Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, the first game in the Bloodstained series from ArtPlay and 505 Games, is a fantastic Metroidvania game, but its post-release co-op mode was a complete afterthought. Thankfully, co-op seems to be a more integral feature in the upcoming sequel/prequel, Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement. The new game's campaign will feature two playable protagonists and (seemingly) 2-player local co-op right out of the gate, not unlike the Gal Guardians series. It's due out on Xbox Series, PlayStation 5, and PC in 2026.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night will always be remembered as the game that popularized the Metroidvania genre, and one of its key contributors is Koji Igarashi. Following a successful Kickstarter campaign, Igarashi and his studio, ArtPlay, along with 505 Games, released Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night in 2019. Bloodstained is a 2.5D ...