Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night Guide

After four long years, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is finally here to deliver your Victoria-Gothic horror/platformer fix. Fans who grew up on Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and similar titles will feel right at home, but the game’s old-fashioned design sensibilities may upset first-time fans join first.

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Breakable walls – Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

If you run into a dead-end, there’s usually (but not always) something else to look for. Many rooms in the game have valuable items hidden behind the breakable walls. However, breakable walls look identical to their more solid walls. So the only way to tell them apart is to hit the wall a few times with whatever weapon you have equipped.

If it starts to crack, smash it a few more times, and you’ll find a useful hidden item in the wreckage. Since it only takes a few seconds to hit a wall, you should hit whatever you come across, as you never know which wall might be hiding secrets.

Revisit home base – Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

Early in the game, you’ll explore the British village of Arantville, where all your helpful NPC friends will open shops. Johannes can craft weapons and Dominique can sell you goods, while villagers like Susie and Lindsay will send you lucrative quests to slay demons and hunt for rare items. But revisiting the home base isn’t just about gameplay mechanics; The characters will also convey important story information.

Talking to Dominique and Zangetsu will reveal a bit about the history of the Church and the Alchemists, while chatting with Johannes will identify important figures like Richard and Gebel. Chats change frequently, so check back often.

Learn enemy patterns

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night isn’t the most punishing game out there, but it’s also not the most forgiving title. When the enemy attacks you, you won’t get a few seconds of “merciless” invincibility like in a lot of other games. That means if an enemy attacks you once, it will likely do so again – and over and over again if you let it happen. Since you never know where your next health saves might be, it’s best not to let your enemies hit you too often.

Therefore, you should take some time to learn how each new enemy moves and the best way to kill them without damaging yourself. This is especially important in boss fights, as they can deal massive amounts of damage in a short amount of time, and even healing potions can’t completely mitigate that.

Pay attention to doors

While you’ll never know what’s around the next corner in Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night until you’ve explored the area for yourself, certain doors can give you hints. In general, there are two types of doors in the game: silver doors with red outlines and black doors with yellow-orange flames. The former is completely safe; they simply denote that a new area is outside. However, the latter often indicates that a boss battle is imminent.

If that’s the case, you’ll want to go back and save, check your gear, level up, or do whatever else you need before taking on Bloodstained’s biggest, worst enemy. Some doors also require a key, but they’ll let you know in advance.