https://youtu.be/KWrD0QMZc_s
-An exploration-focused, side-scrolling platformer featuring RPG and crafting elements.
-Koji Igarashi, the namesake of "Igavania"-style games, is leading the project, with Michiru Yamane composing the music and Inti Creates leading the development.
-If funded, the game will be developed for XBOX One, Playstation 4, and PC. For the first time on Kickstarter, backers will have the option to receive actual PS4 / XB1 / PC retail discs.
You are Miriam, an orphan scarred by an alchemist curse which slowly crystallizes your skin. You must battle your way through a demon-filled castle summoned by Gebel, your old friend whose body has become more crystal than flesh.
https://ksr-ugc.imgix.net/assets/003/771/606/52cdd077c2cdc60c28bf5ea8203eaf80_original.jpg?v=1431371091&w=700&h=&fit=max&auto=format&q=92&s=70cc430ce337b7f90f4bd918c5a856b5[/img
Miriam
Picked up as an orphan by an Alchemist at a young age, she became a host for the dark Alchemists’ curse. Although the magi-crystals were fused with her body at a young age, for 10 years she lay sleeping while the curse matured to its full form. It was during this period that the demons arrived, meaning that she missed their appearance and awoke with a mild form of amnesia, not quite fully understanding what happened to her.
She is a woman of few words but strong of purpose. Her youth is deceiving, making her seem confrontational and quick to judge, though in reality she is constantly evaluating her next step. The pain she felt as an orphaned child fuels her compassionate desire to protect her loved ones and friends.
Gebel
Original host for the magi-crystal curse that summons demons to the planet. Gebel (JEE-bill) was the only one to survive its effects at such a high level. He destroyed the guild that created him, but in doing so realized he was no longer human and had no place on Earth. This in turn, lead him to summon the demon castle from hell to appear on the planet.
It is said that his real purpose in summoning the castle was to give Miriam a place of her own, but as his Magi-crystal disease progressed, he soon forgot his own reasoning. The more he surrounded himself with hell-spawn, the quicker the magi-crystals engulfed his body. He continues to plot the downfall of man, and how to best convince (or use) Miriam to achieve his dark ambition.
Johannes
A member of the defunct Alchemist guild and Gebel’s best friend. Johannes (yo-HAH-nis) was the only Alchemist who dissented with the plan to call demons to the earth to cement Alchemy as the prevalent philosophy. His rejection of the other Alchemists’ scheme is what kept him from sharing their fate. He has a vague understanding that Miriam’s awakening and the demon castle’s appearance are no mere coincidence.
https://youtu.be/34gvgJsWrx0
WHY 2.5D?
IGA decided to go with 2.5D for this project for both financial and artistic reasons. All decisions in game development involve trade-offs, and for Bloodstained a 2.5D world built on Unreal Engine 4 was the right choice to balance development time, graphical fidelity, budget, and scope.
At the same time, IGA is very excited about exploring the paths a 2.5D style opens up within the classic Igavania formula. As he begins a new chapter of his career as a developer, he's looking forward to trying things that will enhance, rather than detract from, that core gameplay.
Still, though, we would never discount the fans' love for that classic style. The development team is looking forward to working with backers every step of the way to decide on custom shaders that will give the game a distinctive, hand-crafted look. Games like Guilty Gear and Strider are proof that 2.5D can be handled in a way that honors a classic aesthetic while allowing for new possibilities; that’s what IGA hopes to achieve with this project.
And of course, since it's an Igavania game, the 2D gameplay and feel are nonnegotiable.
WHAT ABOUT NINTENDO?
Our budget left us with two options: Build the biggest, most beautiful game we can, or make sure it runs everywhere from the start. As things stand today, we can't afford to create the two separate versions of this game that would be necessary to make it run on every console. That said, we've heard legends about a remarkable treasure hidden in the castle basement...
WHERE'S AYAMI KOJIMA?
Unfortunately, Kojima-san is committed to other projects that are keeping her very busy. We'd have loved to work with her, but we're just happy to see her art in every game where it turns up.
WHERE'S DRACULA?
Dracula is part of a different legacy. Bloodstained is a new project, and IGA is excited to use it to introduce new enemies. Of course, he'll need your help—over the course of the campaign IGA plans to talk to backers about his new villains, and a new selection of demons and classic b-movie monsters is definitely still in the tarot cards.
WILL I BE ABLE TO DONATE VIA PAYPAL?
Yes. You can donate at https://fulfillment.fangamer.com/bloodstained
THAT CONCEPT ART IMAGE LOOKS AWESOME – WILL THE GAME LOOK EXACTLY LIKE THAT?
We love it, too, but at this point it’s only concept art—since building out the custom shaders that will define this game's visual style will take some time, we can't show you in-game screenshots just yet.
What we can promise is that we'll be talking to backers all through the development process, and showing them the progress we're making. Using UE4 allows us a great deal of flexibility, and Inti Creates can't wait to show you just what they can wring out of it.
HOW BIG IS THE MAP?
We're currently planning for a map that's every bit as big as previous Igavania titles, but we wouldn't be surprised if it ended up even bigger.
WHY IS THE DISC $60?
The Kickstarter edition of Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night won't be sold at retail. It comes in an exclusive slipcase and it's preloaded with backer-exclusive content—the Swordwhip, the only weapon powerful enough to unite Teams Sword and Whip, and a super-secret boss who you'll have to foil to earn it.
WHY BLOODSTAINED, AND NOT, SAY, "CASTLELAND" OR "FORTRESSVANIA"?
We thought it was a perfect fit to describe the stained glass curse that spreads, like a virus, across the host's body. That explains "Stained", at least. As for the rest of the title, IGA has always been a big fan of blood.
IS IGA A VAMPIRE?
We've tried figuring it out, but since we began this project he's been extremely guarded around mirrors.
WHAT IS A BACKER?
A wonderful pile of sweetness!
Risks and challenges
Darkness lurks around every corner, seeking to corrupt all that it touches. The world is torn between those in power and those the powerful would destroy, and both sides are held in thrall by the demons lust and avarice. Games get delayed sometimes, and it would be dishonest of us to promise you this one won't be.
But Inti Creates has shipped more than 30 games on eight different platforms, and Koji Igarashi personally oversaw the production and design of one of Japan's most legendary franchises. Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is the kind of game they love to make, and they've got a lot of experience making them.
Between us, the people behind this Kickstarter have helped to launch and fulfill several of the biggest, most complicated gaming Kickstarters ever launched. We've spent months trying to get this one right because we believe in the game (and really, really want to play it.) We’re certain the game will be made, and that you’ll get all the rewards you’ve backed for.
IGA has worked for more than a year to prepare and gather support for this game because fans have asked him for it. Now that he's come to you for help, his goal is to make the game you've been waiting for. By backing this campaign, you'll become a part of the process. During and after the campaign he hopes to keep you involved, whether it's voting on swords and whips, telling us how you play his games—as fast as possible, or exploring every hidden passage—or helping us find the perfect style for the graphics.
Finally, the possibility exists that a man scarred by unfeeling, power-mad alchemists could summon a hell-castle filled with demons across the street from Inti Creates headquarters in Tokyo. IGA has as much experience handling that risk as any game designer on earth, but we estimate that it might set production back slightly (depending on whether or not he's allowed to backdash).
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/iga/bloodstained-ritual-of-the-night
