10 Metroidvania Franchises That Should Come Back in 2027

For Metroidvanias, 2026 was a magnificent year, with releases like Silver Pines, Well Dweller, Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, and MIO: Memories in Orbit, making it a truly historic trip around the sun.

As time goes on, the number of titles we can add to the lists of the genre's most outstanding experiences increases, which in turn raises the total of potential sequels we can look forward to in the future.

I love a new IP as much as anyone, even though I'm usually critical of the idea of endlessly expanding a series. However, I also have room in my heart for more and better content from an adventure I've already enjoyed in the past.

Therefore, if you're like me and have titles in mind that you'd like to visit once again, I recommend we compare entries through this list of ten Metroidvania franchises that should come back in 2027.

10 Ori

Nature is Always Protagonist

Ori and The Blind Forest Platformer Adventure Released March 11, 2015 ESRB E For Everyone due to Mild Fantasy Violence Developer(s) Moon Studios Publisher(s) Microsoft Game Studios Engine Unity Genre(s) Platformer, Adventure

The chances that Thomas Mahler, Moon Studios' co-founder and director, lied when he said there isn't a new Ori game in development are extremely low, but I refuse to believe they're zero.

Of course, the team is fully focused on No Rest for the Wicked, though there have been talks between the developer and Microsoft since 2025 to continue expanding the series' boundaries, so the possibility is entirely real.

In this scenario, a return wouldn't necessarily mean a release but rather confirmation that a new entry in the story is being developed, which would be more than enough to calm my wishes.

Even though I'm not the biggest fan of the franchise, I deeply appreciate what Ori has contributed to the genre through its two great adventures and the impact they've had in the years following their releases, so I hope it turns out Mahler had an NDA to honor.

9 SteamWorld Dig

Prudent Times

SteamWorld Dig Action-Adventure Metroidvania Released August 7, 2013 ESRB e Developer(s) Image & Form Publisher(s) Image & Form Engine Proprietary Engine Genre(s) Action-Adventure, Metroidvania

With its first game released in 2013 and a second in 2017, SteamWorld Dig has become a benchmark for modern Metroidvanias, but its history has been anything but kind to its greatness.

The merger of Image & Form with Zoink under Thunderful Games brought with it an expansion of the IP's boundaries into other genres, but at the cost of its core focus and the original creators of Rusty and Dorothy's adventures.

Therefore, a hypothetical SteamWorld Dig 3 wouldn't be the same without the creative team that gifted us the journeys that made us fall in love with the series, but it would be a great opportunity to commemorate what allowed the SteamWorld universe to exist in the first place.

Metroidvanias are experiencing remarkable growth in popularity and reach, and considering the sequel's open ending, I'll never lose faith that we'll one day receive a third numbered installment.

8 Axiom Verge

More Science Fiction, Please

Axiom Verge Metroidvania Released March 31, 2015 ESRB E10+ For Everyone 10+ due to Fantasy Violence, Mild Language Developer(s) Thomas Happ Games Publisher(s) Thomas Happ Games Engine monogame, microsoft xna Genre(s) Metroidvania

If we were to discuss the Metroidvania genre's current needs, I would honestly say a greater emphasis on science fiction, which inevitably leads us to Axiom Verge.

Despite the near-unanimous agreement that the former is superior to the latter, both complement each other perfectly, forming one of the most exciting pairings of their kind, deserving of another expansion of their rich universe.

We have many medieval Metroidvanias that primarily focus on melee combat, so Axiom Verge's reliance on guns, space navigation, and puzzles would be a perfect fit to refresh the genre in 2027.

Thomas Happ has mentioned his interest in exploring a new iteration of the franchise for years, so I believe it's only a matter of time before we have the pleasure of receiving it.

7 Shadow Complex

Bring Us the Popcorn

Shadow Complex Platformer Metroidvania Released August 19, 2009 ESRB T For Teen due to Mild Language, Violence Developer(s) ChAIR Entertainment Publisher(s) Microsoft Game Studios, Epic Games Engine Unreal Engine 3 Genre(s) Platformer, Metroidvania

Before Epic Games struck gold with Fortnite, it was developing and distributing diverse and intriguing projects, among which the popcorn flick Shadow Complex undeniably stands out.

In an era when the genre was far from its current mainstream success, and when smaller projects were seen as mere filler for Xbox Live, Jason Flemming was already demonstrating this design philosophy's immeasurable potential.

With a heavy focus on ballistic action, military-industrial complexes, and more explosions than healthy eyes can bear, it's one of the most peculiar expressions of Metroidvanias because it's more reminiscent of a third-person shooter than a side-scroller.

That nuance makes it a sui generis title, but don't be fooled: from level design to progression and content, Shadow Complex is an excellent creation that new generations deserve to experience through a successor.

6 Blaster Master Zero

Sequels to Infinity

Blaster Master Zero Action Shooter 9/10Released March 9, 2017 ESRB e Developer(s) Inti Creates Publisher(s) Inti Creates Engine Proprietary Engine Genre(s) Action, Shooter

Japanese Metroidvanias are truly unique, as their pacing, perspective, and priorities are often very different from their Western counterparts, as the magnificent Blaster Master Zero saga reminds us.

After its third installment's satisfying conclusion, I know it might be unwise to expect another adventure, especially considering that Inti Creates manages several other franchises with comparatively higher demand.

However, between 2017 and 2021, the developer produced an extraordinary trilogy with its 8-bit top-down and side-view 2D gameplay reminiscent of the NES era, a combination that so few studios dare to replicate that it's only normal that I yearn for its return.

Indeed, there's a huge void for nostalgic players who have also become fans of modern Metroidvanias, and it seems that only Blaster Master Zero can fill that precise need.

5 Teslagrad

Introducing New Learnings

Teslagrad Puzzle Platformer Released December 23, 2013 ESRB E For Everyone: Mild Fantasy Violence Developer(s) Rain Games Publisher(s) Rain Games Genre(s) Puzzle, Platformer

Although Teslagrad 2came and went without much fanfare, to the point that many people probably don't even know it exists, I'll never be so desperate as to jump ship from Rain Games and the possibility of continuing with the IP.

It's clear the developer still has an affinity for 2D platformers, judging by their most recent release, Knuckle Jet, from which they could borrow a few ideas to refine the shortcomings they experienced with Lumina's journey.

Metroidvanias whose gameplay revolves around puzzles always have a special aura, enhanced in this case by the thrilling sequences Teslagrad intersperses when necessary, making the pacing of each campaign spot-on.

Now that their platforming skills have improved, the only sensible thing to do is extend an invitation to them to create Teslagrad 3 and show the industry how much they've grown as developers since 2013.

4 The Messenger

Embracing the Genre

The Messenger Platformer 9.5/10Released August 30, 2018 ESRB E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Crude Humor, Fantasy Violence, Language Developer(s) Sabotage Publisher(s) Devolver Digital Engine Unity Genre(s) Platformer

Discussions about how Metroidvania The Messenger truly is have been ongoing since its release, so Sabotage has a single task: to create a sequel that embraces the genre even more wholeheartedly.

Debate aside, it's among the last couple of generations' most distinctive action platformers, with classical yet highly refined mechanics that strike a perfect balance between ancient conventions and new standards.

Its characteristic humor, timeline shifts, and satisfying gameplay in both combat and movement make it a perfect candidate for a successor that expands upon its foundations.

If, in the process, they make the entire campaign part of the genre instead of just the second half, all the better, but the bottom line is that The Messenger 2 would be a sure buy for everyone who had the pleasure of enjoying the original.

3 Dust: An Elysian Tail

A Prolonged Hiatus

Dust: An Elysian Tail Action RPG Metroidvania Released August 15, 2012 ESRB E10+ For Everyone 10+ due to Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Use of Tobacco Developer(s) Humble Hearts Publisher(s) Microsoft Studios, Limited Run Games Engine Microsoft XNA Genre(s) Action RPG, Metroidvania

Although Dean Dodrill unfortunately didn't find success with his latest release, the community still fondly remembers him for his magnificent solo work on Dust: An Elysian Tail, even more than a decade after its launch.

Combat and audiovisuals like that are not easily forgotten, and the passage of time hasn't prevented the title from continuing to appear on lists of the best in the genre, especially when it comes to its action sequences.

Its eccentricities have scared away many players, but they were also what attracted thousands to its proposal, which would greatly benefit from the advancements that both the medium's technology in general and the genre in particular have experienced.

Whether with a different set of characters or in an alternate world, as long as it maintains its excellence in violence and its narrative commitment, I'm sure any title under the Dust: An Elysian Tail IP will find its place on the market.

2 Salt

Atonement for Sins

Salt and Sanctuary Action RPG FX Wiki Wiki Released March 15, 2016 ESRB M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Violence Developer(s) Ska Studios Publisher(s) Ska Studios Engine FNA / Microsoft XNA Game Studio Genre(s) Action RPG

Salt and Sacrifice is a name practically no one wants to talk about, and while I can understand why, I don't want that to ruin the potential of a world that still has so much more to offer to the industry.

Salt and Sanctuary remains a benchmark for 2D Metroidvanias and Soulslikes, being one of the pioneers that combined both philosophies in a relentless campaign with a tremendously interconnected world and high levels of customization.

Secret areas and bosses, hidden items, scattered pieces of lore, finely tuned difficulty... The series knows what contemporary players like, but the image left by the second installment has wreaked havoc on the franchise's legacy.

Since 2023, Ska Studios has been working on an unannounced project, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will eventually be revealed as a brand-new iteration of their magnum opus.

1 Blasphemous

Long Live the Miracle

Blasphemous Metroidvania Soulslike FX Wiki Wiki Released September 10, 2019 ESRB M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Nudity, Violence Developer(s) The Game Kitchen Publisher(s) Team17 Engine Unity Genre(s) Metroidvania, Soulslike

The Game Kitchen has become a multifaceted company, taking on projects ranging from virtual reality to a new Ninja Gaiden, but we all know that its cornerstone is the magnificent Blasphemous.

Four years separated the second installment from the first, and that same gap will be reached in 2027, making it feel like the perfect occasion to revisit the fascinating world and lore they've created.

The developer hasn't stopped refining its creative skills and establishing itself as a renowned enterprise within the indie scene, which leads me to completely idealize the absolute marvel that Blasphemous 3 would be.

Considering the second installment is a comprehensive improvement over the first, and seeing the great work they've done with post-launch support, I doubt there's a single fan of the IP who wouldn't jump out of their seat at the hypothetical announcement.

Nevertheless, the studio has earned the right to choose how and when to shape its future publications; I just hope that coincides with my unspeakable need to return to Cvstodia.