Blasphemous

I don’t mean that it’s hard. It’s grotesque. This game has very violent imagery that needs to be known upfront. The art is beautiful, but you should know what you’re getting into.

That being said, what a great game. The world is a deep well to explore, not just in its size, but in its lore as well. I was amazed with how much detail would go into the many NPCs you meet and items that you collect throughout the game. A little too much. I couldn’t bother with reading it all, but the depth is certainly there for those who want it.
The world of Blasphemous is greatly influenced by spanish/roman catholicism. It’s explored in a way I haven’t seen anything else do. Incredibly fascinating.

That aside, the gameplay is solid. This metroidvania has an emphasis on combat beyond movement. The bossfights are super fun and the enemies are satisfying to deal with.
I only have two gripes against this game is some of its level design and the experience with collecting everything. There are too many moments in Blasphemous where you have to make a jump and there are spike pits below you that will kill you on the spot. You get severely punished for something you couldn’t have seen coming. It feels like a un-funny prank every time.
100%’ing the game can get rough as there’s a decent chance you’ll miss something somewhere and you will have no idea where to double-check.

Doing it is worth I’d say, there’s a real nice pay-off for may of the collectibles, but I would have liked a little more guidance sometimes.

Great game though. The death pits may frustrate you, but it’s not that big of a deal. It’s a must play for anyone okay with the content warnings. (Seriously, it’s a lot of gore and body horror. Very well drawn mind you, but it’s there).