Whether you call them metroidvanias, search action, or pathfinder games, there’s no denying the genre inspired by Super Metroid and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night has become one of the most popular around, especially in the indie scene. If you feel the itch to explore and unlock doors, then Humble’s new Return to Metroidvanias Bundle is definitely worth checking out. The deal gets you up to eight highly rated Metroidvania PC games for just $14.
Like all Humble Bundles, the Return to Metroidvanias Bundle benefits charity. In this case, a portion of each purchase is donated to Cool Effect, an organization dedicated to reducing pollution and curb the effects of climate change. So not only are you helping save a bunch of 2D virtual worlds, you’re helping save our own, too.
Humble Bundle: Return to Metroidvania
Get 8 Steam games for only $14.
The Return to Metroidvania bundle offers a pay-what-you-want model where the more you pay, the more games you’ll get. Pricing starts at just $5, and gets you two games: Gato Roboto, which sees you exploring a high-tech facility as a mech-piloting cat, and Monster Sanctuary, which mixes Pokemon-inspired monster taming and turn-based battles with Metroidvania-style sidescrolling exploration.
At $10, you’ll get three more games, including Shantae and the Seven Sirens, which is the fifth game in the Shantae series and notable for its hand-drawn in-game visuals and cutscenes. You’ll also get the Islets, a charming adventure set in a world of floating islands, as well as Astalon: Tears of the Earth, which is inspired by side-scrolling action RPGs of the late 80s like Legacy of the Wizard and Xanadu–an often overlooked segment of the Metroidvania genre’s history.
If you pay $14, you’ll get the full eight-game bundle, which gets you all of the previously mentioned games, plus the Dark Souls-inspired Grime, the fast-paced action platformer Berserk Boy (which we should note is closer to Mega Man X or Mega Man Zero than a true Metroidvania), and BioGun, which is a 2024 release with a vibrant art style reminiscent of Hollow Knight and gameplay inspired by classic 2D shooters.
All eight games are delivered as official Steam keys. Almost all of the games are fully playable on Steam Deck, too, with the sole exception of BioGun–it’s playable, but has very noticeable performance issues and requires tinkering with the controls. We’d recommend playing BioGun on a Windows PC instead. It’s a great game, especially if you favor the Metroid side of the genre.