First game has been mentioned already, but I wanna make sure it’s clear how singular the game is.

Blasphemous. In case you didn’t check it out: You should. It got multiple major updates (new areas, bosses etc.) that were completely free and sometimes you can grab it on sale for as low as 6€. It even has NG+ only content for replayability that’s actually worth it (trust me, it really is). The movement in this game is beautifully smooth and the pixel art is consistent. More importantly the combat is actually excellent unlike many other metroidvanias (as well as souls-likes) that unfortunately fail here imho. The platforming is unique, but relatively easy to learn (but you need to try), although the game has specific areas where it becomes more or less important. Blasphemous 2 also exists, however I haven’t played it yet. It isn’t as hard as Dark Souls titles or so, but it’s a souls-like that won’t go easy on you at some points. OST by Carlos Viola is also nice for people who like themselves some flamenco style.

If jRPGs count: Chained Echoes. I will never shut up about this game, since it has gotten a lot of attention, however not NEARLY enough… no one seems to really care about it anymore, but it’s one of the best games I have ever played and I feel sad how it has been overshadowed by games with better marketing/higher budgets that weren’t comparable in terms of gameplay or charme at all! It has everything: Awesome gameplay with many QoL features to adapt to the game or adapt the game to you, cute and profound character designs/artwork, a storyline and an AWESOME OST! Honestly, the music is beautiful in this game… the game has been made by one guy only, however you won’t notice that (except with occasional silly bugs). The music has been made by someone else though (Eddie Marianukroh) and with the help of some awesome musicians (like Gregory Orosz aka. Gamer of the Winds). I wholeheartedly recommend giving it a try!

I liked Metroid Dread a lot. I feel like it’s a good starting point for Metroidvanias too because the game does a good job nudging you in the right direction e.g. by closing off certain areas but still letting you explore and figure out where to go. I especially enjoyed the movement, it feels very fluid and satisfying.

The only major issue I had with the game was that performance is really bad in a few encounters. Most of the time it runs fine though. It’s also not super long. I prefer a game that doesn’t overstay its welcome, but if you’re looking for something that is good value for money in terms of playtime there might be better options.