One of last year's best Metroidvanias is about to get better: Blasphemous 2 gets DLC and a free update next month with new areas, bosses, New Game+, and more

gamesradar.com:

Just over a month after teasing the heck out of something new coming this fall, Blasphemous 2 developer The Game Kitchen announced that its lovely 2023 Metroidvania is getting a free update and a big paid DLC on all platforms on October 31. The free update is called True Torment, and the "premium" DLC is fittingly titled Mea Culpa.

A new animated scene heralds the arrival of Mea Culpa, which leads with two "massive" new zones starring fresh bosses that represent "some of the greatest challenges" in the game. These mysterious areas, described in a press release as featuring "harsh winds" and "towering heights," will serve up new quests, NPCs, and ultimately tie into a new alternative ending for the whole game. 

The DLC appears to be named after a new weapon, with the DLC offering "ways to grow the power of the Mea Culpa" and teasing "a new (yet familiar) weapon and ability." I'm hoping we're talking about the greatsword briefly shown in the trailer above. The nature of these upgrades remains unclear, but we're also due for more prayers, equippable rosary beads, and wooden figures, so the RPG side of the game is definitely expanding. 

True Torment, meanwhile, is headlined by New Game+, a long-requested way to experience Blasphemous 2 all over again with custom difficulty options like stronger enemies and lethal traps. Three zones – Choir of Thorns, Sunken Cathedral, and Basilica of Ancient Faces – are being "reforged with new challenges," and several areas will be connected via new sub-zones that let you get around the map more quickly. The Labyrinth of Tides, seemingly a new combat gauntlet, will also be free to all players. 

The free update is rounded out by "a host of upgrades" for the main character, including additional prayers and abilities, as well as "quality-of-life improvements and achievements." Our Blasphemous 2 review called the base game a sequel "that's as unsettling as it is unpredictable," it earned a high rank on our list of the best Metroidvania