About the game

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is Koji Igarashi’s exploration-driven, side-scrolling action RPG: everything the “Metroidvania” genre is known for, packed into one game. Its 2015 Kickstarter raised $5.5 million, then the most ever for a video game on the platform, and since launching in June 2019 it has sold more than two million copies worldwide.

Story

England at the close of the 18th century, in the throes of the Industrial Revolution. As science advanced and magic was dismissed as superstition, the Alchemy Guild gathered orphans and implanted demonic crystals, Shards, into their bodies, creating Shardbinders to summon the forces of hell. Ten years later, Miriam, one of the surviving Shardbinders, wakes from a long sleep.

Her name is Miriam, an orphan scarred by an alchemist’s curse that is slowly crystallizing her body. To save herself, and all of humanity, she must fight through a castle summoned by Gebel, teeming with demons. Gebel was once her friend, and is now crystallized in body and soul, with hardly any flesh and blood left.

Features

• The Shard system
  Crystallize the magic of defeated enemies and turn it into your own abilities. Every enemy carries its own unique magic.
• Countless weapons and spells
  All of them can be upgraded, leveled up and customized in appearance; hair and outfit colors are yours to change.
• Crafting
  Gather materials to forge weapons and gear, enhance shards, and cook meals that strengthen Miriam. The materials scattered through the castle give exploration its purpose.
• Beautiful 2.5D graphics
  Detailed 3D models move through a 2D world, allowing tricks that plain 2D never could.
• A fully voiced story
  Every cutscene and NPC conversation is voiced, with an English cast including David Hayter, Ray Chase and Erica Lindbeck; the Japanese version has full Japanese voice-over and subtitles.
• Music
  Composed by Michiru Yamane, known for the Castlevania series.

After launch

Free updates kept adding playable characters and modes long after release.

When	What was added
June 2019	Launch update “Speed Demon”: Speed Run mode, Boss Rush mode, Pure Miriam costume
May 2020	Zangetsu as a playable character, Randomizer mode
June–July 2020	Boss Revenge mode, Chroma Wheel color customization
November 2020	Bloodless as a playable character
January 2021	8-bit Classic Mode, Kingdom Two Crowns crossover
March 2022	Aurora as a playable character (Child of Light crossover)
August 2022	Journey crossover
May 2024	Online co-op Chaos Mode, PvP Versus Mode, paid cosmetic packs
June 2024	Paid DLC “Classic II: Dominique’s Curse”

Crossovers

The post-launch updates also brought two-way collaborations with games from very different genres and platforms.

Guests who joined Bloodstained

When	Game (partner)	What was added
June 2019	Shovel Knight (Yacht Club Games)	In the game from day one: the Shovel Armor enemy is modelled on Shovel Knight, and its rare EX Shovel Armor drop turns Miriam into Shovel Knight when equipped.
January 2021	Kingdom Two Crowns (Raw Fury)	A new area, the Dead Lands, with a new boss, the Archer familiar shard and crown headgear. Shipped alongside Classic Mode.
March 2022	Child of Light (Ubisoft)	Aurora joins as a playable character. Her firefly companion Igniculus acts on his own, slowing enemies and healing her, and a new storyline is told in the rhyming style of Child of Light.
August 2022	Journey (thatgamecompany)	A hidden area, the Tunnels, with a boss inspired by the Guardians and the traveler’s scarf as the reward.
May 2024	Shantae (WayForward)	Version 1.50 gave every player the free Half-Genie Cosmetic Pack: a Shantae-style outfit set plus Risky Boots’ weapons and bandana.

Where Miriam and friends appeared

When	Game (partner)	What was added
April 2020	Kingdom Two Crowns: Dead Lands (Raw Fury)	Miriam, Zangetsu, Gebel and Alfred became the four monarchs of the new Dead Lands campaign.
February 2021	Blasphemous (The Game Kitchen / Team17)	Miriam guest-stars in the free Strife & Ruin update: a shard-hunting challenge to send her home, and a summon assist in battle.
March 2021	Mighty Fight Federation (Komi Games)	Miriam joins the 3D arena fighter as a playable character with her own stage and remixed music; IGA supervised her move set.

Mobile edition

The mobile edition (iOS / Android), co-developed with NetEase Games, launched on December 4, 2020. It faithfully recreates the PC and console experience with controls optimized for touch, a new UI and an achievement system, and supports eleven languages including Japanese and English. The mobile edition is no longer available.

Reception

• Worldwide shipments and downloads passed one million in June 2020 and two million in September 2023.
• “Very Positive” on Steam (about 25,000 reviews as of September 2023, 94% positive).
• Winner of “Control Precision” at the NAVGTR Awards; nominated at the New York Game Awards and the SXSW Gaming Awards.

Product information

Genre	Exploration-driven 2D action RPG
Release	June 18, 2019 (PS4 / Xbox One / PC), June 25, 2019 (Nintendo Switch), December 4, 2020 (iOS / Android)
Developer	ArtPlay (mobile edition co-developed with NetEase Games)
Publisher	505 Games (mobile: NetEase Games)
Languages	Japanese and English with full voice, eleven languages in total

© 2019 ArtPlay, Inc. / © 505 Games