Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

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.

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.

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?

This game is a ton of fun and Miriam is a qt.

I really enjoyed this game. It has stylized 3d environment and toon anime shaded entities which in the start it kinda bothered me but then it grew on me and I liked it. There were 2 points in my progress where I had to look at the Internet on where to go. While I loved the main hero, Miriam, the last boss sucked har. Kinda dissapointing. The level design is superb, save points and fast travelling are well placed. Overall if we played a Belmont and Dracula was the last boss, this would be for me the best Castlevania game.