Blasphemous 2 Reviews
Blasphemous 2 is an orthodox Metroidvania with style, creepy bosses, and a gloriously gross return to Cvstodia.
A significant improvement on the original and undoubtedly the best 2D Soulslike game so far, with a macabre and imaginative style all of its own.
"Easily the game's crowning features, Blasphemous 2's blockbuster boss showdowns are spectacular affairs, sometimes bizarre and always brutal."
At several points in my lengthy journey through the Gothic delight that is Blasphemous 2, I worried the monstrous foe in front of me would spell an end to my journey. But without these frequent frustrations, the triumphs wouldn’t be as great. Blasphemous 2 takes inspiration from those that came before it, but by intertwining a gorgeous art style, enticing exploration, and rewarding combat, it rises above the horde of Castlevania-inspired action titles.
With robust combat, improved traversal, and a return to the series' surreal art style and fascinating world-building, Blasphemous 2 is a triumphant sequel.
In the end, Blasphemous 2 is a strong union of narrative and function. Its gloomy world is full of nooks and crannies to explore, and its inhabitants have compelling stories to tell. Its boss fights — arguably the biggest piece of twine — may be frayed, but the slick mechanics and biting themes more than make up for any weakness in the braid.
Anyone who likes Metroidvanias should absolutely make time for Blasphemous 2. Aside from an underwhelming final act, I had nearly consistent fun with this one from start to finish. From the gorgeous visuals to the customizable combat, your journey as the Penitent One will be filled with steady highs and only occasional lows. It’s a great sequel, a great game, and just a great time in general. If you were a fan of Blasphemous, you’re in for a treat with Blasphemous 2.
For any metroidvania lover, this game is a must. It solves the shortcomings of the first delivery and multiplies the virtues of it. It practically does not fail in anything and hits in everything, being a cocktail of addictive gameplay, mysteries, discovery, exploration and high but compensated difficulty that has nothing to envy to several of the considered best metroidvania of all time.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Blasphemous 2 surpasses its predecessor in everything, thus becoming a new jewel of Spanish development and one of the best metroidvania of recent years. It is an authentic work of art that we never tire of contemplating, listening to and, above all, playing. Praise the Miracle and praise be to The Game Kitchen.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
I thoroughly enjoyed my time back with The Penitent One and would heartily recommend it both to fans of the original and newcomers alike. There are enough changes to make it feel like a new title whilst still having continuity in setting and aesthetic.
Blasphemous 2 is a solid sequel that improves upon its predecessor by being truer to its Metroidvania inspirations. It refines the concept of the original game by mixing classic platforming with more modern Soulslike themes. The combat and platforming aren’t ground-breaking, relying a lot on backtracking and collectibles, but the difficulty level generally strikes a fine balance between being challenging and fair. Along with a wonderful art style and spirited music, the game makes blaspheming a reason worth fighting for.
A sequel that first of all thinks about smoothing out the previous imperfections, before offering a series of very well implemented innovations overall.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Blasphemous 2 takes the essence of the first game and elevates it to a new level. Challenging but fair, graphically simple but visually stunning. It is a sequel made with care and respect, that any fan of the format will find tremendously satisfying.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Blasphemous 2 has earned its place as one of the great metroidvanias.
Blasphemous 2 is a bold step up for The Game Kitchen, and somehow manages to feel both familiar and brand new.
The battles are tough but fair, the magic and parrying system is satisfying, the weapon system caters to different playstyles, and the Liturgical Horror visuals are hauntingly beautiful.
Blasphemous 2 sticks with the exquisitely dark and gory style of its predecessor whilst building on the core combat and improving upon the platforming we saw the first time around. The Game Kitchen could have served us up more of the same and we'd have been perfectly happy. However, they've made meaningful upgrades here, with deeper and more satisfying combat and three upgradable weapon sets that combine perfectly with environmental puzzling that feels more cohesive and fluid overall. The Penitent One's return to Cvstodia is an absolute banger.
A fittingly punishing mashup of Metroidvania and Dark Souls, with lovely animations of many not-so-lovely things. Just make sure you actively track down the Chalice woman, and other hidden quality of life boosters.
Blasphemous 2 doesn’t break any new ground for the Metroidvania genre, but it delivers a holy trinity of important genre staples: rewarding exploration, top-notch boss design, and deep secrets. Those strengths are balanced out by a slew of sins, as tedious backtracking and some eye-rolling sacrilege make for a tough trial that’ll sift out the non-believers from the devotees.
Blasphemous 2 is more ambitious than its predecessor with its fleshed-out swordplay and cleaner dedication to the search action genre. And while these additions give Blasphemous 2 more of an identity, they also give it more room to stumble. Said deeper combat is sticky and held back by its dedication to being adjacent to the soulslike genre. Its narrative tries to broaden the game’s world but suffers because of its lack of a solid recap and overreliance on cryptic storytelling. It’s an artistically sublime world but seemingly pays penitence with its uneven gameplay.