Bloodstained: Ritual of the Nightis the new side-scrolling platformer project of Koji “IGA” Igarashi – the man behind the Castlevania games – in collaboration with music composer Michiru Yamane and developer Inti Creates.
Support for the project has been impressive, with the initial Kickstarter campaign’s goal of $500,000 met within just four hours. The backer rewards look pretty good, with the chance to participate in a PC beta and maybe some of Ayami Kojima’s art up for grabs.
We have an inkling of what the game will look like, thanks to the concept art that’s been released so far. Art can say very little about the general feel of a game, though, so here’s IGA going hands-on and playing an early version of the game:
In the video we see Inti Creates’ Yuji Natsume and IGA discussing details in the game. It looks to be coming along nicely, and while Miriam – our protagonist – is still moving a bit stiffly, a lot of the smaller details have been given attention. Keep in mind that what we’re seeing in the video is just a random stage thrown together, this is subject to change and most likely improve greatly.
Comments are made on small details that players often take for granted, like Miriam’s walking speed and the wobbling motion of the monsters in the stage. Even the camera angle is subject to critique; all the small details build up the player’s experience. The video is very candid, and it’s pretty amusing to hear IGA mention that he hates jumps that require extreme precision. He actually sounds like many – if not all – of us.
IGA reveals that in the past, programmers have actually come up with some very nice touches to add to the games. They would occasionally pitch ideas that the designers may have missed out on, and it’s evident that IGA values his team and does not box them into just their job titles.
Bloodstained has gone from concept art to reality, and even IGA seems happy with how it’s coming along. The Kickstarter campaign has already managed to raise over $3.7 million, and there’s still three days left to back it if you want to get the rewards.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is slated for release in March 2017 and they plan to make it available for PC, Mac, Linux, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Wii U, and PS Vita.