Child of Light: Afterimage Reminds Us of the Power of the Metroidvania Genre

The Metroidvania name has always seemed a bit weird.

It is not uncommon for games to become so omnipresent that they give rise to gender (Roguelike literally means how the game rogue), but come on, boys.

These are only two names of slapped games as if they were a couple of celebrities who name their children as fruits, states or ingredients in a consommé. We have convinced ourselves that it sounds catchy, but that is just because we say it a lot. It is too long and the-Oidvan-Pega badly in the ear. In addition, Vania sounds too much like Mania, making you think that a Metroidvania is a metro id fans clique that shout. All this to say that I really do not like it, but I have found myself committing to the last Metroidvania: Afterimage. THE GAMER VIDEO OF THE DAY The diatribe about the Metridvania nomenclature conventions was somewhere, I promise. Another reason why I do not like the name is because Metro id and Castlemaine are no longer the driving forces, but they are still iconic enough so that the name is indelibly linked to them. Many do not know Rogue, so he doesn't feel intrusive with Roguelike. However, everyone knows what Metro id and Castlemaine are, even if these days we consider Hollow Knight, ORI and The Will of the Wisps and Dead Cells are the cusp. It seems that having the gender defined by the two games that did better 30 years ago can stop it...