Blasphemous

Blasphemous is hands down one of my favourite games of 2019. I wasn’t expecting it to be, but it’s one of those unexpected surprises; a gift that you didn’t think that you wanted but quickly becomes to be loved.

Blasphemous treats the player mercilessly, but it's solid controls and mechanics, in addition to it's absolutely stunning aesthetics and complex and vast lore turns the game into fascinating (yet not flawless) experience.

Blasphemous is a brilliant soulsvania. Even though some mechanics are not polished as they should, combats, artistic design and specially bosses make Blasphemous a well deserved game for every kind of players.

Challenging and forceful 2D action-adventure set within a straggly world – each and every of the many deaths will be worthwhile.

If you like Souls-like or metroidvania games, you should check it out; if you like both, go and buy it now. Blasphemous is a challenging and addictive game, with small flaws, but something unique we’ve really enjoyed.

Dark, bold and satisfying. Like all the best sins, Blasphemous is bloody good fun. [Issue#183, p.83]

Just one more Metroidvania? Not really. Blasphemous has its own thing, with its grim, gloomy atmosphere and tight combats. We could have used some more save points though.

Praise be to Blasphemous, for it’s an impressive game that has truly joined together the peanut-butter-and-chocolate-style union that is souls-likes and metroidvania games. While certain levels and enemies could benefit from a bit more polish, the end result is still a sinful delight filled with heavily-enjoyable combat, tons of areas to explore and secrets to uncover, and some jaw-dropping (if brutal) sights. It may be a game filled with countless unholy terrors, but it also oddly has a lot of love put into it as well, so don’t miss out on it (if you don’t mind the occasional nightmare).

Blasphemous may not have the best combat, but its intriguing premise and visuals elevate it.

Blasphemous is a superb example of a metroidvania. Incredibly captivating and lengthy, it’s a deep, dark, scary hole to jump into that won’t let you out until you reach the end. And once you get out, you’ll want to jump straight back in.

For an action-adventure title, inaccurate hit-boxes and level-design that's even slightly off can be a deal-breaker. Rather than get dragged down by its deficiencies, Blasphemous rises above to create a uniquely engaging experience. Exploring the dire realm of Cvstodia is a treat in itself. The lore is intriguing, and the few characters you meet weave compelling narratives. Still, there remains an unshakeable thought that this game is a beautiful painting, but with an askew frame. Then again, maybe it's because of the imperfections that players start to question everything around them. Whatever the case, you'll definitely want to give this a look.

Blasphemous has an astonishingly good looking art style, making the oft used pixel art look feel fresh, even after all these years. But beyond that, there’s a solid game here, with a decent challenge that will keep you hooked. That the story is also captivating – steeping you in the lore of the universe here – is just another upside to this brilliant adventure.