Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement

The first Bloodstained game, Ritual of the Night, proved itself a worthy spiritual successor to Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, the game that put the “Vania” in Metroidvania. After years of fulfilling updates and crowdfunding stretch goals for the 2019 title, developer ArtPlay, co-founded by principal Symphony designer Koji Igarashi, is finally creating a full-fledged follow-up. However, instead of moving forward, Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement rewinds the clock 200 years before Miriam’s adventure in the first game.

Set in 16th-century England, the land has been terrorized by the Demon Lord Elias, who dwells within the sprawling Ethereal Castle. Salvation comes in the form of not one but two heroes: Leonard, an apprentice of the Black Wolves, and Alexander, the last surviving knight of the White Stags. Leo and Alex work in tandem, with players only controlling one character directly while the other is an AI-companion: hitting a button switches control of each on-the-fly. A friend can also take the reins of one hero in co-op. Both can dish out melee and magic attacks, but Leo is the better spellcaster while Alex excels at physical combat.