After many years in development and several delays, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night might finally be closing in on the big time, thanks to an ESRB rating.
To little surprise and even less fanfare, the Entertainment Software Rating Board has granted Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night a rating of “T for Teen” across all platforms (PC, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One), which means people younger than 13 probably shouldn’t play the game.
According to the ESRB website, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night was granted this rating due to blood, partial nudity, and violence. The website also gives the following summary:
This is an action role-playing game in which players assume the role of Miriam, a cursed orphan who must battle her way through a demon-infested castle. As players traverse side-scrolling environments, they use swords, spears, pistols, and whips to battle fantastical creatures (e.g., harpies; spiked armor; demon-like birds, rodents, dogs) in melee-style combat. In one sequence, players encounter a boss character emerging from a bathtub full of blood; her magic attacks can cause blood to rain down on players and stain the walls and ceilings. Another sequence depicts an impaled copse, with blood flowing heavily into a large fountain. The game also depicts a topless female boss creature (no discernible nipples).
While the rundown mentions the Bloodless and Vepar bosses almost by name, content usually associated with the T for Teen rating, such as strong language, is absent, which could imply Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night will feature little to no swearing. However, one must wonder if the game would have managed a T for Teen rating had Vepar not been redesigned with significantly smaller breasts.
Regardless of the ESRB’s reasoning, this rating could imply Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night’s vague “2019” release might be closer than we thought. As someone who backed the Kickstarter, I eagerly await the game’s impending release.
