Metroidvania titles are still a somewhat common genre among titles with throwback 2D-style gameplay, but you may interested in one that’s currently available for free on Steam. Paradox Soul made its debut in 2018, and it’s yours for the taking if you grab it fast.
Paradox Soul was developed by Ritual Games and published on Steam by GrabTheGames. The story is set in Iceland in 1987 and it places players in control of Dr. Alli Rose, a research scientist who is exploring a test facility filled with secrets and deadly robot enemies to fight. Much like many of the older video game titles, Paradox Soul’s game art doesn’t closely resemble the graphics used in the actual gameplay.
Physically, Alli is an ordinary woman, but she can collect suits in the game that upgrade her offensive capabilities, including a Samus Aran-like ball form that Alli can use to attack her foes. The game’s description also teases “terrifyingly epic boss fights” and a “hand-crafted labyrinth of evil.”