This is one of the most visually striking 2D games I've ever played. Constantly shocking, beautiful, and metal af. Blasphemous almost makes it on those facets alone. Nearly every enemy design here would be another game's best offering. And, as far as Souls-likes go, Blasphemous isn't all that punishing. It definitely comes with some challenge, and there are at least three bosses that gave me some trouble, but difficulty isn't the main verb here. It kind of functions like a much more modest Symphony of the Night.
It's all very Catholic. You collect Tears when you defeat enemies that you can use to purchase various keys and boons. The theming is all centered around guilt, pain, and suffering. And it's brutal as hell. Most enemies even have an alternate way of killing them called an Execution that mutilates the enemy in glorious fashion (one of my favorites is squishing the enemies under their giant shields). The parry timing is forgiving and feels great every time. It's all rather thrilling as you make your way through the first half of the game.
Unfortunately, as the play improves throughout, and even the basic design, it starts to wear out its welcome. While it's all cool, there's a lack of charm here that makes it kind grueling eventually. This isn't helped by obtuse messaging and how quickly backtracking becomes tedious and how often it expects you to. It made, what at first was a riveting experience, into a joyless grind.
I think they abstracted the story purposefully; they knew that wasn't the draw. But it's not easy to interpret and feels incomplete. The prose is also so purple that I began to check out. Then having me go through challenge sections to only get some random short story that doesn't elucidate anything kind of felt like a bummer.
There are some really fantastic moments here, though, and I'm glad I played it. I love Souls and metroidvanias. If you do too, then there's stuff to like here. But it's not gonna make you a fan of the genre and could make you less of one — especially if you're a completionist.
It's all very Catholic. You collect Tears when you defeat enemies that you can use to purchase various keys and boons. The theming is all centered around guilt, pain, and suffering. And it's brutal as hell. Most enemies even have an alternate way of killing them called an Execution that mutilates the enemy in glorious fashion (one of my favorites is squishing the enemies under their giant shields). The parry timing is forgiving and feels great every time. It's all rather thrilling as you make your way through the first half of the game.
Unfortunately, as the play improves throughout, and even the basic design, it starts to wear out its welcome. While it's all cool, there's a lack of charm here that makes it kind grueling eventually. This isn't helped by obtuse messaging and how quickly backtracking becomes tedious and how often it expects you to. It made, what at first was a riveting experience, into a joyless grind.
I think they abstracted the story purposefully; they knew that wasn't the draw. But it's not easy to interpret and feels incomplete. The prose is also so purple that I began to check out. Then having me go through challenge sections to only get some random short story that doesn't elucidate anything kind of felt like a bummer.
There are some really fantastic moments here, though, and I'm glad I played it. I love Souls and metroidvanias. If you do too, then there's stuff to like here. But it's not gonna make you a fan of the genre and could make you less of one — especially if you're a completionist.