Should I play through Blasphemous 1 before starting B2?

[Mimsiwhimsy]

Hi all, just a quick introduction. I played this game a long time ago back around when it first came out and after recently seeing the sequel on sale and that there is a new DLC on the horizon, it reinvigorated my interest to finally try and play through the original, which I see the devs have added a LOT of new content to since I last played it like 5 years ago.

My question is, should I still try and play through the first one before starting the 2nd? I hear in many ways the sequel is overall easier to clear and part of why I stopped playing the original was from feeling a bit overwhelmed by its difficulty. But while I do still find it challenging, I was at least able to clear a few bosses so far but am wondering if maybe I should stop while I'm ahead, move onto the 2nd one and then revisit this one afterwards? Or should I just stick it out and try to clear the first one in its entirety, regardless of difficulty?

Just looking for any recommendations from those who have beaten both games. Thanks for reading!

[Hotel Security]

What a weird question. Why wouldn't you? And why would you have any interest in B2 without playing the first? I don't buy this idea that if you don't like the first you'll magically like the second for some reason. If you don't like a game, why would you want to try the sequel? None of this seems logical..

>I hear in many ways the sequel is overall easier to clear and part of why I stopped playing the original was from feeling a bit overwhelmed by its difficulty.

Why not just look into a game that is easier? Or has difficulty sliders? I know a ton of great Metroid clones that you could consider. Bloodstained, Timespinner, Iconoclasts, Souldiers, Flynn Son of Crimson, Legends of Ethernal, Monster Boy, Narita Boy, Strider, Shadow Complex, Blaster Master Zero 1-3, Guacamelee 1-2, Axiom Verge, Momodora, Minoria...there's so many good titles out there that are easier or have difficulty settings.

>I was at least able to clear a few bosses so far but am wondering if maybe I should stop while I'm ahead, move onto the 2nd one and then revisit this one afterwards?

I see no reason why you would move onto the 2nd when you can't even handle 1/3 of the first game. Feels like you'd be wasting your cash.

>Or should I just stick it out and try to clear the first one in its entirety, regardless of difficulty?

The obvious answer. If you can't get through it, then don't bother with the sequel. Also you likely will have no clue what's going on in the second without playing the first...though you may have no clue even if you DO play it. The plot's a bit abstract at times. Lore videos are helpful.

[Mimsiwhimsy]

Originally posted by Hotel Security:

What a weird question. Why wouldn't you? And why would you have any interest in B2 without playing the first? I don't buy this idea that if you don't like the first you'll magically like the second for some reason. If you don't like a game, why would you want to try the sequel? None of this seems logical..

When did I ever say that I don't like the game just because I acknowledged its difficulty? Sounds like you're just putting words in my mouth LOL

Originally posted by Hotel Security:

Why not just look into a game that is easier? Or has difficulty sliders? I know a ton of great Metroid clones that you could consider. Bloodstained, Timespinner, Iconoclasts, Souldiers, Flynn Son of Crimson, Legends of Ethernal, Monster Boy, Narita Boy, Strider, Shadow Complex, Blaster Master Zero 1-3, Guacamelee 1-2, Axiom Verge, Momodora, Minoria...there's so many good titles out there that are easier or have difficulty settings.

I am aware there are much easier games to play in this genre, but where I was going with my initial question was if the 2nd game would help prime me more for the difficulty of the first one since the general consensus I've seen online is that it is generally easier. I thought that was pretty obviously inferred but perhaps I shouldn't have assumed that?

Originally posted by Hotel Security:

I see no reason why you would move onto the 2nd when you can't even handle 1/3 of the first game. Feels like you'd be wasting your cash.

Since when did I say that I flat out can't handle it? I just simply said it was difficult for me in the past, not impossible. Again, more assumptions being made here.

Originally posted by Hotel Security:

The obvious answer. If you can't get through it, then don't bother with the sequel. Also you likely will have no clue what's going on in the second without playing the first...though you may have no clue even if you DO play it. The plot's a bit abstract at times. Lore videos are helpful.

Fair enough.

[lliwb04]

I found Blasphemous to be harder overall but 2 bosses in Blasphemous 2 were super annoying. The games also play entirely differently so you might find the 2nd one easier or harder based on how you like the weapons. Story-wise I was completely lost in both games (but I liked the first one more). However, a huge part of both is that if you get stuck, you need to look around for power-ups or change your fighting style. In Blas 2, I found that sheer health increases helped me get through some bosses.

[Mimsiwhimsy]

Originally posted by lliwb04:

I found Blasphemous to be harder overall but 2 bosses in Blasphemous 2 were super annoying. The games also play entirely differently so you might find the 2nd one easier or harder based on how you like the weapons. Story-wise I was completely lost in both games (but I liked the first one more). However, a huge part of both is that if you get stuck, you need to look around for power-ups or change your fighting style. In Blas 2, I found that sheer health increases helped me get through some bosses.

Thanks for the insightful response! It sounds like starting with the 2nd one won't put me at any major advantage then if they play that differently from eachother. I will keep that in mind though regarding the health upgrades and just stick to playing through the 1st game to the best of my abilities for now.

And if I come across any unbearably difficult hurdles in that one then maybe I'll switch over to Blasphemous 2 and go from there, but it sounds like they both demand a bit of a different approach from eachother more than I was anticipating...

[EL_LIDER_DL_CLAN]

Waos

[Hexo Mia]

short asnwers yes. get the fourth ending wich is the one that let to this game.

[Hotel Security]

>I am aware there are much easier games to play in this genre, but where I was going with my initial question was if the 2nd game would help prime me more for the difficulty of the first one

Wouldn't playing the first game "prime" you for the difficulty of the first game? We all get better with practice and repetition. That's how you will get better at these games. Not from playing another game. How will learning the patterns of enemies and bosses from another game help you with the ones in this one? You'll still have to try and die and fail to learn them anyway...same with the platforming sections.

I feel this is just making things too complicated. You get better at games by playing them and I don't see how playing something easy prepares you for something hard. If anything, the easy stuff will give you bad habits that won't work against harder stuff. I feel the same about people who waste their time with Normal mode to "prepare" for Hard mode...this is like reading a 5th grade math textbook to prepare for a college exam. You're going to have to relearn stuff on Hard mode no matter what.

Overall, I don't know what experience you're expecting. Do you think we all breezed through the game? We all died and failed and screwed up on many sections in this game. But the checkpoints are fairly generous so I see why deaths are that big an issue anyway. What's wrong with dying a few times to get better at a game?

>Since when did I say that I flat out can't handle it?

Then go do it! You're getting in your own head too much with all this psychology. Play the game and you'll get better at it. Works the same with every game. If you need tips on stuff feel free to reach out.

[Mimsiwhimsy]

Originally posted by Hotel Security:

>I am aware there are much easier games to play in this genre, but where I was going with my initial question was if the 2nd game would help prime me more for the difficulty of the first one

Wouldn't playing the first game "prime" you for the difficulty of the first game? We all get better with practice and repetition. That's how you will get better at these games. Not from playing another game. How will learning the patterns of enemies and bosses from another game help you with the ones in this one? You'll still have to try and die and fail to learn them anyway...same with the platforming sections.

I feel this is just making things too complicated. You get better at games by playing them and I don't see how playing something easy prepares you for something hard. If anything, the easy stuff will give you bad habits that won't work against harder stuff. I feel the same about people who waste their time with Normal mode to "prepare" for Hard mode...this is like reading a 5th grade math textbook to prepare for a college exam. You're going to have to relearn stuff on Hard mode no matter what.

Overall, I don't know what experience you're expecting. Do you think we all breezed through the game? We all died and failed and screwed up on many sections in this game. But the checkpoints are fairly generous so I see why deaths are that big an issue anyway. What's wrong with dying a few times to get better at a game?

>Since when did I say that I flat out can't handle it?

Then go do it! You're getting in your own head too much with all this psychology. Play the game and you'll get better at it. Works the same with every game. If you need tips on stuff feel free to reach out.

Hey, I just wanted to say thanks for taking the time to respond and sorry if perhaps we got off on the wrong foot earlier in this thread. Ultimately, you are right about nothing "priming" me for this game other than, well, actually just playing the game lol.

I actually have been playing it more lately (in favor of skipping it and starting with the sequel first) and have already acquired two out of the three Humiliations now, and finally even managed to clear that entire snowy region in the upper northwest(ish) section of the beginning area of the game, which honestly was where I got hung up in the past and I must say, getting better at this game despite its difficulty curve spikes has been an incredibly rewarding experience so far!

I think the beginning areas were definitely tough at first with a lower starting health bar and not yet acquiring any of the more essential mechanical combat upgrades at that point in order to clear some of the more demanding enemy encounters and obstacles (the dodge lunge/thrust attack in particular has made progressing these areas far more viable than without, for instance)... But with enough perseverance (and dying) I have gradually been able to overcome what the game has thrown at me thus far, and needless to say it's a far cry from where I was when I first played Blasphemous five years ago back when the game first released. Really glad that I decided to give it another go, needless to say!

[Hotel Security]

> and sorry if perhaps we got off on the wrong foot earlier in this thread.

Oh that's all my fault anyway. Too much tough love. ;-)

> and finally even managed to clear that entire snowy region in the upper northwest(ish) section of the beginning area of the game, which honestly was where I got hung up in the past and I must say,

After I clear out Jondo to get all the nice stuff there, I always hit the Snowy region first because it's the most annoying and I want it out of the way. Seriously, that's probably the most annoying place in the game so be encouraged that you got through it.

Also, I do feel the second half of the game is easier than the first. After you get the first three humilations, you will run into a pretty tough midboss on the bridge...but I feel the areas and bosses after that are much easier...and this is probably a product of having better equipment and spells. The "Debla of the Lights" spell in particular can wreck a lot of bosses, including the final boss.

Either way, glad you're sticking with it. There's a certain joy to overcoming hardship that only the harder games can provide.

> and needless to say it's a far cry from where I was when I first played Blasphemous five years ago back when the game first released.

Yeah, I didn't play Blasphemous until the first DLC was out and they made all these QOL changes...I guess a lot of the fast travel options weren't available at first and that was probably annoying. I usually wait for sales when I buy games but it also means I usually get them once the early issues are patched.

[Mimsiwhimsy]

> Oh that's all my fault anyway. Too much tough love. ;-)

Nah I can completely respect it, I have gotten very passionately heated about games I hold near and dear in the past too, so no hard feelings there!

> After I clear out Jondo to get all the nice stuff there, I always hit the Snowy region first because it's the most annoying and I want it out of the way. Seriously, that's probably the most annoying place in the game so be encouraged that you got through it.

Thanks! It definitely was the toughest area for me so far (excluding any hard boss fights and such). The platforming is what made that entire area so dang brutal! Also having to wait for the wind to change course made it especially less than ideal :-P

> Also, I do feel the second half of the game is easier than the first. After you get the first three humilations, you will run into a pretty tough midboss on the bridge...but I feel the areas and bosses after that are much easier...and this is probably a product of having better equipment and spells. The "Debla of the Lights" spell in particular can wreck a lot of bosses, including the final boss.

Either way, glad you're sticking with it. There's a certain joy to overcoming hardship that only the harder games can provide.

I actually did acquire the three humiliations and made it past the bronze door since my last reply on here, and that bridge guy was tough indeed! He was probably the 2nd hardest boss for me so far, but actually a boss I found much harder by comparison was Quirce in the Wall of the Holy Prohibitions area (the most recent boss I've beaten so far). THAT guy had me banging my head against the wall like none other! his movesets are so tricky to anticipate when he does certain attacks (namely when he hugs the side wall and either throws his sword at you horizontally super quickly, forcing you to dodge running towards it since it is an unparry-able attack, or he does that AoE ground attack you have to steer clear from on the opposite end of the room and you never know which he is going to do since they both have the same startup animations!!!) so you have to be lightning quick on your reflexes and be equally prepared for him to do either attack which was so dang frustrating!

Finally getting past him was a miracle of the highest order to say the very least haha. Whew!

And I certainly agree, I think the more I play this game the more I can't stop putting it down because of the constant difficulty from the very start! Every area of this game invokes this sense of danger, and that is why planning your next move is always so important I feel like. I will also have to keep an eye out for this "Debla of the Lights" spell... I honestly may think I somehow missed it! The one I've always been using for Mea Culpa is the spell that makes you swing your sword attack like twice as fast as normal. That one has been essential for me clearing just about every major boss in the game so far!

> Yeah, I didn't play Blasphemous until the first DLC was out and they made all these QOL changes...I guess a lot of the fast travel options weren't available at first and that was probably annoying. I usually wait for sales when I buy games but it also means I usually get them once the early issues are patched.

Yep, they also made the map a lot more useful since when the game first came out, you couldn't set markers anywhere like where the treasure chests were, and I don't think it showed you where many of the useful items and upgrades were in general back then. I'm sure there's probably someone else here who could explain all the nuances better than I could, but I surely am glad I at least waited until after they improved that and added all of the teleport areas into the game! It must have taken so ridiculously long to beat before that was included (and far more aggravating too!)