A stunning Metroidvania game called 9 Years of Shadows dropped on Steam today, March 27, and in addition to being a frontrunner for the most literal interpretation of the genre, it's one of the most eye-grabbing games of 2023 so far.
Let's break Metroidvania down into its root parts for a minute. The Metroid games, one might argue, are fundamentally about a woman collecting upgrades and armor suits in order to explore new areas and overcome challenges. Castlevania games, meanwhile, are often about exploring castles, generally in search of some supernatural villain.
