Serge Sarkoyan

This game is dripping with dark religious and iconographic imagery, and I love it! All items have lore behind them and the world it builds is so grim and fascinating. The controls could be a bit tighter, especially when it comes to the dodge. This is also one of the only platformer games I've played that does not have a double jump or a dash-backwards ability, which can be very jarring. Having said that, I never really got annoyed with the lack of these abilities, it just forced me to appreciate what it does excel in. A lot of people compare this game with both Dark Souls and Castlevania. While there is a LOT of backtracking, it's not an overtly difficult game. Some of the bosses can be incredibly challenging, but figuring out their patterns is half the fun! I would equate Balsphemous more to one of the the OG Castlevania games more than Dark Souls in terms of difficulty. There are learning curves, but you will overcome them with patience and perseverance. Along with the gorgeous graphics and 16-bit animations, the music clearly takes center stage as well. Dark, atmospheric and moody, you can feel the suffering of the land in the beautifully sorrowful music. I would find myself just pausing the game and listening to the music at times! The price is pretty steep, especially for a kickstarter game, but highly recommended at a discount!