Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
A demonic curse awakens; a shardbinder must save the world.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is a side-scrolling role-playing video game developed by ArtPlay and published by 505 Games. Released in 2019, it serves as a spiritual successor to the Castlevania series, helmed by series veteran Koji Igarashi. The game combines exploration-based 2D platforming with deep RPG mechanics, including a vast array of weapons, spells, and shards that grant enemy abilities.
- Developer
- ArtPlay
- Publisher
- 505 Games
- Release Date
- June 18, 2019 (Windows, PS4, Xbox One); June 25, 2019 (Nintendo Switch)
- Genre
- Side-scrolling action RPG (Metroidvania)
- Platforms
- Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android
- Director
- Koji Igarashi
- Composer
- Michiru Yamane
Lore & Background
In 18th-century England, a demonic curse known as the 'Lunar Veil' threatens to plunge the world into chaos. The protagonist, Miriam, is a Shardbinder—a human infused with crystals that can absorb the powers of demons. After awakening from a decade-long slumber, she must explore the cursed castle of Gebel, her former friend who has become the demonic master of the castle, to prevent the ritual from consuming the world.
Reader's Guide
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is significant as a spiritual successor to the Castlevania series, particularly the Metroidvania-style entries produced by Koji Igarashi. Its successful Kickstarter campaign demonstrated strong fan demand for such a game and helped secure funding from traditional publishers. The game received generally positive reviews, with many describing it as a worthy successor to the Castlevania games that inspired it. Most stretch goals from the Kickstarter campaign were distributed as free content updates, with a few additional items as paid downloadable content. The game is part of a larger Bloodstained series, which includes a retro-style companion game, Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon (released May 2018), its sequel Curse of the Moon 2 (July 2020), and a prequel, Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement (announced 2021, planned for 2027). The game's legacy lies in its successful revival of the classic Metroidvania formula through crowdfunding and independent development.
Did You Know?
- The game was crowdfunded via Kickstarter in 2015, raising over $5.5 million, making it one of the most successful video game Kickstarters at the time.
- Koji Igarashi originally conceived the game as a direct homage to Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, which he directed.
- The soundtrack features contributions from Michiru Yamane, known for her work on Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, as well as other guest composers.
- A free playable character, Zangetsu, was added post-launch as part of the 'Zangetsu Mode' update.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night?
It is a 2019 action role-playing game developed by the independent studio ArtPlay and published by 505 Games. Fans commonly describe it as a spiritual successor to the classic Castlevania series.
Who created Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night?
The game was developed by ArtPlay, an independent studio co-founded by Koji Igarashi, the former producer behind the Castlevania franchise. 505 Games handled publishing and distribution.
What platforms can I play Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night on?
The title launched in June 2019 on PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. It later expanded to Amazon Luna (October 2020), Android and iOS (December 2020), and Stadia (July 2021).
How was Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night funded?
ArtPlay launched a Kickstarter campaign in 2015 to demonstrate that a dedicated audience still wanted a modern Castlevania-style game. The campaign ultimately raised over $5.5 million, well beyond its initial goal.
Why is Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night important to the side-scrolling RPG genre?
It proved that a small independent team could deliver a full-fledged, polished action RPG in the style of classic Castlevania titles without a major publisher's backing. Its successful crowdfunding also showed that players were still hungry for that specific sub-genre after years of its decline.
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