Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2
Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2 is a platform video game developed and published by Inti Creates. It was released for Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch on July 10, 2020. It is the third game in the "Bloodstained" series and a direct sequel to "", itself a spin-off of "". The game's graphics and gameplay are done in an 8-bit retro style meant to mimic the early "Castlevania" games. The game received largely positive reviews from critics praising the game's visuals and gameplay. Plot. Although it shares characters with  Ritual of the Night, the game takes place in its own continuity and follows on from the events of "Curse of the Moon". Zangetsu, a demon slayer from the East is the main character of the game. After the events of "Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon", Dominique, an exorcist of the church finds out about a mysterious tower that is summoning a demon castle. She sends the demon hunter Zangetsu to stop this invasion. On his way from the tower to the castle, Zangetsu teams up with Dominique, who wields a spear, the rifle-wielding Robert, and Hachi, a corgi  piloting a steampunk mech. Zangetsu also obtains a powerful sword called the Soul Eraser. After they defeat the final boss, it tries to consume the entire party, but is stopped by Dominique who becomes possessed while the others escape. The remaining party members Zangetsu, Robert, and Hachi vow to rescue Dominique. On their way back to the castle, Zangetsu may equip the Zanmatou, a sword that is less powerful than the Soul Eraser, but does not harm righteous beings even if used on them. Near the location of the previous episode's final battle, the party encounters Mephisto, a demon  that stores Dominique inside its own body. If the Zanmatou is equipped, Zangetsu ends the ensuing battle by cleaving Mephisto in half, saving Dominique. If the Soul Eraser is equipped, Zangetsu prepares to do the same, but changes his mind at the last minute to avoid killing Dominique as well. The former end leads directly to the Final Episode; the latter leaves Robert and Hachi severely wounded and leads to Episode EX. Gameplay. The player must traverse various levels using Zangetsu, and later, a selection of other characters, each with their own abilities and subweapons. The game consists of multiple  chapters, each of which requires the player to replay the stages in different ways. The game has two difficulty levels. In Veteran, players have a limited number of continues if they are defeated, and enemy damage can knock a character back (potentially into more damage, or worse, an instant death pit), similar to classic NES games. In Casual, the player can retry from the last checkpoint endlessly if required, enemies do not knock back the character, and the characters take less damage and have more skill points to use. Release. The game was given a limited run physical release in  2021. Reception. The game received mostly positive reviews of 80/100 on Metacritic for the Windows version, and 82/100 for the Switch version. Reviewers felt that the game was a proper homage to both "Castlevania" and retro games. Reviewers also felt the addition of cooperative play was a good addition to the series. Both "IGN Italia" and "IGN Japan" praised the game and wide choice of characters. Steve Watts of "GameSpot" also rated the game 8/10, praising its fusion of "goofy humor" with "macabre imagery", but criticizing how it forces players to replay stages to achieve the true ending. Rob Schubert  of "Longview Daily News", praised the game, calling it "Nintendo hard" and a game that captures the feel and challenge of retro video games. Adding that the new characters work and improve the game while filling a role without making the game feel crowded. Four reviewers for "Famitsu" praised the game as well, praising the pixel art graphics. Thomas Nickel of "M! Games" also noted the two player and casual modes would assist players who did not have the best reflexes could also enjoy the game. "VentureBeat" was positive about the game, but compared the situation with Inti-Creates' own  Mega Man 10 in that it is a sequel to a retro themed game.