Bloodstained:RotN
"Bloodstained: RotN" is a hardcore Gothic side-scrolling ARPG with impressive visuals and solid game mechanics. Players will traverse a haunting world, battling supernatural enemies with a variety of weapons and spells. However, be aware that the game has been reported to have bugs that may impact gameplay. Overall, an engaging and atmospheric RPG experience for fans of the genre.
Reviews
- Great game with a solid port on mobile, providing a console-like experience.
- Graphics and music are phenomenal, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
- The game runs well on high-end devices, with some users reporting smooth performance at 60 fps.
- Awful controller support; menus require touch input even when using a controller, and on-screen controls cannot be removed.
- The game is plagued by bugs, including crashes and performance issues, particularly in certain areas.
- Touch controls are unresponsive and can lead to frustrating gameplay, especially during critical moments like jumping.
- graphics53 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players praising the overall quality and aesthetic, especially on higher settings, while others report issues such as lag, graphical artifacts, and occasional crashes. Some users note that the game runs well on higher-end devices but struggles on older or less powerful phones, leading to inconsistent performance and minor glitches. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered good, there is a consensus that further optimization and improvements are needed for a smoother experience.
“The graphics look great to me on epic settings.”
“Absolutely fantastic game, with a pretty great graphical port to mobile.”
“Great port, beautiful graphics and audio, best metroidvania you will find on mobile.”
“Sometimes crashes when starting up, has inconsistent laggy loading between screens, and there are some graphical artifacts that look off.”
“It's not fully optimized for Android, even the graphics are wack, like really wack.”
“Graphical lag is an issue, especially during 'high jump'.”
- optimization32 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 31 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received widespread criticism, with many users reporting severe performance issues, including frame rate drops, stuttering, and poor controller support. While recent updates have improved performance somewhat, significant optimization is still needed, particularly for mobile devices and controller functionality. Overall, players find the game enjoyable but are frustrated by its lack of polish and responsiveness.
“The quality is here and it plays well, but it can benefit from a bit more optimization in regards to framerate and slowdowns.”
“Recent updates have massively improved the performance of the game.”
“Playing this on a Pixel 5 and running it with the graphics options set to epic... it runs pretty well; as other people have mentioned, there are some minor issues... definitely needs an optimization patch, removing onscreen UI when using a controller, etc., but overall it runs better than I was expecting.”
“An extremely buggy, poorly optimized port with unresponsive touch controls.”
“What's worse is that even though the performance is bad, the game is not pretty to look at either, as the models, lighting, and scenery all look bad.”
“Poorly optimized with severe frame rate hiccups/skipping and very poorly implemented Bluetooth controller support.”
- stability18 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 83 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many users reporting frequent bugs, unresponsive controls, and occasional freezes, particularly during critical moments like boss fights. While some players have experienced smoother performance on specific devices, others have noted persistent graphical glitches and issues with touch controls. Overall, the game appears to suffer from significant optimization problems, leading to a frustrating experience for many users.
“The game runs great on my Galaxy Note Ultra 20. Sometimes my weapon goes right through the enemy with no damage detected, but other than that, I have no other issues or complaints. I also see there is a way to make the on-screen buttons disappear completely when I use my Xbox Series X controller.”
“Runs great on my Note 20 Ultra Snapdragon model (as it should).”
“I haven't played it on PC, so I can't really compare it to the PC version, but it runs great on my phone, with controller support, and it was everything I was expecting of it.”
“An extremely buggy, poorly optimized port with unresponsive touch controls.”
“I now give it 1 star after the update; like, come on, the frame rates still drop and the buttons suck. Seriously, I just have to delete the game because it's just so buggy.”
“Controls always have delays and glitches.”
- gameplay17 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many praising its smoothness, intensity, and nostalgic elements reminiscent of classic titles like Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. However, issues such as unresponsive controls, limited controller functionality in menus, and some minor translation problems have been noted, suggesting that while the core gameplay is enjoyable, it could benefit from further refinement and updates. Overall, players appreciate the atmosphere and exploration, but some mechanics need improvement for a more cohesive experience.
“I'm playing on a Chromebook and have been impressed with the quality of graphic adjustment and the amount of gameplay offered.”
“The real successor to SOTN, huge map to explore, good touch controls (devs couldn't really do more with this kind of gameplay), awesome atmosphere.”
“Gameplay is smooth and intense.”
“Mainly the issue is you can't do anything in the menus with a controller, yet gameplay is fine.”
“Same with general gameplay, will check update but as is only 3-ish just doesn't feel cohesive and smooth.”
“Unresponsive controls still plague the game, but the first updates fixed the gameplay for me, hopefully they will continue updating the game.”
- story9 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 11 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally praised for being beautiful, immersive, and nostalgic, with many players appreciating its quality and depth. However, a significant bug preventing progression in the underground path has frustrated some users, overshadowing their overall positive experience. Despite these issues, the graphics and sound are also highlighted as top-notch, contributing to the game's appeal.
“I don't get the low score... you reviewers are too much sometimes, often one-starring a game because of issues totally unrelated to the quality, or because it's 'too hard.' This game was beautiful, immersive, and had a great story.”
“The graphics, sound, and storyline are very good.”
“It has smooth control and a great story.”
“Don't buy it yet, they have one major bug that prevents continuing the story, which is the underground path.”
“I just bought it and I can't continue the story; I'm stuck when I go to the forbidden underground pathway. What a shame on the developers.”
“The overall gameplay has some nostalgia (like how you play most of the Castlevania games), even the plot too.”
- monetization4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The monetization model has raised concerns among users, particularly regarding the presence of microtransactions in the mobile version despite a €10 upfront cost, especially when the PC version offers no such transactions. While some players appreciate the lack of microtransactions in the current build, there is a general apprehension about potential future in-app purchases.
“Could do with some more patches, but so far it's fun to play and has no microtransactions.”
“10 euros upfront plus in-app purchases?”
“When the PC version has no microtransactions at all?”
“Don't know what microtransactions there are, worried.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the added replayability from two extra characters, one unlockable after completing the game and another available from the start. However, some feel that the lack of controller support in earlier versions negatively impacted the game's replay value, although recent updates have improved overall playability.
“It totally hurts the replay value not featuring this mode.”
“There are two extra characters you can use, one after finishing the game and the other right at the start to enhance replayability.”
- music3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised as phenomenal, beautifully complementing the art and enhancing the overall atmosphere. Many players feel that the exceptional soundtrack significantly elevates the experience, overshadowing any flaws in gameplay.
“The music is phenomenal.”
“The music and the art are beautiful.”
“All those flaws are greatly overshadowed by having a metroidvania of its scale and complexity, along with its music and atmosphere, on the go.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be frustrating, particularly for characters like Bloodless, who face a steep difficulty curve without adequate support. Issues such as lag during area transitions and unresponsive controls further exacerbate the grind, making it tedious and less enjoyable for those trying to farm materials and shards. Overall, the grinding experience is marred by technical problems that hinder gameplay.
“This doesn't matter for the OP Miriam who can eventually brute force her way by grinding, but it really makes things difficult for others, especially if you are using Bloodless, who already has a high difficulty curve.”
“The area transition is not smooth enough; sometimes Miriam gets stuck at the entrance and the game just freezes. I have to wait about 2 seconds until the game starts responding again. It annoys me when I need a quick area transition to respawn enemies for materials and shard farming. Even after lowering the graphics and pre-rendering, it doesn't help. The Bluetooth controller keeps getting unresponsive while connected, and when I reconnect it, the game force closes. Please fix this!”
“This lack of support doesn't make sense to me and made it tedious to play with my PS4 controller and mounted tablet.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with users highlighting its scale, complexity, and immersive music, which contribute to a captivating metroidvania experience. The game's atmosphere is considered a significant strength, enhancing the overall exploration and gameplay.
“But all those flaws are greatly overshadowed by having a metroidvania of its scale and complexity (and music and atmosphere) on the go.”
“The real successor to SOTN, huge map to explore, good touch controls (devs couldn't really do more with this kind of gameplay), awesome atmosphere.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is negatively impacted by the lack of menu accessibility, as players feel frustrated by the requirement to touch the screen, which detracts from their overall experience.