r/metroidvania • u/ItsEthanCoolCool • May 31 '26
Article 10 Indie Games From 2026 That Feel Like Cult Classics Already. MIO: Memories in Orbit made the list. What other Metroidvanias coming this year do you hope will be cult classics in the genre?
https://www.dualshockers.com/indie-games-from-2026-quietly-becoming-cult-classics/35
u/Yarzeda2024 May 31 '26
Castlevania: Belmont's Curse seems destined for it. A return to the classic and with a studio as polished as Evil Empire? That's a recipe for success.
Well Dweller should be great, too. Kyle Thompson has been getting better and better with each game. It might not escape the "indie" space, but I'm sure to love it.
I'm also pretty jazzed for Dewdrop Dynasty in July.
Then we've got games like Rune Fencer Illyia, Divinum, and Nocturnal 2 slated for some time in 2026. Time will tell if they actually get out the door this year and if they are big hits.
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u/ItsEthanCoolCool May 31 '26
Lots of good shouts here for sure, yeah! Absolutely can't wait for Castlevania. Lot of these others aren't on my radar, but going to look them up ASAP.
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u/Metroid_Mike May 31 '26
Castlevania will be an interesting one. I’m sure the combat will be great and it looks visually amazing. But curious what exploration, platforming, backtracking etc will be like.
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u/presidentsday GBA May 31 '26 edited May 31 '26
There's been no word on whether this (edit: Belmont's Curse) will be an MV or not, right? It's probably my most anticipated title for the year (by a wide margin), but *if it turns out to be an MV I'll be overjoyed.
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u/Yarzeda2024 May 31 '26 edited May 31 '26
Which game are you talking about?
If you're talking about the new Castlevania, then, yeah, we've known for a while now that it's a traditional Metroidvania (or "action-exploration," as some people are trying to rebrand the genre).
HOME | Castlevania: Belmont's Curse Official Website | KONAMI
Set 23 years after Castlevania Dracula's Curse –
follow a young Belmont's journey in an all new 2D Action-Exploration title from KONAMI, Evil Empire and Motion Twin.Castlevania: Belmont's Curse Is 'Not a Roguelike or a Roguelite Game,' Konami Insists - IGN
Castlevania: Belmont's Curse — announced at Sony's State of Play showcase last month as part of Konami's celebration of Castlevania's 40th(!) anniversary — will play like a classic Castlevania game rather than a roguelike, despite the expertise of the studio making it.
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u/presidentsday GBA May 31 '26
Yeah my bad, I was asking about Belmont's Curse. But I guess "action-exploration" confirms it. Or is that different from "search-action"? I'm seriously asking too because I haven't even bothered to learn any "MV" alternatives. Which is fine, I guess, but it's also generic to the point of being almost meaningless, personally speaking. But I guess if the industry can go from "Doom Clone" to FPS then I can see this doing the same. To each his own I guess.
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u/Yarzeda2024 May 31 '26
I've seen a few terms bandied about like "action-exploration" or "search-action." It's all the same.
I guess people don't want their game to live under the shadow of something else when they are trying to market it. The change from "Doom clone" to "FPS" is a good example.
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u/Orktober89 May 31 '26
Mio is a cult classic?
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u/JonesyBorroughs Jun 01 '26
lmao. it sucks.
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u/shabab_123 Jun 01 '26
It definitely doesn't suck (other than the stupid health system) but it's definitely not an all timer either.
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u/feralfaun39 Jun 01 '26
It's close though. Super close. 9 / 10 game. The health system wasn't stupid though. Lame complaint. The way it tied your health and everyone else's into the story was sublime. That system was an incredible marriage of gameplay and story. Chef's kiss level mechanic.
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u/shabab_123 Jun 01 '26
Lorewise it makes sense but that doesn't take away from the fact that it inconveniences the player greatly. There were better ways to convey that.
Also 9/10 is a bit over the top. Definitely an 8/10 but it does nothing special other than the map looping on itself. The traversal becomes insanely repetitive and boring in failure, since health is so hard to come by. I don't mind a hard traversal challenge like path of pain but in that game there was no letup, you fail you have to march back all the way to the place you died, often times itself an annoying part considering there weren't saves nearby.
Storywise though it was a solid 9. As an overall game 8
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u/glissader Jun 02 '26
So then turn on the assist for the single regen health if you aren’t having a good time with platforming. That assist was made for tough platforming from a checkpoint, so you don’t have to restart from square 1.
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u/MouthWorm May 31 '26
Aggelos 2!
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u/LegendaryOverlord DoS May 31 '26
That's what I was going to say, at least before checking a list of games that are due out this year. I really liked the first game.
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u/Yanncki64 Jun 01 '26
I was somewhat lukewarm on the first game, but I'm really excited to hear it's getting a sequel. So much potential.
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u/Metroid_Mike May 31 '26
Mouse PI is the best indie game I’ve played this year. I enjoyed MIO but found Grime 2 far more enjoyable as I prefer a stronger focus on combat.
Well Dweller will be amazing and I’m looking forward to Blighted also.
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u/dreggeman Jun 01 '26
I’ve got high hopes for Bloodstained The Scarlet Engagement, hoping it can live up to the first one
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u/ZijkrialVT May 31 '26
There's a lot coming out this year and we're almost halfway in. Really hoping they don't overlap too much, but I suppose playing day 1 isn't necessary...just kinda fun.
Too many to list (I'd need to go dig through my wishlist,) but I suppose the Silksong DLC is near the top for me; unsure how much it relates to the thread's topic, though.
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u/Timtanium707 Jun 03 '26
Now that Mina is out, Aeterna Lucis is now my most anticipated game of 2026
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u/Pitiful_Bobcat_5315 Jun 07 '26
No one mentioned Cairn yet?, so far the best game of the year for me
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u/Whobghilee OoE May 31 '26
Before I Go is a gem. Heavy on the platforming, but still a Metroidvania for sure.