Blasphemous 2was released last year to critical acclaim, rejoining The Penitent One and his blood-soaked battles across Cvstodia. Capturing the haunting, gothic horror and bone-chilling vibes of theDark Soulsfranchise, Blasphemous 2 is a brilliant side-scrolling plight cut from the same cloth and presented within beautiful pixel graphics.
If you’ve already completedThe Game Kitchen’sstunning successor, you’ll be happy to know that there are plenty of dark fantasyplatformers,Metroidvanias, andaction-adventure titlesto provide the same ambiance, and they’re all under the price of the sequel. Here are the 10 best games like Blasphemous 2 for under $30.
Blasphemous
Dead Cells
Death’s Gambit: Afterlife
Axiom Verge
Salt and Sanctuary
Bloodborne
Slain: Back from Hell
The Last Faith
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10. Blasphemous
A pioneering predecessor
WHERE TO PLAY
The Game Kitchen honed addictive gameplay in the Souls-like Blasphemous, enough to make it a staple entry in the genre. Players control a silent knight called the Penitent One who battles a host of enemies in a fictional region with his sword, Mea Culpa. This list wouldn’t exist without this exceptional indie, and you’re able to pick up your copy from all major platforms for cheap, including the Nintendo eShop’s 33% savings.
Let’s get the obvious alternative out of the way first. Perhaps you jumped straight into Blasphemous 2 because it was the cheapest option at the time, or maybe it was on offer at a gaming buddy’s house. Whatever the reason, if you missed playing the firstBlasphemousgame, this is probably the next best title to its successor. The Game Kitchen’s pioneering entry set a precedent for Souls-like indie games and set the standard for gruesome, gothic vibes that now exist in several horror titles.
An addictive roguelike
Motion Twin’s rogue-lite Metroidvania has you exploring an ever-changing castle and defeating the fort’s keepers in thrilling Souls-like combat. Updated with regular free content, Dead Cells helped coin the genre, RogueVania, and promises hours of exploration within interconnected levels and colorful gameplay. Available on all platforms, you’re able to save 30% if you order your copy through the PlayStation Store.
Dead Cellsdoes a great job at encouraging you to better your skills after every crushing blow, and similar to many Souls-like games, the final conquer rewards you with a well-earned pride shot. Boasting 17 levels, over 150 weapons and skills, and the inevitability of multiple rage-quits, this Metroidvania title offers fluid gameplay, stacked DLC content, and a host of weapons to battle with. This vibrant, energetic, and chaotic adventure is high-octane action to a tee and its gameplay mechanics will feel familiar to Blasphemous 2 fans.
8. Death’s Gambit: Afterlife
Fight with or against Death
As Death’s right-hand soldier, will you work to restore the natural order in Siradon and purge the souls of undying guardians, or give in to immortality yourself? The Afterlife variant provides a new and expanded edition of the original hardcore 2D RPG action platformer. you’re able to experience Death’s plight firsthand by downloading your copy from all major platforms for $19.99.
Contributing to the Metroidvania catalog, Death’s Gambit: Afterlife combines the punishing combat of Souls-like games with immersive pixel graphics and a color palette to match Blasphemous 2 - and the Afterlife edition has even more content to give than the original release. This updated version provides 10 new levels, over 30 weapons, 5 new bosses, mechanical overhauls, and more to the dark fantasy blueprint and flaunts a grim atmosphere, which is the vibe we want on this list.
7. Axiom Verge
Alex Garland should handle the movie adaption
This retro side-scroller pits you, the scientist, against an alien world full of native creatures after a lab accident. With a host of weapons, items, and abilities to discover, you also need to uncover the secrets of the fallout. This sci-fi experience is available on Steam, the PlayStation Store, and the Xbox Games Store, with the former PC platform offering a 25% discount reducing the price to just $14.99.
Once again,Axiom Vergecarries the initial hook of inviting pixel graphics to marvel at, but the narrative dives into asci-fi themeinstead of Blasphemous 2’s gothic horror route. However, the gameplay foundation mirrors that in The Game Kitchen’s title and holds several hidden locations and items to discover during your exploration. With a stellar score to accompany your addictive gameplay sessions, this title is one to revisit again and again if you require an adrenaline rush.
6. Salt And Sanctuary
If Silent Hill was a stylish side-scroller…
This dark fantasy combines the gameplay styles and design of the Souls-like and Metroidvania subgenres to produce a haunting 2D adventure from Ska Studios, where you traverse abandoned cities, gruesome dungeons, and ancient relics as a doomed sailor battling creatures in style. Available on all major platforms, you’re able to try this riveting indie for just $17.99.
Existing as the predecessor to 2022’s Salt and Sacrifice,Salt and Sanctuarytakes a lot of inspiration from the Dark Souls franchise through its hideous bosses, grinding combat, and unforgettable eldritch art style. Similar toElden Ring’slack of guidance, this game has no map which adds to the isolation, and if this title proves to be a great Blasphemous 2 alternative for you, then consider checking out Ska Studios’ other work within The Skallection Bundle on Steam, where you may own this game, the sequel, Charlie Murder, and The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile for $49.26.
5. Bloodborne
A chilling score accompanies your harrowing combat
One of the most influential games in the Souls-like genre, alongside the Dark Souls franchise, is Bloodborne, set in the ancient city of Yharnam that flaunts the gothic vibe we know and love. Macabre enemies in a dying world lurk around every corner while you play the Hunter. The PlayStation Store is currently offering a 50% discount on your copy of Bloodborne, but after returning to full price, the tag will still be under $30.
Joining the base game for under $30, the PlayStation Store also has the Complete Edition Bundle on offer for the slightly higher price of $34.99, if you fancy owning the full game plus The Old Hunters DLC expansion in one purchase.Bloodborne’scombat is renowned for sharing the same hair-pulling encounters as those seen inDark Souls 3and Elden Ring, and the nightmarish ambiance and blood-curdling score makes this title one of the best in the horror genre that’s on par with Blasphemous 2’s vibe.
4. Slain: Back From Hell
All to the tune of Curt Victor Bryant
The hero Bathoryn must liberate the six cursed realms of yet another gothic world from the same number of powerful overlords in Slain: Back from Hell. Pixel art strikes again in this land sprawling with monsters and the demon horde combat is all elevated by a head-banging heavy metal score. Grab your copy of this indie platformer from all major platforms, but the Steam version is the cheapest at $12.99.
Teeming with multiple-leveled boss fights, bone-splitting gore, elemental melee, magical combat, and opposed to grinding with flimsy crafting mechanics, Slain: Back from Hell had a rocky start at launch, but the dedicated team worked out all the kinks to produce a stunning 2D platformer. The colors baked into the pixel graphics are vibrant and mesmerizing, making the blood pop on your platform of choice. Challenging combat with memorable enemies and old-school gameplay with a motivating score awaits in this underrated gem that’s well worth the low cost.
Try not to look directly at the black hole…
Playing in the Souls-like subgenre alongside the Metroidvania camp, Grime is a somewhat punishing action-adventure RPG that sees you using a living weapon to conquer nightmarish enemies and consume their remains with your trusty black hole. Grime Definitive Edition is available to play on all major platforms for $24.99.
Sharing the same anatomical horror visuals as 2022’sScorn, Grime’s entire premise is an intriguing one, boasting picturesque surrealism brought to life within a colorful, alien expanse. The protagonist uses weapons made out of living organisms that give a whole new dynamic to your arsenal, including clawing swords and centipede whips, and the dystopian setting with grotesque monsters matches the nightmarish stretch seen in Blasphemous 2.
2. The Last Faith
The perfect gothic alternative
In a world where the wicked and the blessed are judged the same, The Last Faith mixes the punishing combat of Souls-like games with non-linear exploration as players assume the role of an amnesiac, Eryk, who must battle through the landscape on a path of salvation. Indulge in this beautifully haunting game on all major platforms for $27.99. It’s the most expensive title on this list, but the atmosphere is well worth it.
If you mixed Blasphemous and Castlevania with gameplay mechanics from the Metroidvania and Souls-like genres in a crucible, The Last Faith would be the produced concoction. Discover ancient religions and divine beasts and monsters on your travels through a gothic hellscape that’s every horror fan’s dream. Prepare to get up close and personal with violence, blood, and gore on your travels, and this genre has never looked better in an aged, pixel-art style.
1. Carrion
Feel the full force of a red symbiote
Described as a “reverse horror” game where you play as the villain protagonist, Carrion puts an amorphous creature at the forefront that begins consuming all who stand in its way. Grow, evolve, and gain new abilities that will help you tear down your prison as you progress in this pixel-graphic pit of carnage. Get tangled up in this escape for only $19.99 on Steam, the PlayStation Store, and the Xbox Games Store.
Playing as the villain, and channeling a Venom-styled design mimicking the intelligent symbiote fromMarvel Comics,Carrionwas one of the goriest games to release in 2022 and left gamers polar to horror a little squeamish thanks to the protagonist’s design. Causing fear and panic is this game’s bread and butter, and even though the environments and levels you move through are beautifully designed, the many-toothed mouths decorating the monster’s mass may not be fun for sufferers of trypophobia - but the monstrous sprite is certainly on par with Blasphemous 2’s bosses.
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