSS
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