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.

I'll say it again: Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is a Castlevania game in all but name, and in some ways, it's a little sad it's not an official sequel that sits proudly in Castlevania's long and storied history. Its last major instalment - Lord of Shadows 2 - released way back in 2014, and met a mixed reception chiefly due to a lack of identity and the absence of the very gameplay mechanics we associate with the series today. Bloodstained, on the other hand, embodies everything we love and more. It took more time to get here than we'd originally expected, granted, but Igarashi sure did deliver in the end.

Now, in 2019, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is finally here, and it’s everything we hoped it to be. I might be late to the Igavania party, but it made me nostalgic for a bygone era of gaming all the same. As it turns out, the notion that this kind of game is antiquated turned out to be just a strange illusion.

The best Castlevania game never made and while it adds relatively little to the formula it is the best example of its use in many years.

Bloodstained is occasionally frustrating, refreshingly open, and as promised, wholly Castlevania. Hopefully some polish is on the way for Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night as to not alienate folks who are new to the genre, but as any Castlevania fan knows, partial jank comes with the territory.