To make Bloodstained, the development team had to defeat the boss in the game without losing blood

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night has extremely annoying boss fights, but if you learn them, you can overcome them. According to studio boss Koji Igarashi, the development team has to go further to ensure the game is fair.

Whoever designed a boss in the game, they have to demonstrate how to defeat it, regardless of weapon use or difficulty, without taking damage. It’s like, you can’t upload your own Mario Maker level if you can’t win it.

“The developer who created that boss has to defeat itself without getting hit and using only the right knife,” Igarashi told Gamasutra. “We almost didn’t make it.”

Igarashi said this is the “golden rule” that the team must follow, but trying to do it again is really too “sour” challenge. He still wants the battles to be tough and the fear of death real, but removes unfair attacks to help players want to try again.

The difficulty of the game is quite good, so Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is a game worth playing through if you are passionate about the world of Metroidvanias, or want to reminisce about old memories. Igarashi tried to make the game as similar to the old Castlevania as possible, something that traditional fans have always wanted.

“In terms of design, they are very similar,” says Igarashi. “Feeling the game is more important than trying new ideas, so it’s important to keep the familiar approach.”

Maybe the members of Igarashi’s studio have done it, with just a knife, but not all gamers want to try their experience.