"Profanity of the Gods 2" review 8 points: outstanding style, boss hunting, return to the grotesque

* This article is compiled from IGN US related content, the original author Matt Purslow, compiled by Tony, unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.

Do you know the kind of freak circus that displays its twisted limbs in order to satisfy our morbid proclivities? "Profanity of God 2" is a lot like those deformed freaks in many ways - it makes you feel "weird", but you can't help but look at it a few more times, and then it is deeply engraved in your mind. Although this sequel does not make earth-shattering innovations in 2D "Galaxy Castlevania" games like the previous game.

But its unique art, music, plot and overall feel make for a traditional Castlevania experience that is still fresh in its memory. New weaponry, with a greater focus on platforming and light puzzle solving, brushes out a lot of repetition for this epic 14-hour adventure.

From the beginning of the game, you'll have to slash through some elaborate (and uncomfortable) 2D corridors. There's a terrifying monster lurking you're riddled with life-and-death platforming challenges, and bosses that warp to the point of pixel looks and can't stop you from having nightmares at night. Upgrade your character's weapons, health, and mana caps while collecting multiple passive buffs and spells to make your way to a powerful ascension.

By the end of the game, my own appearance and abilities are like those unclean warriors in the game. Many elements of this game are already present in previous titles, but Blasphemy of God 2, which stands on the shoulders of giants, is amazing.

What makes this work stand out is its deeply uncomfortable style of painting, as well as its story and characters. The charm of the broken limb and arm in the game makes these elements unforgettable and sublimates the consistent design of similar games. Even with the high standards left by the original "Desecration of God" (released in 2019), the sequel still has an overly detailed death animation, terrifying and beautiful. There is an animation in which a flock of owls pecks a defeated enemy into pieces; Another anime is a slug-like disgusting monster that explodes like a pustule. These animations take place in breathtaking levels, one of which is a dungeon in a castle made of upside-down wax.

These amazing details are usually used to disgust you, and if you want to take something, you have to watch some of the most disgusting images that make you want to take out your eyes on the spot and wash them. There was a character I had to interact with, she would help me level up during the adventure, but her skin would also keep peeling off, and another character would spray wax from his chest into the giant baby's mouth. Seriously, it's the most disgusting game I've ever played — a compliment, of course.

The story continues with the violent and twisted trials of Penitent One, the last surviving member of a church hoping to kill the monsters born of God's manifestation of "miracles." These obscure stories of faith and repentance are difficult to read, especially since they are told entirely in Old English, and the mysterious characters who tell the story often eat their hands and feet or do some other crazy deed.

But (very important but), if you keep watching these disgusting scenes, and maybe read the descriptions of some items from time to time, you will find that the game's plot is actually very good. However, after watching the plot, my inherent fear of the church increased by another 70%.

The focus of the previous game was almost entirely on combat, and Blasphemy 2 spends half of the time testing your reflexes with platforming levels, which is designed to fit the rhythm of the battle well. Three new weapons to replace the Mea Culpa (the only weapon on Penitents One's first journey) are also helpful, each with unique mobility.

My favorite is the War Sensor, a flail that can be used to ring bells to reveal hidden platforms and open blocked paths for a period of time. It has a long attack range and a lot of damage, which I like. There's also a sword and dagger that lets you go through mirrors, giving quick maneuvers and passing through otherwise impossible obstacles. Finally, there's the Almighty Praying Blade, which can be used to destroy enemies and obstacles.

Because you can switch between the three weapons in your hand at any time, many levels require you to beat with the abilities of different weapons to avoid falling into the abyss, and the effectiveness of the battle varies from enemy to enemy. You may start by using a flail to clear enemies, then ring a bell to reveal hidden platforms, switch to a bayonet to pass through some magic mirrors, and finally switch to a knife to quickly split enemies. Playing similar operations made me feel cool, and the weapon design of the sequel is much better than the relatively weak Mea Culpa of the original generation.

Our assessment of the original "Blasphemy of God"

Blasphemy is a chilling and rather hardcore platformer that speaks to the team's intentions through its unique atmosphere, good-looking pixel style, and sophisticated cutscenes. The game's combat mechanics are remarkable, but relying too much on the player's memory ability reduces the gameplay to some extent. While the variety of visuals makes the game look fresh, the sheer variety of categories and poor leveling mechanics make it difficult to reach the heights of the best titles in its class. Admittedly, it's a Castlevania game that's fun to play, but it's hard to impress.

Rating: 7

There is one aspect that has hardly improved: the types of enemies and few new enemies in different areas. Usually after a few scenes in a level, you'll meet 2 or 3 new enemies and then slash and kill them until you finally reach the boss battle area. Some enemies have to wait until their continuous attacks are complete before they can fight back, which is particularly annoying.

You may have to wait for an enemy to spray a few seconds of fire, hit him a few times, and then wait for him to spray. There are also enemies in the game that have different colors and slightly changed moves, but are essentially the same thing as the enemies you've been killing for hours. For example, large knights with heavy HP will swing at you with different blunt weapons. And to see them every few minutes, I literally threw up.

Luckily, bosses are much more interesting than their miscellaneous soldiers, and every area in the game has a big bad guy to vent your frustrations. Killing an evil, often disgusting boss is always refreshing, but Profanity of the Gods 2 does lack the challenge I crave in Metroidvania genres (and there are no difficulty options to adjust). About half of the regional bosses I defeated at first sight, and the other half of the bosses I could pass the second challenge after getting familiar with the moves.

As a player who enjoys trial and error in boss battles, I find myself disappointed that these climactic battles end quickly. But despite the hasty end of the battle, the design of these monsters is extremely creative and memorable. For example, there is a priest who will constantly change faces, and another robot will take your life with a small version of it.

summary

Profanity of the Gods 2 is an excellent Galactic Castlevania game that is a significant improvement over the original, even if the bizarre graphics sometimes make me sick enough to eat. Although the design lacks innovation, its grotesque world, terrifying story, and surprising art and sound design make up for other shortcomings. Even if there aren't many types of enemies and bosses aren't challenging enough, the new weapons and platforming levels still keep me entertained in the short course of the campaign. You might think that this game is similar to "Hollow Knight" and only has unappetizing religious ceremonies, but in the time it takes for "Hollow Knight: Song of Silk" to be released, it is difficult to find a better replacement than this one.

merit

More reasonable gameplay and basic design

More interesting weapons and equipment

Excellent storyline and worldview setting

shortcoming

Part of the art design is uncomfortable

The difficulty of the game is much lower than that of the previous game