Review: Blasphemous (PlayStation 4)

Blasphemous is a punishing action-platformer that combines the fast-paced, skilled combat of a hack-n-slash game with a deep and evocative narrative core, delivered through the exploration of a huge universe comprised of non-linear levels.

Pros:

• Beautiful dark gothic pixel art graphics.
• 2.84gb download size.
• Platinum trophy.
• 3 save slots.
• How to play pop-ups.
• Metroidvania gameplay.
• Uses Dark Souls type mechanics like dropping items when you die.
• Altars-checkpoints and also a place you can equip new items.
• Dark twisted atmosphere.
• Some of the best animations I have ever seen in a game.
• Clever traversal tricks like sticking your sword in the wall, jump then stab jump then stab.
• The map fills in as you play.
• Disturbing/creepy elements.
• Vibrant locations.
• A lot of lore and story to uncover every item having a page of lore.
• Big boss encounters.

Cons:

• Difficult.
• Pages of text.
• So much to take in with many layers to a character creation like beads, abilities, special abilities, items, etc.
• Can feel lost at times.
• A lot of backtracking.
• It has one cool gimmick and then feels like a game you have already experienced.