Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement

Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement is a new 2.5D gothic action RPG from ArtPlay, the studio led by producer Koji Igarashi, published by 505 Games. It goes back to an earlier chapter of the Bloodstained universe, set in a cursed 16th-century England, so newcomers can start here without having played anything before it.

A ghostly castle ruled by the Demon Lord Elias hangs over the kingdom, and its demons terrorise the people below. The Kingdom and the Church have sent strike force after strike force against it, and every one has failed. Two heroes are thrown together for the next attempt: Leonard Brandon, a young fighter from the Church’s Black Wolves, and Alexander Kyteler, a White Stags knight and the only survivor of an earlier expedition.

A new buddy system puts both heroes on screen at the same time, so you control Leo and Alex together to beat enemies, get past traps and push forward. Around the combat there is crafting and exploration across a sprawling, cursed land, which the Store listing calls the largest Bloodstained world yet. Long-time fans should expect links back to the wider series, while the fresh cast of allies and foes keeps it approachable for first-timers.