Blasphemous 2 Review – The Penitent One Returns

thesixthaxis.com:

The original Blasphemous was The Game Kitchen’s breakthrough title and wowed critics and fans alike – myself included – back in 2019. Characterised by brutal combat, punishing platforming, and a unique aesthetic that drew both visual and lore influences from Spanish Catholicism. The complex narrative brought together notions of guilt and sacrifice but most importantly linked these to play mechanics and character development rather than using them as simple set dressing. All of this came together to create one of the most impressive indie titles of recent years. It was therefore no surprise that the announcement of a sequel was met with excitement, and having now spent 20 hours on my first completion of the game, it’s safe to say that my hopes have largely been met.

The narrative of Blasphemous 2 continues on from the DLC of the original and sees The Penitent One dragged from their slumber to face a new and powerful threat. The nature of the story and its reliance on religious iconography and lore feels like a true continuation of the earlier title which means that it is also deliberately obscure and arcane. This has the happy result of meaning that newcomers to the game will be just as confused as veterans. There are a lot of well-researched lore videos on YouTube if you want to delve more deeply into the story and I anticipate new versions to include the sequel.

You begin the game as The Penitent One, awoken and confused, and crucially weaponless. The iconic sword, Mea Culpa (literally translates to My Fault) that saw you through your earlier adventures is nowhere to be seen. You soon have the choice of a new weapon though, with three distinct options that offer different playstyles. I chose the heavy Veredicto, a mace