Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
I didn’t expect a Souls-like game to blend in so well with a 2D platformer, but it just works here. Right from the start, Blasphemous shows its quality, with smooth movement, responsive combat, and satisfying attacks, dodges, and deflects that feel right. For an indie game, it’s polished, with no major bugs, and offers a demanding but fair combat system that keeps you engaged.
Blasphemous Bosses and Combat Depth
Boss fights in Blasphemous are a real highlight. They blend environmental platforming challenges with deflect-heavy combat, some leaning more Sekiro-inspired, others sticking to platformer roots. You’ll need to dodge, deflect, jump, and duck at the right moments, making each fight feel rewarding. Difficulty is challenging but not unfair, though navigating the world can get frustrating at times, especially when trying to locate items for puzzles. I had to look up a few things online, but that’s nothing unusual for games in this genre.
Blasphemous Art, Music, and Design
The pixel art and retro aesthetic are excellent, featuring beautiful and creepy details that stand out, such as blood animations and eerie designs that perfectly fit the dark tone. Every boss and mob is uniquely crafted, except for the final boss, which felt disappointing compared to the rest. Enemy AI behaves well, with each enemy having unique finisher animations—a rare touch for platformers. The soundtrack supports the atmosphere effectively, with solid voice acting and sound design that keep everything grounded in the Souls-like feel.
Exploration and Replayability in Blasphemous
The world design in Blasphemous can feel like a maze, making navigation challenging at times, but exploration pays off. Hidden relics, items, lore bits, and secret paths are scattered throughout the map, rewarding patient players. New Game Plus adds even more reasons to come back, giving the game excellent replayability if you’re into deep dives and hidden content.
Is Blasphemous Worth Your Time?
It took me about 10 hours to beat the main bosses. There’s still plenty left to explore post-game, especially in New Game Plus. The best part for me was how it blends two genres I love: 2D platformers and Souls-likes. It feels authentic and engaging. Aside from the occasional loss of direction, the gameplay remained smooth. The boss fights are memorable, even if the final boss missed the mark for me.
About Blasphemous
Title: Blasphemous
Type of Game: Metroidvania, Souls-like, Action-Platformer
Developer: The Game Kitchen
Publisher: Team17
Release Date: September 10, 2019
Platforms:
- PlayStation 4
- Nintendo Switch
- Xbox One
- PC (Windows, macOS)
- Linux
Where to Purchase:
- PlayStation 4: PlayStation Store
- Nintendo Switch: Nintendo eShop
- Xbox One: Microsoft Store
- PC (Windows, macOS, Linux): Steam, GOG.com
