Evan Lee Salim
In the modern landscape of game design, developers are increasingly moving away from linear experiences, opting instead for interconnected, labyrinthine worlds that reward player curiosity. No genre has embraced the concept of "hidden depth" quite like the Metroidvania. While many players approach these titles with the intent of reaching the credits, the true enthusiasts know that the first time the screen fades to black, the game has often only just begun.
For the uninitiated, the requirement to hunt for specific items, complete complex side quests, or decipher cryptic environmental puzzles to unlock a "true" ending can feel like unnecessary padding. However, for those of us who live for the genre, this is precisely where the magic happens. It is the transition from a standard adventure into an epic saga that transforms a title from "good" to "unforgettable."
Here, we explore ten exceptional Metroidvanias that begin as modest adventures but expand into sprawling, multi-layered experiences for those dedicated enough to seek the truth hidden behind their true endings.
The Evolution of the "True Ending"
The trend of multiple endings serves a dual purpose: it provides a sense of accomplishment for casual players while offering a significant challenge for completionists. By gating the "true" conclusion behind optional exploration, developers ensure that players have truly mastered the game’s mechanics—movement, combat, and spatial reasoning—before witnessing the final resolution of the narrative.
10. Aeterna Noctis: A Single and Challenging Finale
Aeterna Noctis is a masterclass in deception. Upon your initial entry into its world, you might perceive a game of moderate scope and manageable platforming challenges. Yet, as you unlock new movement abilities, the map begins to expand exponentially.
What starts as a confined adventure evolves into an interdimensional odyssey across planets to topple deities. The game’s true brilliance lies in how it hides its scale; you are often left with multiple paths that remain inaccessible until you acquire specific upgrades, creating a persistent sense of mystery. For those who struggle with its notoriously difficult platforming, the journey to the end can easily stretch to 100 hours of gameplay, proving that the scale of Aeterna Noctis is far greater than the initial screen might suggest.
9. Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights
Ender Lilies is a hauntingly beautiful experience, bolstered by a soundtrack that perfectly mirrors the decay of its world. Its story is told through the lens of a young priestess, Lily, and the spirits she purifies.
The game features multiple endings, but the narrative feels incomplete without reaching the final "true" solution. Achieving this requires the player to engage in extensive backtracking, collecting key items that unlock the final boss’s second phase. This isn’t merely a difficulty spike; it is a narrative payoff that provides the closure Lily’s journey demands. The effort required to reach this state is substantial, but the emotional resonance of the true ending makes the exhaustive exploration worth every moment.
8. Blasphemous 2: The Desire for Mortality
When Blasphemous 2 launched, many players—myself included—were surprised by how quickly the credits rolled. At roughly ten hours, the base experience felt satisfying but fleeting. However, once you begin to "connect the dots" of the world, you realize the game is far denser than a single playthrough suggests.
The addition of Ending C via DLC fundamentally shifted the game’s scope. By collecting specific items and navigating challenging, previously hidden areas, players can effectively triple their time with the Penitent One. The game transitions from a standard hack-and-slash into a deep, interconnected puzzle of lore and mechanics, proving that in Blasphemous 2, the "end" is merely a suggestion.
7. Nine Sols: Forming Bonds in the Face of the Inevitable
Red Candle Games crafted something special with Nine Sols, a title that demands more than just mechanical skill; it demands emotional investment. The game ties its most profound conclusion to the player’s relationship with NPCs.
To reach the true ending, players must thoroughly explore the map, find key items, and complete character arcs that are entirely optional. This structure rewards the curious player with a deeper understanding of the story and a final boss encounter that ranks among the most challenging in modern indie gaming. If you ignore the side content, you are essentially playing only half of what Nine Sols has to offer.
6. MIO: Memories in Orbit
In MIO: Memories in Orbit, scale is a defining character. You play as a tiny entity navigating vast, alien spaces that were clearly designed for beings far larger than yourself. This sense of insignificance is intentional.
The game encourages a first, "bad" ending that leaves the player with a gnawing sense of incompleteness. It is a calculated design choice to push the player back into the world. By diving into documents, optional bosses, and complex questlines, you realize the initial map was only a fraction of the total experience. MIO rewards those who refuse to accept the first ending, peeling back layers of a narrative that is as grand as its architecture.
5. Environmental Station Alpha: A Labyrinthine Destiny
Environmental Station Alpha is a testament to the idea that a game doesn’t need to be massive at the start to become gargantuan by the finish. Its true ending sequence is legendary for its difficulty and its obscurity.
After "finishing" the game, players are thrust into a complex, almost hellish platforming challenge that tests every skill learned during the main campaign. It is here that the game shifts from a standard pixel-art adventure into a profound meditation on consciousness and ancient mystery. It is a short game that effectively quadruples its length for the dedicated player, offering a depth that is entirely invisible to those who stop at the first credits.
4. Dead Cells: A Grind for the Select Few
While Dead Cells leans heavily into the roguelike genre, its DNA is undeniably rooted in Metroidvania exploration. Unlike a static map, Dead Cells forces players to cycle through biomes repeatedly, with new abilities slowly unlocking access to previously unreachable areas.
The "true" ending is hidden behind the highest difficulty modes, where a secret boss awaits. This requires a level of persistence and mastery that few games demand. It is a massive grind, certainly, but it is one that feels earned. For those willing to invest hundreds of hours, Dead Cells offers a sense of progression that is both granular and satisfyingly deep.
3. Animal Well: Masterfully Hidden Layers
Animal Well is perhaps the most unique entry on this list, as it features zero combat. Its Metroidvania nature is built entirely on puzzles and environmental interaction.
What starts as a charming, puzzle-filled exploration game becomes a complex, multi-layered ecosystem. Most players will reach the first ending and feel satisfied, but the distance between that point and the fourth, final ending is vast. The transition from a simple puzzle game to an experience that feels like uncovering the secrets of a living world is one of the most rewarding journeys in the genre. It is a game that respects the player’s intelligence, asking you to look closer at every screen.
2. Hollow Knight: Silksong
Hollow Knight: Silksong builds upon the legacy of its predecessor while introducing a level of mechanical depth that surprises even veterans of the genre. Despite being more guided than the original Hollow Knight, the game remains a master of subversion.
The third act of Silksong is where the game truly transforms. Just when you believe you have mastered the map and the combat, the game reveals a final segment that expands the scope of the adventure significantly. With new movement skills, devastating bosses, and heartbreaking lore, the "true" ending is not just a conclusion—it is a reward for those who have mastered every inch of the world.
1. La-Mulana: A Relentless Hunt for Objectives
Topping our list is La-Mulana, a game that is as much a test of patience as it is a test of skill. It is not an accessible game by any modern standard, but for the completionist, it is the holy grail.
Reaching the true ending of La-Mulana is a Herculean task, requiring the player to fulfill an absurd number of requirements involving every NPC and secret area in the game. It is a 20-hour game that explodes into a 100-hour odyssey for those seeking the ultimate conclusion. The effort required to "solve" La-Mulana is immense, but it remains the definitive example of how a game can hide a truly massive, complex experience behind a seemingly modest exterior.
Implications for Future Game Design
The success of these titles suggests that players are increasingly hungry for content that isn’t just "big" for the sake of being big, but deep in its complexity. By gating true endings behind optional, challenging content, developers are able to cultivate a dedicated community of explorers.
These games teach us that the "end" is often just a transition. In an industry where games are often criticized for "open-world bloat," these Metroidvanias prove that meaningful, dense content—hidden in plain sight—is the key to longevity. As we look to the future, it is likely that more developers will look to these ten titles as the gold standard for how to reward curiosity and mastery in the digital age.
If you are a fan of the genre, the next time you see the credits roll, don’t put the controller down. There is almost certainly more to discover, more to fight, and a deeper story waiting to be told.
Layla Zulfa
Nana Muazin
