Bloodstained: Ritual of the Moon

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Moon is an exploration focused side scrolling action-adventure RPG, more commonly referred to as a Metroidvania. It stars Miriam, a seemingly doomed young lady embarking on a journey with the aid of her affliction to bring a former ally to justice. How does it stack up?

GAMEPLAY: 5/5

The game receives perfect marks for its smooth, flawless controls. The game is easy to pick up and learn, and it doesn’t add too many more mechanics along the way to disrupt that solid core. Every introduced mechanic instead works with the initial system to provide further interactions that ultimately increase the effectiveness of what you are trying to do. Since I consider gameplay to be the most important aspect of a game, this is a good sign.

GRAPHICS: 5/5

The art style chosen for the game feels perfect for it. Miriam herself is quite colorful (owing partially do a side effect of the aforementioned affliction) and while many of the environments are dark and gothic in theme, the colors are vibrant and alive. Of particular note in this title is the inclusion of a variety of ways to customize Miriam, from clothing to hairstyles and even skin colors. It’s likely one will be able to find a look they want to use.

MUSIC: 5/5

Excellent, honestly. Anyone who has heard a Castlevania made in the style of Metroidvania mentioned previously will instantly recognize the cadence of the music used in Bloodstained, and it provides just enough nostalgia to keep you going no matter how much backtracking comes your way. Every track feels well-suited regardless of the area you’re visiting. The music even provided a few interesting set pieces in semi-hidden formats that you’ll likely enjoy.

STORY: 4/5

The story in Bloodstained does the job of giving reason to your goals throughout the game, and does so quite well. While many aspects of the storyline won’t come as any surprise to some, it does have one or two unexpected twists to keep everything going. The story is not terribly long-winded, but in a game with this much action that is preferable.

DIFFICULTY: 5/5

Easy to pick up and learn, with a steady curve increasing difficulty throughout without going overboard. The game is rumored to have balanced every bossfight around the dagger Miriam starts with in the opening of the game, which does seem to explain how well-tuned every encounter plays out.

PRESENTATION: 5/5

How does the game feel when it brings all its aspects together? It all feels marvelous. The gameplay and music mesh perfectly with the environments traversed, and the story keeps everything going without taking itself too seriously at times. Everything meshes perfectly without diminishing the overall experience.

FINAL SCORE: 5/5

For people looking to have the Metroidvania experience, be in newcomers or experienced players, there is something here for everyone. Highly recommended and a satisfying game that also has a new game+ feature that makes for extremely fun replays.

Review Sample