I got 99% map completion with zero clue where to look and this is driving me crazy...

So here's a weird thing, I think this a better game then the original, but I'm rating both games the same score. Not because the sequel has new issues that even out the scores, but rather this is kind of just more of the same. The same gorgeous pixel art that's both beautiful yet horrifying in its level of detail, the same sense of linear progression in a fairly open-map, same basis of combat, same verbose dialogue which I have no clue what anyone is saying, most of the same mechanics, and so forth.
Let's get this out of the way: I just don't care for the story and the world. It looks pretty (and intentionally disgusting) but I barely know why I'm doing the things I'm doing, and I couldn't find a good hook to latch onto to make me interested in it. At least with other games with vague storytelling (I.E. Souls and Hollow Knight) there were plenty of memorable characters with their own interesting stories that you see many times during the game; here there really isn't anything like that. The one character that seems to follow you through most of the game came close, but it didn't pay off at all. This is a problem I shared with the first game, but it's more noticeable to me in this entry. Not like this is the most wordy of games at least, but this style of plot really isn't my jam. Cool religious imagery, wish I didn't need to read a bible to get what's going on.
Gameplay has seen some improvements. The main selling point is having three weapons, instead of the single sword from the first game. You do still have a sword weapon with a added life steal super-mode, but now you also have a rapier and dagger combo that become enhanced in lightning the more you hit enemies without taking damage, and my go-to weapon a flail with a giant metal lantern for its head that you expend magic (called Fervor) to ignite it for added fire damage. These weapons give the usual choice of balance, speed, and power respectfully, yet each one also has utility in exploring and puzzle solving. For the most part you aren't force to use any of them during combat, and what you use will come down to personal preference. Some enemies do have high resistances to elements that each weapon specializes in (Sword uses Mystical, Rapier/Dagger is Lightning, Flail is Fire), but you can simply just not activate the elemental buff and you'll be fine. I personally think the Rapier/Dagger is a little too weak though. I see the potential it has, but not getting hit at all in Blasphemous is really tough when merely touching enemies deals minor damage that removes the buff. I think with the right set-up it'd be pretty decent, but there's also no getting around its bad range in comparison to the other two weapons.
Platforming feels a lot better though. No more having to time sword swings to embed your sword into walls in order to wall-jump, now you have a simple wall cling that just works way better. I admire the first game for trying to do something different with wall jumps, but the amount of times I thought I was close enough to the wall to stab into it, only for the game to say "Nah not close enough. Die." got very frustrating. But on top of that, pits and spikes are no longer instant-death. Now they deal a lot of damage and you respawn from where you fell off. It still punishes you for failing, but it feels less like it'll waste your time to do a corpse run for something so simple.
I did find this game to be much easier overall. Not even including the lack of instant-death traps, bosses and enemies gave me nowhere near as much trouble as the first. The added flexibility in the weapons and movement, plus some added prayers (spells) made things way more manageable. There's this one prayer that you get for doing a very cryptic side quest, and that plus the flail's ability to give extra fervor in combat by hitting enemies made it borderline impossible to die. Hell before that there was a prayer that's a giant beam of light that deals frankly absurd damage that just melts everything. I wouldn't say this is an easy game, there was one boss that took me several tries, but it was less stressful overall then its predecessor.
Some miscellaneous changes are the removal of specific accessories that you had to equip so that some random platforms would appear, which is much appreciated. I felt the shops and places to obtain upgrades were placed more conveniently next to warp areas, less wasted time. There doesn't seem to be a new game plus but in exchange you can get both endings in one playthrough, which almost feels like its directed towards me who screwed up on getting the true ending from the first game at the VERY last step. And I wished you could refund skill points from the weapon skill trees, which wasn't a thing in the last game either, sadly. Might've given the Rapier/Dagger a fairer shake otherwise.

But yeah, this is certainly an improved Blasphemous with much tighter pacing. A game I do like a lot, but far from loving it. For a Metroidvania it's fairly solid, just not a favorite.

Moral of the story: Religion is messed up.