Blasphemous

🎮 Steam ⏳ 22 hours ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

Haunting Artistic Vision #

The first Blasphemous is a dark, atmospheric Metroidvania that stands out for its haunting pixel art and deeply unsettling religious themes inspired by Spanish Catholicism. The world of Cvstodia is beautifully grotesque, filled with striking character designs, memorable bosses, and lore that feels both mysterious and oppressive. Its soundtrack and sound design enhance the eerie, oppressive tone, making exploration a captivating experience.

Style Over Mechanics #

And while the Soulslike Metroidvania sub-genre is very saturated nowadays, this title still manages to standout by it’s artistic style, visuals and unique cultural setting. Where the game falters is in its mechanics, combat, while serviceable, can feel clunky and repetitive, relying heavily on basic attacks with limited depth. This is understandable in my opinion since this is the very first entry to this series, and a bold attempt, I recommend playing the second title if you think that complex combat is a must in these kinds of games.

Atmosphere Above All #

The level design leans into heavy backtracking, which can become tedious despite the strong visual presentation. Despite these flaws, Blasphemous shines as an artistic achievement, delivering a unique and unsettling vision rarely seen in the genre. If you value atmosphere, lore, and striking visuals over perfectly polished gameplay, it’s a memorable and worthwhile experience. It is one of the best of it’s kind in my opinion, I admit that what made me play this game was the visuals, but I stayed because the gameplay was also very high quality, I consider it a must-play for fans of Soulslike Metroidvanias.