{"id":33288,"date":"2023-08-17T15:00:06","date_gmt":"2023-08-17T14:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.xtremeservers.com\/blog\/blasphemous-2-review\/"},"modified":"2023-08-17T15:00:06","modified_gmt":"2023-08-17T14:00:06","slug":"blasphemous-2-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.xtremeservers.com\/blog\/blasphemous-2-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Blasphemous 2 Review"},"content":{"rendered":"
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You know those circus performers who contort their bodies in terrifying ways for our squeamish amusement? Blasphemous 2 is a lot like those gifted weirdos \u2013 impressive and mesmerizing in that \u201cI just can\u2019t look away\u201d kind of way that\u2019s best watched between the fingers covering your grimacing face. While this sequel definitely doesn\u2019t break any ground in the world of 2D Metroidvanias that the original didn\u2019t, the unique and fantastic art, music, style, and story make an otherwise orthodox adventure extremely memorable. An awesome new arsenal of weapons and an increased focus on platforming and light puzzles make this 14-hour odyssey a lot less repetitive than its predecessor, too. <\/p>\n

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From the jump, you\u2019ll hack and slash your way through some absolutely beautiful (and discomforting) 2D hallways filled with horrific monsters, perform life-threatening feats of platforming prowess, and go up against bosses so unsettling that not even their detail-obscuring pixel art style can save you from the night terrors that are sure to follow. Upgrading your character\u2019s weapons and health and magic meters, while collecting various passive buffs and spells make for a fantastic climb to unparalleled power, and by the end I looked and felt the part of the ultimate unholy warrior. Little of that hasn\u2019t been done before, but Blasphemous 2 looks quite spectacular standing proud atop the shoulders of giants that came before.<\/p>\n

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The thing that really sets it apart is its extremely unnerving art, story, and characters, all of which are so frightfully memorable they elevate the by-the-numbers blueprint, fueled by whatever the body horror equivalent of charm is. Even by the high standards of the first Blasphemous (which came out in 2017), the sequel is both revolting and gorgeous, with all-too-detailed death animations. There\u2019s one where a flock of owls tear a defeated enemy to pieces, and another where a devout slug monster pops open like a pus-filled blister. It\u2019s all set against breathtaking levels, like one dungeon that takes place in a giant, upside down castle made of wax. <\/p>\n

Seriously, this is one of the grossest games I\u2019ve ever played.<\/section>\n

That fantastic level of detail is often used against you to disturbing effect, as you\u2019re subjected to some of the most repulsive stuff ever to warrant a good, ol\u2019 fashioned eyeball bleaching. There\u2019s one character I had to interact with more than I cared to who progressively had her skin ripped off throughout the adventure as she helped my character get stronger, and another guy who kept squirting wax out of his breast into the mouth of a giant infant. Seriously, this is one of the grossest games I\u2019ve ever played \u2013 which, of course, is a compliment in this context.<\/p>\n

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The story continues the violent and often convoluted trials of The Penitent One, the last living member of an order that\u2019s trying to put an end to the abominations born from a godlike phenomenon known as The Miracle. It\u2019s easy to become confused and left behind by this complicated tale of guilt and religion gone wrong, especially since it\u2019s often told using archaic Old English words spoken from the mouths of cryptic, half-insane characters moments before they devour their own limbs or something unhinged like that. But (and it\u2019s admittedly an enormous but) if you stick with it, roll with the disquieting punches, and maybe read a few item descriptions every now and again, that story is actually really good, even if it did increase my pre-existing fear of churches by 70%.<\/p>\n

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Where its predecessor focused almost solely on combat, Blasphemous 2 spends an equal amount of time testing your reflexes with increasingly demanding platforming sections that do wonders to break up the action. That\u2019s accomplished using the three new weapons that you\u2019re introduced to as a replacement to the Mea Culpa (which was your only option during The Penitent One\u2019s first crusade), all of which come with their own clever movement abilities. My personal favorite, the War Sensor, is a powerful flail that lets you smack bells to reveal hidden platforms and open blocked passageways for a limited time; it also just has a long reach and deals a lot of damage, which I\u2019m a fan of. There\u2019s also the lightning-fast rapier and dagger that let you dash through nifty mirrors to move quickly and pass through certain otherwise-impassable barriers, and finally the well-rounded Praying Blade that lets you do a downward strike that destroys enemies and sturdy obstructions alike.<\/p>\n

Stringing together awesome maneuvers like that made me feel like an absolute badass.<\/section>\n

Since you can instantaneously switch between the holy trinity that is your arsenal, many sections require skillful use of multiple weapons to navigate an area without falling to your death, and certain weapons are better suited for killing different enemies. You might start taking out enemies with your giant flail, then use it to hit a bell to reveal some hidden platforms, before switching to your rapier to dash through some magical mirrors before launching a flurry of quick jabs from your blade. Stringing together awesome maneuvers like that made me feel like an absolute badass, and is a huge step up from only having access to the fairly milquetoast Mea Culpa from the first game.<\/p>\n