Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night's retro-inspired Classic Mode is out today
Update also adds Kingdom: Two Crowns crossover.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night's long-awaited Classic Mode, which introduces five retro-inspired levels, is out today on PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Switch, as part of a free new update that also brings a Kingdom: Two Crowns crossover.
Classic Mode first surfaced as a stretch goal in Bloodstained's 2015 Kickstarter campaign, and although its target was met, developer ArtPlay's focus on remedying Bloodstained's troubled Switch port meant the mode was still missing in action as late as last year.
However, a revised development roadmap released in June confirmed Classic Mode was still on the cards - alongside a hefty selection of other previously promised DLC - and its long-awaited release is now finally here, albeit somewhat later than the Q3 2020 date originally planned.
Those downloading today's free update can explore Classic Mode's "80s-style" spin on Bloodstained, which trades the original's open-ended level design for five linear stages - complete with sub-bosses and three difficulty levels - inspired by the early Castlevania games. On finishing a Classic Mode run-through, players will be graded based on time, score, and number of deaths, giving some additional incentive to play again.
Today's update also includes new crossover content inspired by publisher Raw Fury's micro-strategy hit Kingdom: Two Crowns. There's a new level rendered in Two Crowns' gorgeous pixel art aesthetic, and it includes a new boss, known as the Archer Familiar Shard, and the Crown Head Gear, which reduces damage at the cost of gold.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night's latest update is out now and available to all existing owners on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, and Switch. More free content, including a third (and currently still unknown) playable main character, is due to follow later in the year.