Blasphemous 2 from Developer The Game Kitchen and Publisher Team 17 once again delivers an epic action adventure Metroidvania Soulslike experience. In the original Blasphemous, players would take on the role of “The Penitent One” and face off against a myriad of grotesque beasts and monsters on their journey. You’ll once again be playing as The Penitent One in the sequel but with a twist this time around.
Blasphemous 2 follows directly on from the first game’s major free DLC update. If you played the Wounds of Eventide update, you’ll know that Blasphemous set itself up for a sequel. Now in 2023, the sequel has finally materialized and it’s time to slay some unholy beasts once more.
New and Improved
The first Blasphemous game was a bit rough around the edges. This was clear from the game’s pinpoint precision requirements for platforming and traversing the world. Thankfully the sequel has fixed these issues and Blasphemous 2 plays like the incredible metroidvania title it should be. The Game Kitchen has clearly learned a lot from developing the first game and almost every gripe has been rectified here in the sequel.
Blasphemous 2’s gameplay is incredibly fluid and players will legitimately love platforming and exploring this time around. The game kicks off with The Penitent One waking up from his grave and setting forward towards the heart in the sky. The first enemy in the game is no pushover and sets the tone for what’s to come.
Blasphemous 2 doesn’t hold anything back. If you are easily frustrated with games that require you to dodge, parry and time your attacks well, you may want to look elsewhere for your gaming needs. Combat in Blasphemous 2 involves using your weapon to attack while preventing yourself from taking damage from foes. You can dodge and you can charge up attacks as well use magic spells to inflict damage upon enemies.
It’s all fairly standard fare in the genre to be quite honest but it’s executed in a manner which is remarkably satisfying. Being able to string together combos of melee attacks and magic spells means that you’ll be mixing and matching various combinations throughout the game in order to progress further.
Enemies in Blasphemous 2 are just as brutal as in the first game. The game emphasizes the fact that you need to dodge to survive since enemy attacks will take a significant chunk of your health away should they manage to hit you. Players will therefore need to memorize attack patterns and dodge to the best of their ability or risk dying.
You do have access to “Bile flasks” which recover some of your health but you really do need to use these sparingly and in emergency situations. If you die, you build up guilt, which makes things worse for you. You therefore really shouldn’t die and try your best to stay alive for as long as possible, unless you plan on forking out resources to absolve yourself of built up guilt
Weapon Memories
The Penitent One has access to 3 main melee weapons this time around and it drastically influences the way you play. For example, if you’re using the mace/flail as your weapon, you’ll attack rather slow and will need to factor that into your movements and attacks when fighting enemies. If you’re using the faster dual swords, you’ll play completely differently because of the rapid strikes you can dish out.
Players can also use “Marks of Martyrdom” to unlock advanced combat techniques which they can use in battle and these make a world of difference as you progress throughout the game. This again, opens up a lot of customization and accommodates different play styles in the game. It’s all really great and a step up over the first game’s severely limited combat options in comparison.
Boss battles, Story and Exploration
Blasphemous 2 has a much larger emphasis on storytelling and exploration. As you progress throughout areas, you’ll immediately notice parts of the map which you cannot reach or explore. These parts will slowly open themselves up to you as you gain more abilities throughout the game and overall, exploring the map is less tedious and less painful than in the first game.
One of my major gripes with the first game was the fact that you would need to have pinpoint precision in your movements otherwise you would risk dying. This has been addressed in Blasphemous 2 and movement just looks and feels a lot better than before. Playing with mouse and keyboard or with a controller, the game felt great at all times.
Blasphemous 2 also features a larger focus on storytelling. There’s a tonne of in-game lore everywhere. From item descriptions to interactions with NPCs, Blasphemous 2 really drives home the Gothic horror aspects and can be disturbingly creepy. If you’re squeamish, you might find some of the game’s content to be a bit much to be honest so do be warned. Some of the storytelling is a bit obscured though and you will need to sift through text to get to the real nitty gritty of things. The in-game cutscenes however are fantastic and are a visual feast for the eyes.
Boss battles in Blasphemous 2 are varied with a lot of them featuring mechanics that while not exactly brand new in the genre, are presented in a fresh way to keep you engaged. Expect to die a lot against bosses and feel a massive sense of satisfaction when you finally defeat them and progress further.
Graphically, Blasphemous 2 has a very creepy and eerie aesthetic going for it. The Gothic architecture vibe and heavy religious imagery associated with the medieval time period is prevalent throughout but it never gets old. There’s a lot of variation between areas in the game and The Game Kitchen has truly nailed the visuals here. Attacks and spells also look great in action and enemy designs are varied enough in the game. There is some repetition in designs but this is to be expected since the game’s world is quite large.
The soundtrack of the game is fine but doesn’t really stand out to be honest. The English voice acting is well done and the rest of the sound design is great though – Especially the attacks and sound effects associated with them.
Final Verdict
Ultimately, Blasphemous 2 is a more refined Blasphemous. The Game Kitchen learned a lot from their first game and its DLCs and have applied what they learned here in the sequel. While the game is possibly not as punishing as the first Blasphemous, Blasphemous 2 is still quite challenging and truly quite enjoyable as a title that falls within the Metroidvania and Soulslike genres.
If you are easily frustrated with games that aren’t afraid to wipe the floor with you, you will have a bad time with Blasphemous 2. If however you enjoy challenging games that makes you strategize, time your attacks and pay attention throughout, this game will keep you engaged for upwards of 20 hours. The game is available on PS5, Xbox Series S | X, PC via Steam and on Nintendo Switch and is definitely worth picking up if you enjoyed the first title.
Blasphemous 2 Trailer
Grab your copy here https://www.blasphemous2game.com/
Read more reviews here https://invisioncommunity.co.uk/category/review/
You must be logged in to post a comment.