Religious themes, Gothic aesthetics, and all that baggage dating back to the dark ages of the Catholic Church aren't new to games. It's an aesthetic that I particularly like in the secular depths that the developers of The Game Kitchen waited for so long with their new game. Blasphemous deliberately explores various Catholic themes, giving more space to the less pleasant side of things: penance, punishment for sins, and constant fear of supposed divine punishment.
There is no fear of the obvious or even judgment, the intention is very clear to want to expose, cause distance and the player's shock. The symbolism is strong in the different references present in the settings and environments of the game, loaded with grotesque and fanatic creatures. The art direction, with all the images worked in pixel art, is beautiful from the beginning to the end. The problems begin when there is no naturalness in the controls and a lack of consistency in the execution of several of the mechanics presented.
The world of Cvstodia is hostile and unwelcoming to its visitors. Sick people are one of the most problematic aspects of this time, where sanitation was an unknown concept, no more than our protagonist woke up in a pile of bodies. Wearing an iron mask surrounded by a long crown of sharp thorns, the Penitent seeks reconciliation through the three humiliations. Each in a dark and inhospitable place, the player must go through a great test until he is worthy of being chosen by the Miracle. On the heights of a mountain, in the forgotten catacombs of a cathedral, in a city cistern, the places where it is least expected.
The level design has many interconnected points, with shortcuts and secret locations, reminiscent of the complex design of a classic metroidvania, although not as well designed as Hollow Knight and other games from around the world. Same Kind After all, Blasphemous falls into the same category, and while heavily inspired by the Soulsborne franchise, it features substantial differences between From Software titles.
In trying to understand shortcuts and connecting disparate areas, some locations seem totally disconnected from the rest of the world, indicating a likely lack of care in building-level design. I also felt it at times inside cathedrals and particularly in the frustrating Where Ha Trees Wither, which brings us to another critical point in the game: frustration. Metroidvanias and games inspired by the Souls franchise naturally require greater dedication from the player. Watch out for the path, traps, enemy patterns, decorative shortcuts, and all these patterns. At Blasphemous, it's no different, but little details keep you from enjoying the experience.
The winds that push the characters, the endless holes and the scattered thorns like traps are just one of the examples that make the Blasphemous platform an unnecessarily boring and complicated task. I don't mind going back several times a particular path, as long as I don't have to worry about falling into the same pile of thorns because the character decided not to keep the platform. superior (though he could clearly have sustained it). These are minor inconsistencies that hurt what makes this type of game so special.
The fight also requires special attention. The penitent can perform basic and advanced moves, such as new attacks to unlock in the skill tree. Defensive actions, like dodging and parrying, also help compose the cast. Able to perform only small combos of 3 to 4 hits, do not expect too much from our protagonist. The parade system is often used well (depending on the enemy's attack and the timing chosen, the penitent can deflect the blow and perform the attack) and is ineffective. I lost count when I went to defend a shot and ended up getting rejected and fell into a thorn trap.
Another big problem is that the player remains stuck in the attack animation of some enemies, also called a stun lock. The absence of some i images (invincibility images that avoid in this case blocking the stun and giving the player more reaction time) when recovering from an attack has a big impact here, causing a huge loss of HP for nonsense. You know what happens when you touch a lock near a trap, right? Exactly: death.
Special abilities (consuming the blue 'mana' bar) help alleviate some parts of this problem, as well as new abilities to unlock (ranged combat, dodge, etc.), but not enough in my opinion, to leave this pass. The game also features a number of other mechanics that aid the character, especially rosary beads, which function like a series of slot machines for substantial penitent enhancements. The integration with the narrative is also something to praise, as it is a well-executed aspect. The boss fight also deserves a mention, with incredible designs and disgusting, grotesque monstrosities, exactly what I expected.
Blasphemous has a lot to admire for his incredible art, music, and sense of environment as he seeks to get noticed with other heavy Metroids. The Vile World, its dark conspiracy, and its religious references are a dive worthy of any other big-budget game. Unfortunately, the mediocre level design and combat decisions obscure what this game has to offer.
I think it is a learning and feedback process for the developers, because the essence is very concrete and the premise of a fantastic game as well. Even with these difficulties, if you have some tolerance for these frustrations and can rationalize these problems (which I think are problems), Blasphemous will entertain you. Otherwise, if a good pixel art is enough to convince you, it is profound. Desecration is waiting for you.
The game was commented on based on the Nintendo Switch version kindly provided by the studio.