Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

It's that sense of comfort in its own skin that makes Bloodstained such a treat. This isn't a bold modernization of the genre or a departure from its roots. It is exactly what it set out to be: a return to the style of a bygone era, with a few modern improvements. Its perception was always going to be affected by how well it invoked the feeling of a classic Castlevania game, but Bloodstained does that and better. With more flexible combat and level design that always beckons to check just one more room, Bloodstained shows that a modern Metroidvania can stand alongside its predecessors as an equal.

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night stands as one of the best Vania games of recent memory, and one of the most satisfying games of 2019 so far.

There is no shortage of good Metroidvanias these days, but Bloodstained does show that Koji Igarashi’s particular brand of “Igavania” still has teeth. Exploring the castle’s many secrets is a delight, and there is a dizzying array of weapons and powers waiting to be bent to your will. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, one of the greatest games ever made, finally has a worthy successor on consoles and now on PC.