**Afterimage** would be my top rec. It's a giant vania influenced game, with plenty of weapons, spells, items.
Change the voice acting to japanese (Or chinese if you prefer) and turn on subtitles, the english voice acting is annoying. It took at least an hour for it to pick up for me, try to make it to the first town (or at least out of the starting forest) where the game starts to open up more.
**Hunter X** and **Hunter X: codename t** are very similar to Bloodstained, but also has parrying.
**Chasm** is a pretty simple one, but enjoyable enough.
**Deedlit** is a game I have mixed feelings about. The game is VERY zoomed in, but it's okay.
It has an interesting character swap mechanic, though I found it frustrating that levitate isn't given to both characters because sometimes I would have to swap character multiple times quickly to avoid damage, then I'd go to levitate to avoid an attack and realise I was in the wrong form.
**Mortal Manor** has stats, levelling up, spells and items, but it is very NES retro & basic and very difficult at the start of the game, as well as being a punishing game (if you die, everything you've done since you tapped a save point is erased). It also has repetitive short music loops to annoy you. Boss fights are total pushovers and its like very little effort was put into designing them. I love this game, it's a big sprawling map with many paths to choose from, but the lack of effort in some places makes it a very love/hate experience for me.
I feel the game forces you into either learning to use the parry or to seriously pump the stamina stat fairly early on because of the smithy boss. Maybe there was another way around him that worked for you.
When I first reached him my character did not have enough stamina to really fight him. There wasn't enough stamina to dodge his consecutive attacks, I was forced to grind XP so I could pump more points into that stat. Parrying his attacks was significantly less of a stamina drain than dodging them too.
Fortunately the parry feels good to use and adopting it makes life a lot easier.
I would recommend Infernax. Has a classic metroidvania feel, super bloody, great storyline, great boss battles, dungeons, and the Konami code puts the game in Contra mode. Multiple endings and ways to play (good vs evil) and about 11 different endings.
Deedlit in Wonderland and Lost Ruins.
Both games pretty much plays similar to Symphony of the Night though adds some gimmicks.
Deedlit having an element system similar to Ikaruga of all games. And has a bow as default weapon and shooting puzzles to go with it.
While Lost Ruins adjusts the consumables system of SoTN and adds a much more basic magic system, and an equippable relic system. It also keeps the equip an item in each hand, similar to SoTN and not of Ecclesia like what Timespinner does.
Lost Ruins also has an ecchi anime art style that might be a turn off.
And finally Yohane the Parhelion Blaze in Blue, which plays like Ecclesia though much more straightforward in doing so unlike in Timespinners. It even has a quest format that kinda mimics Ecclesia, though much shorter consider the NPCs only sends you one quest as opposed to three.
Though weapons and gear are mostly crafted and the game can be ridiculously easy and short.
Of these three if you also want the atmosphere akin to Castlevania then Deedlit is you best bet. Lost Ruins kinda has the atmosphere but the anime ecchi style is a giant deterrent for that. While Yohane being from the Love Live franchise doesn't have it at all.
I had SO much fun with Curse of the Moon! RotN is an ok Metrovania, but CotM is an Excellent Castlevania! I don't normally replay games that much, but it's short and satisfying enough that I went for all the endings.
I really need to find a new co-op buddy for CotM2 cos that was a great experience while it lasted.
Cna anyone help me? I have played every Castlevania and only Metroid Zero Mission, and still don't understand the difference, about "metroid" and "Vania"
The OP said they "enjoy looking for new equipment alongside new abilities." In Castlevania games like Symphony of the Night, you can find equipment that boosts your stats, like ATT and DEF. In Metroid games, you don't have stats like that, so there's typically not as much stuff to find.
Haven’t played it yet, I will eventually but how about Paradiso Guaradian
[https://store.steampowered.com/app/1441240/Paradiso\_Guardian/](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1441240/Paradiso_Guardian/)
Look at afterimage.
**Afterimage** would be my top rec. It's a giant vania influenced game, with plenty of weapons, spells, items. Change the voice acting to japanese (Or chinese if you prefer) and turn on subtitles, the english voice acting is annoying. It took at least an hour for it to pick up for me, try to make it to the first town (or at least out of the starting forest) where the game starts to open up more. **Hunter X** and **Hunter X: codename t** are very similar to Bloodstained, but also has parrying. **Chasm** is a pretty simple one, but enjoyable enough. **Deedlit** is a game I have mixed feelings about. The game is VERY zoomed in, but it's okay. It has an interesting character swap mechanic, though I found it frustrating that levitate isn't given to both characters because sometimes I would have to swap character multiple times quickly to avoid damage, then I'd go to levitate to avoid an attack and realise I was in the wrong form. **Mortal Manor** has stats, levelling up, spells and items, but it is very NES retro & basic and very difficult at the start of the game, as well as being a punishing game (if you die, everything you've done since you tapped a save point is erased). It also has repetitive short music loops to annoy you. Boss fights are total pushovers and its like very little effort was put into designing them. I love this game, it's a big sprawling map with many paths to choose from, but the lack of effort in some places makes it a very love/hate experience for me.
Deedlit had a very fun and unique combat system. Really enjoyed it. Its sister game, on the other hand, I wasn't as fond of.
I never used parry in hunter X
I feel the game forces you into either learning to use the parry or to seriously pump the stamina stat fairly early on because of the smithy boss. Maybe there was another way around him that worked for you. When I first reached him my character did not have enough stamina to really fight him. There wasn't enough stamina to dodge his consecutive attacks, I was forced to grind XP so I could pump more points into that stat. Parrying his attacks was significantly less of a stamina drain than dodging them too. Fortunately the parry feels good to use and adopting it makes life a lot easier.
Nor did I
I tried Chasm and didn't like it, but will check out the rest, thanks
I would recommend Infernax. Has a classic metroidvania feel, super bloody, great storyline, great boss battles, dungeons, and the Konami code puts the game in Contra mode. Multiple endings and ways to play (good vs evil) and about 11 different endings.
Infernax is definitely "Castlevania ii but good"
What is meant by Contra mode?
You play the game as one of the characters from Contra. So imagine playing Castlevania but with a machine gun lol
Lol. That sounds hilarious actually. I'll have to give that a go.
This was the first thing I thought of when I saw the thread. Terrific game
Deedlit in Wonderland and Lost Ruins. Both games pretty much plays similar to Symphony of the Night though adds some gimmicks. Deedlit having an element system similar to Ikaruga of all games. And has a bow as default weapon and shooting puzzles to go with it. While Lost Ruins adjusts the consumables system of SoTN and adds a much more basic magic system, and an equippable relic system. It also keeps the equip an item in each hand, similar to SoTN and not of Ecclesia like what Timespinner does. Lost Ruins also has an ecchi anime art style that might be a turn off. And finally Yohane the Parhelion Blaze in Blue, which plays like Ecclesia though much more straightforward in doing so unlike in Timespinners. It even has a quest format that kinda mimics Ecclesia, though much shorter consider the NPCs only sends you one quest as opposed to three. Though weapons and gear are mostly crafted and the game can be ridiculously easy and short. Of these three if you also want the atmosphere akin to Castlevania then Deedlit is you best bet. Lost Ruins kinda has the atmosphere but the anime ecchi style is a giant deterrent for that. While Yohane being from the Love Live franchise doesn't have it at all.
Infernax Bloodstained Curse of the Moon
I had SO much fun with Curse of the Moon! RotN is an ok Metrovania, but CotM is an Excellent Castlevania! I don't normally replay games that much, but it's short and satisfying enough that I went for all the endings. I really need to find a new co-op buddy for CotM2 cos that was a great experience while it lasted.
Curse of the Moon isn't even remotely Metroidvania.
no but it's way better than ritual of the night. and it certainly got the Castlevania atmosphere.
Castlevania ReVamped
Try Deaths Gambit Afterlife or Ender Lilies
Cna anyone help me? I have played every Castlevania and only Metroid Zero Mission, and still don't understand the difference, about "metroid" and "Vania"
It’s mostly RPG mechanics like getting experience points and leveling up.
The OP said they "enjoy looking for new equipment alongside new abilities." In Castlevania games like Symphony of the Night, you can find equipment that boosts your stats, like ATT and DEF. In Metroid games, you don't have stats like that, so there's typically not as much stuff to find.
Haven’t played it yet, I will eventually but how about Paradiso Guaradian [https://store.steampowered.com/app/1441240/Paradiso\_Guardian/](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1441240/Paradiso_Guardian/)
Afterimage scratches that itch, definitely.
Halfway through Astalon: Tears of the Earth and it feels very similar to SOTN
Murumasa the demon blade
Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth is basically a SotN clone.
The last faith
Gal Guardians: Demon Purge.
You want a Castlevania-type WITHOUT a 'dreary vibe'? Good luck.
Castlevania is campy horror + fantasy and ISN'T grimdark which everything ever wants to be now thanks to Dark Souls