didn't cokkusu say that lords was a metroidvania at one time, or at least had metroidvania elements
when it didn't really
besides that, a game can have metroidvania elements but the execution can still be off (like shadow complex), so i'm still gonna wait it out until i see more un-chopped gameplay footage. the thing that draws me in the metroidvania formula is less to do about going "oh hey i can't reach that yet lol I GUESS I WILL LATER" and more about the cohesive and interesting super-structure, flow, and inter-connectivity the game creates. i guess that's also why the castles in portrait or order are so uninteresting to me heh. ofc order makes it up in its own ways but it's a metroidvania because of its foundation rather than its intents aka hardly one.
also that pic of cox winning the nintendo power award was very kawaii
cute little button
Putting aside the explosive complaints about the combat for a second, I have hopes that, from the sound of it, the exploration elements will play out well.
Why do I think that? The note system. If MercurySteam thinks anything like me, they played SotN and went, "Man, it would be really nice if we could leave a note here so that we're not lost when its time to turn around and explore more." There were at least two times when I was playing SotN of the night where the complexity of the castle just had me completely lost, but it was that same complexity that made me love it.
Basically, I'm extrapolating and hanging on the fact that I don't think MercurySteam would add a game mechanic that wasn't needed.