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Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is the closest modern match for most fans of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. It combines a gothic setting, interconnected exploration, action combat, equipment, abilities and RPG-style progression. If your priority is a huge world and discovery, choose Hollow Knight; for grim, punishing combat, choose Blasphemous; for rapid runs and replayability, choose Dead Cells; for fluid platforming, choose Ori and the Will of the Wisps; and for movement-focused adventure, choose Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown.
What makes a game feel like Castlevania?
“Games like Castlevania” can describe several different experiences. The exploration-driven games in the series, especially Symphony of the Night, combine a connected map with areas that open only after you gain abilities or defeat specific enemies. They also layer action combat, secrets, bosses, atmospheric art and music, and often equipment or RPG systems over that map.
That combination is more useful than the label “Metroidvania” by itself. A traditional Metroidvania usually gives you a hand-authored world that becomes increasingly accessible as your character gains movement powers, keys or other upgrades. Some modern games retain that structure almost exactly. Others borrow only the mood and combat while changing the map, progression or replay loop.
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- Ability-gated progress: New skills, relics or equipment let you reach previously inaccessible rooms.
- Action combat: Attacks, enemy patterns, bosses and healing decisions matter moment to moment.
- Secrets and atmosphere: Optional rooms, shortcuts, lore and visual identity make exploration worthwhile.
- RPG progression: Weapons, armor, spells or stat improvements add a build and equipment layer.
Bloodstained, Hollow Knight and Blasphemous align most closely with that fixed-map formula. Dead Cells is the important exception: it uses a changing castle, repeated runs and permadeath, so it is better understood as a “RogueVania” inspired by Castlevania than as a direct replacement for a hand-authored map. Ori and the Will of the Wisps and Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown put more emphasis on movement and traversal than on gothic RPG systems.
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Quick guide: which Castlevania-like game should you play?
| Game | Best for | Exploration | Combat and progression | Main caveat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night | Closest modern Symphony-like experience | Interconnected gothic exploration | Action RPG with equipment and abilities | Check current edition and platform availability |
| Hollow Knight | Deepest exploration and atmosphere | Vast interconnected world | Skill-based combat and ability progression | Less equipment-driven and more demanding than Bloodstained |
| Blasphemous | Grim atmosphere and punishing combat | Nonlinear map with shortcuts and warp points | Hack-and-slash combat, sword upgrades and relic customization | Harsher tone and combat than classic Castlevania |
| Dead Cells | Fast action and replayability | Ever-changing routes across repeated runs | Rogue-lite progression, permadeath, weapons and spells | Not a conventional fixed-map Metroidvania |
| Ori and the Will of the Wisps | Fluid traversal and platforming | Connected exploration | Movement-led platform action | Brighter and more traversal-focused than gothic Castlevania |
| Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown | Movement-focused modern adventure | Metroidvania-style exploration | Traversal powers and action combat | Persian fantasy rather than gothic horror |
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night — the closest modern successor
Choose Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night first if what you miss is the specific blend of Symphony of the Night: gothic presentation, a large connected environment, action combat, collectible equipment and an RPG-flavored character build. Editorial comparisons identify it as the closest overall modern fit and the most “Vania”-oriented option among current recommendations.
Why it matches Symphony of the Night
Bloodstained puts exploration at the center of its design. Progress comes from learning the layout of a gothic world, finding routes that were previously inaccessible and improving your character through weapons, equipment and abilities. That structure preserves the satisfying loop in which every new power changes how you read the map: a suspicious gap, locked passage or unreachable ledge becomes a future destination rather than a dead end.
The action-RPG layer is equally important for Castlevania fans who enjoy experimenting with gear. Instead of relying only on player execution, you can approach encounters through the equipment and abilities you have collected. This makes Bloodstained a better fit than a purer, skill-only Metroidvania when customization and the feeling of becoming stronger are central to your ideal sequel.
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- Players whose reference point is Symphony of the Night rather than the linear, stage-based early games.
- Anyone who wants gothic atmosphere and exploration without giving up equipment or RPG progression.
- Players who prefer one persistent world to a run-based structure.
Current edition and platform availability can change, so verify the version sold in your region before buying. The recommendation is about the game’s design fit, not a guarantee that every edition is available on every platform.
Hollow Knight — the exploration-first choice
Hollow Knight is the strongest choice when discovery matters more than equipment collecting. Its official description calls it “a challenging 2D action-adventure” set across vast interconnected worlds, with new skills and abilities, intricate traps and a mystery beneath the kingdom of Dirtmouth. Those features make it a natural recommendation for players who want to get lost in a world and gradually understand how its regions connect.
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How its exploration differs
The map is designed as a web of discoveries rather than a sequence of isolated stages. You may notice a route that is impossible now, take a different path around it and return later with a new ability. Shortcuts, hidden rooms and environmental clues make navigation itself part of the challenge. The pleasure comes from building a mental model of the world and recognizing how a newly acquired skill changes the options available to you.
Combat and progression
Hollow Knight emphasizes timing, positioning and learning enemy behavior. Its progression is ability-led, so your growing toolkit expands both movement and access. Compared with Bloodstained, it is less centered on changing equipment and more dependent on your command of the combat system. That makes it a compelling step for players who want demanding fights and bosses tied closely to personal skill.
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- You want the deepest sense of place and interconnected-world discovery in this group.
- You enjoy secrets, environmental storytelling and bosses that reward practice.
- You prefer ability progression and skill-based combat over an equipment-heavy build.
Blasphemous — the grim and punishing option
Blasphemous is the pick for a darker, harsher interpretation of the formula. Team17 describes it as “a ruthless ARPG platform game set in a dark and nightmarish world where metroidvania style gameplay meets hack’n’slash action.” That description captures its core distinction: exploration is present, but the tone and swordplay are deliberately severe.
World structure
The world is nonlinear, with shortcuts and warp points that make movement through its regions more efficient as you progress. Exploration involves finding alternate routes and deciding which dangerous areas to tackle, rather than following a simple corridor from one objective to the next. The map’s oppressive religious-horror presentation gives every detour a strong visual and thematic identity.
Combat and upgrades
Blasphemous centers its combat on a sword, enemy patterns and deliberate attacks. Sword upgrades and relic customization give you ways to shape your character while preserving the pressure of each encounter. The result is more hack-and-slash focused than the flexible, loot-oriented feel associated with Bloodstained.
Rank #3
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Choose Blasphemous when
- You want a nightmarish setting rather than a playful gothic adventure.
- You enjoy difficult fights where reading attacks and committing to strikes matter.
- You want nonlinear exploration with shortcuts and warp points, but do not need a large equipment catalog.
Its tone and combat are harsher than classic Castlevania, so it is not the safest choice if you are mainly seeking a relaxed exploration game.
Dead Cells — a RogueVania for fast runs and replayability
Dead Cells is the recommendation for players who value speed, experimentation and repeatable runs over a permanent map. Motion Twin’s official description is explicit: “Dead Cells is a rogue-lite, Castlevania-inspired action-platformer, allowing you to explore a sprawling, ever-changing castle… assuming you’re able to fight your way past its keepers.”
Why it is not a standard Metroidvania
Dead Cells changes the castle and its routes between runs. Permadeath is part of the loop, so a failed attempt sends you back to begin another run rather than leaving you with the same room-by-room map to continue. You still make meaningful progress through weapons, spells, alternate routes and unlocks, but the experience is built around repeated attempts instead of completing one fixed world.
Combat and route choices
Combat is fast and pattern-based. You can combine weapons and spells, select alternate routes and learn how enemies and bosses behave over multiple attempts. The changing layout keeps each run from becoming a memorized sequence, while the possibility of a stronger or more suitable loadout encourages experimentation.
Choose Dead Cells when
- You want immediate, responsive action and short sessions that can turn into long runs.
- You enjoy learning through failure and improving your decisions on the next attempt.
- You want Castlevania-inspired atmosphere without requiring a traditional Metroidvania map.
Do not buy it expecting the exact feeling of charting one permanent castle. Its identity comes from the RogueVania structure, changing routes and permadeath.
Rank #4
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Ori and the Will of the Wisps — movement and emotional fantasy
Ori and the Will of the Wisps fits Castlevania fans whose favorite part is movement through a connected world rather than gothic horror or RPG equipment. Editorial guides consistently place Ori among the leading modern Metroidvania choices, while emphasizing its fluid traversal, expressive platforming and brighter emotional fantasy tone.
What sets it apart
Ori’s appeal is the sensation of moving through spaces with increasing grace. Platforming and traversal take priority, so the main question in many encounters is how to reach a place, chain movement options and read the environment. Exploration remains connected, but the emotional and visual register is more luminous than the haunted castles and grim religious imagery associated with Castlevania.
Choose Ori when
- Precise, flowing movement matters more to you than loot or equipment management.
- You want a warmer fantasy atmosphere and a story-forward adventure.
- You prefer platforming challenges to the harsher combat emphasis of Blasphemous.
Ori is therefore a thematic and mechanical variation, not a gothic substitute. It belongs on this list because it delivers the ability-gated exploration and platforming that define the broader Metroidvania family.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown — modern traversal in a Persian setting
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is best for readers who want a contemporary movement-focused adventure with Metroidvania-style exploration. Editorial roundups classify it as a full Metroidvania-style game and recommend it for traversal and modern platforming, but its setting is Persian fantasy rather than gothic horror.
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Why traversal is the draw
The game’s identity is built around movement powers and the way those powers open new possibilities across the world. Exploration asks you to revisit locations with a more capable moveset, identify routes that were previously out of reach and combine mobility with action combat. This makes it a strong alternative when you want the forward momentum of a modern platform adventure rather than a deliberate equipment-driven RPG.
Best Value
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Choose The Lost Crown when
- You want traversal abilities and platforming to lead the progression.
- You prefer a distinct Persian-fantasy setting to castles, cathedrals and gothic horror.
- You are looking for a polished modern interpretation of the Metroidvania structure.
Check current platform and edition details before purchase, since those particulars can vary by region and release version.
How to choose by the Castlevania feature you miss most
If you want the closest Symphony of the Night replacement
Start with Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night. It is the only recommendation here that directly combines gothic presentation, interconnected exploration, action combat, abilities and RPG-style equipment in the same overall package.
If you want to get lost in a huge world
Pick Hollow Knight. Its vast interconnected areas, secrets, bosses and ability progression put discovery ahead of gear collection.
If you want oppressive atmosphere and hard fights
Choose Blasphemous. Its nonlinear world, shortcuts, warp points, sword upgrades and relics support a darker and more punishing style.
If you want to replay runs instead of memorizing one map
Choose Dead Cells. The changing castle, alternate routes, weapons, spells and permadeath make every attempt a new tactical problem.
If movement is your favorite mechanic
Choose Ori and the Will of the Wisps for fluid platforming and a brighter emotional tone, or Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown for traversal-led action in a Persian-fantasy world.
Buying and starting checklist
- Identify your reference game. If it is Symphony of the Night, prioritize Bloodstained; if it is a movement-heavy entry, consider Ori or The Lost Crown.
- Decide whether you want a permanent map. Select Bloodstained, Hollow Knight, Blasphemous, Ori or The Lost Crown for fixed-world exploration. Select Dead Cells for changing runs.
- Set your tolerance for difficulty. Hollow Knight and Blasphemous demand more deliberate combat practice; Dead Cells expects repeated failures; Bloodstained offers more RPG-style ways to adjust your character.
- Check the current edition and platform. Availability can differ by region, storefront and release version, especially for older or multi-edition games.
- Choose atmosphere deliberately. Bloodstained and Blasphemous lean gothic and grim, Hollow Knight is mysterious, Dead Cells is kinetic, Ori is bright and emotional, and The Lost Crown uses Persian fantasy.
Final recommendation
For one answer to “What should I play after Castlevania?”, buy Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night first. It is the closest overall modern successor to the exploration-heavy, equipment-driven side of Symphony of the Night. Choose Hollow Knight when exploration is the priority, Blasphemous for grim combat, Dead Cells for RogueVania replayability, Ori and the Will of the Wisps for fluid movement, and Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown for traversal-focused modern design.
Quick Recap
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