Blasphemous 2 Review

One of the best things to come out of my latest content creation effort is my rediscovery of Metroidvanias. Good ones pack hour upon hour of fun exploration, combat, and atmosphere at a fraction of what you would pay for a AAA title.

The Hollow Knight games are still my gold standard when it comes to the genre. After spending around 35 hours with Blasphemous 2 on PS5, I can confidently say that I’ve found a solid runner-up.

It doesn't pack as much content as a game like Hollow Knight: Silksong, but what it lacks in playtime it more than makes up for with deep combat systems and a strong identity.

Boss Fights Are The Star

There are many reasons to like Blasphemous 2, but the boss fights are what stood out to me the most. They are easily the hardest I’ve faced in any Metroidvania I’ve played so far – including Silksong. Most bosses took me at least 10 attempts to beat, and many pushed well beyond that.

These encounters give Blasphemous 2 a strong Soulslike feel. Each boss throws completely different attack patterns your way, and survival depends on properly timing blocks and dodges.

Unlike most other games, there isn’t really an option to grind your way past them. You can improve your build by gathering a few power-ups, but ultimately, defeating each boss comes down to practice.

Frankly, the level of challenge will probably determine whether you enjoy the game or get frustrated and rage quit. I was prepared for the experience, and I still spent a good amount of time swearing at my TV.

But if you are the type of player who likes challenging gameplay, the payoff when you finally beat one of these things is incredible.

Deep Combat And Build System

The level of difficulty in Blasphemous 2 works because of its well-balanced combat system.

You have access to three weapons that all feel completely different from one another. The rapier is designed to be quick and short-range, the flail hits hard in a huge arc, and the cutlass strikes a balance between the two.

Often in games like this, one weapon ends up clearly outperforming the others, but I found myself switching on the fly depending on the situation. Each of these weapons has its own skill tree, so you can double down on your favorite ones.

You also have a lot of flexibility to customize your build. There are spells to unlock, elemental damage types to factor in, beads that provide passive bonuses, and collectible statuettes that can be combined to create different resonance effects.

These resonances are particularly strong and are fun to experiment with as you get closer to the end game and need that extra boost to keep pace with stronger enemies.

That balance between player skill and build customization is something Blasphemous 2 handles extremely well. You won’t steamroll enemies and bosses, but you won’t feel like you’re falling behind either.

A Classically Good Metroidvania

Blasphemous 2 is also an excellent Metroidvania in the traditional sense. The map is massive, and each locale feels unique. The game constantly introduces new enemies to fight, which keeps things interesting. The sheer number of power-ups and collectibles will give you plenty of reason to revisit previous levels.

Like any good Metroidvania, you progress by unlocking new traversal abilities. Those include staples like the double jump and air dash, but the game also introduces some more creative platforming mechanics.

For example, one puzzle type has you strike bells with the flail to create temporary platforms with sound waves. Another introduces floating angel rings your character can grab to jump across large gaps.

The platforming gets more intense the deeper you go. There are spike traps everywhere, tight jumps, and some pretty punishing puzzles late in the game.

The amount of backtracking felt heavy at first, but luckily, you unlock upgrades along the way that make traveling around the map quick and easy.

Exploration is a Metroidvania's bread and butter, and Blasphamous 2 is one of the genre’s best examples.

Nothing Else Looks Like Blasphemous 2

What truly separates Blasphemous 2, however, is its atmosphere. You can’t really confuse it for anything else.

The story picks up from the events of the first game. The weakened Miracle is brought back through the prayers of a couple who can’t conceive a child. Their worship unleashes the Miracle’s plagues on the world, and gives birth to its living form. Your character, the Penitent One, is brought back to stop the child.

Blasphemous 2’s themes revolve around guilt, penance, sacrifice, and corruption, and they’re communicated with imagery that clearly draws inspiration from Roman Catholicism.

That said, I never felt like the game was trying to preach a message about religion. It’s simply using it as the foundation for the world and its lore. The Miracle is presented as a supernatural force that can be interpreted as both good and bad, and the unforgettable sights quickly dispel any notions that this game is a take on real-world theology.

You’ll get your health power-ups from a giant woman who progressively has her skin peeled off by cherubs, and your spirit bar upgrades from a disembodied hand. You’ll encounter a giant man breastfeeding a dead child, and another one whose insides are infested with bees.

The amazing art direction also extends into enemy designs. You’ll fight floating ghosts trapped inside coffins, twisted religious figures, living statues, and bloated monstrosities dressed in Cardinal robes.

The soundtrack complements everything nicely too. It leans heavily into somber orchestral themes and organ pieces that reinforce the world’s oppressive mood.

Even though the graphics are pixelated, everything about the presentation comes together to give Blasphemous 2 a strong sense of identity that sets it apart.

Expensive, But Still Worth the Price

At around $40 CAD on Steam, Blasphemous 2 sits near the upper end of the Metroidvania price range. That’s probably the game’s biggest weakness, especially when you compare it to more affordable titles like Silksong, Mio, and Dead Cells..

Still, the game packs a good amount of value. The campaign alone is fairly lengthy, and there’s a decent amount of replayability. It features multiple endings, a New Game Plus mode with modifiers, and enough build variety to encourage experimenting with different playstyles on future runs.

There are also cheaper ways to experience it if the price feels steep. It’s available for free on the basic PS Plus tier, and it’s heavily discounted on the XBOX Store as I’m writing this review.

So while I do think the game is expensive for a pixelated Metroidvania, I also think it brings enough to the table to earn its price tag.

Verdict

Blasphemous 2 is one of the strongest Metroidvanias I’ve played in the past year. It combines difficult but rewarding boss fights with deep combat systems, meaningful exploration, and one of the most unique looks in the industry.

The catch is that the game’s level of challenge will absolutely not appeal to everyone. It’s brutally hard at times, and it stretched my patience to the limit. If you’re not the kind of player that keeps coming back for more punishment, a $30-$40 purchase for a game you might not see through is a hard ask.

If you ARE a fan of Metroidvanias, however, I would consider Blasphemous 2 a must-play.