The appetizer before the main Bloodstained course is out now in Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon. Taking place before it’s upcoming modern big brother, ‘Curse of the Moon’ is a tribute to classic 8-bit gold that focuses on hunter Zangetsu as he hunts down evil meeting several playable companions along the way to aide him in his quest.

Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon is a 2018 prequel to Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, it is developed by Inti Creates and is published by 505 Games. It is currently available on PC and console.

Bloodstained’s 8-bit spinoff wants to remind of a simpler time when gaming wasn’t full of controversy at the turn of a hat.

Bloodstained: Curse pf the Moon continues the Castlevania-sized void Inti Creates has been on mission to fill since it’s initial Kickstarter campaign. Taking place before the events of the upcoming “Ritual of the Night”, “Curse of the Moon” follows Zangetsu and his comrades’ early adventures together as the destroy demon after demon in an attempt to rid the world of total evil.

Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon is a beautiful trip down memory lane.

THE GOOD: I’m not too sure how Bloodstained will appeal to today’s youth, but if you’ve been gaming for the past 20 or 30 years then Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon is worth it for it’s “present meets past” presentation alone. From sound design to it’s OST & gameplay mechanics, “Curse of the Moon” is a mirror image of it’s mocked time period. The game runs extremely smooth, there’s no hiccups, no framerate issues, or any sort of technical problems that were visible to derail you from sinking hours into the game as you try your damnedest to clear the current stage. Difficulty, while not too high is good enough to provide a solid challenge. Each of the multiple characters fill useful and not just popped in add-ons. They have abilities which can help the player reach higher points, lower points, and hidden power ups.

A short but sweet journey into the main event.

THE BAD: It’s incredible short, but that was pretty much the point to give you a small taste of how Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night would play. Most players will finish the game in 4 and a half hours, while others have reported 8 or so if you do everything possible within the game. Cheap deaths can be a pain from time to time.

A modern classic.

OVERALL THOUGHTS: Though only a sampler. Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon is well worth every penny spent and at the affordable price of $10 it’s quality just can’t be beat.