Yesterday brought us the very welcome news that Konami is finally resurrecting its Castlevania series with Belmont's Curse.
I can't wait to get my teeth into this new game, created in collaboration with Motion Twin and Evil Empire (Dead Cells) – but I've noticed a few people complaining online that it lacks the pixel-based appeal of classic Metroidvania entries, such as Symphony of the Night, Aria of Sorrow and Portrait of Ruin.
If you fall into that camp, then you might want to take a look at Vertex Zero's Silent Planet - Elegy of a Dying World, a new game coming to Steam which pays homage to those beloved Castlevania entries.
Described as "an exploration-focused, gothic sci-fi metroidvania rooted in Cosmic Horror," Silent Planet sees you exploring the "claustrophobic corridors of a massive underground complex filled with the remnants of technological and biological horrors created by a dead civilisation."
While it's set in the year 2997, Silent Planet is filled with gothic-style visuals, making it feel like a close match to titles like SotN.
"You play as Apranik," says the game's Steam page. "Your mission is to travel to the planet Thulcandra in search of a crucial item: the Angel’s Egg, a very ancient artifact believed to be the source of all life in the Universe. You journey through the claustrophobic corridors of a massive underground complex filled with the remnants of technological and biological horrors created by a now dead civilization."