-
Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.
-
We have made minor adjustments to how the search bar works on ResetEra. You can read about the changes here.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night - What Did You Think?
- Thread starter Zor
- Start date
As a HUGE Igavania fan, it is my favorite of his games. Aria of Sorrow was my previous (disclosure: never played Portrait of Ruin or Harmony of Despair.... didn't care for the 6 player focus or whatever). In my top 5 of the whole genre with Hollow Knight and Super Metroid.
I like it about as much as any of the DS Castlevanias. I expected more honestly, given that this had way more development time and almost infinitely higher budget. But it's clear that a very troubled development canceled out all of those advantages. I just hope they have some proper momentum and team synergy for the sequel.
I liked it. Not as good as peak Castlevania, but still very good. I am a sucker for this kind of games tho. I just can't get enough of them
Pretty bad. The progression just wasn't satisfying, nor was the exploration. It's ok as a 2D action game but bad as a metroidvania.
I've tried to play it 4 different times since it came out.
Made it to Zangetsu and stopped each time.
I don't know why this is, people love this game, and I am a huge SOTN fan. It just never pulls me in.
But I'll go back to it, I know I will.
However, with Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon (1 and 2 both), I've played to completion. I would take 3 more sequels in a heartbeat.
Made it to Zangetsu and stopped each time.
I don't know why this is, people love this game, and I am a huge SOTN fan. It just never pulls me in.
But I'll go back to it, I know I will.
However, with Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon (1 and 2 both), I've played to completion. I would take 3 more sequels in a heartbeat.
Fantastic game and I can't wait for them to get started on a sequel. After finishing up this one. Because backer rewards are a hell of thing.
Complaints about the game being ugly are overblown, since it's not that bad, but it was also clear that focus was placed elsewhere (as evidenced by a lot of their development updates that go into any specificity). Definitely on the list of areas to improve on in the future, of course.
As a backer, I'm happy with my investment.
Complaints about the game being ugly are overblown, since it's not that bad, but it was also clear that focus was placed elsewhere (as evidenced by a lot of their development updates that go into any specificity). Definitely on the list of areas to improve on in the future, of course.
As a backer, I'm happy with my investment.
It's a quality but not super memorable SotN-ish game. It's definitely a mixed bag visually, though.
In some ways it felt like too much of a retread of SOTN... so it was exactly what I was looking for.
Sure it's not the prettiest, but some of the environments look nice. Gameplay, powers, music, exploration, all the other important stuff was good.
Also I am an idiot and finished the game before I realised trying new food gives you a permanent buff. I just kept cooking whatever restored the most health.
Sure it's not the prettiest, but some of the environments look nice. Gameplay, powers, music, exploration, all the other important stuff was good.
Also I am an idiot and finished the game before I realised trying new food gives you a permanent buff. I just kept cooking whatever restored the most health.
I didn't like the portraits of backers and whoever got their pet cat in the game, but otherwise it's a great spiritual successor to SOTN.
I feel like they totally knocked it out of the park. They hit Igavania style with Ritual and they also hit classic castlevania with Curse of the Moon. Both prime examples of the castlevania styles. Awesome games.
I backed it initially... I don't think I've given it a fair shot, but I honestly didn't really like what I tried. I understand we all signed up for something of a SotN rip-off... but something about it felt way to shameless. Like, everything about it just felt like budget Castlevania (the music in particular).
OP
OP
Heh, nice, I'm literally getting these out of the way so I can replay Zero Mission, Samus Returns (for the first time, played the original M2), Super Metroid, and Fusion before Dread releases.
I believe the general consensus is don't get the Switch version if you have any other system that will run it.
I wanted desperately to love it and in some ways i did....but i still cannot get over the 'ending' being a game over screen and the real ending being hidden behind some slightly obtuse mechanics/exploration. yes I get that SotN had a false ending but at least it was an ending, not a game over screen. It made me feel like I did something wrong and was just jarring and confusing.
Other small issues nagged at me but that thing with the ending really stuck in my craw to the point where I put the game down for a long time and even when I came back to it my enthusiasm was dampened. A lot of content has been released for it since I played so i'll likely go back to it again eventually.
Overall if you're a fan of SoTN and been waiting for a real followup to that game I'd say don't hesitate. Bloodstained is the game you've been waiting for.
Other small issues nagged at me but that thing with the ending really stuck in my craw to the point where I put the game down for a long time and even when I came back to it my enthusiasm was dampened. A lot of content has been released for it since I played so i'll likely go back to it again eventually.
Overall if you're a fan of SoTN and been waiting for a real followup to that game I'd say don't hesitate. Bloodstained is the game you've been waiting for.
It was patched to run much better but obviously it's still not as good as say, pc or ps4.
However if you want a portable version of bloodstained I can safely recommend the switch version since it's been patched to a mostly acceptable level imo
I kickstarted this on Switch as well. The Switch port was B. A. D. at launch. 6 months later, it was noticeably better and playable. That when I finally played through it. The game is good and I am looking forward to the sequel, but man that first appearance was ROUGH.
Felt like a remake of SOTN and it was fantastic. Had me searching the internet at a few points on what to do next and then feeling stupid for realizing the obvious answer but that's expected for these games.
I liked the quest system quite a bit even if things got a bit grindy at points.
It's a solid 9/10 title honestly.
I liked the quest system quite a bit even if things got a bit grindy at points.
It's a solid 9/10 title honestly.
i never understood the concept of comfort food until i played this because while we might be living in a renaissance of metroidvanias, real igavanias had been absent for a awhile. I mean it's a b or maybe b+ game, but it's total comfort food
I'm doing the exact same thing, finished ZM last week (first time in 10+ years) hoping I have enough time to clear Super Metroid and Fusion!
I much preferred Curse of the Moon 1&2.
2 is incredible and I played through it multiple times for the true ending.
Ritual just felt like a blueprint to a good game. It got broken easy really quick, and I wasn't a big fan of the visuals. I did love the customization for it though.
2 is incredible and I played through it multiple times for the true ending.
Ritual just felt like a blueprint to a good game. It got broken easy really quick, and I wasn't a big fan of the visuals. I did love the customization for it though.
I found it "good", had fun overall but tbh especially the art style didn't capture me at all. Everything looked kinda cheap and messy. Like bunch of unity assets thrown together which absolutely destroyed any hint of atmosphere and mood.
The game could've used a decidedly more cohesive art direction and some more polish as well
Also, too much useless stuff to collect and craft. I know SotN and the like had a lot of that as well but I think it was a waste of development resources here and didn't make the game better.
Had way more fun with Curse of the Moon. (CotM2, not so much. The repeat playthrough thing put me off)
The game could've used a decidedly more cohesive art direction and some more polish as well
Also, too much useless stuff to collect and craft. I know SotN and the like had a lot of that as well but I think it was a waste of development resources here and didn't make the game better.
Had way more fun with Curse of the Moon. (CotM2, not so much. The repeat playthrough thing put me off)
Last edited:
I was a backer so I was there as soon as my PS4 copy arrived and loved it. It was exactly what I wanted and what they promised. Nothing more, but also nothing less.
Also they've been doing free updates since then and they've been delivering. If you havent yet try the Classic Mode where they re arrange some assets to make 6 linear stages with new 8 bit music and plays remarkably similar to the OG Castlevania 1.
Also they've been doing free updates since then and they've been delivering. If you havent yet try the Classic Mode where they re arrange some assets to make 6 linear stages with new 8 bit music and plays remarkably similar to the OG Castlevania 1.
As a big fan of Dawn of Sorrow, does this game have a lot of features from that game? Namely, the rpg elements, weapon variety, the ability to grind and perhaps summon beasts by capturing souls?
I liked it way more than i thought i would. It definitely ranks up there as a game with one of the biggest discrepancies between how good it looks and how much fun it is. It's downright hideous at times.
I'll also say that it starts off feeling really clunky, nowhere near as smooth as SOTN. But with the right weapon, and a lot of time, it cleans up okay (or at least, you get used to it).
Not sure on the capturing souls, but certain abilities allow you to summon enemies that will fight for you.
I'll also say that it starts off feeling really clunky, nowhere near as smooth as SOTN. But with the right weapon, and a lot of time, it cleans up okay (or at least, you get used to it).
I haven't played Dawn of Sorrow, but Bloodstained's got lots of RPG elements (craft food for permanent upgrades, tons of ability variations and equipment), a ton of weapons, and not only can you grind...but you can literally grind every ability from every single enemy to power them up. Everything has levels upon levels upon levels.
Not sure on the capturing souls, but certain abilities allow you to summon enemies that will fight for you.
It's the most I've enjoyed a Metroidvania in yeeeeeears. The visuals were what they were (I played on pre patch Switch, even!), but the moment to moment gameplay was ace.
The fact that the game cribs my favorite Igavania gimmick (Aria of Sorrow's Soul System) wholesale is just the icing on the cake. Endgame Miriam is one of the most satisfying to control MV protagonists as well.
The fact that the game cribs my favorite Igavania gimmick (Aria of Sorrow's Soul System) wholesale is just the icing on the cake. Endgame Miriam is one of the most satisfying to control MV protagonists as well.
It's a good game but, honestly, even if they were lower budget I prefer all the portable Castlevanias over it (and SOTN too, obviously). I can't help but miss all the Castlevania mythos as well, they didn't have amazing stories individually but the connections and mystique of it all was intriguing to me. I couldn't give less of a shit about Gebel and Miriam to be honest. And I don't like Miriam's design, what a downgrade compared to Shanoa
I think it's a fine enough game but the other Igavanias, like SotN or AoS, have it beat in my eyes
