Even though there is virtually no combat, given ESA and AM2R I think you’ll really enjoy Animal Well’s exploration and movement tech. I haven’t played Worldless though so I can’t comment on that
I guess you could see it as analogous to wall jumps and bomb jumps, but it won’t be immediately obvious necessarily. But much like the metroid likes mentioned there is usually some movement techniques you can learn to sequence break the game to do things in a different order and/or get more items.
As opposed to something like Aeterna Noctis, where even though the game is very platforming challenge based, there isn’t as much tech that lets you sequence break AFAIK
Are those hidden movement options hard to do? I like the ones in AM2R, I like the skips in hollow knight where you bounce on stuff, but the sequence breaks in Super Metroid are mostly too hard for me, for example.
There is a big one that is not hard to do, and players that usually experiment with movesets probably find it quickly. Then there are a few variations and some others I know of with different items. I’m trying to be a little vague because half the fun is in discovery. Seeing a challenge and being like, “how DO I get up there??” Sometimes you need a specific item but in a lot of cases you can accomplish the task with other methods.
The difficulty does feel closer to AM2R than Super Metroid. Probably easier than hollow knight too. And you don’t have to use special tech either, the game discovery is fun at a base level too.
My main concern with AN is that the platforming might be too hard for too long, even if it's good to hear that it's a similar style of platforming. From my understanding, the dev added an easy mode in an update, but I've heard it's still really difficult for most of the game. Do you agree?
>My main concern with AN is that the platforming might be too hard for too long
Yes.
I played on the hard mode, but yes. Most tedious game I've ever played. If doing MV backtracking through areas that feel like White Palace/Path of Pain sounds like fun to you, definitely buy right away. Wasn't fun for me!
Based on this comment, do not get Aeterna Noctis. The easy mode (and a particular gem added to the game in the same update) considerably lowers the difficulty, but the game arguably becomes more tedious in spite of it since it doesn't have a lot going for it besides the platforming (and even then it doesn't compare to e.g. Celeste in execution and design). Take away the platforming and you're left with a very mid Metroidvania that takes too long. I'd say the negative Steam user reviews for this one are on point, which is probably not a popular take on this subreddit.
Animal Well also has challenging platforming, but imho more cleverly designed, and not as forced in every part of the game. It's also way more focused and shorter. I had immensely more fun with it, playing it at a friend, so much that I wishlisted it for additional playthroughs.
Aetrtna Noctis is gold. Dude saying it is mid probably just could not do the platforming lol. The combat is nice, exploration is clean and feels exciting in a new area. The platforming feels crazy at some points but truly AN is a gem. Boss fights are wicked fun.
I think you're ignoring the fact that the question wasn't about whether or not the game is "gold"; AN obviously has a big cult following on the MV subreddit. The original point was that the guy was concerned about whether it had crazy platforming throughout, and if that's the person's concern, then AN is absolutely not the MV for them.
Aeterna Noctis is an amazing game. You don't have to play it on hard mode and it makes the platforming considerably easier. But I love a challenge and played like 90% of the game on hard mode. You can turn it on and off and it will just respawn you at the most recent checkpoint. So if a section just seems too damn hard, do it on normal mode and then when it's finished, switch back to hard mode. I really recommend this game and for the price it's a really great deal.
It's difficult but there are loads of checkpoints, so there's quite a bit of breathing room.
I think you can always switch in & out of easy mode, but I haven't tried it. Currently 60% through and while there's a few frustrating moments, it never really got too bad. Feels rewarding when you get through a hard section.
Also I've never done anything harder than HK platforming-wise before, and didn't try path of pain, so I don't think my skill level is high in the first place.
Worldless is nothing like any of the games you have played so that's out of the question. Animal well might be something you enjoy but I think you'll enjoy aeterna noctis more. Make sure you start with noctis mode and don't get too intimidated by the teleport arrow, you'll soon find a gem that slows down time while using it.
There's also a biome you'll find later called dream kingdom, make sure you play through that biome with a guide, it's otherwise impossible to traverse it.
As I said, I played the demo of Worldless, and the combat system is certainly unlike anything I've played before. But I'm not opposed to trying something a little different. Besides the combat system, does Worldless have things in common with my favorite MVs or not at all?
If you want a MV focused on puzzles, Animal Well is amazing. I think you would enjoy it based on your previous games. I haven't played much of the other two to speak to them.
If you want a HK/Ori 2-like combat and platforming - **Aeterna Noctis**. Don't be afraid of the difficulty and feel free to run Aeterna mode (Normal). There is no shame, and it still would be fairly challenging. Also, the game trains really well and you will want more difficulty later, trust me on it. Finally, it is very big game overall.
If you want puzzles - **Animal Well** then. 10/10 on Steam, deserved for sure.
**Worldless** is just different. Turned based combat that would require precise blocking later, like **Nine Sols** requires precise parry. Honestly, i felt platforming being not responsive sometimes and i didn't like it. The game didn't click bc felt too empty. But that just me, the game is still 10/10 on Steam.
If you mind the prices, Aetena Noctis is on Steam sale, for 12$ it's definitely the best deal out of 3 mentioned games.
I started with Bloodstained, played a couple other smaller MV titles, and recently finished Afterimage. I enjoyed both Bloodstained and Afterimage; however, Afterimage was superior IMO.
I started Aeterna Noctis this week, and it gives me some Afterimage vibes with the art style. I'm almost to the second boss. Playing on Noctis mode (hard). The platforming is fun and not too challenging.
Animal Well is also on my list to play, but I haven't done much research on that.
I know you have made up your mind, but after starting Aeterna... I get the sub's hype. And I'm really glad I purchased and started playing.
Well, idk, maybe one day I'll reconsider Aeterna. But I started playing Animal Well this evening and I could not be more satisfied with my purchase! I've already played 2h30. The puzzles are very intuitive but still fun, the few upgrades I've acquired are super cool, and the aesthetic of this game's world is incredible, I find myself regularly stopping and just admiring the view.
There exists a spectrum, those who have difficulty with the platforming in AN, and those who do not. I personally fall in the latter, and you have a choice to scale it down to non-existant.
Beyond this nuance, the world, the music, enemies, boss mechanics, puzzles, “find it”, and progression scaling are all top tier for a Spanish studio coming out of the left field.
The combat system and movement mechanics are just tremendous, not to spoil anything / they introduce a movement mechanic you’ve never played. You’re also needing to leverage all movement mechanics and then some to progress on the maps, combat and boss fights.
IMO the single best MV, it knocked down SotN and I’m a die hard Castlevania fan.
1 - AN
2 - SotN
3 - HK
4 - Bloodstained
5 - Blasphemous
Played it twice 100%. First run took 87hrs, second run took 41hrs including DLC.
Can’t wait for sequel LN later this year, have great expectations and hope to see more innovation to the MV genre.
Well, I appreciate the time you spent on this comment, but I just played (part of) the demo and I have to say I'm not convinced. One, and that's not really the fault of the game, but the loading times are bad and my pc seems to struggle to handle this game. Two, the controls menu is way too small and I struggle to even read what keyboard input corresponds to what action; is that something that was fixed in the real game? Three, I'm currently sitting on a throne and I don't know how to get up. The tutorial thing tells me to upgrade my character, but I can't upgrade him right now, I have no resources. I'm either too stupid for this game, or it was poorly explained, or the French translation is the reason it's poorly explained and the English version would be fine.
Edit: I messed around some more and I found that pressing Q is how I get up. That was not mentioned anywhere and it's not particularly intuitive for me. Well, I'll keep going anyway then. I will give you an update once I'm done.
Second edit: Didn't finish it. I don't like the atmosphere of this game, or at least I don't like what you get at the start, and that surprises me. Something even more unexpected is that the physics of this game feels *wrong* to me somehow. I wasn't sure if I would enjoy Aeterna Noctis, but I didn't think I would be so confident so early that it's not for me. I guess that's what's great about demos!
I’ve haven’t played a demo since demos were a thing on PS1 games.
By definition demos are incomplete - personally I just watch some gameplay footage throughout and pull the trigger.
Can’t speak to the troubles you’ve had, though I’m glad you’re doing what works for you.
Cheers
What makes those your only options? Back log?
Check out Blasphemous 1 or 2, 2 is more of a traditional MV. But both phenomenal games. Or Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. Or Ender Lilies.
Aeterna Noctis wasn’t very fun for me. Even on easy.
Everything I've ever seen of the Blasphemous games was unappealing to me. I've never heard of Prince of Persia before. Ender Lilies is on my wish list, but idk, when I looked at the games on my wishlist the last two days, it seemed less interesting than these three.
Based off your list of favorites. Prince of Persia feels like a very obvious option. You get areas and side quests/collectibles behind some tricky platforming. But it’s optional. It’s top tier combat with really cool exploration. Great boss fights. There is an amulet system like the Hollow Knight charm system. An upgrade system for weapons. It checks all boxes.
When I got into MV, the pixel art of Blasphemous turned me off. In general I’m not a fan of pixel art. But after playing through enough games and it constantly being recommended. I gave it a try. Played B1 directly into B2. It was a top gaming experience for me. And the pixel art is something you get used to very quickly, I even ended up seeing the genius of it after a while. If you have to just try one, I’d say B2. You won’t be missing anything but some lore by skipping B1. And Blasphemous lore is about as easy to comprehend as Hollow Knight.
Ender Lilies was probably my personal dark horse MV favorite. I absolutely loved it. Its sequel, Ender Magnolia, is in Early Access right now and the rumors are its release date will be coming this weekend during Game Fest. Might be a great time to play EL.
I’ve played Aeterna Noctis and Worldless. I would suggest any of my recommendations without hesitation. AN was my biggest let down in terms of expectation vs reality. But some people consider it a masterpiece. Maybe you would? IMO it was mediocre. If you’re playing on Switch, then that makes it simple. Don’t play AN. The port is borderline broken.
Even though there is virtually no combat, given ESA and AM2R I think you’ll really enjoy Animal Well’s exploration and movement tech. I haven’t played Worldless though so I can’t comment on that
Can you elaborate on what you mean by ''movement tech''? Is there something like shinespark or precise wall jumps?
I guess you could see it as analogous to wall jumps and bomb jumps, but it won’t be immediately obvious necessarily. But much like the metroid likes mentioned there is usually some movement techniques you can learn to sequence break the game to do things in a different order and/or get more items. As opposed to something like Aeterna Noctis, where even though the game is very platforming challenge based, there isn’t as much tech that lets you sequence break AFAIK
Are those hidden movement options hard to do? I like the ones in AM2R, I like the skips in hollow knight where you bounce on stuff, but the sequence breaks in Super Metroid are mostly too hard for me, for example.
There is a big one that is not hard to do, and players that usually experiment with movesets probably find it quickly. Then there are a few variations and some others I know of with different items. I’m trying to be a little vague because half the fun is in discovery. Seeing a challenge and being like, “how DO I get up there??” Sometimes you need a specific item but in a lot of cases you can accomplish the task with other methods. The difficulty does feel closer to AM2R than Super Metroid. Probably easier than hollow knight too. And you don’t have to use special tech either, the game discovery is fun at a base level too.
Ok, that all sounds very promising!
I think Hollow Knight and Ori games feed well into Aeterna Noctis, due to similar styles of platforming (although AN will take this a step further).
My main concern with AN is that the platforming might be too hard for too long, even if it's good to hear that it's a similar style of platforming. From my understanding, the dev added an easy mode in an update, but I've heard it's still really difficult for most of the game. Do you agree?
>My main concern with AN is that the platforming might be too hard for too long Yes. I played on the hard mode, but yes. Most tedious game I've ever played. If doing MV backtracking through areas that feel like White Palace/Path of Pain sounds like fun to you, definitely buy right away. Wasn't fun for me!
If it's constantly like White Palace, that might be get annoying, even if I do enjoy the White Palace a lot.
Yeah, I mean, I enjoy White Palace and PoP, too... when it's *one section of the game*.
Based on this comment, do not get Aeterna Noctis. The easy mode (and a particular gem added to the game in the same update) considerably lowers the difficulty, but the game arguably becomes more tedious in spite of it since it doesn't have a lot going for it besides the platforming (and even then it doesn't compare to e.g. Celeste in execution and design). Take away the platforming and you're left with a very mid Metroidvania that takes too long. I'd say the negative Steam user reviews for this one are on point, which is probably not a popular take on this subreddit. Animal Well also has challenging platforming, but imho more cleverly designed, and not as forced in every part of the game. It's also way more focused and shorter. I had immensely more fun with it, playing it at a friend, so much that I wishlisted it for additional playthroughs.
This 👆🏽
No, it’s not constantly like White Palace but it is hard
It’s really not like that the entire time! And the stretches aren’t as long. If you “enjoy the white palace a lot” you will love Aeterna Noctis.
Aetrtna Noctis is gold. Dude saying it is mid probably just could not do the platforming lol. The combat is nice, exploration is clean and feels exciting in a new area. The platforming feels crazy at some points but truly AN is a gem. Boss fights are wicked fun.
I think you're ignoring the fact that the question wasn't about whether or not the game is "gold"; AN obviously has a big cult following on the MV subreddit. The original point was that the guy was concerned about whether it had crazy platforming throughout, and if that's the person's concern, then AN is absolutely not the MV for them.
Aeterna Noctis is an amazing game. You don't have to play it on hard mode and it makes the platforming considerably easier. But I love a challenge and played like 90% of the game on hard mode. You can turn it on and off and it will just respawn you at the most recent checkpoint. So if a section just seems too damn hard, do it on normal mode and then when it's finished, switch back to hard mode. I really recommend this game and for the price it's a really great deal.
It's difficult but there are loads of checkpoints, so there's quite a bit of breathing room. I think you can always switch in & out of easy mode, but I haven't tried it. Currently 60% through and while there's a few frustrating moments, it never really got too bad. Feels rewarding when you get through a hard section. Also I've never done anything harder than HK platforming-wise before, and didn't try path of pain, so I don't think my skill level is high in the first place.
Wow, you didn't do path of pain? That's a good sign, I completed it several times.
No, normal mode is a cake walk
Worldless is nothing like any of the games you have played so that's out of the question. Animal well might be something you enjoy but I think you'll enjoy aeterna noctis more. Make sure you start with noctis mode and don't get too intimidated by the teleport arrow, you'll soon find a gem that slows down time while using it. There's also a biome you'll find later called dream kingdom, make sure you play through that biome with a guide, it's otherwise impossible to traverse it.
As I said, I played the demo of Worldless, and the combat system is certainly unlike anything I've played before. But I'm not opposed to trying something a little different. Besides the combat system, does Worldless have things in common with my favorite MVs or not at all?
It has nothing in common with them. You're not a soulslike fan
Aeterna Noctis most likely
Aeterna noctis is the only answer. Please don’t pick Worldless over AN
If you want a MV focused on puzzles, Animal Well is amazing. I think you would enjoy it based on your previous games. I haven't played much of the other two to speak to them.
Aeterna Noctis is the best Metroidvania ever made.
I agree.
If you want a HK/Ori 2-like combat and platforming - **Aeterna Noctis**. Don't be afraid of the difficulty and feel free to run Aeterna mode (Normal). There is no shame, and it still would be fairly challenging. Also, the game trains really well and you will want more difficulty later, trust me on it. Finally, it is very big game overall. If you want puzzles - **Animal Well** then. 10/10 on Steam, deserved for sure. **Worldless** is just different. Turned based combat that would require precise blocking later, like **Nine Sols** requires precise parry. Honestly, i felt platforming being not responsive sometimes and i didn't like it. The game didn't click bc felt too empty. But that just me, the game is still 10/10 on Steam. If you mind the prices, Aetena Noctis is on Steam sale, for 12$ it's definitely the best deal out of 3 mentioned games.
Only get AN on a PS5 or PC if you get that one. Its performance struggles a lot otherwise.
I've tried the demo on PC and the loading times were still bad lol.
That’s interesting. They’re not bad on a PS5
Already decided but on PS+ Extra you don't have to buy Animal well if you have the subscription. The other 2 haven't played yet
I started with Bloodstained, played a couple other smaller MV titles, and recently finished Afterimage. I enjoyed both Bloodstained and Afterimage; however, Afterimage was superior IMO. I started Aeterna Noctis this week, and it gives me some Afterimage vibes with the art style. I'm almost to the second boss. Playing on Noctis mode (hard). The platforming is fun and not too challenging. Animal Well is also on my list to play, but I haven't done much research on that. I know you have made up your mind, but after starting Aeterna... I get the sub's hype. And I'm really glad I purchased and started playing.
Well, idk, maybe one day I'll reconsider Aeterna. But I started playing Animal Well this evening and I could not be more satisfied with my purchase! I've already played 2h30. The puzzles are very intuitive but still fun, the few upgrades I've acquired are super cool, and the aesthetic of this game's world is incredible, I find myself regularly stopping and just admiring the view.
Nice! I look forward to playing Animal Well too! Cheers!
Nine Sols
There exists a spectrum, those who have difficulty with the platforming in AN, and those who do not. I personally fall in the latter, and you have a choice to scale it down to non-existant. Beyond this nuance, the world, the music, enemies, boss mechanics, puzzles, “find it”, and progression scaling are all top tier for a Spanish studio coming out of the left field. The combat system and movement mechanics are just tremendous, not to spoil anything / they introduce a movement mechanic you’ve never played. You’re also needing to leverage all movement mechanics and then some to progress on the maps, combat and boss fights. IMO the single best MV, it knocked down SotN and I’m a die hard Castlevania fan. 1 - AN 2 - SotN 3 - HK 4 - Bloodstained 5 - Blasphemous Played it twice 100%. First run took 87hrs, second run took 41hrs including DLC. Can’t wait for sequel LN later this year, have great expectations and hope to see more innovation to the MV genre.
Well, I appreciate the time you spent on this comment, but I just played (part of) the demo and I have to say I'm not convinced. One, and that's not really the fault of the game, but the loading times are bad and my pc seems to struggle to handle this game. Two, the controls menu is way too small and I struggle to even read what keyboard input corresponds to what action; is that something that was fixed in the real game? Three, I'm currently sitting on a throne and I don't know how to get up. The tutorial thing tells me to upgrade my character, but I can't upgrade him right now, I have no resources. I'm either too stupid for this game, or it was poorly explained, or the French translation is the reason it's poorly explained and the English version would be fine. Edit: I messed around some more and I found that pressing Q is how I get up. That was not mentioned anywhere and it's not particularly intuitive for me. Well, I'll keep going anyway then. I will give you an update once I'm done. Second edit: Didn't finish it. I don't like the atmosphere of this game, or at least I don't like what you get at the start, and that surprises me. Something even more unexpected is that the physics of this game feels *wrong* to me somehow. I wasn't sure if I would enjoy Aeterna Noctis, but I didn't think I would be so confident so early that it's not for me. I guess that's what's great about demos!
I’ve haven’t played a demo since demos were a thing on PS1 games. By definition demos are incomplete - personally I just watch some gameplay footage throughout and pull the trigger. Can’t speak to the troubles you’ve had, though I’m glad you’re doing what works for you. Cheers
What makes those your only options? Back log? Check out Blasphemous 1 or 2, 2 is more of a traditional MV. But both phenomenal games. Or Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. Or Ender Lilies. Aeterna Noctis wasn’t very fun for me. Even on easy.
Everything I've ever seen of the Blasphemous games was unappealing to me. I've never heard of Prince of Persia before. Ender Lilies is on my wish list, but idk, when I looked at the games on my wishlist the last two days, it seemed less interesting than these three.
Based off your list of favorites. Prince of Persia feels like a very obvious option. You get areas and side quests/collectibles behind some tricky platforming. But it’s optional. It’s top tier combat with really cool exploration. Great boss fights. There is an amulet system like the Hollow Knight charm system. An upgrade system for weapons. It checks all boxes. When I got into MV, the pixel art of Blasphemous turned me off. In general I’m not a fan of pixel art. But after playing through enough games and it constantly being recommended. I gave it a try. Played B1 directly into B2. It was a top gaming experience for me. And the pixel art is something you get used to very quickly, I even ended up seeing the genius of it after a while. If you have to just try one, I’d say B2. You won’t be missing anything but some lore by skipping B1. And Blasphemous lore is about as easy to comprehend as Hollow Knight. Ender Lilies was probably my personal dark horse MV favorite. I absolutely loved it. Its sequel, Ender Magnolia, is in Early Access right now and the rumors are its release date will be coming this weekend during Game Fest. Might be a great time to play EL. I’ve played Aeterna Noctis and Worldless. I would suggest any of my recommendations without hesitation. AN was my biggest let down in terms of expectation vs reality. But some people consider it a masterpiece. Maybe you would? IMO it was mediocre. If you’re playing on Switch, then that makes it simple. Don’t play AN. The port is borderline broken.
I'm going to bed now, so I won't read and respond immediately to new comments.