Developer – The Game Kitchen

Publisher – Team17

Platforms – PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series S|X, PlayStation 5 (reviewed)

Review copy given by publisher

Indie game developer The Game Kitchen took the world by surprise when they announced the sequel to their 2019 side-scrolling Souls-like Metroidvania Blasphemous earlier this year. No one expected the follow-up to come out so fast, especially considering the first game received its meaty and final Wounds of Eventide DLC not so long ago. Well Blasphemous 2 is here and it’s time to once again put on the cone shaped helm of The Penitent One and journey through a realm of religious horrors and macabre mutations. 

The sequel takes place after the events of the first game, and has The Penitent One waking up from his coffin to a strange land to investigate something known as The Miracle. After playing through the game, I can confidently say that Blasphemous 2 does not disappoint, and is an absolute treat for newcomers and veterans alike. 

The Penitent One’s arsenal of tools has been greatly expanded in the sequel, as he now has three unique weapons at his disposal: the Praying Blade, Veredicto, and Sarmiento & Ceniella. As a quick reminder, you only had access to one weapon in the first game, the Mea Culpa. You must choose 1 of the aforementioned 3 weapons at the beginning of the game, but rest assured, you gain access to the other 2 eventually while exploring the world. Upgrades to these weapons work like they did in the previous title, where you find another copy of the weapon to unlock the next level of skills.

Let’s get a quick look at each of your new toys because you’ll be using all of them equally. The Praying Blade is your all around balanced long sword, and allows for parries and counter attacks. The Veredicto is a slow and methodical spiked flail that can hit enemies multiple times in one swing, but lacks a block or parry. Finally, the Sarmiento & Ceniella are short but fast dual blades that allow you to chain lightning attacks and dash through enemies. I personally prefer to use the Praying Blade but different enemies and situations call for a good mixture of all of them.

I was utterly impressed by how technically different each weapon is, and how pivotal and integral each one is to traversing the world of Cvstodia. Blasphemous 2 truly upholds the Metroidvania genre as every weapon inherits unique abilities that grant you access to certain areas. You need the Praying Blade to do a downward smash to destroy roots. You need the Veredicto to ring bells to activate temporary platforms. And finally you need Sarmiento & Ceniella to zip through magical mirrors. But keep in mind you as a character yourself also gain new skills, known as relics, that allow you to double jump, air dash, or cling onto walls!

There are, unfortunately, not a lot of customization options when it comes to decking out The Penitent One, as there is no armor or cosmetic gear to equip. What there is, however, are Rosary Beads that can be equipped to deal more damage of a certain type or earn more of a type of currency. You start off with being able to equip 1 but can equip up to 5 if you find enough Rosary Knots and give them to the right NPC. What’s also new is the Altarpiece of Favours, which are equippable slots for more enhanced passive abilities such as increased elemental resistance, or a longer window to perform a parry. These can be mixed and matched to create some impressive combinations.

You probably heard Blasphemous being compared to Dark Souls as it’s often coined as the 2D side scrolling version of it, mostly in part due to its dreary and somber world building and brutally difficult combat. Well this remains true in the sequel as well, because enemies are no joke, and require you to patiently learn their attack patterns and movements if you want to come out alive. Combat is going to be your bread and butter in this game so it’s best if you get acquainted with it fast. Fighting requires precision and timing in order to execute well-timed dodges and parries. Prayers return from the first game and essentially act as spells, but the sequel introduces two types: quick verses and chants, all of which can be found or purchased and then equipped.

I always enjoy a good challenge, and for the most part the combat here is enjoyably tough. However, many of the boss or gauntlet style encounters borderline on being unfair due to how you can be chain stunned to death and bounced around infinitely without any chance to recover. This happened on several occasions when specific enemy types that hit me in one direction, then another spawned enemy of the same type in the other direction hit me immediately as I was recovering from the first hit. A few invincibility frames for situations like these would make the overall flow of combat much more fluid and visceral.

The main difference between Blasphemous 2 and Dark Souls is that when you die, you don’t drop your currency, but instead a portion of your Fervour, the equivalent of mana in this game, gets permanently reduced unless you pick up your Guilt Fragment, which is dropped at your place of death. If you die too many times, or you are unable to retrieve said fragment, then you can visit a specific NPC to purify you of your sins, thus recovering your entire mana bar. You can heal and save your game at special altars that also respawn enemies, much like how bonfires work in the FromSoft games.

The progression system, which includes unlocking new abilities and upgrades, encourages exploration and rewards players for delving deeper into the world. There are two forms of currency here, Marks of Martyrdom, which can be used to unlock new abilities in your weapon skill trees, and Tears of Atonement, which act as cash to buy items and gear from various shops. There’s a plethora of NPCs to find and interact with that can give you side quests, increase your flask size, upgrade your max health, or sell you useful items, as the game doesn’t tell you where any of them are until you venture upon them yourself.

This is also where I have to criticize the game a bit, because the game’s lack of direction makes it extremely frustrating at times. Blasphemous 2 does a poor job at tutorials and accessibility. Aside from the initial pop ups that teach you a certain move at the beginning of the game, you cannot find that information again if you forget it. This includes controls, symbols, or what certain abilities do or mean. While it’s true that many of the game’s systems will feel familiar to those who played the first game, those who are stepping into this macabre world for the first time will feel utterly lost and hopeless without looking online or going through some painful guessing and checking.

Traversal has been refined and enhanced, with satisfyingly tight movements to make without coming off as overly difficult or frustrating. As you garner more abilities, you start to feel more agile and fluid, not only in exploration, but also in combat. But this also means that platforming sections start to become more challenging and tricky as well. It helps that the controls are nice and responsive, and deaths never felt cheap because I knew it was my inability to make the jump to begin with. A minor complaint is that I wish the movement speed of The Penitent One was a bit faster, as backtracking to several places to find secrets or missing collectibles starts to get cumbersome.

In the graphics and visual department, Blasphemous 2 continues the beautifully drawn pixel art aesthetic that the first game introduced. The handcrafted pixel art brings the game’s grim and grotesque world to life with meticulous attention to detail. From the hauntingly beautiful environments to the intricately designed character animations, every frame feels like a work of art. The use of religious symbolism and macabre imagery adds to the game’s unique aesthetic, creating an atmosphere that is both unsettling and captivating. Simply put, the worldbuilding, character design, and overall art direction are nothing short of phenomenal.

The audio design further enhances the immersive experience. The ambient sounds, eerie chants, and haunting melodies contribute to the game’s dark and foreboding atmosphere. The sound effects of combat are impactful, emphasizing the weight of each strike and dodge. The music, composed by Carlos Viola, is both evocative and emotional, perfectly capturing the mood of the various locations and encounters. The added cherry on top is that all the dialogue lines are excellently voice acted and you even get the occasional animated cutscene sprinkled in! It’s also worth noting that the game performs gorgeously on the PlayStation 5, with quick load times and a buttery smooth 60 frames per second.

The Game Kitchen has created a captivating and hauntingly beautiful experience that stands as a testament to the artistry and creativity of indie game development. Blasphemous 2 is a worthy sequel to its predecessor and a must play for anyone that’s a fan of Souls-like Metroidvanias.