i was so excited for a game like this - it feels like in so many fantasy spaces i'm consistently interested in this idea of religion & faith being used as core expository set peice in a way that portrays the belief system as unwavering & dark.
while blasphemous does an incredible job narratively with thorough and consistent story-telling through npcs, enemies, environments, and especially ost, i did not find myself enjoying my time with it as much as i would've liked. that being said, i can't argue that it isn't a good game.
as mentioned, the world-building is outstanding here. no mechanic, including menus, is spared from being capitalized upon to further your emersion into blasphemous's setting. your progression as you explore also feels generally appropriate - improving upon dps, health, and heals as you progress. bosses feel like they belong in each level, new enemies keep things engaging, and new quests/collectibles have you always finding a use for that random item you found ages ago - all of which feel as though they belong in the game you're playing.
i just don't think i like metroidvanias. overtime, i end up feeling lost and more connected to a guide than the actual game's story & environment. backtracking feels tedious and confusing as each (beautifully designed, in blasphemous's case) area begins to blend into itself and others. i begin to only notice how frustraingly far away an objective of mine is, as opposed to feeling an excitement to prove how my mastery of the gameplay has improved, or to put to use that new item i just grabbed, along the treck. i would often find a new, interesting idea/quest only to be more relieved that i found something new to progress through, not really taking in what new information is being offered to me as a player. furthermore, i just don't think im into the souls-like genre, either. while, again, the idea of journeying into a thick, lovingly crafted & detailed world full of despair, conquest, darkness, and hope sounds brilliant and exciting - in practice, i just cannot feel compelled to lose progress due to one mistake (or bug/bs), and have to run it back for a period of time until i get another go.
more specifically to blasphemous, combat often times felt aggrivating, due to you having a perceived larger hitbox than model at times, enemies being able to travel offscreen and continue to hurl projectiles/make quick dashes toward you without you being able to do much in time, and a few enemy designs that make cheesing a priority due to their insane dps, spawn locations, and/or quick attacks.
again though, i don't think that it's fair to say that blasphemous is a "bad game" - i think its fantastic. just not for me. i'm glad that i gave it a try over and over again, completing the first 3 bosses, the siblings fight, and two more fights, with 85% map completion, as it helps me feel more solidified in knowing that i gave it a valid effort. in the end, its more the genre for me that holds me back from completion - as as of writing this, i have no clue where to go or what to do, and i've lost the interest to pull up another ign page for help at this moment.
while blasphemous does an incredible job narratively with thorough and consistent story-telling through npcs, enemies, environments, and especially ost, i did not find myself enjoying my time with it as much as i would've liked. that being said, i can't argue that it isn't a good game.
as mentioned, the world-building is outstanding here. no mechanic, including menus, is spared from being capitalized upon to further your emersion into blasphemous's setting. your progression as you explore also feels generally appropriate - improving upon dps, health, and heals as you progress. bosses feel like they belong in each level, new enemies keep things engaging, and new quests/collectibles have you always finding a use for that random item you found ages ago - all of which feel as though they belong in the game you're playing.
i just don't think i like metroidvanias. overtime, i end up feeling lost and more connected to a guide than the actual game's story & environment. backtracking feels tedious and confusing as each (beautifully designed, in blasphemous's case) area begins to blend into itself and others. i begin to only notice how frustraingly far away an objective of mine is, as opposed to feeling an excitement to prove how my mastery of the gameplay has improved, or to put to use that new item i just grabbed, along the treck. i would often find a new, interesting idea/quest only to be more relieved that i found something new to progress through, not really taking in what new information is being offered to me as a player. furthermore, i just don't think im into the souls-like genre, either. while, again, the idea of journeying into a thick, lovingly crafted & detailed world full of despair, conquest, darkness, and hope sounds brilliant and exciting - in practice, i just cannot feel compelled to lose progress due to one mistake (or bug/bs), and have to run it back for a period of time until i get another go.
more specifically to blasphemous, combat often times felt aggrivating, due to you having a perceived larger hitbox than model at times, enemies being able to travel offscreen and continue to hurl projectiles/make quick dashes toward you without you being able to do much in time, and a few enemy designs that make cheesing a priority due to their insane dps, spawn locations, and/or quick attacks.
again though, i don't think that it's fair to say that blasphemous is a "bad game" - i think its fantastic. just not for me. i'm glad that i gave it a try over and over again, completing the first 3 bosses, the siblings fight, and two more fights, with 85% map completion, as it helps me feel more solidified in knowing that i gave it a valid effort. in the end, its more the genre for me that holds me back from completion - as as of writing this, i have no clue where to go or what to do, and i've lost the interest to pull up another ign page for help at this moment.