Metroidvania Mania! (Discussion)

Right now is an awesome time for Metroidvania games on Xbox, with Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night now available, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night currently on GwG, and many great Metroidvania games either recently added to Game Pass or coming soon.
I think now's a great time to discuss Metroidvanias, and in true Metroidvania fashion, let's have a somewhat non-linear discussion. So, here are two potential prompts to answer:

-For a Metroidvania game you've enjoyed, what makes it stand out among the crowd?

-What game would you recommend to a beginner to the Metroidvania genre and why?

I'll answer the first prompt and highlight one of the newer Game Pass additions, Steamworld Dig 2. The thing that really stands out to me about this game is that it has a core gameplay loop and it's really addicting; basically, you explore and collect,
then you return to a main hub and get upgrades, then repeat. The digging aspects make the exploration really fun, and it's the kind of game with a lot of items and secrets to find that rewards thorough exploration. Although I didn't think the game was too
hard overall, there is some real tension in knowing that you have limited light and health in the mines and that you'll lose resources you collected on your current trek if you don't make it back to the hub.

:)