Blasphemous
Release Date: September 10, 2019
Action, fantasy, platformers, 2D, metroidvania, crowdfunding, indie games, side-scroll, singleplayer
Steam
A soulslike action platformer. Blasphemous features high-quality pixel art visuals and has us facing down hordes of nightmarish enemies inspired by medieval Christianity.
Blasphemous is an indie action platformer by The Game Kitchen, also known for the warmly received episodic adventure game, The Last Door. The game was successfully crowdfunded on Kickstarter.
Plot
Blasphemous is set in a fantasy land of Cvstodia, dominated by religious fanaticism and superstition. The world is on the verge of the Age of Corruption, nearly all its inhabitants turned into deformed, bloodthirsty beasts as penance for their sins. The game's protagonist, The Penitent One, must face the dark forces taking over the place.
The way the story is told resembles the Souls series, as you don't learn it directly - it's conveyed through the environment, item descriptions and level designs. The player must pay attention to all the clues and threads, piecing the story together by themselves.
Mechanics
Blasphemous is a side-scroller. The player must explore vast, non-linear stages (including grim landscapes, dungeons and chilling temples), jumping across platforms and avoiding traps.
Real-time combat plays an important role as well, featuring diverse, creatively designed enemies and powerful bosses. Defeating them requires figuring out their attack patterns. The playable character wields melee weapons and relics enhancing his combat capabilities. Chaining attacks into combos eventually triggers Martyr's Excommunication, which makes us nearly invincible for a brief time.
The game also features RPG elements - our character grows stronger as we progress, mainly through acquiring increasingly more powerful gear.
Game modes
Blasphemous features several different game modes. One such mode is New Game Plus, increasing the game's replayability. There is also a boss rush and special weekly challenges with unique tasks and secrets.
Technical aspects
The pixel art visuals of Blasphemous are rather appealing, due to their detailed animations, grim art style and color palette. The soundtrack was composed by Carlos Viola, doing a lot to build the atmosphere.
Last updated on July 19, 2018
Videos and Screens
[1:00] Blasphemous - Mobile Announcement Trailer
[1:59] Blasphemous Wounds of Eventide DLC trailer
The main pros of the game
- Art and Atmosphere: The game features stunning pixel art, a haunting atmosphere, and an engaging medieval and gothic setting. Many players praised the art style as one of the game's highlights.
- Challenging Gameplay: The combat is described as satisfying and tight, with many players enjoying the difficulty level. Boss fights are particularly noted for their design and challenge.
- Story and Lore: While some found the story convoluted, many players appreciated the depth of the narrative and the intriguing lore, especially when delving into item descriptions.
- Exploration: The game offers a rich exploration experience typical of Metroidvania titles, with hidden areas, collectibles, and a sense of discovery.
- Soundtrack: The music and sound design are frequently mentioned as enhancing the game's overall atmosphere.
The main cons of the game
- Controls and Mechanics: Several users criticized the controls for being clunky and unresponsive, which detracted from the overall gameplay experience. Issues with platforming and character movement were also noted.
- Difficulty and Frustration: While many enjoyed the challenge, some found the difficulty to be punishing in a frustrating way, particularly due to environmental hazards like spikes and instant-death traps.
- Confusing Progression: Players expressed frustration with the lack of clear guidance on questlines and the potential to miss content due to unclear choices, leading to a sense of being locked out of areas or DLC.
- Story Clarity: Although the lore is appreciated, many players found the narrative to be obtuse and hard to follow, sometimes requiring external guides to understand fully.
The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users
- Improved Controls: Many players wished for more responsive controls and smoother mechanics, particularly for platforming elements.
- Quest Log or Guidance: A common suggestion was for a quest log or clearer instructions to help players navigate the non-linear world and track quests more effectively.
- Skip Option for Boss Animations: Some users expressed a desire for the ability to skip cutscenes or boss animations to reduce frustration during retries.
- More Intuitive Map Design: There were calls for clearer map icons or indicators to help with navigation and understanding the world layout.
Summary
- Overall, Blasphemous is celebrated for its artistic achievements and challenging gameplay, but it also faces criticism for its controls and narrative clarity, leading to a mixed reception among players.
Summary generated on:
GAMERS Score
Average score from 391 votes. 30 players anticipated the game.
Blasphemous Summary
Game Series: Blasphemous
Platforms:
PC / Windows September 10, 2019
Switch September 10, 2019
PlayStation 4 September 10, 2019
Xbox One September 10, 2019
Android OS February 24, 2025
Apple iOS February 24, 2025
Developer: The Game Kitchen
Publisher: Team17
Blasphemous System Requirements
PC / Windows
Minimum: Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 3.0 GHz / AMD Phenom II X2 550 3.1 GHz, 4 GB RAM, graphic card 896 MB GeForce GTX 260 / 1 GB Radeon HD 4850 or better, Windows 7 64-bit
Recommended: Intel Core i5-750 2.66 GHz / AMD Phenom II X4 945 3.0 GHz, 4 GB RAM, graphic card 1 GB GeForce GTX 650 / Radeon HD 5770 or better, Windows 10 64-bit
Dark Soulslike Blasphemous With Free DLC and New Game+
Developer The Game Kitchen and Team17 announced a free DLC, titled The Stir of Dawn, for the platform soulslike game Blasphemous. The add-on will introduce new adventures and New Game+ mode.
video games
Adrian Werner
July 21, 2020