Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night gets new modes and cosmetics including a Shantae skin

Do you know your Metroidvanias from your Igavanias? Does it matter? Not really unless you are a side-scrolling gaming purist. You don’t need to be one of those though to have been one of the million-plus gamers who dropped cash on the brilliant Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night when it first came out in 2019,

505 Games action classic (which you can download and play now on Game Pass if you are a subscriber) is soon to get some new free and premium DLC, including a crossover mash-up with everybody’s favorite platforming half-genie Shantae.

The Shantae gear is free which is cool, but the other three DLC packs are premium and need to be bought from the store, although if you purchase all three you will only have to pay for two of them which is a nice touch.

The premium DLC Cosmetic Packs include the vampiric ‘Succubus’ pack, a ‘Magical Girl’ pack, and the Japanese-inspired ‘Japanesque’ pack – each with a variety of weapons, costumes, and accessories.

We are also getting two new game modes as an added bonus. The first new game mode, named ‘Chaos Mode’ sends players into a series of randomized rooms populated with demons, with difficulty ramping up the longer you survive, whilst ‘Versus Mode’ is a fast-paced PvP mode against another player in a fight for survival. Online functionality for “Chaos and Versus Mode” also allows players to participate in Co-Op and Multiplayer PVP.

If you are playing on PC all this is available today whereas the Nintendo Switch versions will be available in Europe and the Americas on May 16th, following in Japan and Asia on the 20th.

What is Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is a gothic horror action side-scrolling RPG set in 19th-century England. A paranormal force has summoned a demon-infested castle, revealing crystal shards infused with tremendous magical power.

Play as Miriam, an orphan scarred by an alchemist’s curse which slowly crystallizes her body. To save humanity, and herself in the process, Miriam must fight through the castle and defeat the summoner, Gebel.

Collect, craft, and unlock a vast array of weapons, equipment, and loot to defeat the countless minions and bosses of hell that await!