Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

 PlayStation 4
User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 514 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 421 out of 514
  2. Mixed: 43 out of 514
  3. Negative: 50 out of 514
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  1. mbestvina
    Jun 25, 2019
    7
    It took me about 10 minutes to determine that this was a vastly inferior successor to Castlevania than Hollow Knight. This feeling permeated every aspect of this game, as it regurgitated the Igavania games that came before with flaws intact and no meaningful change. ROTN tries its hardest to recreate SOTN's feel and structure, while its combat is a bloated emulation of Dawn of Sorrow's,It took me about 10 minutes to determine that this was a vastly inferior successor to Castlevania than Hollow Knight. This feeling permeated every aspect of this game, as it regurgitated the Igavania games that came before with flaws intact and no meaningful change. ROTN tries its hardest to recreate SOTN's feel and structure, while its combat is a bloated emulation of Dawn of Sorrow's, and its overly linear level design more closely resembles Portrait of Ruin and Order of Ecclesia, the weakest Igavanias in terms of level design. The only new thing this game does offer is 3D graphics and judging by the 5 year development span and buggy final product, it's safe to say that even that was a mistake.

    The key culprit here is the level design, it's just not very good. The first third of the game is a straight line to the double jump, and the entire thing feels like they built the levels separately and stapled them together, then elongated the entire thing. In my eyes, the "biggest castle yet" stretch goal has had a seriously negative impact. This level design is closer to Order of Ecclesia, Chasm, or Timespinner than SOTN. As the game progresses, it rarely loops back on itself in meaningful ways, it's so large that warping is always better than organically backtracking, and it has a few progress-halting Metroid-moments that will drive most to a guide. The library-card and holy-glasses moments from SOTN have always struck me as the weaker moments of MetroidVania level design in SOTN yet they're both recreated here and in an even more obtuse fashion. Props if you have the patience to get through this without a guide.

    As with the level design, the combat feels bloated. The soul system gives you so many worthless options across FIVE magic types (Aria/Dawn had 3) that it's paralyzing and I ultimately stopped using it. I legitimately struggled to find magic attacks that were more useful than my sword. Then, there's farming, cooking, soul enhancement, book rentals... It's overwhelming even as someone that's played all the Igavania games. The difficulty teeters between being laughably easy and demanding strict pattern memorization. Just like Ecclesia, a few of these bosses will kill you in 3 or 4 hits, rendering all the RPG complexity I just enumerated pointless. With a few of these bosses, you simply have to either memorize all their attacks or cheese them with healing items, neither of which is particularly enjoyable.

    Then, around hour 6, I got the 1.2 update and it makes a necessary key item unobtainable... I was able to continue by downgrading and playing offline but this is unacceptable. 5 years for this bug-ridden mess? At this point, I said "I regret kickstarting this game." I eventually cooled down as I finished the game but this game never dazzled me like SOTN or Aria of Sorrow. Even once they fix the bugs, this game will still live in the shadow of its 22 year old predecessor, and even that has since been bested. I'm really done with these underwhelming kickstarter spiritual sequels. Quit paying people to pander to your nostalgia and go buy something like Hollow Knight that actually pushes the genre forward.    … Expand
  2. RodVal
    Jun 24, 2019
    10
    Amazing game! All we wanted is here, another metroidvania from koji igarashi, just a masterpiece o this game type. Looks like Castlevania Sotn, great feeling you will get when playing this game.
  3. VirgoCave
    Jun 24, 2019
    9
    The same way we destroyed MIGHTY n9 for bein trash , we must give love to developers that love his baby. This is case of Iga and Bloodstained. The only problem i have with it is that is a little stiff, but the item and weapon variety and secrets it has is underwelming , ande you can tell that is game made with love and not only for the money.
  4. John_S_Jr
    Jun 24, 2019
    10
    Awesome Metroidvania, worth the wait, I was a little hesitant about the 40$ price tag but it's worth every penny!
  5. Douglas1989
    Jun 24, 2019
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Simplemente genial y maravilloso, tremendo lo hecho en este clonico de castlevania, bien logrado… Expand
  6. MEGADUDE
    Jun 23, 2019
    10
    Omg. Symphony of the night has been remade for a modern audience totally worth every penny graphics action fun factor too too amazing Igarashi has lived up to all expectations get ready for a castlevania experience that will blow your mind Maybe KONAMI will stop sitting on that gold mine and make some games again
  7. GamergodsFail
    Jun 23, 2019
    9
    iga delivers yet again. Ritual of the Night may very well be the greatest metroidvania since Symphony of the Night. Sure, it's not currently in a perfectly tuned state. There are a couple of glitches and framerate issues that I'm sure will be fixed overtime, but nothing is game-breaking as long as you play it post-patch.

    With so many different features such as shops, crafting,    iga delivers yet again. Ritual of the Night may very well be the greatest metroidvania since Symphony of the Night. Sure, it's not currently in a perfectly tuned state. There are a couple of glitches and framerate issues that I'm sure will be fixed overtime, but nothing is game-breaking as long as you play it post-patch.

    With so many different features such as shops, crafting, upgrading, loot, dozens of different magic shard powers, familiar summoning, side quests, and one hell of a story, there is more than plenty to love here from metroidvania fans to RPG vets alike. You can even change your hair and the colors of your clothes! For only $40 it would be hard to find a better 20+ hour long game this year.    … Expand
  8. Ale1991
    Jun 23, 2019
    10
    An instant classic and one of the best games of this generation. Just buy it and support this developer.
  9. Leomattoso
    Jun 22, 2019
    10
    Masterpiece. A evolução de SotN. Tudo que SotN ofereceu com gráficos atuais. Aguardo ansiosamente as DLCs. Thanks, Iga!
  10. Tonocruise
    Jun 22, 2019
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Increíble juego. Se ven las ganas de hacer un buen juego. Un solo fallo... Algunos textos en castellano no están bien… Expand
  11. Hired_Sword
    Jun 22, 2019
    10
    A resounding success in reviving the genre that Iga helped to establish. Fun, with deep mechanics and a well designed map that begs to be explored.
  12. th3w1ll
    Jun 22, 2019
    9
    A fantastic game with incredible depth and high replayability. Iga is back in action.
  13. nicksoulng
    Jun 22, 2019
    10
    I can't stop playing this! I love Metroidvania games! and this is the best for me!
  14. Asthmatic_Glock
    Jun 21, 2019
    10
    At an affordable price, bloodstained rotn contains a wealth of content. The visuals, attention to detail, the music all get a 10.

    The gameplay is fluid, and faster paced than symphony of the night. So I would give it a 9.
  15. Wrath_4givnez
    Jun 21, 2019
    9
    Woof. What do I SAY about this game!? Maybe a preface first...

    I'm not a die-hard, super purest, extra particular fan of Castlevania, nor am I a casual "I'll take anything named Castlevania" fan either. I don't have too many games in my collection under the IP, but I can safely say that Symphony of the Night is what made me fall in love. Unfortunately, it wasn't the PS1 version of the    Woof. What do I SAY about this game!? Maybe a preface first...

    I'm not a die-hard, super purest, extra particular fan of Castlevania, nor am I a casual "I'll take anything named Castlevania" fan either. I don't have too many games in my collection under the IP, but I can safely say that Symphony of the Night is what made me fall in love. Unfortunately, it wasn't the PS1 version of the game way back in the late 90s. It was the bonus unlockable updated version that was predominantly featured in the Dracula X Chronicles for the PSP. I had to earn the right to play the game, and when I did, holy hell was it one of the more satisfying games I've ever gotten into (hence the fact it made me fall in love with the series)

    Skip ahead the ups and downs (and near murder of the series at large), and in comes Igarashi being a straight up BOSS, saying he wants to bring the magic of those "IGAvania" games back to the forefront, and releasing a Kickstarter trailer to prove it. I dunk in my pledge, hoping I'd get another magical journey like Symphony, and four years later...

    This game, while not my game of the year, or my favorite of all time (both titles belong to DMC5 for me), is one HELL of a game!

    Gameplay is tight, responsive, slick, and rewarding to explore and experiment as you slide kick, jump, backdash, slash, bash, whip, inflame, freeze, electrify, and whatever else it takes to outsmart and obliterate countless Goetian demons in a haunted, messed up gothic castle filled with more than just references and callbacks to previous IGA Castlevanias. Even messing around with one of the more boring features (crafting) was slick, simple, and made me feel like I was making/improving something worthwhile. While it is a tad easier than SotN, I didn't mind as the game itself played so good that I just wanted more (leading to sinking in a fair amount of time on the first day playing)

    The story makes its mark by taking the route of "complex story told simply" with the surface, upfront story being very straightforward, while the background story, character interactions, and lore add extra spice and flavor to the world, characters and even some of the monsters. Voice acting is solid, and all of the characters (as far as I've seen, at least) were interesting and likable. I originally thought Miriam would have been kind of boring from initial impressions during the early stages of development (even though I loved the design), but she seemed to be just an absolute gem (heh, get it?) in the full game. Headstrong, kindly, and responsible, but not afraid to be just a bit childish and sassy when the moment calls for it.

    The music, while not as memorable or interesting as SotN, it comes SUPER close, and has its own flair and flavor that makes it well done and unique, and at the very least stands shoulder to shoulder with it's precursor, even if it's an inch shorter.

    The designs, from characters to monsters to the castle's bizarre interior are expertly well done. I was a little worried at first midway through development, but the updated visuals really showed off the vision that IGA wanted to capture since day one.

    The only downside are the few, small glitches in the game that can be found post patch (such as this annoying little swimming glitch I found when I slide kicked into the water to get out of a very tight crevice, only to find I couldn't jump out of the water at all. Taking enemy damage seems to get you out, but if no enemies are there, you're stuck. Or a glitch where a falling item bag gets stuck in the area geometry, and stays suspended in the air and unable to be collected. Glitches like that are peppered in random points, but don't harm the over all experience. I'd recommend you keep a few Waystones with you, though, just in case you get stuck somewhere weird. That'll get you out for free without needing to reload a save.

    What else can I say about this game, really? It's amazing, and I think this is the beginning of a beautiful new IP. If you have any love for Castlevania, or any metroidvania games, it's a must play. If you just love a fun, action platformer game, this is also a game for you! Hell, if you just love games in general, play it! Just play this game! It's amazing!    … Expand
  16. Rowdain
    Jun 21, 2019
    10
    The game exceeded all my expectations, it is the perfect transition of the Igavania style to 3D. The ambientation is sublime and Michiru Yamane's music is on point as always. There is no doubt that Bloodstained is the rightful spiritual successor of Castlevania. Cogratulations to Koji Igarashi and everyone involveld in the game.
  17. Bloodstained
    Jun 21, 2019
    10
    Other a long loading screen and some loading when transitioning areas there is little to complain about if you are a SOTN fan. The first game to dethrone the best Metrovania game ever made. Love the gameplay, graphics, and especially the soundtrack.
  18. Wimpher
    Jun 21, 2019
    10
    SotN was a true masterpiece for its time. A critically-acclaimed game and heralded as one of the greatest games ever crafted. Stunning musical composition, awesome 2D sprite-based graphics, amazing level design and addictive game mechanics. It's just one of those games that doesn't shy away from being, well...a GAME! It's basically a gamers wet dream. And people have been waiting for AGESSotN was a true masterpiece for its time. A critically-acclaimed game and heralded as one of the greatest games ever crafted. Stunning musical composition, awesome 2D sprite-based graphics, amazing level design and addictive game mechanics. It's just one of those games that doesn't shy away from being, well...a GAME! It's basically a gamers wet dream. And people have been waiting for AGES on a sequel.
    Well, here it is! In spirit. This is EVERYTHING SotN was and maybe more with some top-notch voice talent even. This is a beautiful, beautiful looking game with a gorgeously orchestrated soundtrack and stunning to look at backdrops. I don't think a 2D side-scroller has impressed me THIS much since, you got it - SotN! And dammit that says a lot for me. I was very skeptical that they were going to pull this off but it is even SUPERIOR to what I could have ever imagined. This is one of those games I enjoy so damn much that I want to take my time with it. It is seriously just that good.

    I cannot stress this enough. If you like SotN or Castlevania games in general, this is something you simply cannot miss. This is probably the best Castlevania game that isn't called "Castlevania." And I think simply for that reason people will dismiss it and reviews may not be as high as SotN's. If this had the "Castlevania" name, it would probably get like 95/100 across the boards.

    Guys, IGA did it! Castlevania has basically returned in spiritual form. I'm actually not finished with the game yet but played enough to know when I see a masterpiece. This is already one of the best gaming experiences I've had in a very, very long time.    … Expand
  19. kagekirazuul
    Jun 20, 2019
    10
    phenomenally great. IGA gives what we all wanted and hoped for. Easter eggs, secrets, and now something for the new generation of gamers, backer content. It's cool to see the portraits of people who backed. I can't wait to fight someone's pet turned into an in-game enemy. ROTN is as much a work of art as SOTN, but it has been built upon. IGA has shown his dedication to giving a qualityphenomenally great. IGA gives what we all wanted and hoped for. Easter eggs, secrets, and now something for the new generation of gamers, backer content. It's cool to see the portraits of people who backed. I can't wait to fight someone's pet turned into an in-game enemy. ROTN is as much a work of art as SOTN, but it has been built upon. IGA has shown his dedication to giving a quality experience and his listening to his fans/backers. I am so happy.… Expand
  20. hugos
    Jun 20, 2019
    10
    Grande jogo! Varias referências a sotn. Visualmente muito bonito e trilha sonora agradável. Levei design muito semelhante à qualquer metroidvania.
  21. TOKUKAN
    Jun 20, 2019
    10
    Thanks Mr. Igarashi.
    Took over 10 years to get that feeling again (Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia).
    Mr. Igarashi has done what Mr. Inafune was not able to fulfill with Mighty No.9 ;)
  22. Bon2
    Jun 20, 2019
    9
    Ele mantém toda a essência do estilo de castlevania e a trilha sonora é espetacular valeu a pena a espera
  23. Ajthesnipe
    Jun 20, 2019
    10
    This is everything I wanted for an a legit successor to the metroidvania style genre. Gameplay is spot on, artistically beautiful visuals, a pretty good story so far (got about 5 hours into it) , and phenomenal music. Aside from a few visual bugs and one game breaking bug that will be not be an issue with future plays after the update that I will not hang them over (opened treasureThis is everything I wanted for an a legit successor to the metroidvania style genre. Gameplay is spot on, artistically beautiful visuals, a pretty good story so far (got about 5 hours into it) , and phenomenal music. Aside from a few visual bugs and one game breaking bug that will be not be an issue with future plays after the update that I will not hang them over (opened treasure chests) I have not seen anything that sours me on the experience in the slightest. On top of that with new content coming out periodically for free, the replay value will be extremely high. We may not get a castlevania game like this ever again... But with bloodstained ritual of the night... We no longer need it.… Expand
  24. Escher
    Jun 20, 2019
    9
    Igavania is back! This game feels like a sequel to Symphony of the Night (Gebel may as well be Alucard!), but it comes with advanced graphics and new gameplay elements. The graphics have beautiful 3D renderings, and many of the cutscenes actually pull the camera into the scene, creating a greater sense of immersion. The gameplay took the best of Symphony of the Night and the DS and 3DsIgavania is back! This game feels like a sequel to Symphony of the Night (Gebel may as well be Alucard!), but it comes with advanced graphics and new gameplay elements. The graphics have beautiful 3D renderings, and many of the cutscenes actually pull the camera into the scene, creating a greater sense of immersion. The gameplay took the best of Symphony of the Night and the DS and 3Ds Castlevania games, while using the best of modern dual-stick controllers to add more to the gameplay. This is a side scroller that feels wholly new and modern. And within 10 minutes of playing, you forget the fact that it is a side scroller, it is that immersive and addicting. Even on normal mode the game is challenging, but in way that feels rewarding. You will find yourself experimenting with various moves in order to defeat various enemies, but it never becomes tedious. A quick button function for potion/item uses would be nice, so that may be one of the few reasons I am giving this a 9. A skill tree associated to leveling up may have also been nice, but with Castlevania games, your skill/attributes are largely determined by your equipment and level. Great voice cast, great dialogue, great story! This game definitely has dozens of hours of playtime. Looking forward to the online co-op modes and local split screen!… Expand
  25. Solaire_Drakkis
    Jun 20, 2019
    10
    Created an account just to say this is a great game.Its every bit as good as SotN if not better.Its got a good variety of equipment and alot of customization with looks and gameplay.I also have to say the pre-order theme is one of the best I've seen.I'd probably pay 60 dollars for it if I had to.
  26. Josef217
    Jun 20, 2019
    9
    This game is a love letter to Castlevania fans, especially if you love symphony of the night.
  27. mbcu
    Jun 19, 2019
    9
    I'm a negative guy so I'll start with the cons first. Background is still bland at some spots. Some bosses can use visual cues. I can't tell if a moving appendage is part of scenery or an attack. There are also some translation errors. In short the polishing needs more polishing.
    Now the pros. The core is solid. The RPG elements are meticulously done and offer a wide range of play style,    I'm a negative guy so I'll start with the cons first. Background is still bland at some spots. Some bosses can use visual cues. I can't tell if a moving appendage is part of scenery or an attack. There are also some translation errors. In short the polishing needs more polishing.
    Now the pros. The core is solid. The RPG elements are meticulously done and offer a wide range of play style, all exciting. Want to slash, grab a sword. Want to shoot grab a gun. Each weapon has its own traits and special attack. Character models are well drawn and animated. Watching a monster disintegrate always gives me a satisfaction of a job well done. The control is responsive and there's no problem executing what you want when you want it.
    Also if you're wondering whether to pick this or Hollow Knight, pick this. HK is a frustrating game with Dark Souls like element that punishes you with each death. Here everything is simpler. If you die, you reload. You don't need to do a thing to recover your stuff. You also have wide array of weapons, potions, spells, familiars, wheres in HK you fight with a single weapon. In short in HK you keep playing to not lose your progress, here you play to have fun.    … Expand
  28. Pico619
    Jun 19, 2019
    10
    Symphony of the night updated, and with cooler bosses. I bought the Xbox version so I didn't have to hear the ps4 fan. No bugs so far. I can't put the game down. U can play as u feel. The combat is even slicker than in the past. I am so happy to support this game. Buy it on disc so u can have it forever and send them a message u want all sequels on disc too. 10/10 masterpiece
  29. Rick66
    Jun 19, 2019
    10
    El diseño artístico no es muy bueno que digamos, pero a nivel jugable recuerda mucho a Aria of sorrow y Dawn of sorrow por el sistema de habilidades enemigas que es muy entretenido. La música es excelente. Si no supiera que su título es Bloodstained pasaría fácilmente como un Castlevania de Nintendo DS. Es un videojuego altamente recomendable para los fans de la saga y quién guste de unEl diseño artístico no es muy bueno que digamos, pero a nivel jugable recuerda mucho a Aria of sorrow y Dawn of sorrow por el sistema de habilidades enemigas que es muy entretenido. La música es excelente. Si no supiera que su título es Bloodstained pasaría fácilmente como un Castlevania de Nintendo DS. Es un videojuego altamente recomendable para los fans de la saga y quién guste de un buen juego tipo metroidvania.… Expand
  30. Lazari
    Jun 19, 2019
    10
    Sabiamos o que Iga iria fazer com esse jogo... Sabiamos... e sim é uma grande obra. Troxe de volta a magia do que era jogar o SOTN assim como os jogos seguintes produzidos por ele (Os elementos destes também estão ai.
    Não nivelemos este jogo com outros metroidvanias que existem pois...os detalhes deste jogo (Quantidade de itens, armas, equipamentos, habilidades vindas dos mobs) são    Sabiamos o que Iga iria fazer com esse jogo... Sabiamos... e sim é uma grande obra. Troxe de volta a magia do que era jogar o SOTN assim como os jogos seguintes produzidos por ele (Os elementos destes também estão ai.
    Não nivelemos este jogo com outros metroidvanias que existem pois...os detalhes deste jogo (Quantidade de itens, armas, equipamentos, habilidades vindas dos mobs) são grandiosos...

    valeu a pena esperar sim, um dos melhores jogos do gênero.
    A tempos não tinha esta sensação de jogar um jogo que me fizesse não querer parar de jogar e explorar.
    Existem sim detalhes negativos (Não cito a qualidade grafica/animações pois isto não necessariamente é um defeito diante do geral).

    Trilha sonora impecável.

    Talvez unica continuação espiritual que cumpriu o prometido.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

21
#21 Best PS4 Game of 2019
32
#32 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2019
16
#16 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2019

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 54 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 48 out of 54
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 54
  3. Negative: 0 out of 54
  1. Games.cz
    Aug 19, 2019
    90
    An awesome spiritual successor to old Castlevanias. The story is the weakest point, true, but everything else is splendid, especially the level design and the sheer amount of creative ideas. If you want a great action RPG platformer, you’ve got one right here.
    Read full review
  2. PSX Extreme
    Aug 8, 2019
    85
    Bloodstained has a lot going for it. Satisfying gameplay, many secrets to find, and a huge castle to explore. There is a lot to discover in how you play, especially as you find more secrets and items. The shard system is an interesting way to customize your gameplay style. It is very much more of what you love from Symphony of the Night and other Castlevania games of that era. But Bloodstained doesn’t do anything new with the genre. It borrows many concepts to create a game with more of what people loved about the other games. In short, if you’re a fan then give this one a go. Minus a few iffy aspects, Bloodstained is fun experience. Whether it falls into the realm of one of the greats is unlikely but I enjoyed my time anyway.
    Read full review
  3. PLAY! Zine
    Aug 2, 2019
    85
    The king of Metroidvanias is finally here with a new title. A few bugs and weird animations will not prevent it from sitting on the throne.
    Read full review
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