Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon

 PC
Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon Image
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 7 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 82 Ratings

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  • Summary: Battle with swords and whips in this retro-style action game brought to you by game creator Koji Igarashi and Inti Creates!

    Play as Zangetsu, a demon slayer bearing a deep grudge, who must travel through perilous lands to defeat a powerful demon lurking in a dark castle. Zangetsu will meet    Battle with swords and whips in this retro-style action game brought to you by game creator Koji Igarashi and Inti Creates!

    Play as Zangetsu, a demon slayer bearing a deep grudge, who must travel through perilous lands to defeat a powerful demon lurking in a dark castle. Zangetsu will meet fellow travelers along the way, who can join your journey as playable characters.

    Switching to these characters with their unique abilities will unlock new paths through the treacherous stages. Your choices in recruiting these adventurers will change the difficulty of the game, and may even affect the ending!

    *Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon is the 8-bit style game promised as a stretch goal of the 2015 Kickstarter campaign for "Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night."    … Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 7
  3. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. Multiplayer.it
    May 25, 2018
    85
    Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon is the Castlevania clone that the Castlevanias’ fans have waited for so long…
  2. Twinfinite
    May 27, 2018
    80
    Aside from the repetition, which is, in retrospect, how many gamers got longevity out of old Castlevania games, Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon is a superb game. It is ideal for gamers who want an old-school challenge as well as an old-school game in both aesthetic and design.
  3. Gameblog.fr
    May 27, 2018
    80
    Classicvanias and retro action games fans can give a chance to Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon on blind faith. This game is a beautiful, really enjoyable - even if it can considered a bit short - and vibrant tribute to Castlevania III : Dracula's Curse with some great action and platforming, beautiful 8-Bit graphics and musics, in a new setting that we hope will fulfill its potential with Ritual of the Night.
  4. PC Gamer
    Jun 4, 2018
    80
    Made with affection and artistry, this retro appetiser is a very pleasant surprise.
  5. Game Informer
    Jun 1, 2018
    75
    Curse of the Moon isn’t incredibly challenging. You can finish it in one or two sittings, and that’s all this game really deserves. I had fun experimenting with Curse of the Moon’s four heroes, but for a game so clearly inspired by a beloved franchise, the level design feels largely uninspired. While I was initially swooned by this Castlevania doppelganger, its nostalgic spell was broken once I realized its 8-bit beauty was only skin deep.
  6. Cubed3
    May 31, 2018
    70
    As far as throwbacks go, Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon is a worthwhile venture. It captures the essence of yesteryear's classics, while offering numerous options to comfort an audience that might be unfamiliar with that time period. The game is also quite entertaining, and the replay-value is quite high. Still, it is not possible to shake the feeling that something is missing. It's as if the developer decided the safe choice was the right one, and left all of the risk-taking up to the player. Will this game be remembered in thirty years? Only time will tell.
  7. GameOver.gr
    Jun 29, 2018
    70
    Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon is a fun 8-bit nostalgia trip that succeeds in capturing the aesthetic, challenge and gameplay of the Castlevania games of that era, though it doesn’t try to bring anything new on the table. Hopefully, its big brother, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, will not try to only repeat Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, but it will be a true spiritual successor, advancing further the genre of metroidvania.

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 19
  3. Negative: 2 out of 19
  1. jonaskenazi
    May 28, 2018
    10
    Castlevania is back! This game is a punch of nostalgia right in the heart, and a kick in the ass to Konami. **** Konami.
  2. Babutto
    Jan 23, 2020
    10
    Pros.:
    - Retro. Hi, Castlevania.
    - Variety of heroes. - Simple but interesting story. - Gameplay. Cons.: - Don't have any. Maybe lack    Pros.:
    - Retro. Hi, Castlevania.
    - Variety of heroes.
    - Simple but interesting story.
    - Gameplay.

    Cons.:
    - Don't have any. Maybe lack of sequel :P    … Expand
  4. Vincent_Belmont
    Oct 30, 2018
    9
    The difficulty was perfect, it was Castlevania 3 but better, and was a fun game to play. The only thing I would change is that I would haveThe difficulty was perfect, it was Castlevania 3 but better, and was a fun game to play. The only thing I would change is that I would have preferred it to be 16 bit. I am personally still waiting for another game like Super Castlevania mixed with a complete version of Simon's Quest. Still, this is a great game!… Expand
  5. gamingmachinery
    Jul 14, 2020
    8
    No review present. No review present. No review present. No review present.
  6. dae126
    Jun 27, 2020
    7
    El juego ofrece una experiencia notable con una buena variedad de escenarios, enemigos y armas. Visualmente es atractivo y el diseño enEl juego ofrece una experiencia notable con una buena variedad de escenarios, enemigos y armas. Visualmente es atractivo y el diseño en general destaca positivamente.

    - La historia: es casi inexistente como tal. Se resume en vamos a vencer al malo.
    - Lore: existe un interesante lore narrado por distintos personajes cuando los visitas y algunos libros encontrados por el mundo.
    - Los gráficos: destacables en lo positivo.
    - Gameplay: Encuentro torpe y lento el movimiento, falta fluidez de la protagonista. Buena variedad de armas pero escasean las técnicas, yo me lo he pasado spameando el botón de atacar.
    - BSO: No molesta pero tampoco destaca.

    Resumen: merece la pena jugarlo por ser un juego muy disfrutable. El mapeado es lo suficientemente grande y atractivo como para querer explorarlo. Un buen metroidvania.    … Expand
  7. stop9091
    Jun 25, 2018
    6
    It's difficult to give a general score to this game, because, while being well-produced, it's envisioned to be run in a very specific wayIt's difficult to give a general score to this game, because, while being well-produced, it's envisioned to be run in a very specific way (multiple runs, in veteran level, with increasingly difficult mode).

    The other alternatives (straight single run (even in veteran level), or multiple runs at casual level) are relatively easy, making the game pretty short (2/4 hours and without interesting challenges).    … Expand
  8. Seinekar
    May 31, 2020
    4
    Extremely overrated and overprized, even more if compared to other similar (metroidvania= games.

    The game is pretty generic in all aspects.    Extremely overrated and overprized, even more if compared to other similar (metroidvania= games.

    The game is pretty generic in all aspects. Map design, aesthetics, ambience, characters, story... nothing in it gives the game any identity or make the game special (not to say unique= in any way.

    Exploring the map (wich is key on metroidvanias, imo) is bland and boring, with little to no suprise nor intrincated connections.

    The character moves quite slow, and the combat is plain bad, with weapons having only 1 single move as for main attack, spiced up (sometimes) with some special moves performed like fighting games, wich is a good addition but doesn´t fix the core combat being mediocre.

    Also the "skills" or abilities you unlock to progress in the game feel like "meh". Double jump is not great, another key skill"light bream teleport" is just and only used on the recquired spots to pass through small places and nothing else, and so on.

    The game tries to fix all those issues by giving (apparently) a ton of customization options, with tons of different powers to equip and use, and thats ok. But in the end you will find yourself using the same 2 OP powers and finding most plays the same.

    I get it has a ton of positive reviews because of the nostalgic people who loved Castlevania: Symphony of the night, wich it HEAVILY ressembles, but aside of said nostalgy, Bloodstained is quite mediocre. There are other games of the genre much better and even cheaper.

    Few suggestions instead Bloodstained:
    -Salt and Sanctuary
    -Axiom Verge
    -Blasphemous
    -Hollow Knight    … Expand

See all 19 User Reviews

Awards & Rankings

88
#88 Best PC Game of 2018

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