Blasphemous brings a unique atmosphere and creative spirit
Creepy mazes, macabre imagery, arresting artwork, and rich poetic narratives driven by a classic Metroidvania combat mechanic. Blasphemous, from Spanish indie developer The Game Kitchen, goes outside of the box to deliver a rich and cerebral adventure through what I can roughly describe as Dante’s “Inferno” read aloud by drunk and sadistic cherubs.
Awaking atop a heap of bodies, The Penitent One (the player) removes a dark and thorn twisted blade named The Mea Culpa from a statue frozen in torment. This silent hero with a goofy hat is on a journey to rid the land of Cvstodia from a curse called The Miracle. An omnipotent entity that manifests both torment and grace at its own mysterious whims.
For what and for why is revealed bit by bit (if you survive) through strange cutscenes and fantastic narratives. For a side-scroller Blasphemous has a lot of depth and overwhelming combat that almost serves as self-flagellation in pixelated form.
Blasphemous delivers a grueling and unforgiving slog through some of the most intriguing set pieces I’ve ever seen in the genre. Each room becomes a puzzle of quick reflexes with perfectly timed moves just to get to the other side. There are secret areas reminiscent of the Castlevania; sadly, there’s no hidden wall turkeys.
The Mea Culpa also has upgrades collected through careful exploration and steady kill grinding for Tears of Atonement; currency earned by slaying monsters. These upgrades are skill unlocks that become more necessary the further you explore Cvstodia. There are Rosary Beads that imbue The Penitent One with abilities that come with buffs and trade-offs that may help in some areas but hinder you in others. Unlocking and combining the entire Rosary is almost essential to surviving some of the most grotesque monsters ever found in a pixelated action game.
The enemies from the lesser hack fodder to the hulking abominations are all things ripped straight out of the nightmares of the Spanish Inquisition (that no one expected). A giant blind baby with thorns on its head that will tear you to pieces, decaying altar boys who beat you to death with candelabras, and a bell ringing hobo that explodes in your face are just a few things you’ll encounter. For a game that spews the concepts of salvation and mercy it has very little of either, but this is what adds to Blasphemous’ charm. It has that classic throwback appeal to a time when games were challenging as hell but fun at the same time.
The Game Kitchen is a new kid in the indie developer arena with just one other game on the books: The Last Door, an episodic point-and-click horror adventure. It’s clear with both The Last Door and Blasphemous that the Spanish developer has a knack for delivering unsettling content with an old school approach to videogames.
The clean pixel art throughout the game brings this dark age Catholic fever dream to life. There’s a haunting beauty to the religious imagery that will arrest the senses and inspire the brain to delve further into the unique universe of Cvstodia. For a 2D sides roller, there’s a lot to look at in the foreground and even the background with a few “oohs” and “ahhs” and more often than not a few “WTFs!”.
The art style is so good that The Game Kitchen will be releasing a game art book featuring fantasy artist Nekro. If you’re a fan of macabre and gothic art then this book will be essential to the collection whether or not you even play the game.
Complementing the visuals is a fantastic original soundtrack that blends dark metal, swelling violins, and Flamenco guitar. Indie composer Carlos Viola has created a soundscape that breathes soul into Blasphemous. There’s heavy influence of Ennio Morricone that brings a Hollywood feel to the setting throughout the game. Crypts have a celestial dark tone with a sweet somber melody and the dusty villages roll with a blood pumping Spanish guitar reminiscent of a Spaghetti Western. The OST could stand alone as a masterpiece in videogame music composition.
Blasphemous may not be a cup of Sangria for everyone but, for a Kickstarter funded game, the developer really put time and love into the final product. This game really nails down the brutally grim atmosphere with combination of music and art style. It may stand alone as a cult sleeper hit with a surreal approach to the genre but I hope and pray that we’ve only seen the beginning of this slick gorefest.
When not vaporizing zombies or leading space marines as a mousepad Mattis, Brandon Watson is making gourmet pancakes and promoting local artists.