Blasphemous 2: Exploring Spanish Catholicism
Blasphemous 2, the sequel to the acclaimed souls-like metroidvania game, has already garnered a peak player count of nearly 10,000, tripling the first game’s numbers. Developed by The Game Kitchen based in Seville, Spain, Blasphemous 2 delves into the twisted world of Spanish Catholicism, which the team describes as “the most violent and oppressive religion in history.”
The first Blasphemous, released in October of last year, garnered a cult following among indie gamers. It featured fast-paced and challenging combat, a deep metroidvania-style world, and a beautiful art style. Blasphemous 2 has already surpassed its predecessor in early player engagement, with a peak player count of nearly 10,000, tripling the first game’s numbers.
“We knew that releasing Blasphemous 2 on its own would be a challenge, but we didn’t expect it to reach this level of success,” says Game Kitchen developer Alvaro Gonzalez. “When we started this project, we dreamed of reaching a peak player count in the thousands – that alone would be a success. But now we’re in the thousands, and it’s only been a few hours. This is crazy.”
This success is likely due to Blasphemous 2’s improved combat mechanics, new weapons, and additional skills for players to explore. The world itself is also larger and deeper, with a non-linear design that allows players to experience each area in any order they choose. The first Blasphemous was well-received for its worldbuilding and story, but some players have rated the game lower for its writing.
However, Blasphemous 2 currently holds a 91% positive review score on Steam, with players praising the improvements to the combat and world design. PC Gamer’s own Robert Jones had a positive experience as well, highlighting the game’s use of corrupted Christian iconography and imagery.
“Many games choose to use religion as a setting,” Jones says. “But few choose to tackle it head-on in such a way. Blasphemous 2 forces you to wrestle with the implications of its world, and that alone makes it a worthwhile experience.”
Blasphemous 2 is on its way to becoming another cult classic in the gaming community, alongside titles such as Hollow Knight and Celeste. If you want to dive into the bloody world of Spanish Catholicism for yourself, you can find Blasphemous 2 on Blasphemous2game.com, or purchase it on Epic, GOG, or Steam for approximately $30 (discounted bundle with first installment also available).
Featured image credit: The Game Kitchen.
