Developer: ArtPlay
Publisher: 505 Games
Rrp: £34.99 (Gog.com, Humblebundle, Steam and Origin)
Released: 18th June 2019
Available on: Gog.com, Humblebundle, Steam and Origin
Played Using: An Xbox One Control Pad
Approximate game length: 15 Hours
When it comes to metroidvania’s we tend to get games that focus more on the Metroid side of things and less on the Vania (as in Castlevania, in case I have to spell that out). However, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night pulls far more on the Castlevania side of things.
In case it wasn’t obvious, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is a spiritual successor to the Castlevania series. In fact, I think it’s safe to say this is the closest we’re going to get to getting a new Castlevania since Konami has decided to give up on making video games in favour of gambling machines. This game was the brainchild of Koji Igarashi who had been a producer for the Castlevania series who left Konami when they started to change into a gambling machine company.
The game was crowdfunded on Kickstarter, of which I sadly missed out on being a backer, in fact for a short period it was the highest value video game kickstarter the platform had ever had.
Bloodstained (I shall be refraining from saying the full name now) is a sidescrolling platformer with three dimensional backgrounds. Meaning the various rooms are given an added level of depth but never interfere with the gameplay. Bloostained is very much keeping itself as close as it can to its inspiration by including many of the features and… quirks that made Castlevania what it was, such as having a save specific save room or having enemies repopulate a screen once you return to it.
When you start the game a lot of bonus content and becomes available including two extra characters to play as, the game recommends playing as Mirriam first as she is the default character and experience. Having completed the game and then replayed using these characters I wholeheartedly agree with that as the two other characters play extremely differently, With completely different tutorials.
Assuming your playing as Mirriam (the default main character) you will collect ‘shards’, which are crystallised demonic power. Usually these are obtained by killing a demon but there are some you will find in a breakable object.
These shards come in six variaties. Conjure, manipulative, directional, passive, familiar and skill.
Conjure shards are generally (but not always) offensive spells. Manipulative shards allow you to alter the game or yourself in some way. Directional shards are usually spells that assist in movement and require you to direct them using the right analogue stick. Passive shards are just that a passive ability such as increased damage with a specific weapon type. Familiar shards allow you to have a familiar who will assist in combat. Lastly are skill shards, these are generally the ones you’ll need to progress in the game such as double jumping etc.
There’s a crafting system that allows you to create, enhance and dismantle items as well as also allowing you to prepare food. As can be expected creating and enhancing items require resources (of which there are a great many in this game). Dismantling an item will give you the items that item is made from, however, you have to have a specific resource to do that. Preparing food works in exactly the same way as creating items however food will heal you when its consumed, the amount of healing given varying from foodstuff to foodstuff, but it also grants a permanent small bonus to your stats the first time its consumed.
When it comes to combat I’m really unsure of what to say. It felt fine, I personally thought that Hollow Knights was better but perhaps that was down to my build. You see, in this game each weapon has its own movement speed and move set. Daggers are quick but do little damage while great swords are slow but do huge sums of damage. You can bolster this with what equipment shards you choose to use.
I really liked this game, to the point that I actually forgot to take screenshots and had to go back through simply to get some! I was never really into Castlevania as I grew up but I knew of them through social osmosis. One thing I do want to mention is that there are a few endings to this game and the easiest to achieve isn’t the ‘best’ one.
If this appeals to you perhaps try;
Hollow Knight
Infernax
