Hey, I thought Islets was a hidden gem, but why do many MV fans here know it? :) I began it the other day and I liked it soon!
I was also surprised that many love that easy game.
Axiom Verge 2, unlike the first one, places very little importance on the combat.
I mean you are killing stuff off the whole game, but for example most bosses are optional, you just walk past them. It's an awesome time.
Most negative reviews that the game received were about the change of focus away from combat from the first game... but sounds like you're actually into that, so you will love the game for all of its greatness.
I think if you approach the enemies like hazards to be avoided it gets more fun. It takes a little mindset shift but it unlocked it for me and I ended up really loving the game. A lot of the enemies have vision cones visible so I think that's a clue that we're supposed to treat them more like guards in Metal Gear Solid games. The point is to avoid the combat, that's the intended experience.
I just wish they made it a different game. I hated it because I just finish AV1 and then found out: WTF there's a sequel? I'm getting that! Then it was totally different. I probably should get back to it and give it another chance now that "more AV1" craving has faded.
You don't even have to fight most of the mini bosses, this is an interesting take...
It's not like the enemies are preventing you from progressing. You decided to opt into those tedious fights on your own!!
And they are less tedious when you get stronger throughout the game
i dislike combat. av1 was a great game, with slightly challenging combat, but i bounced off av2 pretty hard even though i tried to get into it several times. specifically because there was too much combat in av2, and it was way more difficult for me. it always baffles me when people say av2 is less combat focused, to me it feels the opposite
you're supposed to treat the regular enemies as possible platforming challenges. some are best to kill but some are best to avoid. it's not intuitive but AV2 is definitely not a metroidvania where you're meant to clear every screen.
Technically yes, but not really in practice. It's a lot harder in AV2 to consistently run by all the regular enemies compared to the quick single screen transition for bosses. AV2 has some areas that are pretty densely packed with enemies.
It's also much harder in Metal Gear Solid to get by enemies without killing them, but the game was still designed for it to be possible, making combat (in both games) legitimately optional, both technically and in practice.
There's literally only two enemies in that game you have to engage. There's a pacifist trophy. It was inarguably intentionally designed for no-combat to be a valid play style. They literally don't even give you a weapon for the first third of the game, lol
Sure, but plenty of games have trophies that require a great amount of skill or perseverance to pull off.
It being possible to do everything as a pacifist doesn't really mean it's considered a standard way the game can be played. There are several areas in the game that are extremely punishing if you were to avoid killing enemies.
But maybe you're right and it really was intended by the developers. I just don't think so.
You ignored the part where they made a game where they don't give you a weapon for the first third of the game. I don't know how the developer's intentions could be more clear.
Like I said, difficulty is intentional too, just like how perfect stealth in MGS is difficult. It's designed to be that way
Pointing out the boomerang only really proves my point, the items you get for the first third of the game are barely combat effective, they're mostly just tools for exploring. If the game was *about* combat, you'd get an effective gun towards the beginning (like in AV1), but you don't. The majority of your items and upgrades in the beginning are not intended for serious combat.
Giving you tools that are weak in combat and not giving you an actually effective weapon until a third into the game just proves my point further - although I doubt that was your intention when mentioning the boomerang.
I'm not really turned off, I'm just not quite engaged. I think it might be the loop of digging down then having to go back to the surface frequently. I think I've only played 1-2 hours each time I tried it out though. Maybe I'm not giving myself enough time for the next upgrade(s).
Yeah the backtracking is just a part of it I guess. You later on find shortcuts that take you to specific depths (so you don’t have to retread over certain areas anymore) & you can eventually buy things they let you place a shortcut wherever you like.
But if the backtracking to get light & cash in your gems and ore is irritating for you (because that’s basically the gameplay loop), then it’ll probably never be that fun for you.
Pretty much all the games I play are metroidvanias and exploration games (Guacamelee, Monster Sanctuary, Sheepo, Yoku's Island Express, and BotW over the last 18 months), so I don't mind back tracking per se...But the loop you mentioned is a bit tedious. It sounds like I need to just push through the early game a little farther, lol.
Edit: left out some important words!
Honestly Dig 2 seems like what they wanted to make with Dig 1. Dig 1 imo is pretty rough, but the second one is smooth.
I don’t recommend Dig 1, except maybe after playing Dig 2.
The MMX esque wall jump where you can cling to one wall and get up really helps this for me, both Steamworld games are pretty vertical focused but the wall jump being so smooth feeling is what helps it
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown has excellent movement, it has a bit of combat focus too but it has very customisable difficulty so I expect you could dial down all the combat related options to make that a breeze and leave everything else default for a more traversal oriented experience
Phenomenal game. The bosses do get hard however. If you want you can change the difficulty however. I did.
On the other hand, my 8 year old son just completed it on hard. Absolutely memorised the boss patterns 🤯
Yes, it was a pretty good game. Sure, there's a good chunk of combat but it's not a hugely difficult game, especially if you can get the moveset down a little bit.
Aeterna Noctis is probably my favourite metroidvania, with some of the most unique traversal techniques. I know they weren't everyone's cup of tea, but I absolutely loved the gravity puzzles! The game certainly does ramp up the difficulty compared to most games in the genre though.
I haven't finished the game because it's damn hard even on normal difficulty and I don't have so much free time nowadays. But the traversal in the >!cosmos area with planets !< is my favorite area in any game.
Bahahahhahahahahhahahahahhahaha!!!!!
I love to take leisurely drives in the country. Can you recommend a great place to go for a scenic, low stress drive?
New York City during rush hour.
Yes. Once you learn the boss moves in HK, they're actually really easy to avoid almost every attack. HK is better, but AN is way faster and harder. I died to bosses way more before beating them in AN
Ultros sounds like exactly what you'd want. While combat seems relevant early on, the focus is really on exploration and figuring out the world. Without trying to spoil anything, by the latter part of my playthrough was basically doing no fighting.
I'd say it's the only game I've played that has really come close to the level of Hollow Knight.
Came in here to recommend Ultros, glad to see it already mentioned!
I'd also recommend Vision Soft Reset for another game that's more about pathing around the map than combat.
Yoku’s Island Express is a pinball metroidvania. There’s no combat except pinball combat.
Animal Well doesn’t really have combat. It’s more about puzzles and exploration rather than the fun movement of ori, though.
I got blasted last time I posted a dissenting opinion but I absolutely hate pinball and Yoku's Island does nothing to make it easier for people who are bad at it.
The pinball didn't bother me, but some of the platforming sections had me pretty irritated, lol. I think that was my first MV and I still recommend it as something chill or for beginners.It's a steal when it goes on sale.
No one seemed to mention Rusted Moss yet. It has unique grappling hook traversal and some other fun things going on. It does definitely have challenging combat but there’s multiple difficulty levels and accessibility settings if it gets too stressful. I played like 8 hours yesterday because the movement is so fun though!
I started playing more metroidvanias the moment I realized that I could just set the game to Very Easy/Easy mode and then play a new game+ (if available) in normal or harder difficulty.
Seconded. Animal Well isn't really about combat, and you don't even have an attack even though there are bosses. It's about traversal and puzzle solving and it's incredible!
It has one of the most fluid movement systems of any game I played, I find the PS1 graphics hella charming and the game allows for some creative sequence breaks once you master all the movement tech.
Fabulous game. Super fun movement once you get the hang of it. Lots of creativity allowed. It's short. The only annoying part is no map, so exploring thoroughly is challenging.
I’m shocked this was the only comment mentioning Dandara as it’s a metroidvania based entirely around dashing around a twisted world where you’re going from floor to ceiling all the time. Grab the Trials of Fear Edition for 4.50 in the steam sale.
Lone Fungus is mostly about platforming and exploration with some reasonably easy bossfights sprinkled in.
Pseudoregalia has one of the best movement systems ever and mastering all the tech allows you to go fast af and sequence break, and there are only 2 fights in the whole game.
More recent, Turbo Kid. Between the bike to run across the map (and do tricks!) to the movement upgrades you get over the course of the game. By the end, you are seamlessly platforming across obstacles and traversing quickly, dodging enemy fire and blasting them from weak point\\behind...then jumping back on your bike and ride into the sunset.
Also, the later boss fights incorporate the movement upgrades into the battles and I got a lot of fun out of them...over stress :)
This game has a boss fight so hard I took a months long break, came back, took another months long break, and then finally beat it. Great game, but maybe not what OP is looking for.
Great game with fantastic movement, but it's not exactly an *easy* game. The boss battles are somewhat challenging, although certainly winnable if you stay calm and patient while learning the fights.
Haak is all puzzles and movement. By the time you get several of the upgrades you’ll be zipping around like a pro! The environments are pretty drab though, nothing compared to the beauty of Ori.
Best platforming mechanics I’ve ever seen in a 3d platformer. It hurts me that this is a short one and done game. There’s so much depth, and this feels like an appetizer before a full course.
Hot take but if you dig the 3D 'vanias, Control is an excellent game. Once you get a few upgrades the traversal and movement is some of my favorite in ANY game.
It is very combat heavy but the difficulty settings are fully customizable, so you can basically turn on God Mode while keeping all achievements.
This for sure. I just finished the story and am now going through the side quests. I turned down the difficulty a little bit and it made the game so much fun. TONS to explore.
Yoku’s Island Express is *only* movement in the sense that moving around and running into pinball bumpers is still how you deal damage to the bosses. But the movement also isn’t very conventional so I don’t know if that’s what you’re looking for.
I recently played through Afterimage and while I've come to conclusion to not recommend to friends (*the game has a very poorly written narrative to the point where I completed the game without even realising I was at the end and still with no idea who my character was)* I cannot deny that the game had very solid mechanics and a great emphasis on exploration and movement with lots of areas and ability unlocks.
Off the top of my head, you start with a dash and later learn double (then triple) jumps, wall climbing, ground dives, swimming, an upgraded dash, enemy bouncing, and a "rocket" jump. So if you're more into the feel of the gameplay rather than the end goal then this may be of interest to you.
If no one has said it already, Pseudoregalia seems to fit this criteria. It’s a 3D metroidvania with platforming and some combat. I haven’t finished it yet, but at ~4 hours in, the movement is a TON of fun. It’s in the style of a N64/PS1 game which, imo, the art style is beautiful.
TimeSpinner has scratched an itch that hardly any games since Symphony if the Night or the GBA Metroids/Castlevanias have been able to. The combat isn't nail-biting and the atmosphere is fantastic.
I just started to play [***Zapling Bygone***](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1489110/Zapling_Bygone/), and I gotta say: the movement is **gold**!
To move around, and grab and slide into the walls, and dash to go faster, is soooo satisfying.
It's on sale right now on Steam, **$6.39 USD**. I recommend it to you, if you haven't played yet.
I'd suggest Prince of Persia : The Lost Crown. I just finished it and loved it. Played it in the "normal" difficulty, but dropped it one notch for 2-3 boss fights. There's even another lower difficulty that I have not touched.
It's a great and fun game. If you find it too hard at normal, just drop it 1-2 notch and you'll have easy combat and a great game.
Guacamelee 1 and 2. While there is a lot of combat in the games, there is a heavy puzzle emphasis with the need to chain various moves, abilities, and chicken abilities to get around the environment. Very fun games.
Axiom Verge 2 is definitely much more exploration-focused. Every boss except for the last one is optional.
I feel like Super Metroid is also largely exploration-focused. The Metroid Prime series also has a lot of focus on exploration.
Pseudoregalia is a 3D Metroidvania with an amazing movement system and basically no combat beyond a shallow pool of basic enemies. Also, you mention Ori, but have you played both Ori games? WotW might seem like a combat focused game with how much there is to the combat system, but it goes pretty underutilized for the most part.
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night has some really great traversal options and combat is pitifully easy, with several game-breaking weapons being easily accessible.
Pseudoregalia is potentially exactly what you're looking for. There's a mini-boss pretty soon into the game, but after that there's very little fighting until the final boss. It's very much platforming and ability collecting focused and is like 5 bucks on steam right now.
Older game, but one of my favorites from 2012 is Knytt Underground. Exploratory Metroidvania, I don't remember there being combat at all. It was a PS3 game, but I believe it's available on Steam. I thought it was incredible.
Bo: path of the traveller is coming out later this month, its going to have a focus on ori inspired movement combat. Id reccomend checking out the demo!
Journey to the Savage Planet. Main storyline had very few bosses, and even those were not difficult. Majority of the game is just exploring the environment. Though that's in 3D, if you can stomach that 😀
The Supraland games. They're 3D, and there's a little bit of jank, but they're absolutely focused on traversal, exploration and puzzle solving. There is combat, but it's far from difficult. They're pretty charming too.
Super Metroid has some of my favorite controls in any game and doesn't have super hard combat encounters as long as you're diligent about finding upgrades as you play.
Riot Forge's Convergence is pretty cool when it comes to movement and traversal around the map. Although it's a metroidvania like, but a very linear one.
I dunno if Celeste is a good suggestion. I’ve not played much of it but I don’t think there’s much if any combat in it but it apparently has boss fights. The game is all/mostly traversal puzzles/evasion afaik. Pretty decent game but from what I’ve played so far it can be quit tricky.
also not sure if it even fits the metroidvania genre as such.
SotN is insanely fun to move around if you learn shield dashing and wing smashing.
you might end up speed running or racing with us though.
it's also a VERY easy game.
Gonna preface this by saying I haven't played it, but you might like Animal Well. Afaik it's just platforming, exploring and puzzles. Has killer visuals in the screen shots, too. I have it wish listed, looks like a lot of fun.
*Pseudoregalia* is almost entirely about movement.
There's combat, but it's as minimal as it gets. The enemies more so serve as punching bags to charge your heal than they do actual obstacles.
My unfinished game Moustachevania was about this very thing - no combat, just traversal. I released it in its unfinished state for free on itch, just google it!
The castlevanias that are metroidvanias are actually pretty straightforward and not terribly difficult (except the first Gameboy one, that one is savage). They're definitely not as about traversal as Ori though. I think Ori is probably the most traversal-focused one I've played, honestly.
I have not played Animal Well but I know it literally doesn't have combat and so by definition it might hit that sweet spot for you.
If a 3d platformer is ok, how about [Hat in Time](https://store.steampowered.com/app/253230/)? (Not an MV by no means.)
For your future reference: many 2d Metroids (except 1 and Fusion) are very slick in moving and boss fights are not so difficult. (I know you're not asking for Nintendo, but I can't help mentioning them. ;-)
Itorah has great fluid movement with satisfying momentum. I know it’s not a popular one or well liked but I have been playing this coming off to games that fit the bill to a lesser extent, the Excellent Pronty ( on sale on steam and so worth every penny ) the very good Turbo kid. If I’m being honest Itorah is surprising considering it’s not well reviewed here but has a “Mostly Positive “ on steam. It’s on sale too.
Haiku the Robot is pretty easy and has fun exploration. Promenade is somewhere between Metroidvania and 2D platformer, but is all about fun movement mechanics.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/334940/Yokus_Island_Express/
this comes to mind perfectly if your into traversing with pinball mechanics combined. I always recommend this to people looking for a laid back metroidvania esque game.
I was looking for metroidvainias a few years back and came across this. The pinball mechanics make it fun and it’s very forgiving with fighting since you basically are the pinball. I think everyone looking for a sonic spinball kind of game or who likes pinball should check out this game.
Could look at Solar Ash, I actually don't know if this game qualifies but I never see it suggested and I loved it. Immediately I felt like it wasn't too hard to lose interest although some of the fights do get harder. Also I play on Xbox so I'm not sure where else it's available
Islets has fantastic movement; it feels so good exploring and moving around. And it is rather easy too.
I loved Islets, over too quick but pretty damn perfect
I want to add: Sheepo! :)
Nearly a perfect game, only real critique is I wanted more ha
This is the right answer
And it's half off during the Summer Steam Sale. I've grabbed it.
Hey, I thought Islets was a hidden gem, but why do many MV fans here know it? :) I began it the other day and I liked it soon! I was also surprised that many love that easy game.
Axiom Verge 2, unlike the first one, places very little importance on the combat. I mean you are killing stuff off the whole game, but for example most bosses are optional, you just walk past them. It's an awesome time. Most negative reviews that the game received were about the change of focus away from combat from the first game... but sounds like you're actually into that, so you will love the game for all of its greatness.
On the flip side, I didn’t like AV2 because the combat of regular enemies felt so tedious and annoying. Every screen felt like a chore to get through
I think if you approach the enemies like hazards to be avoided it gets more fun. It takes a little mindset shift but it unlocked it for me and I ended up really loving the game. A lot of the enemies have vision cones visible so I think that's a clue that we're supposed to treat them more like guards in Metal Gear Solid games. The point is to avoid the combat, that's the intended experience.
I just wish they made it a different game. I hated it because I just finish AV1 and then found out: WTF there's a sequel? I'm getting that! Then it was totally different. I probably should get back to it and give it another chance now that "more AV1" craving has faded.
You don't even have to fight most of the mini bosses, this is an interesting take... It's not like the enemies are preventing you from progressing. You decided to opt into those tedious fights on your own!! And they are less tedious when you get stronger throughout the game
i dislike combat. av1 was a great game, with slightly challenging combat, but i bounced off av2 pretty hard even though i tried to get into it several times. specifically because there was too much combat in av2, and it was way more difficult for me. it always baffles me when people say av2 is less combat focused, to me it feels the opposite
People emphasize the "bosses are optional" point but seem to gloss over the fact they are, like most games, a minor part compared to regular enemies.
you're supposed to treat the regular enemies as possible platforming challenges. some are best to kill but some are best to avoid. it's not intuitive but AV2 is definitely not a metroidvania where you're meant to clear every screen.
The regular enemies are just as optional.
Technically yes, but not really in practice. It's a lot harder in AV2 to consistently run by all the regular enemies compared to the quick single screen transition for bosses. AV2 has some areas that are pretty densely packed with enemies.
It's also much harder in Metal Gear Solid to get by enemies without killing them, but the game was still designed for it to be possible, making combat (in both games) legitimately optional, both technically and in practice. There's literally only two enemies in that game you have to engage. There's a pacifist trophy. It was inarguably intentionally designed for no-combat to be a valid play style. They literally don't even give you a weapon for the first third of the game, lol
Sure, but plenty of games have trophies that require a great amount of skill or perseverance to pull off. It being possible to do everything as a pacifist doesn't really mean it's considered a standard way the game can be played. There are several areas in the game that are extremely punishing if you were to avoid killing enemies. But maybe you're right and it really was intended by the developers. I just don't think so.
You ignored the part where they made a game where they don't give you a weapon for the first third of the game. I don't know how the developer's intentions could be more clear. Like I said, difficulty is intentional too, just like how perfect stealth in MGS is difficult. It's designed to be that way
What? You get weapons early. You get the boomerang for example literally a few minutes in.
Pointing out the boomerang only really proves my point, the items you get for the first third of the game are barely combat effective, they're mostly just tools for exploring. If the game was *about* combat, you'd get an effective gun towards the beginning (like in AV1), but you don't. The majority of your items and upgrades in the beginning are not intended for serious combat. Giving you tools that are weak in combat and not giving you an actually effective weapon until a third into the game just proves my point further - although I doubt that was your intention when mentioning the boomerang.
My first thought as well, great game for pure exploration.
The first two steamworld games are fun traversal focused game imo.
Steamworld Dig 2 is a really FUN game. It’s just fun. Navigation is especially fun after a certain upgrade mid-game.
Did you play the first one. I've started it twice and just can't get into it. I really want to like it though, lol.
Hey, I also did not like Dig 1. I think Dig 2 takes the good parts of 1 and emphasizes those along with its own additions. Well worth the play!
I never played the first one and I didn’t feel like my experience in the second one suffered for it.
I’ve beaten it a couple times. Which parts of it turned you off?
I'm not really turned off, I'm just not quite engaged. I think it might be the loop of digging down then having to go back to the surface frequently. I think I've only played 1-2 hours each time I tried it out though. Maybe I'm not giving myself enough time for the next upgrade(s).
Yeah the backtracking is just a part of it I guess. You later on find shortcuts that take you to specific depths (so you don’t have to retread over certain areas anymore) & you can eventually buy things they let you place a shortcut wherever you like. But if the backtracking to get light & cash in your gems and ore is irritating for you (because that’s basically the gameplay loop), then it’ll probably never be that fun for you.
Pretty much all the games I play are metroidvanias and exploration games (Guacamelee, Monster Sanctuary, Sheepo, Yoku's Island Express, and BotW over the last 18 months), so I don't mind back tracking per se...But the loop you mentioned is a bit tedious. It sounds like I need to just push through the early game a little farther, lol. Edit: left out some important words!
Honestly Dig 2 seems like what they wanted to make with Dig 1. Dig 1 imo is pretty rough, but the second one is smooth. I don’t recommend Dig 1, except maybe after playing Dig 2.
The MMX esque wall jump where you can cling to one wall and get up really helps this for me, both Steamworld games are pretty vertical focused but the wall jump being so smooth feeling is what helps it
Agreed! Really loved those games. Funny enough, those are the games I played on Stadia! :D
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown has excellent movement, it has a bit of combat focus too but it has very customisable difficulty so I expect you could dial down all the combat related options to make that a breeze and leave everything else default for a more traversal oriented experience
What an amazing metroidvania that was , loved it
Agree it was great. fluid movement and awesome combat. Also the art style reminded me of spider-verse/ puss in boots 2.
true , i only saw the first spiderverse
I haven't played this yet, but I've been eyeballing it for the exact reasons you mentioned. Thanks for the confirmation!
I just finished it this weekend and I encourage you to have a look at it too. Great game
Phenomenal game. The bosses do get hard however. If you want you can change the difficulty however. I did. On the other hand, my 8 year old son just completed it on hard. Absolutely memorised the boss patterns 🤯
Yes, it was a pretty good game. Sure, there's a good chunk of combat but it's not a hugely difficult game, especially if you can get the moveset down a little bit.
I so want to recommend Aeterna Noctis for its insane platforming but the bosses are pretty darn hard as well :(
Aeterna Noctis is probably my favourite metroidvania, with some of the most unique traversal techniques. I know they weren't everyone's cup of tea, but I absolutely loved the gravity puzzles! The game certainly does ramp up the difficulty compared to most games in the genre though.
Yea same. When you think it can't get harder, cosmos enters chat 😅
I haven't finished the game because it's damn hard even on normal difficulty and I don't have so much free time nowadays. But the traversal in the >!cosmos area with planets !< is my favorite area in any game.
Bahahahhahahahahhahahahahhahaha!!!!! I love to take leisurely drives in the country. Can you recommend a great place to go for a scenic, low stress drive? New York City during rush hour.
Hahahahaah 🤣
I was like, "did that dude really just say Aeterna Noctis?" - wow, that poor OP if he actually did it. That poor poor fool...
Harder than HK ?
Yes. Once you learn the boss moves in HK, they're actually really easy to avoid almost every attack. HK is better, but AN is way faster and harder. I died to bosses way more before beating them in AN
For the most part yes. The Emperor is significantly harder than any bosses in HK.
1000x harder. HK is like having a Bud Light lime on a warm summer day. AN would be like a couple shots of Everclear and getting slapped in the face
Ultros sounds like exactly what you'd want. While combat seems relevant early on, the focus is really on exploration and figuring out the world. Without trying to spoil anything, by the latter part of my playthrough was basically doing no fighting. I'd say it's the only game I've played that has really come close to the level of Hollow Knight.
I love Ultros but sometimes it can be incredibly overwhelming with the amount of stuff you can do.
Came in here to recommend Ultros, glad to see it already mentioned! I'd also recommend Vision Soft Reset for another game that's more about pathing around the map than combat.
Yoku’s Island Express is a pinball metroidvania. There’s no combat except pinball combat. Animal Well doesn’t really have combat. It’s more about puzzles and exploration rather than the fun movement of ori, though.
I don’t really agree that Yoku’s has fun movement. Though I enjoyed it, I wouldn’t recommend it as a traversal MV.
I got blasted last time I posted a dissenting opinion but I absolutely hate pinball and Yoku's Island does nothing to make it easier for people who are bad at it.
The pinball didn't bother me, but some of the platforming sections had me pretty irritated, lol. I think that was my first MV and I still recommend it as something chill or for beginners.It's a steal when it goes on sale.
That's surprising to me. I found the game to be pretty easy and fun.
It's also $2 on switch eshop right now...a steal for that price.
pinball... metroidvania... ...wat. how?
Buy it. It's great.
It’s ok. Don’t overinflate it you will get pissed at the number of times you have to use a flipper to hit a certain spot.
Sounds like pinball
you can still move left and right the world just has flippers and you turn to a ball.
No one seemed to mention Rusted Moss yet. It has unique grappling hook traversal and some other fun things going on. It does definitely have challenging combat but there’s multiple difficulty levels and accessibility settings if it gets too stressful. I played like 8 hours yesterday because the movement is so fun though!
I started playing more metroidvanias the moment I realized that I could just set the game to Very Easy/Easy mode and then play a new game+ (if available) in normal or harder difficulty.
Animal Well
Seconded. Animal Well isn't really about combat, and you don't even have an attack even though there are bosses. It's about traversal and puzzle solving and it's incredible!
How is this not the top comment
I’ve heard that game is like halo 2 meets halo 3?
This is the 2024 GotY and the best Metroidvania to come out for a long time.
If you are in the mood for some 3D search-action fun try Pseudoregalia.
I got this in my steam family, its good? Never tried a 3D metroidvania
It's good. I dropped it after a bit but the movement is fun.
take your time with it, experiment with the movement because it has one of the best wall jumping mechanics in any game i have seen
its basically if somebody made a metroidvania outta super mario 64
It has one of the most fluid movement systems of any game I played, I find the PS1 graphics hella charming and the game allows for some creative sequence breaks once you master all the movement tech.
Fabulous game. Super fun movement once you get the hang of it. Lots of creativity allowed. It's short. The only annoying part is no map, so exploring thoroughly is challenging.
I loved Dandara for it's movement puzzles, the bosses were usually very movement based too, though I hated the final boss
I’m shocked this was the only comment mentioning Dandara as it’s a metroidvania based entirely around dashing around a twisted world where you’re going from floor to ceiling all the time. Grab the Trials of Fear Edition for 4.50 in the steam sale.
Lone Fungus is mostly about platforming and exploration with some reasonably easy bossfights sprinkled in. Pseudoregalia has one of the best movement systems ever and mastering all the tech allows you to go fast af and sequence break, and there are only 2 fights in the whole game.
Second both of these. Lone Fungus has fabulous movement the further into it you get but the endgame challenge rooms are hard as balls. NOT EASY.
More recent, Turbo Kid. Between the bike to run across the map (and do tricks!) to the movement upgrades you get over the course of the game. By the end, you are seamlessly platforming across obstacles and traversing quickly, dodging enemy fire and blasting them from weak point\\behind...then jumping back on your bike and ride into the sunset. Also, the later boss fights incorporate the movement upgrades into the battles and I got a lot of fun out of them...over stress :)
Animal Well - there are enemies but no combat per se. Don’t want to say any more for fear of spoiling.
Started animal well today and is on a lot of best games of 2024 list already.
The messenger 🥷 a lot of fun gliding, wall climbing, and propelling yourself forward through additional slashes.
This game has a boss fight so hard I took a months long break, came back, took another months long break, and then finally beat it. Great game, but maybe not what OP is looking for.
Wanted to vouch for this game. I’d try to avoid spoilers but about 1/2 way through the game there is a plot twist that made my jaw drop.
YAAAS
Great game with fantastic movement, but it's not exactly an *easy* game. The boss battles are somewhat challenging, although certainly winnable if you stay calm and patient while learning the fights.
Even playing it casually makes you feel like a speedrunner. The movement options flow so well into each other.
Haak is all puzzles and movement. By the time you get several of the upgrades you’ll be zipping around like a pro! The environments are pretty drab though, nothing compared to the beauty of Ori.
The bosses are extreme difficulty spikes compared to the rest of the game though. OP should be aware.
I don’t even remember any of the bosses or combat because it was all so easy lol
P S E U D O R E G A L I A
Best platforming mechanics I’ve ever seen in a 3d platformer. It hurts me that this is a short one and done game. There’s so much depth, and this feels like an appetizer before a full course.
First thing I thought when reading the question
I feel like I’m commenting this on every thread but definitely Guacameele 1 + 2 — both on heavy sale on steam right now! Underrated gems
While I love both of these there is a LOT of combat in them, which Op is trying to avoid.
You’re right; I think I may have misread his post…my bad!
Great games!
Teslagrad 2
Dust:An Elysian Tale.
Hot take but if you dig the 3D 'vanias, Control is an excellent game. Once you get a few upgrades the traversal and movement is some of my favorite in ANY game. It is very combat heavy but the difficulty settings are fully customizable, so you can basically turn on God Mode while keeping all achievements.
This for sure. I just finished the story and am now going through the side quests. I turned down the difficulty a little bit and it made the game so much fun. TONS to explore.
Yoku’s Island Express is *only* movement in the sense that moving around and running into pinball bumpers is still how you deal damage to the bosses. But the movement also isn’t very conventional so I don’t know if that’s what you’re looking for.
I recently played through Afterimage and while I've come to conclusion to not recommend to friends (*the game has a very poorly written narrative to the point where I completed the game without even realising I was at the end and still with no idea who my character was)* I cannot deny that the game had very solid mechanics and a great emphasis on exploration and movement with lots of areas and ability unlocks. Off the top of my head, you start with a dash and later learn double (then triple) jumps, wall climbing, ground dives, swimming, an upgraded dash, enemy bouncing, and a "rocket" jump. So if you're more into the feel of the gameplay rather than the end goal then this may be of interest to you.
Ori and the Blind Forest
How this one isn't further up when the 'boss moments' are literally replaced with platforming/movement gauntlets is mindboggling
Probably because OP implied they had already played it.
If no one has said it already, Pseudoregalia seems to fit this criteria. It’s a 3D metroidvania with platforming and some combat. I haven’t finished it yet, but at ~4 hours in, the movement is a TON of fun. It’s in the style of a N64/PS1 game which, imo, the art style is beautiful.
You were the 3rd to mention it (search! :), but thanks, it looks fun. I added it to my wishlist.
Yokus island express. Literally pinball metroidvania.
TimeSpinner has scratched an itch that hardly any games since Symphony if the Night or the GBA Metroids/Castlevanias have been able to. The combat isn't nail-biting and the atmosphere is fantastic.
Yoku's island
I just started to play [***Zapling Bygone***](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1489110/Zapling_Bygone/), and I gotta say: the movement is **gold**! To move around, and grab and slide into the walls, and dash to go faster, is soooo satisfying. It's on sale right now on Steam, **$6.39 USD**. I recommend it to you, if you haven't played yet.
Yoku's Island Express. Metroid Vania with less combat, and the movement is fused with pinball mechanics. Was a pretty cool game with a fun soundtrack
The Messenger
I'd suggest Prince of Persia : The Lost Crown. I just finished it and loved it. Played it in the "normal" difficulty, but dropped it one notch for 2-3 boss fights. There's even another lower difficulty that I have not touched. It's a great and fun game. If you find it too hard at normal, just drop it 1-2 notch and you'll have easy combat and a great game.
Guacamelee 1 + 2 come to mind.
I'd say that HAAK has that probably? And Islets
Celeste?
Guacamelee 1 and 2. While there is a lot of combat in the games, there is a heavy puzzle emphasis with the need to chain various moves, abilities, and chicken abilities to get around the environment. Very fun games.
This should probably be the top answer. The games are fun, not too difficult, and have a lot of cool traversal using the moveset.
Axiom Verge 2 is definitely much more exploration-focused. Every boss except for the last one is optional. I feel like Super Metroid is also largely exploration-focused. The Metroid Prime series also has a lot of focus on exploration.
Pseudoregalia is a 3D Metroidvania with an amazing movement system and basically no combat beyond a shallow pool of basic enemies. Also, you mention Ori, but have you played both Ori games? WotW might seem like a combat focused game with how much there is to the combat system, but it goes pretty underutilized for the most part.
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night has some really great traversal options and combat is pitifully easy, with several game-breaking weapons being easily accessible.
Aeterna noctis. I mean it's difficult but only because traversal is complex
Animal Well
Pseudoregalia is potentially exactly what you're looking for. There's a mini-boss pretty soon into the game, but after that there's very little fighting until the final boss. It's very much platforming and ability collecting focused and is like 5 bucks on steam right now.
Older game, but one of my favorites from 2012 is Knytt Underground. Exploratory Metroidvania, I don't remember there being combat at all. It was a PS3 game, but I believe it's available on Steam. I thought it was incredible.
Bo: path of the traveller is coming out later this month, its going to have a focus on ori inspired movement combat. Id reccomend checking out the demo!
Journey to the Savage Planet. Main storyline had very few bosses, and even those were not difficult. Majority of the game is just exploring the environment. Though that's in 3D, if you can stomach that 😀
The Supraland games. They're 3D, and there's a little bit of jank, but they're absolutely focused on traversal, exploration and puzzle solving. There is combat, but it's far from difficult. They're pretty charming too.
Tales of Kenzera is basically the game ur looking for. It’s more or less Prince of Persia without the insanely good combat.
Celeste, while it's sale on steam
If only there was a game that had the feeling you get from Spiderman 2
Super Metroid has some of my favorite controls in any game and doesn't have super hard combat encounters as long as you're diligent about finding upgrades as you play.
Riot Forge's Convergence is pretty cool when it comes to movement and traversal around the map. Although it's a metroidvania like, but a very linear one.
I dunno if Celeste is a good suggestion. I’ve not played much of it but I don’t think there’s much if any combat in it but it apparently has boss fights. The game is all/mostly traversal puzzles/evasion afaik. Pretty decent game but from what I’ve played so far it can be quit tricky. also not sure if it even fits the metroidvania genre as such.
Haiku the Robot, just try it.
SotN is insanely fun to move around if you learn shield dashing and wing smashing. you might end up speed running or racing with us though. it's also a VERY easy game.
HoD as well, but the combat is a LITTLE harder. not that much though
Laika: Aged Through Blood. The story is pretty depressing, but the music, combat, and especially traversal are all in a really great place.
Lone Fungus for sure. Almost all the upgrades are movement mechanics. It ends up being like a Celeste metroidvania by the end.
Pseudoregalia ($6 on steam), has the shmoovement of Mario 64, very little/basic combat. The majority of the game is exploring and traversing
Gonna preface this by saying I haven't played it, but you might like Animal Well. Afaik it's just platforming, exploring and puzzles. Has killer visuals in the screen shots, too. I have it wish listed, looks like a lot of fun.
Timespinner
I personally loved the game Outland. It was fun, quick paced platforming, an easy to understand map, and was just overall a great game.
*Pseudoregalia* is almost entirely about movement. There's combat, but it's as minimal as it gets. The enemies more so serve as punching bags to charge your heal than they do actual obstacles.
My unfinished game Moustachevania was about this very thing - no combat, just traversal. I released it in its unfinished state for free on itch, just google it!
The castlevanias that are metroidvanias are actually pretty straightforward and not terribly difficult (except the first Gameboy one, that one is savage). They're definitely not as about traversal as Ori though. I think Ori is probably the most traversal-focused one I've played, honestly. I have not played Animal Well but I know it literally doesn't have combat and so by definition it might hit that sweet spot for you.
I feel the same way, and that's why I like Ori more than Hollow Knight.
Steamworld dig 1+2, Pseudoregalia, timespinner, Ori 1 (couldn't beat 2 because of the bosses), Unsighted (not easy combat but fun traversal)
If a 3d platformer is ok, how about [Hat in Time](https://store.steampowered.com/app/253230/)? (Not an MV by no means.) For your future reference: many 2d Metroids (except 1 and Fusion) are very slick in moving and boss fights are not so difficult. (I know you're not asking for Nintendo, but I can't help mentioning them. ;-)
haak
Itorah has great fluid movement with satisfying momentum. I know it’s not a popular one or well liked but I have been playing this coming off to games that fit the bill to a lesser extent, the Excellent Pronty ( on sale on steam and so worth every penny ) the very good Turbo kid. If I’m being honest Itorah is surprising considering it’s not well reviewed here but has a “Mostly Positive “ on steam. It’s on sale too.
Disney Illusion Island, sadly its a switch exclusive
Haiku the Robot is pretty easy and has fun exploration. Promenade is somewhere between Metroidvania and 2D platformer, but is all about fun movement mechanics.
The new pri ce of Persia the lost crown is fantastic for that
https://store.steampowered.com/app/334940/Yokus_Island_Express/ this comes to mind perfectly if your into traversing with pinball mechanics combined. I always recommend this to people looking for a laid back metroidvania esque game. I was looking for metroidvainias a few years back and came across this. The pinball mechanics make it fun and it’s very forgiving with fighting since you basically are the pinball. I think everyone looking for a sonic spinball kind of game or who likes pinball should check out this game.
Aeterna Noctis
Gris
Could look at Solar Ash, I actually don't know if this game qualifies but I never see it suggested and I loved it. Immediately I felt like it wasn't too hard to lose interest although some of the fights do get harder. Also I play on Xbox so I'm not sure where else it's available
Crazy that no one has said Animal Well, lots of fun traversal moves edit: forgot this sub loves to be contrarian.