Ori and the Blind Forest

My favorite metroidvania. It has all of the positives of its sequel, but I also loved its vibes and the sense of solitude as you explore the world. The map system is great here as well and you can manually save anytime. There's a ton of fun to be had in exploring this densely packed world, especially after you get abilities like Bash, which is a blast to use. I also preferred the combat here, where you shoot homing projectiles that target the enemy while you focus on dodging their attacks. The visuals and music are truly mindblowing. This is why I got into the metroidvania genre in the first place.