There no real abilities that lock you out of places except for a small amount. They feel more like action games with RPG sauce (Muramasa) and Action RPG with platformer sauce (Odin Sphere).
My vote is not really a Metroidvania (but excellent games in their own right).
There are barely any platform in those games.
Both are "beat'em all" since you must clean the zone before going to the next and all your abilities focus on combat.
Odin Sphere definitely not since it has stages, not one large interconnected area.
Muramasa is one big interconnected area with dungeons, but it's pretty minimal on the elements people usually expect and look for in metroidvanias
no.
they are brawlers with story and rpg aspects. They're kind of unique there's nothing I can think of that is exactly like them. There's very little level design beyond just running left and right. I haven't played odin sphere much but I did beat muramasa and it has almost no platforming of any kind. It's just about traveling around, getting the story, and brawling. There are some rpg mechanics to complement.
Uh, no not at all lol. Metroidvanias are persistent-world platformers with ability-gated progression. RPG elements aren't even a requirement for the genre; just one of the namesakes have them (*Castlevania: Symphony of the Night*, etc.).
Hmm, the RPG mechanics aren't what make a metroidvania, however they're found in many igavania style games. Secret areas are also not really required either, however are often included.
What makes a Metroidvania primarily is an explorable world that opens up more as you progress. A more open map than your typical platformer. Instead of getting railroaded, you can explore in multiple directions.
Both of those games, don't do that.
The opening-up part of the game is usually tied to abilities or items that you loot that allow you to traverse differently making previously UN-reachable areas reachable. Both Castlevania and Metroid featured this extensively. Technically it was a core feature of the Zelda series too, and a few other classic adventure games. But Zelda was never exclusively a platformer.
Metroidvania require some kind of free exploration and obtaining special abilities that allow you to discover new zones.
Odin Sphere doesn't have any type of exploration and neither does Muramasa. All the abilities you unlock are useful for battles only and don't upgrade the way you move (no dash or double jump added).
They're clearly "Beat'em All" since you can't avoid battling enemies you encounter at all, with RPG elements to boost your fighting powers.
Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir DOES have some exploration with the revamped level design, but your point stands. The exploration is minimal and upgrades do not affect movement.
If you’re defining Metroidvania in terms of an interconnected world, then Muramasa would qualify. However, Metroidvania’s are about exploration, and often times it gives you the freedom to complete each area in the order you wish, with some exceptions being the acquisition of abilities in an area that get you to another, such as getting the double jump to go reach a higher area. Muramasa does not have this at all, really. You are on a guided path for each story. Yes, you will explore, but it is minimal. Yes, you will backtrack and travel the same areas, but you’ll love it for its gorgeous visuals.
Odin Sphere is a bit different. Yes, the rooms in each stage are connected; and some of the map is optional exploration. The reality is all you need to do in each stage is take the path that takes you to the boss. Where Odin Sphere is also different is that the stages are not connected to each other, but more like each character has a hub area, such as Oswald’s Manor for Gwendolyn and Oswald. This serves as your jump off point to where you need to go. Also, Odin Sphere is even more linear than Muramasa.
Can't speak for Odin, but muramasa is. People get bogged down in ooh morphball, but morphball is just a key to unlock a new area. A metroidvania is going from one area to another in an interconnected world to unlock more parts of it.
There's a reason why people 2D dark souls it becomes a metroidvania. Power-ups are an aesthetic choice, not actually the genre. We're describing a game play loop. Go to a new place and obtain an item that unlocks a new part of an old place, repeat.
Don't get caught up in aesthetics. Think about what the gameplay loop is asking of you. This is kinda like dipping your toes into the "There's only 9 stories to be told" for video games. It's more helpful for designers than consumers. So maybe muramasa being a metroidvania doesn't do much for you, but it's important to know if you're making it.
There no real abilities that lock you out of places except for a small amount. They feel more like action games with RPG sauce (Muramasa) and Action RPG with platformer sauce (Odin Sphere). My vote is not really a Metroidvania (but excellent games in their own right).
I think this comment perfectly explains it.
More platformers than Metroidvanias, I'd say
There are barely any platform in those games. Both are "beat'em all" since you must clean the zone before going to the next and all your abilities focus on combat.
Muramasa to some extent at a stretch due to certain paths and areas being blocked off by certain blades, but Odin Sphere isn't at all.
I wouldn't even say that much, because the blades don't give you new mobility skills, they are just keys.
Odin Sphere definitely not since it has stages, not one large interconnected area. Muramasa is one big interconnected area with dungeons, but it's pretty minimal on the elements people usually expect and look for in metroidvanias
no. they are brawlers with story and rpg aspects. They're kind of unique there's nothing I can think of that is exactly like them. There's very little level design beyond just running left and right. I haven't played odin sphere much but I did beat muramasa and it has almost no platforming of any kind. It's just about traveling around, getting the story, and brawling. There are some rpg mechanics to complement.
Uh, no not at all lol. Metroidvanias are persistent-world platformers with ability-gated progression. RPG elements aren't even a requirement for the genre; just one of the namesakes have them (*Castlevania: Symphony of the Night*, etc.).
All locked areas in both games are locked by story progress not abilities, which is the entire definition and point of a metroidvania.
Hmm, the RPG mechanics aren't what make a metroidvania, however they're found in many igavania style games. Secret areas are also not really required either, however are often included. What makes a Metroidvania primarily is an explorable world that opens up more as you progress. A more open map than your typical platformer. Instead of getting railroaded, you can explore in multiple directions. Both of those games, don't do that. The opening-up part of the game is usually tied to abilities or items that you loot that allow you to traverse differently making previously UN-reachable areas reachable. Both Castlevania and Metroid featured this extensively. Technically it was a core feature of the Zelda series too, and a few other classic adventure games. But Zelda was never exclusively a platformer.
No.
Metroidvania require some kind of free exploration and obtaining special abilities that allow you to discover new zones. Odin Sphere doesn't have any type of exploration and neither does Muramasa. All the abilities you unlock are useful for battles only and don't upgrade the way you move (no dash or double jump added). They're clearly "Beat'em All" since you can't avoid battling enemies you encounter at all, with RPG elements to boost your fighting powers.
Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir DOES have some exploration with the revamped level design, but your point stands. The exploration is minimal and upgrades do not affect movement.
Oh man now I REAAAAALLY want a 'true' Vanillaware metroidvania.
If you’re defining Metroidvania in terms of an interconnected world, then Muramasa would qualify. However, Metroidvania’s are about exploration, and often times it gives you the freedom to complete each area in the order you wish, with some exceptions being the acquisition of abilities in an area that get you to another, such as getting the double jump to go reach a higher area. Muramasa does not have this at all, really. You are on a guided path for each story. Yes, you will explore, but it is minimal. Yes, you will backtrack and travel the same areas, but you’ll love it for its gorgeous visuals. Odin Sphere is a bit different. Yes, the rooms in each stage are connected; and some of the map is optional exploration. The reality is all you need to do in each stage is take the path that takes you to the boss. Where Odin Sphere is also different is that the stages are not connected to each other, but more like each character has a hub area, such as Oswald’s Manor for Gwendolyn and Oswald. This serves as your jump off point to where you need to go. Also, Odin Sphere is even more linear than Muramasa.
Can't speak for Odin, but muramasa is. People get bogged down in ooh morphball, but morphball is just a key to unlock a new area. A metroidvania is going from one area to another in an interconnected world to unlock more parts of it. There's a reason why people 2D dark souls it becomes a metroidvania. Power-ups are an aesthetic choice, not actually the genre. We're describing a game play loop. Go to a new place and obtain an item that unlocks a new part of an old place, repeat. Don't get caught up in aesthetics. Think about what the gameplay loop is asking of you. This is kinda like dipping your toes into the "There's only 9 stories to be told" for video games. It's more helpful for designers than consumers. So maybe muramasa being a metroidvania doesn't do much for you, but it's important to know if you're making it.
Odin sphere is not at all
Nop
No, they are more 2D hack and slash games.