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00:00What, are we gonna fight the sun?
00:02I WAS MAKING A JOKE!
00:05Uh, uh oh.
00:10Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we're getting lost and barely making it out alive as we
00:16delve even deeper into the hardest Metroidvania games that tested our skills and patience
00:21in equal measure.
00:30Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified
00:34about our latest videos.
00:38A Robot Named Fight
00:46If you thought a standard Metroidvania was rough, try throwing in full roguelike permadeath
00:52where one bad run sends you back to square one with nothing but your unlocked upgrades.
00:57A Robot Named Fight drops you into procedurally generated labyrinths as a lone mech tasked
01:02with taking down the Mega Beast, and every death means losing your progress in the current
01:07run.
01:08The gunplay feels fantastic, the item variety keeps things fresh across the hundred plus
01:12unique pickups, and the gory meaty enemies are a blast to explode.
01:16But that one life per play rule will have you seeing the game over screen more times
01:21than you can count while you learn enemy patterns the hard way.
01:25It's a deliciously punishing love letter to Super Metroid that rewards careful play and
01:29repeated attempts.
01:30And if you're the type who loves replaying sections until you nail them, this one will
01:35keep you coming back for just one more run.
01:44Iconoclass
01:51Sometimes the biggest threat in a Metroidvania aren't the bosses, but the intricate puzzle-solving
01:57and environmental contraptions that block your path at every turn.
02:01Iconoclass throws you into a beautifully handcrafted world full of bolts, moving platforms, and
02:06one-of-a-kind boss fights as Mechanic Robin.
02:09While the combat feels satisfying and weighty with your versatile tools, it's the brain-teasing
02:14level design that will really test your patience.
02:17Expect to stare at a screen full of switches and mechanisms completely clueless while you
02:21figure out the exact sequence needed to progress.
02:24The story and characters add heart to the journey, but the challenge comes from those multi-hour
02:29zones built around single clever items.
02:32It's not always a forgiving experience with its precision demands, but cracking those puzzles
02:36after repeated deaths feels incredibly rewarding and worth every frustrating moment.
02:51Mio Memories in Orbit
02:53Freshly awoken and ready to make players live, die, and repeat in 2026, Mio Memories in Orbit
03:00puts you in the tiny treads of a robot exploring a massive organic space station that's gone
03:05very, very wrong.
03:06With stunning watercolor-style visuals and tight 2.5D platforming, the game demands precision
03:12in both movement and aerial combat.
03:15And thankfully, striking enemies refills your double jump so you can stay airborne during
03:20intense fights.
03:21The world is hauntingly beautiful, but utterly unforgiving, with hazards, aggressive foes, and
03:26tremors that permanently strip away your protective layers.
03:29Exploration feels meaningful as you restore the ship's caretakers, but one wrong move and
03:35the eerie biomes will send you back to a checkpoint feeling humbled.
03:38It's a strong modern take that proves the genre still has plenty of heart and heartbreak
03:43left in it, blending beauty and brutality in equal measure.
03:48Tears of the Earth
03:58Tears of the Earth brings old-school difficulty back with a vengeance, letting you swap between
04:03three different heroes with unique abilities to tackle a mysterious tower and the dying
04:08world around it.
04:09There's no hand-holding here.
04:10The platforms and enemy encounters hit hard, and you'll often find yourself low on health
04:15with no easy pickups in sight, forcing smart resource management.
04:20Character switching becomes essential for survival, especially against the tougher bosses
04:24and gauntlets that demand perfect timing.
04:27Upgrades and souls collected between deaths can help ease the pain slightly, but the game
04:32still expects you to learn from every failure.
04:35It's tough, but fair in that classic way that makes overcoming a brutal section feel like
04:40a genuine, hard-earned victory.
04:47Rabby Ribby
04:55Don't let the cute bunny girl aesthetic and colorful pixel art fool you. Rabby Ribby is a bullet-hell
05:01metroidvania that will melt your brain simply with its boss fights.
05:05Exploration feels great as you hammer through vibrant levels collecting power-ups, but those
05:10massive boss encounters crank the difficulty up to ridiculous levels with dense projectile patterns
05:16that demand perfect positioning, movement, and lightning-fast reflexes.
05:20The game gives you plenty of difficulty options and upgrades to ease the pain if needed,
05:25but on higher settings it becomes a true test of consistency and pattern recognition.
05:29Rabby Ribby is adorable on the outside with its charming cast and colorful visuals,
05:34but absolutely brutal and merciless on the inside once the screen fills with bullets.
05:39If you survive the frenzy, you'll walk away with serious respect for this deceptively tough indie gem.
05:52Time Spinner
06:00Time Spinner gives the familiar genre something new to play with as it lets you wield the power of time
06:05itself
06:06as Luneus seeks revenge across past and present timelines in a gorgeous pixel art world.
06:11The time freeze mechanic is a highlight that lets you dodge attacks and use enemies as temporary platforms,
06:17but don't expect it to make the journey easy.
06:20Aggressive enemies, tricky platforming sections, and some steep difficulty spikes will still punish you plenty throughout.
06:26The game has a habit of letting dedicated explorers overlevel, which can make parts feel easier,
06:32but the bosses and later levels still demand respect, quick reflexes, and can quickly squash any misplaced confidence you once
06:39had.
06:40It's a polished love letter to Symphony of the Night with its own satisfying story twists and orb-based combat
06:45system,
06:46even if it occasionally lets you feel a little too powerful once your arsenal is fully upgraded.
07:00Validest Story
07:01Abyssal City
07:08Set in a submerged frozen city full of angels, demons, and tough moral choices,
07:13multiple playable characters, deep skill trees, equipment crafting, and brutal boss fights that grade your performance on style and efficiency,
07:21Validest Story
07:22Abyssal City is an RPG-heavy metroidvania that rewards mastery while making every mistake hurt on higher difficulties like Godslayer.
07:31The combat system has a high skill ceiling that feels incredibly satisfying once it clicks,
07:36and the open-ended exploration encourages multiple playthroughs with different builds.
07:40Expect to die, learn enemy patterns, and come back stronger.
07:44You know, the familiar classic tough-but-fair design packed with replay value and satisfying progression.
07:50It's one of the denser entries on the list and still holds up as a modern gem for challenge seekers
07:55and those looking for a reminder they haven't fully mastered the genre.
08:08Guacamelee 2
08:16Guacamelee 2 takes everything great about the first game, and like a good sequel, turns the dial up to 11
08:22with even wilder combat,
08:24tougher precision platforming, and chicken transformations that somehow never get old.
08:29Switching between the worlds of the living and the dead while pulling off luchador wrestling moves never loses its charm,
08:34but the later platforming challenges and tough enemy swarms will absolutely test your limits and timing.
08:41It's fast, funny, relentlessly energetic, and packed with memes and pop culture references that land more often than they miss.
08:48The sense of momentum when you finally nail a brutal sequence is fantastic, and incredibly satisfying once you find your
08:54flow.
08:55If you want a Metroidvania with a side of humor, over-the-top action, and satisfying growth, this one more
09:01than delivers the goods.
09:21The GBA and DS duo of Aria and Dawn of Sorrow are often hailed as some of the best 2D
09:28Castlevania entries in the series, and for good reason.
09:31Soul Collecting adds incredible variety and power progression as you absorb enemy abilities,
09:36but these games still pack a solid punch with aggressive enemy placements and memorable boss fights that can wipe the
09:42floor with unprepared players.
09:44Aria especially ramps up the challenge in its later areas and hard mode, while Dawn builds on the formula with
09:50even more polish and new mechanics.
09:52They're the gold standard for the vainiest side of the genre, the series helped pioneer and will still humble modern
09:59players who underestimate classic difficulty curves.
10:02If you haven't experienced these yet, you're missing out on some of the most bloodthirsty and rewarding entries that still
10:08hold up incredibly well today.
10:14Environmental Station Alpha
10:16Environmental Station Alpha is a love letter to classic Metroid that doesn't pull any punches on either difficulty or atmosphere.
10:24Exploring the abandoned biodome space station feels incredibly tense and immersive, with earthquakes constantly reshaping the environment and wildlife that
10:32has taken over every corner.
10:34The precise platforming, tricky hazards, demanding bosses, and punishing backtracking will make you earn every inch of progress the hard
10:42way, while a single missed jump with a grappling hook or dash can send you plummeting several screens down, forcing
10:48long tracks back to just try again.
10:51Some sections feel downright unforgiving until you fully master the movement tools, and the lack of frequent checkpoints only adds
10:58to the tension.
10:59The game doesn't hold your hand at all, which makes finally overcoming its toughest challenges incredibly satisfying through its tough,
11:06uncompromising gameplay filled with excellent boss fights and a haunting vibe that rewards patience, careful exploration, and pattern recognition.
11:14Curious about other games that will test your sanity and skills?
11:17Then head to Mojo Play's 24-7 livestream for all the best content that gaming has to offer.
11:23Scan the QR code on screen to join us live for non-stop fun.
11:27Axiom Verge
11:35Inspired by the OG Metroid games, Axiom Verge plays to its strengths and wears its influences in its pixels.
11:42With visuals lifted almost directly from the NES era, sole developer Thomas Happ created a sci-fi world full of
11:49unique enemies, settings, power-ups, and weapons that make the game consistently engaging, with frequent unlocks that lead to new
11:56unexplored areas and encounters.
11:58However, the visuals aren't all that Thomas Happ was inspired by, and the game doesn't pull any punches much like
12:04the console games of old.
12:06Axiom Verge does an admirable job at gradually ramping up the game's difficulty, acclimating the player to new challenges.
12:13But it doesn't hold your hand, instead teaching them through trial and error like any good Metroidvania should.
12:19You're going to die a lot though, so get used to that game over screen.
12:299 Souls
12:37When your game takes heavy inspiration from the likes of Sekiro and Hollow Knight, you know you're going to be
12:43in for an uphill battle.
12:45Alongside your standard Metroidvania exploration, the game's combat is where the challenge truly begins to frustrate only the most dedicated
12:52of players.
12:53With a focus on melee combat, players need to quickly learn the game's mechanics, particularly the defensive options.
12:59Players can deflect and even parry incoming attacks, allowing them to build up their ki and store it for more
13:06devastating attacks.
13:07The platforming is tough but fair, with a myriad of options such as wall running and grappling, giving players just
13:13enough tools in their arsenal to make them feel extremely overpowered, but one slip up to completely humble them.
13:382D Souls likes have become their own subgenre, but few have managed to perfectly translate the tough but fair gameplay
13:45of the Souls series, like one of the first to adapt the formula, Salt and Sanctuary.
13:49The severe difficulty of the Souls genre isn't the only thing that makes the leap to 2D, however.
13:55Players are given a wealth of customization options to make their playthrough a tad easier, simply because every little bit
14:01helps.
14:02These builds are almost a necessity to survive the game's many boss encounters, as focusing on a build that is
14:08ill-equipped to deal with the challenge ahead will severely impact your progress.
14:12The game is challenging, no doubt, but thanks to a myriad of options available, you can make the journey just
14:18a tad bit more manageable, even if it's only a little bit.
14:30Bloodstained Ritual of the Night
14:31Fans of the Castlevania half of the Metroidvania formula have been longing for a worthy follow-up to that long
14:37dormant and influential series, and thankfully with Bloodstained, their hopes were finally realized.
14:43Designed as a spiritual successor to Symphony of the Night, Bloodstained perfectly recaptures everything that made Symphony of the Night
14:50the definitive Castlevania title, while also mercilessly punishing players for every indiscretion.
14:56Even long-time fans of the Castlevania series might be surprised by the game's difficulty curve, particularly when it comes
15:03to the game's many bosses who hold absolutely nothing back when decimating both diehard and newcomers equally for entering the
15:11arena unprepared.
15:12The title of the game ends up being an allegory for all the times you're going to die and the
15:17bloodstains you leave behind.
15:19Blasphemous
15:27Salt and Sanctuary isn't the only Metroidvania to adapt the Souls formula for their game, but Blasphemous not only takes
15:34the tough-as-nails gameplay, but also uses its distinct art style to perfectly encapsulate the hopelessness of the game's
15:40world and their chances of survival.
15:42Just as death is an inescapable part of Blasphemous' world, not only can the basic enemies send you to an
15:49early grave, but the many bosses revel in the privilege.
15:52Make no mistake, Blasphemous won't hold your hand and will repeatedly kill you with little to no mercy just to
16:00teach you the lesson of learning enemy patterns through patience rather than speedrunning your adventure.
16:05The fact that the entire game world is also open to the player from the start means it's all too
16:10easy to wander into an area you're under-equipped for and will see the game over screen in the blink
16:15of an eye.
16:16I awake now from the silver ash that has been my grave.
16:21A miracle calls me.
16:24Metroid Dread
16:36As the pioneer of the Metroid half of the Metroidvania title, the Metroid series has consistently demonstrated what makes the
16:44series so iconic, with each entry offering new game mechanics to influence future titles in the genre.
16:49However, with Metroid Dread, Samus' latest adventure ramps up not only the speed of combat and the importance of diligent
16:56exploration, but also the difficulty.
16:59Anyone coming into Metroid Dread expecting the same level of challenge as previous entries will most certainly struggle with the
17:06new, more aggressive enemies, bosses, and especially the enemy robots who relentlessly hunt Samus throughout most of her adventure.
17:13Not only do jumps need to be precise, but your combat reflexes are also put to the test with the
17:18new counter mechanics, and unlike previous entries, if you don't fully explore the world for hidden upgrades and unlocks, you're
17:26only making the journey to the end harder on yourself.
17:36Cave Story
17:37Cave Story is not only one of the earliest indie games ever, but also one of the best adaptations of
17:44the Metroidvania formula, with inventive innovations and creative upgrades pushing players deeper into the cave system.
17:51The use of a cave system for a Metroidvania was inspired, and the game has a deep narrative tying all
17:57the events and NPC characters you meet along the way together nicely.
18:00But the deeper you go, the greater and more demanding the cave.
18:05Featuring some of the genre's most difficult bosses, often times paired with equally challenging platforming sections, not to mention the
18:12dreaded Bloodstained Sanctuary, which might be one of the most genuinely unforgiving gauntlets in the genre,
18:17Cave Story forces players to thoroughly explore to make the most of their resources or suffer the consequences.
18:23Dead Cells
18:31What's harder than a difficult Metroidvania? Combining those game mechanics with a roguelike?
18:37What initially sounds like a nightmare combination for fans of either genre, Dead Cells manages to delicately balance between the
18:43risk-reward of roguelikes and the exploration-heavy Metroidvania.
18:47With the roguelike level design, you're never quite sure what type of enemies or layout you might encounter on each
18:53run, making the necessity to explore every branching path for new power-ups just as important as surviving each run
19:00itself.
19:01Dead Cells offers players a myriad of weapons scattered throughout the levels, as well as dodge mechanics to hold off
19:06that dreaded game over screen for just a few more precious moments.
19:10As each run requires different strategies and loadouts, Dead Cells' amalgamation of game design represents the most hardcore and rewarding
19:18Metroidvania experience in years, successfully blending genres into something refreshingly challenging.
19:24Live, die, and repeat for just one more blessed run.
19:35Rain World
19:36Rain World
19:36Metroidvanias are a naturally challenging genre, but few games embody this mentality in which the entire world is designed to
19:44kill you and kill you quickly.
19:46Featuring one of the most impeccably designed ecosystems in any video game, nature truly is survival of the fittest and
19:53the slugcat is smack dab at the bottom of the food chain.
19:56Simple enemies are life or death encounters, and the act of simply exploring the world can be equal parts frustrating
20:02and awe-inspiring, driving players forward to uncover the mystery of the game's world, no matter how terrifying it may
20:09be.
20:09The game can be truly cruel sometimes, with its unfair checkpoint system, frustrating controls, and unclear objectives, but it's also
20:17one of the most rewarding experiences the genre has to offer,
20:21and has developed a dedicated community that is still analyzing the game's world and impressively realistic ecosystem.
20:28Hollow Knight Silksong
20:36You thought Hollow Knight was hard? Silksong told her half-brother to hold her spear.
20:41With Silksong, Team Cherry raised the bar of not only what a Metroidvania could be, but also a significant bump
20:48in the game's challenge.
20:49Demanding pitch-perfect platforming precision, Hornet moves faster than the Knight, and the enemies she faces are far more aggressive
20:57and demanding than anything in the original Hollow Knight.
21:00These new movement mechanics take some getting used to for series veterans, but even then, the numerous gauntlets and challenges
21:07are controller-shatteringly frustrating, full of oftentimes cheap tricks or surprises forcing players to constantly stay on edge.
21:15Boss encounters remain the best in the genre, but you're going to be sending poor Hornet back to those benches
21:21more times than you can count from not only those big spectacle moments, but even just a simple misstep or
21:27poorly timed jump.
21:28It's worth it, but you're going to suffer.
21:36Which Metroidvania game gave you the fight of your life? Share your struggles in the comments.
21:42Did you enjoy this video? Check out these other clips from MojoPlays, and be sure to subscribe and ring the
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