What Is a Metroidvania?
One big interconnected map, locked doors you can't open yet, and abilities that change that. Here's what makes a game a Metroidvania.
Roguelike vs Roguelite vs Metroidvania, Explained
Roguelike vs roguelite vs Metroidvania — what each term actually means, how they differ, and how modern games blend all three into one loop.
People throw "roguelike," "roguelite," and "Metroidvania" around as if they mean the same thing. They don't. Here's the short version of what separates them — and why so many modern games are all three at once.
Roguelike
A roguelike is built on two ideas: procedurally generated levels and permadeath. When you die, you start over, and the next run is laid out differently. The term comes from the 1980 dungeon-crawler Rogue, and the strict definition includes turn-based, grid-based combat. Almost nobody uses the strict definition anymore.
Roguelite
A roguelite keeps the run-and-die loop but softens the permadeath. You lose the run, but you keep something — currency, unlocks, permanent upgrades — so you start the next attempt a little stronger. Hades is the textbook example: you die constantly, but the meta-progression means you're always moving forward. Most "roguelikes" people play today are technically roguelites.
Metroidvania
A Metroidvania is about a single, interconnected world rather than fresh random levels. The name fuses Metroid and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. You explore one big map, hit a barrier you can't pass, find an ability, and backtrack to open the way through. Where a roguelike pushes you forward into new randomness, a Metroidvania pulls you back through familiar space with new tools.
How they combine
The lines blur because the strengths complement each other. "Roguevania" games — Dead Cells is the popular one — keep the run-based death loop but lay it over interconnected, ability-gated spaces instead of pure random rooms. You get the replayability of a roguelike and the sense of place of a Metroidvania.
A worked example: KUTO: The Lock of Time
Our own game sits right on this line. KUTO: The Lock of Time is a time-bending action Metroidvania — fast combat, runs you restart, progress you keep — built on a 2.5D map set in a crumbling Rome. You play an outcast bound to the titan Kronos, and as you grow stronger you reopen ground that was closed before. It's the roguevania structure with time powers bolted on. If that mix sounds good, here's the full overview and a breakdown of what "action-roguelike Metroidvania" even means.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between a roguelike and a Metroidvania?
- A roguelike has procedurally generated levels and permadeath — you restart each run from scratch. A Metroidvania is one interconnected world gated by abilities you unlock and backtrack through.
- What is a roguevania?
- A hybrid that lays a roguelike's run-and-die loop over an interconnected, ability-gated map. Dead Cells is the popular example.
- Is a roguelite the same as a roguelike?
- No. A roguelite keeps some progress between runs — permanent upgrades or unlocks — so you grow stronger even when you lose. Most modern 'roguelikes' are technically roguelites.
- Can a game be both a roguelike and a Metroidvania?
- Yes. Games like Dead Cells and Hollow Knight: Silksong blend the two by keeping a persistent, ability-gated world while resetting your run-level power on death. The player still explores one map, but each attempt starts from scratch in terms of items and upgrades.
- What does 'procedurally generated' mean in a roguelike?
- It means the levels, rooms, or loot are assembled by an algorithm each run rather than hand-placed by designers. No two runs look identical, which is the main driver of replayability.
- What is permadeath and why do roguelikes use it?
- Permadeath means losing all in-run progress when you die — no continues, no reload from a save. It raises the stakes of every decision and makes success feel earned rather than ground out.
- Do Metroidvanias have permadeath?
- Traditionally no. Most Metroidvanias let you save and restore progress freely. Some roguevania hybrids add permadeath to the format, but a classic Metroidvania lets you pick up where you left off.
- What is meta-progression in a roguelike?
- Permanent upgrades, unlocks, or currency that carry over between runs. It's the key trait that distinguishes a roguelite from a strict roguelike — you keep getting a little stronger even when you lose.
- Which genre is harder — roguelike or Metroidvania?
- Roguelikes (especially strict ones) are typically harder because losing means starting over. Metroidvanias can be challenging but let you save progress, so difficulty tends to feel more measured. Roguelite hybrids sit somewhere between the two.
- Why are so many indie games Metroidvanias or roguelikes?
- Both genres suit small teams. Metroidvanias focus content into one dense, hand-crafted map rather than many separate levels. Roguelikes multiply playtime through procedural generation rather than sheer content volume. Either way, the effort-to-playtime ratio works in an indie studio's favour.
- Is KUTO: The Lock of Time a roguelike, a roguelite, or a Metroidvania?
- It is a time-bending action Metroidvania with a run-based structure: runs reset on death, but roguelite meta-progression means you keep some progress across attempts. Built on a 2.5D Metroidvania map, Jokoan Kuto fights through multiple historical eras using the Scythe of Kronos and time-based powers, reopening parts of the world as he grows stronger.
- What is the difference between a roguelite and a Metroidvania in terms of map design?
- A Metroidvania uses one fixed, hand-crafted map you revisit as your abilities expand. A roguelite builds its levels procedurally each run, so the map is different every time. The roguevania genre tries to keep the interconnected feel of a Metroidvania while still varying the run layout.
- Do Metroidvanias have replayability?
- They do, but less mechanically than roguelikes. Replayability in a Metroidvania usually comes from sequence-breaking (skipping ability gates you already know how to bypass), speedrunning, or 100% completion runs. The world itself does not change between playthroughs.
Keep reading
What Is a Roguelike? A Beginner's Guide
Procedural levels, permadeath, and a run you restart from scratch. Here's what 'roguelike' actually means — and why the genre is everywhere now.
What Is an Action-Roguelike Metroidvania?
Three genres in one label. Here's what an action-roguelike Metroidvania actually is, and which games define the hybrid.
Collapsing world games: when the setting falls apart
A world that holds together is a backdrop. A world that's breaking is a pressure system. The difference changes how you move through it.
Dead Cells Lore Explained
Dead Cells buries its story in item descriptions and environment details. Here's everything the lore says about who you are and what happened to the island.