At this point I'm not sure what there's more of... Metal sub-genres, or Video game sub-genres.
Honestly trying to say a game that's "soul's like" and "Metroidvania" is it's own genre sounds just about as ridiculous as "Pirate Metal" being it's own genre.
I agree whole heartedly with this and other comments. Glad someone finally said this.
I mean at what point does the genre lose all meaning? If theirs gotta be entire threads arguing what is and what isnt metroidvania then it means 1 of 2 things. Either the genre is not well defined or isnt necessary at all to begin with. Im gonna go with both.
Metroidvania doesnt exist because those games arent original in genre nor unique in it. And the definitions gamers use to describe what a Metroidvania even is always changes. I mean now fps and 3rd person adventure games? GTA vice city is a metroidvania. I disregard the entire sub genre.
I don't understand why you are so dead-set against subgenres. I don't see any issue having a term or category that represents a specific style or type of gameplay. No different that calling different kinds of sports games "sports sims" vs "arcade sports". Yeah they both revolve around sports, but they also have very different intents and design philosophies behind them. And yeah, I'd say Pirate Metal is a thing. Alestorm and Amon Amarth are both metal bands, but they are stylistically and thematically very different from each other.
Not sure another instance ive ever displayed distain over a sub genre on here.
Tldr - Metroid is not unique enough to define a genre. And metroidvania is a poorly defined concept that people fight over all the time. Mostly because its unnecessary.
Long - Not to mention metroidvania isnt a sub genre. Its a sub-sub genre. I love sub genres so long as they are well defined and practical and "metroidvania" is quite frankly niether. Which is why anywhere its mentioned people sit around and argue of what it even is. When 90 percent of what people talk about with a sub genre is defining what it even is. It doesn't need to exist. Because its just a terrible poorlly defined faux category. The little nuances people come up with to seperate metroid from anything else are for 1. Not even original to metroid. And 2. Not warranting a classification in itself.
For example. 3rd person shooter is a sub genre. Shooter is a genre. Metroid prime is a first person shooter. Thats its sub genre. "Metroidvania" is a sub-sub genre and is about as vague as can be. Doom is more like metroid prime then Super Metroid. And I can draw 50 more similarities to Mega Man with Metroid than I can to castlevania itself.
What has been defined to me as metroidvania is
"You unlock upgrades that allow access to areas previously unavailable and there is one singular map that requires backtracking as part of the story and gameplay"
But of course this defintion changes depending on who you talk to. Because again. The genre is not well defined and is made up as we go. But if we do adhere to this.
Ok so like
1. Pretty much every top down Zelda game and every LTTP clone ever made. (Singular map with web like rooms that require keys to access doors and special weapons to beat specific bosses. Also predates Metroid)
2. Grand theft auto vice city (singular map. Must complete missions and aquire suits to access missions which eventually unlock starfish island and previous inaccessible parts of the map which you cant access unless you aquire not only special weapons, cars, tanks, or even suits)
3. God of War 2018
4. Elden Ring
5. Elder Scrolls and Fable franchises
6. Mega Man - plays similar to Metroid. Linear. Move backwards through corridor levels. Aquire suits to access new levels. Need powers to beat certain bosses. Side scroller cannon shooter)
7. Gris (gotta backtrack to aquire orbs that open constelation path ways and you cant proceed without doing such. You also earn new colors through exploration. Beating the game is impossible without building these star paths.
8. Super Mario 64 (the levels are interconnected to the main room which is toadstool castle. Making it technically one giant level design. In which to access rooms. You must collect stars. And often times need to obtain the flying ability to even get said stars. Metal mario ability to access others)
The problem isnt with sub genres. Its with this sub genre. For example you have Batman Arkham Knight as a metroidvania. Control? I mean why not TOTK and Infamous? The first time I seen a forum call Control a metroidvania I had known it went too far. It lost all meaning that day. At least before it was delegated to basically side scrolling 2D platformers. I just wish it was called "metroid elements" rather than making a whole genre. That I could grasp.
Metroid prime is about as much a metroidvania as Call Of Duty Zombies.
I do agree on certain genres being awesome to classify. For example JRPG vs RPG. Nu metal vs metal. So I do enjoy classifying things. It's one of my favorite things. Even with sites like this. I enjoy categories. I just want it to be clear. Metroidvania is never clear to me.