Blasphemous

I'm a huge fan of Metroidvanias. And this, I suspect, will stand the test of time as one of my most beloved. From the gloriously macabre tone (which the game luxuriates in), gorgeous soundtrack, lush 16-bit visuals, brilliantly-designed world which unfolds around you in unexpected but incredibly satisfying ways, to the perfectly-judge rhythm of the combat and huge, memorable but not irritatingly-difficult bosess - this game has it all. You want this one in your life.

I just love it, didn't know how much I was missing with the Metroidvania genre.

I considered refunding the game because I consider it deceptively advertised. The store page promises combat with a variety of unusual opponents and a mystery to unravel through exploring a unique world. I started playing with the expectation of something different than usual. But very soon I found myself contending with the Ancient Enemy: floor spikes. In the store page there isn't a single spike or moving platform to be seen but beware, that is what you will get in the game. The grotesque enemies are there but they provide more ambience than gameplay, they are never the real problem. The real problem is the jump sequences and the ever-present floor spikes that will instantly kill you and no upgrade or relic will help with that. More than 90% of my deaths were to spikes and I'm sure I spent more time jumping than fighting. There is good art and writing here, but it is all wasted as the level designers could not resist making the same game that you have already played a dozen times, and not it's best iteration either. All the usual platforming annoyances are here in mostly uninspired level design that clashes badly with the setting and the tone the writing tries to convey and detracts greatly from them. The Miracle has mutated the inhabitants of the land into grotesque forms, but clearly the greatest disaster that everyone refuses to acknowledge is that the whole world is now full of floor spikes everywhere. I'm supposed to think that the deformed enemies I face are cursed people, but their placement on remote platforms they had no way to get onto until I made them accessible makes it clear the sole purpose of their existence is to get in my way. If they had any humanity left they would have ended their life in a spike pit as I did countless times. In the end, most fights are unchallenging and the tediousness of the platforming killed my interest in the world and the story. You may enjoy the game if you like jumping but know what you are getting into.

I am not really into Metroidvania but this one still draws me in due to its beautiful atmosphetic graphics and tight combat mechanics.

First off, I can't remember the last time I spent an entire weekend getting through a game without thinking about it. Gameplay is tight, art direction is money and sound and music design is perfect. No hand holding, just you in a very odd world, fighting against odd bois.