Combat is mostly a reactive experience, often turning into an engaging but robotic game of cat and mouse as you rush in, get in a couple hits with your trusty long sword, then either parry or dodge incoming attacks. It draws on these inspirations well, but beyond its top-notch atmosphere and animations, Blasphemous fails to stand out in an overcrowded genre that’s home to some of my favorite games of all time like Hollow Knight and Owlboy. It has Dark Souls-style save points called Prie-Dieus and punishing combat that relies on frequent dodges and well-timed parries. It’s a rather traditional 2D Metroidvania, complete with a variety of distinctly themed areas that can be visited in a non-linear fashion. “There’s no denying that Blasphemous feels familiar.
And the details here are downright devilish. Only after she pummeled me multiple times did I notice the moving limbs protruding from under the lid.
The convent houses a variety of baddies wearing religious garb, including one who swings an ornate metal container. The library features floating heads and decrepit men boomeranging weighty tomes your way. The snowcapped mountains hold ghouls that spring up beneath the icy surface and wall sculptures that reach out to swipe you with their hands. There are some repeats and reskins, but generally the enemies at least look different. Each area on the sprawling map has a mostly unique batch of foes roaming the halls. The stunning pixel art gives Blasphemous a retro aesthetic, but the detail-obsessed animations are all the more modern - and spine-chilling. The eery, melancholic tone naturally reminded me of Castlevania games, only bloodier and far more sadistic. Right away, I knew this would be a somber, unforgiving journey. The first time you see the Penitent One, he is surrounded by a pile of corpses with matching capirote helmets poking out from the top of the human rubble. While that could have been distracting, Blasphemous excels at creating a chilling atmosphere.
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