Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

The opinions of the critics regarding the story of Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night are quite varied. Some critics, such as Daily Star and NintendoWorldReport, appreciate the premise of the story, with its focus on a protagonist named Miriam who must stop her friend Gebel from leading an army of demons against mankind. They find the concept of Shardbinders, characters who can absorb demonic crystals to gain special powers, intriguing and engaging. The Indie Game Website also mentions that the story is fitting for a Castlevania-inspired game, which suggests that it successfully captures the essence of the genre. However, there are critics who express disappointment with the story. Pure Nintendo mentions that the story is goofy and melodramatic, while RPG Fan feels that the plot twists and turns are formulaic and the characters are mere archetypes. DarkStation criticizes the lack of emotional weight in the story and finds the main villain dull. PlayStation LifeStyle also points out a lack of narrative depth and jargon-filled narration as weaknesses in the storytelling. Overall, the consensus among the critics is mixed. While some appreciate the story's premise and its connection to the Castlevania genre, others find it cliché, predictable, and lacking in emotional depth. The story's strengths lie in its interesting world and characters, as mentioned by IGN and TheSixthAxis. On the other hand, weaknesses include formulaic plot twists, uninteresting characters, and uninspired voice acting, as noted by RPG Fan and DarkStation. It is worth mentioning that some critics, such as Game Rant and MondoXbox, feel that the gameplay takes precedence over the story, suggesting that the narrative may not be the main focus of the game.

The majority of critics praised the gameplay of Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, considering it to be a quintessential Metroidvania experience with satisfying combat and exploration. They highlighted the ability to improve and swap out skills through the use of random drops called 'shards', which added a layer of build diversity to the game. Critics such as Daily Star and Game Rant commended the gameplay for its similarity to Igarashi's Castlevania games, featuring platforming, combat against hordes of monsters, and a variety of weapons and spells to use. They found the combat to be engaging and never boring, with a sense of progression that felt rewarding. The gameplay was also praised for its quality-of-life improvements, such as a large map with varied locales, giving players ample scope to create their own builds and carve their way through the game as they see fit (GameSpew). While the overall sentiment towards the gameplay of Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night was positive, there were a few criticisms mentioned by some critics. Softpedia mentioned that the combat could feel clunky and slow at times, and some puzzles were unintuitive. DarkStation noted a lack of focus in the gameplay and mentioned that certain skills made the game too easy on Normal mode. RPG Fan brought up the issue of three-dimensional environments where it was not clear where one platform ended and another began, causing some frustration. Despite these minor drawbacks, the majority of critics still found the gameplay to be enjoyable and addictive. In conclusion, the gameplay of Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night received high praise from the majority of critics. They appreciated the game's quintessential Metroidvania experience, with satisfying combat, exploration, and a sense of progression. The ability to improve and swap out skills through 'shards' was highlighted as a positive aspect, allowing for build diversity. The gameplay was compared favorably to Igarashi's Castlevania games, with its platforming elements, diverse combat, and character progression. While there were some criticisms regarding clunky combat, unintuitive puzzles, lack of focus, and occasional platforming issues, these were minor concerns in the overall consensus. Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night's gameplay was widely regarded as enjoyable, rewarding, and reminiscent of classic Castlevania titles.

The opinions of the critics regarding the Graphics and Visual Design of Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night are generally positive. Critics such as Daily Star, NintendoWorldReport, God is a Geek, Softpedia, and USgamer praise the game for its gothic architecture, detailed environments, and imaginative enemy designs. They appreciate the game's homage to the Castlevania series and its old-school vibe. The visuals are described as capturing the atmosphere and charm of Castlevania, with gorgeous art styles, striking designs, and a variety of unique locations to explore. The hand-drawn graphics and stained-glass aesthetic are also commended for their visual appeal and painterly style. Additionally, the game's lighting effects, moonlit vistas, and darkly beautiful sights in the castle are highlighted as impressive by IGN and IGN Italia. However, there are some negative opinions regarding the graphics and visual design of Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night. Game Rant, GameSpot, Pure Nintendo, RPG Fan, DarkStation, and Push Square express concerns about graphical downgrades, technical issues, muddy backgrounds, lack of detail on character models, and occasional frame rate issues. They mention that the Switch version, in particular, suffers from visual downgrades, lack of color, lighting, texture, and motion, which can affect the overall experience. RPG Fan criticizes the stiff and awkward speaking animations, suggesting that the game would be better off without moving mouths. DarkStation also notes heavy slowdowns in visually busy areas, which can impact gameplay. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night has a visually appealing design that captures the essence of the Castlevania series. The game's gothic architecture, detailed environments, and imaginative enemy designs are praised by multiple critics. However, there are concerns about graphical downgrades, technical issues, and occasional frame rate problems, particularly in the Switch version. Despite these drawbacks, the game's overall visual appeal and level design are commended for their cleverness, rewarding exploration, and the joy of discovering secrets and Easter eggs. The positive aspects of the graphics and visual design outweigh the negatives, making Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night an enjoyable experience for fans of the genre.

The majority of the critics praised the sound design and music of Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, considering it a strong aspect of the game. GameSpew, NintendoWorldReport, CGMagazine, DarkStation, Easy Allies, IGN Italia, PlayStation Country, Push Square, Slant Magazine, and Video Chums all expressed positive opinions about the soundtrack and sound design. They highlighted various aspects such as the brilliant soundtrack, strong accompaniment to different sections of the castle, gothic rock soundtrack that creates a personality for fights and locations, and a fantastic soundtrack that captures the vibe of each area wonderfully. The quality of the music, composed by Michiru Yamane, was also praised by CGMagazine and Video Chums. The sound design was generally enjoyable, with Push Square mentioning the overall sound design being enjoyable and Softpedia mentioning that the music adds to the Castlevania atmosphere. However, there were a few critics who had some reservations about the sound design and music of Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night. RPG Fan mentioned that the music was forgettable and didn't reach the same level as Symphony of the Night, a classic Castlevania game known for its iconic music. TheSixthAxis also stated that while the music was mostly great, it lacked the same impact as the iconic tracks from previous Castlevania games. These criticisms suggest that some players may have been expecting more memorable and impactful music, particularly in comparison to the legacy of the Castlevania series. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the sound design and music of Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night were very good. The positive opinions from multiple reviewers outweigh the reservations expressed by a few critics. The soundtrack was praised for its quality, capturing the atmosphere of the game, and adding personality to different areas and fights. The sound design was generally enjoyable, even if it didn't reach the same level of impact as some iconic tracks from previous Castlevania games. Considering the majority of the critics' opinions, it can be concluded that the sound design and music of Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night were a strong aspect of the game.

The voice acting in Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night has received mixed opinions from the critics. On the positive side, IGN and IGN Italia both praise the voice acting, mentioning that all characters are capably voice acted, with David Hayter lending his talent to the game. Push Square also commends the voice acting, specifically highlighting David Hayter's performance, where he channels his iconic Solid Snake voice. This adds to the enjoyment of the game for these critics, creating a sense of familiarity and nostalgia for players who are fans of Hayter's previous work. However, on the negative side, COGconnected and DarkStation express their disappointment with the voice acting. COGconnected describes it as "pure ham," suggesting that it may come across as over-the-top or exaggerated. DarkStation goes further, stating that the voice acting is "uninspired and stale," which ultimately detracts from the narrative experience. Slant Magazine also raises concerns about copyright infringement, noting that one NPC and his voice actor come close to crossing the line, although it's acknowledged that the character is largely inspired by previous works by the game's creator. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the voice acting in Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is a mixed bag. While some critics, such as IGN and IGN Italia, find the voice acting to be well-executed and enjoyable, others, like COGconnected and DarkStation, feel that it falls short in terms of inspiration and freshness. TheSixthAxis mentions that while the voice acting features familiar voices from the Castlevania series, there is a risk of new characters losing their identity. Trusted Reviews highlights the positive impact of David Hayter's involvement in voicing a character, contributing to the overall experience of the game. Ultimately, the reception of the voice acting in Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is subjective, with some critics appreciating it while others find it lacking in certain aspects.

In terms of the technical performance of Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, there are both positive and negative aspects for each gaming platform. Starting with the positives, the Xbox One X version, as mentioned by MondoXbox, runs well in 4K, providing a smooth gameplay experience. Additionally, the PlayStation 4 version, according to PlayStation LifeStyle, only has minor performance issues and localization typos, which are barely worth mentioning. On the other hand, there are several negative aspects regarding the technical performance across different platforms. The Nintendo Switch version, as criticized by multiple reviewers including Daily Star, Game Rant, GameSpew, GameSpot, and Pure Nintendo, suffers from various issues such as frame rate hitches, graphical downgrades, slowdown, crashing, input lag, and long load times. These technical problems significantly impact the gameplay experience on the Switch. IGN also mentions that the PC version has major performance issues, although specific details are not provided. Moving on to the PlayStation 4 version, DarkStation highlights heavy slowdowns in visually busy areas, while Easy Allies encountered game crashes and boss fight glitches, although these bugs did not lead to major issues. Push Square and Slant Magazine also mention graphical and gameplay glitches, occasional frame rate issues, and game crashes, which detract from the overall polish of the game. USgamer adds that there are bugs, hitches, and glitches, including frame rate drops and instances of the game locking up. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night has significant technical performance issues on the Nintendo Switch and some issues on the PlayStation 4. While the Xbox One X version is praised for running well, the PC version is criticized for major performance issues without specific details. The technical problems on the Switch, including frame rate hitches, graphical downgrades, slowdown, crashing, and input lag, are particularly disappointing. However, it is worth noting that the publisher has indicated that they will be addressing some of these issues with patches, as mentioned by NintendoWorldReport. Despite the technical difficulties, the game still offers enjoyable gameplay experiences, as mentioned by critics such as Pure Nintendo and Easy Allies.

The opinions of the critics regarding the Replay Value of Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night are generally positive. Many critics highlight the multiple endings and side quests as factors that contribute to the game's replayability. Daily Star, Game Rant, and PC Gamer all mention the presence of multiple endings and side quests as reasons to revisit the game. Game Informer also mentions that the player obsessively scoured every nook and cranny of the map even after defeating the last boss, indicating a high replay value. These features provide players with incentives to explore different paths and make new choices, enhancing the overall replayability of the game. On the negative side, RPG Fan criticizes the side quests, stating that they offer little to the imagination and feel like tacked-on filler. However, this seems to be a minority opinion, as most critics do not mention any significant negatives regarding the replay value of Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night. While MondoXbox and Softpedia do not provide much information about the replayability, their reviews still acknowledge the presence of additional elements such as different difficulties, boss run mode, and speed run mode, which can contribute to the game's replay value. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night offers a high level of replay value. The game's multiple endings, side quests, secret areas, unlockable modes, and post-launch DLC are frequently mentioned as factors that enhance the replayability. Critics such as CGMagazine and TheSixthAxis specifically highlight the different difficulty settings and boss rush modes as additional features that add to the game's replay value. The variety of weapons, abilities, and stats to unlock, mentioned by God is a Geek, also contribute to the game's replayability. The general sentiment among the critics is that Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night provides ample reasons for players to revisit the game, making it a worthwhile and enjoyable experience with long-lasting appeal.