The controversial Metroidvania genre is, in my opinion, the perfect recipe for a videogame. Its formula creates a gameplay loop from the very moment you take control of your character, and it stays in perpetual motion until the credits hit.

Because of that, I usually beat these games relatively quickly, consuming them without even noticing it. They have a sort of arcade feel to them: "just one more", "I'll just get to the next save point and that's it". Then it's 4 AM.

As the list shows, I have very little experience with the -vania side of the genre. Or maybe the genre in general? However, if it isn't already clear, this genre is definitely my favorite, so I'll happily hear any recommendations! Except for the Ori games, Blasphemous and Yoku's Island Express, as I'm already planning on playing them.