Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night’s journey is familiar, but the way it iterates and builds on that familiarity help distinguish it from its lineage. Its combat, RPG elements, and enticing exploration intertwine seamlessly, and had me obsessively scouring every nook and cranny of a gigantic map for hours, even after I’d defeated the last boss. I enjoyed finally returning to this haunted castle, even if it belongs to a new master.

Perfection should not be expected from Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night. However, the result is exactly what was promised by the developers, and fans could not ask for more. Throughout its development, Igarashi-san provided continual assurance that he desired to make the game a product of its fans. By listening to criticism and acting on it, he fulfilled his promise with Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night.

Those hiccups aren’t really that bad in the grand scheme of things. Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is an excellent Metroidvania game that encourages exploration and experimentation. It’s incredibly fun to solve its many puzzles and finding that perfect shard combination feels fantastic. Fans of the genre will be very happy with this release. That said, I also think it’s a solid entry point if you’re wanting to see what all the hubbub is about. Igavania is back, and the video game world is better for it.