Bloodstained: Ritual Of The Night - Xbox One

From Koji Igarashi, the creator of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night comes a game being heralded as a spiritual successor to the Castlevania of old - Bloodstained: Ritual Of The Night. One of the great videogames successes of Kickstarter, Bloodstained took a little longer to arrive than some were hoping but Koji Igarashi and his team at ArtPlay/WayForward/Inti Creates have taken that time to respond to early criticisms and polish the game up to a shine.

The game is set in 19th century England against a humorously gothic and over the top background. You play as Miriam, an orphan who has fallen victim to the curse of an alchemist and must now battle her way through a labrynthine castle to prevent the crystallisation of her body and defeat the big bad of the piece, Gebel.

This is, of course, a Metroidvania title in the purest sense. Action platforming blends with tough combat and ranged shooting, while exploration is a must. Collectibles and secrets litter the game's byzantine maps, and you'll need to hunt them out if you want to upgrade our hero, Miriam, and defeat the creative baddies being thrown at you.

This is, however, a game that knows what decade it's in. Modern twists such as a fast travel system and a difficulty curve that isn't as punishing as some contemporary Metroidvania titles make it accessible to gamers with modern tastes, not just those who remember Symphony of Night from first time around. more