Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

in library

4.5/5

( 277 Reviews )

4.5

277 Reviews

English & 10 more

Posted on: July 4, 2019

Crisco1492

Verified owner

Games: 1140 Reviews: 39

Excellent Throwback to 'Vania'

I missed the Kickstarter for Bloodstained, as it was launched during a few years when I wasn't gaming at all. Having wishlisted the game as soon as possible, and purchased it shortly after release, I regret that fact immensely. Bloodstained makes you play (at least until they release the other playable characters) as Miriam, a "shardbearer" who is able to make use of the mystical skills of demons in combat. Fighting your way off a galleon, you find your way to a village and a demonic castle from which evil energy is overflowing the land. You must travel through this castle, hunt down a former friend, and discover the true evil that endangers the entire Earth. Over the course of your journey, you receive a range of special abilities such as double jump, inversion, and teleportation. These enable you to reach new areas of the castle, discover hidden items and other secrets, and gain immense power. Important in your quest is your ability to craft items and cook food, through which you can further increase your power. If this sounds like the classic "Castlevania" formula, that's because it is. The game was designed by Koji Igarashi, the brilliant mind behind the Castlevania series and one of the fathers of the Metroidvania genre. It features a number of callbacks to that earlier series, but a story and animation style that stands on its own. As such, although you may be experiencing flashbacks at some points, you will still find a new experience. Technically, the game runs like a dream. Despite my 940MX being far under the "minimum" specs, I was able to run it consistently at 40 FPS using the "Epic" preset and 720p resolution. Controls are responsive; animation is nice; and the music suits the game well. Although earlier versions may have been buggy, in my 30 hours of play time (Version 1.05) I did not encounter any gamebreaking bugs. All in all, Bloodstained is definitely worth the money. I can't wait until they release the free DLC!

Is this helpful to you?

Posted on: July 5, 2019

MasterOfTheCraft

Verified owner

Games: 102 Reviews: 10

Excellent game

I like how it seem inspired by castlevania Aria of sorrow

Is this helpful to you?

Posted on: July 5, 2019

KarlF12

Verified owner

Games: 445 Reviews: 5

Scratches that Castlevania itch

It's a pretty good game overall and probably comes closest to that SOTN spirit. It does have a few bugs that are actively being worked on (make sure you patch it), and there are a few points in the game where there is absolutely no direction on what you're supposed to do next where the answer is something obscure such as having a shard from a particular normal enemy. There are also some missing features that are kickstarter stretch goals that aren't implemented yet, so be mindful of that. A far as aesthetics, it looks good, sounds good, and plays well, and if you like Symphony of the Night, you'll enjoy playing it.

Is this helpful to you?

Posted on: July 14, 2019

weaponswinger

Verified owner

Games: 63 Reviews: 4

Packed with variety. Never boring.

This is the first Metroidvania game I have played where the way you engage with the enemy and move through the level is constantly changing, and I mean constantly. In any given room the player is likely to have discovered a new move, weapon, technique, or encounter an enemy that causes them to change the way the fight. Spells and weapons are aquired faster than anyone could learn how to use them. Every time you revisit a room, the most effective way to deal with it has changed. The variety extends beyond combat to pretty much every aspect of the game. Multiple paths lead to the same objective, so the equipment and spells a player has can differ. The player can optionally go to town to craft new gear or search for it in the labyrinth. Player appearance it totally customizable and affected by all pieces of equipment. I do have a few caveats. "Fun" is the overriding theme here. The story and characters are intersting, and the voice acting is good, but temper your expectations if you were hoping for a lore-rich drama or a terrifying exploration of hell. The most serious and scary moments are always undercut by the appearnce of a giant kitten demon or your character earnestly confronting an evil villain while wearing a pirate hat, bunny scarf, and sunglasses. For me, all of that was a plus. There are a few glitches with the version I'm playing. The worst is some enemies simply will telegraph one move and then do another. This results in some pretty frustrating cheap shots but the health system is balanced enough that it can be dealt with. Also if you only love doing zero-item speedruns of metroidvanias you will probably find this game extremely frustrating.

Is this helpful to you?

Posted on: February 15, 2021

Abnorc

Verified owner

Games: 125 Reviews: 14

Super awesome game.

TLDR: This is really awesome! Much more than I expected personally, and I don't regret spending $40.00 on it. I came from this with no background in the Castlevania series either, so don't be dissuaded! I can't say that a game has made this much of a positive impression on me in a while. Hollow Knight comes to mind, but this game is even better than HK in some ways. The story, visuals, and music just make the experience so good. The game is so pleasing visually that it elevates it from being a good metroidvania to a very enthralling game. I still remember the "first impression" feeling from playing the first two levels, and I can't say that I've played many games that are that memorable. I felt like I found a little escape that I'd really enjoy sinking some time into for sure. I even felt moved by a moment in the story, and I haven't come to expect that at all from games. The mechanics are quite good. This game does not emphasize mechanics that much I feel, but it does reward good mechanics well enough. You will probably have several bossfights that take you a few tries for sure. That being said, the difficulty was very reasonable. I often like to zone out a bit and relax as I'm playing. For anyone who has played Curse of the Moon, I find this to be easier to play and not overly punishing. There is a hard mode for those who like a more punishing challenge though. (You officially unlock it after completing a playthrough, but not everyone seems to like this. You can unlock it early IIRC, but I won't post that here in case anyone does not want to be spoiled. The game also rewards you greatly for searching around and upgrading to better equipment. The crafting system is not perfect, but it's quite decent. I really enjoyed the process of exploring the castle, collecting items, and crafting. The crafting can be a bit tedious if you insist on not looking up locations for any ingredients through. Some can be obscure. Hoping for it to become a franchise! Bloodstained 2?

Is this helpful to you?

...

Discover CD PROJEKT RED games

Highlights

Featured

Close, but not an exact hit

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

Other ratings

Add a review

Edit a review

Delete this review?

Report this review

Additional Details (required):

Report this review