Blasphemous II
Developer: The Game Kitchen
Publisher: Team 17
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Switch, Xbox Series X, PC (Reviewed)
Release Date: 24 August 2023
Price: $29.99 USD / $44.95 AUD – Available Here and Available Here
Overview
Back in 2019, Spanish game developer The Game Kitchen and publisher Team 17 released Blasphemous. It turned some heads because of its twisted and brutal religion-inspired imagery that was rendered in beautiful pixel art.
Blasphemous is a 2D action-adventure game in the metroidvania subgenre. Its sequel uses the same gameplay and visual templates as its predecessor. However, Blasphemous II aims to deliver a more accessible and streamlined experience.
Story
After the events that transpired in the first game, a curse known as the “Miracle” has once again befallen upon the world and its inhabitants. Because of this, a knight that is known only as the “Penitent One” awakens from his slumber. Cast onto a foreign land, the knight must solve the mystery of the curse with the help of a divine entity.
The main story is mostly told in-game through dialogues. These events are all voiced, and they breathe much-needed life into the game’s static pixelated world. Item descriptions and NPC encounters help flesh out the narrative, while progressively elaborating on how the Miracle cursed the world and its population. Like any divinity worthy of its holiness, the Miracle pulled some nasty pranks on the people. One curious example is the man who dreamt of swallowing a honeycomb, only to be turned into a giant beehive himself. These events are the best thing about Blasphemous II’s narrative since the main quest doesn’t get any interesting until the later stages.
Gameplay
Blasphemous II is a metroidvania with fast and fun gameplay. The controls are responsive, and areas are designed in a way that facilitates traversal, exploration and combat. Exploration is non-linear, and it rewards players’ curiosity. The map is gigantic, and stages are diverse in both layout and look; they’re filled with simple puzzle and platforming segments along with many items and secrets for players to be on the lookout for. Close to the main hub, many NPCs have set up shop. Some of them will simply trade items for in-game currency, while others will reward players with much needed health and MP upgrades provided they complete simple fetch-tasks. While collecting these items will occur naturally as players explore the map, many of the missing pieces will require a good dose of backtracking. Fortunately, players can adorn the map with various types of markers, so they can remember the location of points of interest later. Additionally, there is a huge amount of fast travel points which make backtracking less of a chore. All in all, exploration and questing are paced fairly well, although the rewards for treasure hunting are oftentimes disappointing.
At the start of the game, players get to choose one of a total of three weapons to start their journey with, while the other two will be tracked down not long after. Furthermore, these weapons have three rows of skills to unlock, with each adding more defense and attack options. Combat is satisfying. The weapons can be swapped on the fly according to the player’s preferences or needs. Difficulty tends to lean on the easier side but with a twist: With each death, the Penitent One drops guilt fragments which lowers his defense. On the up side, the rewards for killing enemies get a boost. This is a neat mechanic because it allows players to adjust in-game difficulty as they see fit. If the difficulty gets too overwhelming; an NPC, known as the Confessor, will absorb the Penitent One’s guilt for a fee.
Visuals
Visually, Blasphemous II isn’t that different from the original game. Characters and enemies have better defined sprites, but they are lacking in detail and variety. The same applies to the backgrounds; they look good and crispy but could use more effects and animations. Enemy variety is also lacking; some of them are simple palette swaps with slightly altered animations.
Audio
The sound effects in Blasphemous II have the right amount of impact in contrast with the muffled sounds of the original. The soundtrack is very well done and varied, mixing melancholic and sinister tunes with more upbeat ones. The voiceovers in Spanish are superb for an indie game. They’re high-quality and well-delivered.
Overall
Blasphemous II’s worst sins are possibly its lack of visual variety and the toned down blood and gore. Still, It features combat and exploration with satisfying audio-visual feedback, tight controls, deliciously twisted imagery and a killer soundtrack.
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