I do not often write reviews for DLC, but of late I have been inspired to do so and it makes me sad to see it current listed as a "mixed reception" on Steam. This DLC vastly expands the map of Blasphemous 2 in terms of adding a few new regions and expanding several. One of my main complaints about this game upon launch was that the atmosphere was lacking and it often felt like different zones were just different levels rather than part of an interconnected world. This changes that for the better. You also get three (but really two) new bosses, which may actually be two of my favorites in the series (which is an incredibly high water mark). Brother Asterion is a wonderful rival character on the same level as Esdras or Chrisanta from the first game (something this game sorely lacked). You also get access to Mea Culpa, your sword from the first game in all its glory. Strangely you do not get Mea Culpa until pretty far into the DLC which kind of bums me out a little. There are additional platforming and traversal challenges based off abilities you get in the DLC which feel pretty seamless with the base game. Oh and the music? Carlos Viola somehow keeps on managing to top his own mighty peaks. I have been listening to the Frozen Mausoleum and Sor Cautiva Del Silencio themes on loop after the DLC dropped. This may be some of his best work ever.

So for all of this solid content, why the "mixed" reception? The majority of the reason for the poor reviews is due to two things, both of which have been resolved. The first thing is that the DLC was released in a buggy state and the second is that the "new game plus" was more or less the same as creating a new file with additional burdens you can taken on over your new playthrough. Both of these have been modified- bugs have been fixed and the new game plus mode as it stands, is (for the most part) actually a new game plus.

While I was positive but lukewarm about this game at launch, the Mea Culpa DLC honestly has changed my opinion of the full game for the better. In spite of the buggy launch, I am greatly encouraged by it being listed as DLC1 with the implication that we may have a future pilgrimage to Cvstodia. If it is at the same level of polish and mastery that Mea Culpa is post-patch, I cannot wait to return.

I do not often write reviews for DLC, but of late I have been inspired to do so and it makes me sad to see it current listed as a "mixed reception" on Steam. This DLC vastly expands the map of Blasphemous 2 in terms of adding a few new regions and expanding several. One of my main complaints about this game upon launch was that the atmosphere was lacking and it often felt like different zones were just different levels rather than part of an interconnected world. This changes that for the better. You also get three (but really two) new bosses, which may actually be two of my favorites in the series (which is an incredibly high water mark). Brother Asterion is a wonderful rival character on the same level as Esdras or Chrisanta from the first game (something this game sorely lacked). You also get access to Mea Culpa, your sword from the first game in all its glory. Strangely you do not get Mea Culpa until pretty far into the DLC which kind of bums me out a little. There are additional platforming and traversal challenges based off abilities you get in the DLC which feel pretty seamless with the base game. Oh and the music? Carlos Viola somehow keeps on managing to top his own mighty peaks. I have been listening to the Frozen Mausoleum and Sor Cautiva Del Silencio themes on loop after the DLC dropped. This may be some of his best work ever. So for all of this solid content, why the "mixed" reception? The majority of the reason for the poor reviews is due to two things, both of which have been resolved. The first thing is that the DLC was released in a buggy state and the second is that the "new game plus" was more or less the same as creating a new file with additional burdens you can taken on over your new playthrough. Both of these have been modified- bugs have been fixed and the new game plus mode as it stands, is (for the most part) actually a new game plus. While I was positive but lukewarm about this game at launch, the Mea Culpa DLC honestly has changed my opinion of the full game for the better. In spite of the buggy launch, I am greatly encouraged by it being listed as DLC1 with the implication that we may have a future pilgrimage to Cvstodia. If it is at the same level of polish and mastery that Mea Culpa is post-patch, I cannot wait to return.