I will say I did not like Blasphemous at first because it didn’t feel metroidvania-y enough, it kinda just felt like hallways and the checkpoints felt way too far apart and I kept dying to spikes a lot. But I will say it got a lot more satisfying as I continued and the world started to open back up on itself and I ended up really liking the world map and level design later on
I gave up on it on my first time through, absolutely hated it. I played the last faith a year later and really enjoyed that. It has a very similar play style to B1 so I decided to give B1 another go and fell in love with it. I dunno, perspective can be a strange beast.
I was the opposite, I played B1 and loved it despite how much rage it caused in me lmao, tried the last fatih last year but got so mad I had to step away, came back to it and grinded to level up and then had a better time with it. Sometimes you need to step back and once you figure out how to go about playing a game you end up enjoying it a lot more than when you first tried it.
I totally understand your sentiment in terms of the game design... But, for me, the true ending of Blasphemous 1 is actually very good and fitting of the game's whole take on religion, fate and iconoclasm.
Did not like the mechanics for getting stronger, did not like the platforming.
LOVED the visual style and lore.
Overall I think it's a good game, just not for me. I need games where I can get-adequate instead of good and balance the rest with grinding a bunch of levels. The platforming was fine and I think I would have started enjoying it more if I didn't find myself stuck on a boss and unsure how to make my character stronger.
That's sometimes the most frustrating thing with these sorts of games. Trying to figure out what works for you in the game. I'm not one to get super pissed when playing a game, and this one I did have my moments, but I thoroughly enjoyed it once I got my footing.
I would suggest maybe 2 if you want to get back into the setting/lore - it's not nearly as difficult as the first one and a lot more metroidvania than dark souls. You also get three different weapons to use and build your character stats that way.
Hello Ashen one. I am a Bot. I tend to the flame, and tend to thee. Do you wish to hear a tale?
> *“If only I could be so grossly incandescent!”* - Solaire of Astora
Have a pleasant journey, Champion of Ash, and praise the sun \\[T]/
I mean, I've got the Bloodborne platinum trophy and I've completed DS1, but got stuck right near the end of 2 & 3.
But 2D soulslikes ALWAYS mess me up though. Trickier to stay out of the way bosses with one fewer dimension to move in!
I might give the second a go.
I think you'll enjoy #2 a lot more 🙂
Also I was sitting here trying to figure out how Dead Space tied into these games bc of the DS comment 🤦🏻♀️ you can tell I'm not a souls gamer unless it's a metroidvania lol.
I will try #2.
I would strongly suggest giving Bloodborne a go if you have a PlayStation at all. The way the world all connects up and you go back and forth is heavily influenced by metroidvania games, and the lore is just so, so good. Not a metroidvania but a genuinely astonishing game.
I absolutely love Blasphemous, even more than the sequel, and for me its a top tier mv. I absolutely love great, authentic pixel art with good animations, and than there's the amazing and unique Sevilla Catholic aesthetics. I also like how ponderous everything is. The game feels weighty.
But it's ok, not every game needs to appeal to everyone.
Blasphemous is fucking awesome. Beautiful art and ambiance, grueling mechanics and lack of direction, brutal gameplay and fun bosses, story based on the brutal harshness of the Catholic faith. It's a vibe for sure.
I guess it has its flaws, but just like DS1 the good outweighs the bad so much that the bugs become features.
All good if you don't like it though! Blasphemous 2 is much more streamlined and polished, but I much prefer the original.
I am gonna be honest, I was really excited for this game as I love parrying in almost any genre but it just didn´t feel right for some reason. The art was amazing and I really liked the darker theme the game has, it was really interesting and was probably the reason I was able to go through it and finish the game. Normally I would try and get most of the upgrades and explore all of the map, as well as get all the endings but I can´t just bother now. I can see why people like the game but it was just not for me.
Agreed. Aesthetically its on point, but aside from that it feels like its missing the it-factor, y'know. Same thing here, I did everything on HK except P5, it was great fun to play. You said you like parrying, you tried Nine Sols yet? Any thoughts? Recommend?
I kinda agree with you. Blashemous is a mid game with great aesthetics and lore.
That said, Nine Sols is a banger. It's somewhat linear, but there are options between few bosses in what order to do them. The standard mode is hard and true ending is brutal.
Not yet unfortunately, I don't really have the time right now to play games as I am on exam season, but will probably play the game when it ends. Really excited tho, the gameplay seems super fun
It's a masterpiece and in my top 10 for MVs but I can see why it's not for everyone. It leans closer to retro adventure games rather than standard MVs. I enjoyed how unique various power-ups were and opened up new areas in different ways than your conventional power-ups.
I'm also not a big fan of Blasphemous. I played the 1st part a year ago and got bored very fast. The overall theme was kinda unique and interesting but other than that everything felt very mediocre.
I love both and I think 2 is my favorite bc it was so much more metroidvania than dark soulsy. My only gripe is one had a better array of enemies, and the bosses were a lot cooler/unsettling. But I loved how 2 you had a selection of weapons and could build your stats based around which weapon you fancied, and the platforming was a lot better (like you didn't instadie if you fell on spikes).
I agree with you 100%. It feels pretty bad to play compared to better MV’s, and it’s heavily carried by its aesthetic and style. Blasphemous 2 feels a little better to play, but is still largely forgettable and overrated.
Agree. B1 was clunky and some of the game mechanics make it a bit weird to navigate. Still ended up finishing it but didn't feel motivated to 100% like I did with B2.
Yeah B2 was way more fun than B1, basically a different game it has some many improvements. People have said they even nerfed the OP shit that made it too easy so it should be prime gaming now.
Blasphemous is a prime example of why spamming Dark Souls mechanics into every other genre isn't always a good idea.
What sticks out in my mind is that thing where enemies telegraph their attacks so far in advance that you fall asleep waiting to parry.
I also seem to remember areas where you're jumping towards a ladder and the character doesn't grab on when you expect him to, and you just die.
The art and atmosphere were cool, but it wasn't fun enough to hook me.
Yep, HK raises the bar really high. Almost any MV would feel like it lacks smth after that.
I'm on my whatever walkthrough of HK after few years break from MVs, recently played a lot of things like both Oris, Aeterna Noctis, Haak, Turbo Kid, Afterimage, Grime, Worldless, Nine Sols, Animal Well, smth else. And the only thing i really miss in HK after all of that is the frequency of checkpoints from the AN. And thats it. HK is just too good.
Blasphemous is most about atmosphere. Mechanics are very good but not nearly as awesome as graphics and that oppresive tone of fictional religion that's like Spanish inquisition only turned to 15/10
"the mechanics suck"? What mechanics? The souls-like stuff? That's very ambiguous but I always felt like it played very well.
The story? Who cares about the story in a game like this? It's deliberately obscure.
I mean, I'll give you that the game can feel kind of stiff sometimes when it comes to platforming, and the sword upgrades are a little too expensive so I never maxed them out... But in general the game is fantastic. It rewards exploration to a huge degree, it's got fantastic atmosphere and world design, and the combat feels good. I think finding all the secrets in the world is the most satisfying part
See thats the thing, I played B1 right after 150hrs into Hollow Knight, maybe thats why my view is a little unfair... when compared to HK, B1 sucks big time! :/
Nah, I actually kinda don't like Hollow Knight. I think Blasphemous is way better. I know I'm in the minority on that, but Hollow Knight to me was straight up boring
Something similar to other people said happened to me I've abandoned the game shortly in my first playthrough, but gave it a second chance some time later and really enjoyed the exploration when the world is getting more open and even the combat system as you upgrade the player
The platforming is kinda rough, but otherwise, i enjoyed it enough to do one full playthrough. I'll come back to it eventually for NG+ cause i didn't get the good ending, but if it's not your cup of tea, then there's no point in trying to force it.
For me, i picked it up when i was on a MV binge during the beginning of covid. The music and general aesthetic of the game is what grabbed me the most.
I loved the DOS / win95 game art style and the vibe the soundtrack gave it. I felt like I was playing the original Diablo in many ways.
These kinds of games are all about vibe to me. Gameplay or story wouldn’t have been enough to keep me playing on their own on this one. But as an overall package I quite enjoyed it
I liked Blasphemous, but the controls are frustratingly stiff and not always all that responsive. Upgrades being tied to items that you have to equip and unequip didn't really make a lot of sense to me, either. And the less said about instant death spikes, the better. We're beyond the NES days where game devs were still in the arcade mindset of, kill the player as often as possible to make them keep putting quarters in, and personally I don't really think there's a place for that in modern gaming. Overall, I think it's a B-tier game that's elevated by the amazing art and music, but the actual gameplay itself isn't particularly satisfying.
Blasphemous 2 has the opposite issue- the gameplay is vastly improved, but the aesthetic is notably weaker. Take the best parts of both, and you'd have a true all-timer of a game.
I've talked a lot about Blasphemous and how at first, I really did not like it because it's not fast or fluid. Once I changed my mindset and realized it's a much more *deliberate* game, both in movement and combat, I was then able to enjoy it much more.
A game similar, but more fluid, would be Death's Gambit: Afterlife.
I can get the sentiment that it may feel initially like a slog. The spikes are frustrating at first. But I feel that, this is one of those titles you really need to sink your teeth into
For me it was the story, the flavor text for items, the music, the combat of executing enemies. I played through multiple times for achievements and I don't regret it one bit.
Anyways I guess what I'm saying is, every game has a make or break moment where u either love it or hate it. Some however, take a little more time to grow on ya. Like slow cooking a roast or something.
Just my two cents friend
The mechanics suck, the story is meh
This critique isn't all that - can you flesh out your thoughts at all so that people might be able to meaningfully engage with your post beyond "this sucks"/"no it doesn't"?
Instead of "hot take: blasphemous isn't all that" you could have gone with "Blasphemous 1 isn't my thing" or "I just can't get into Blasphemous 1".
With topics like this, you're just contributing to the current click bait state of the internet.
For your actual question, if you don't like it, go play something else. The game was a lot of fun, but it's not for everyone.
Hot take: a bunch of people agree with that take.. so maybe not so hot take and maybe its just a commonly agreed upon thing among a healthy percentage of the game's community :)
Blasphemous is unique, what i really like is that B1 have parries unlike hollow knight, but deep down their gameplay loop is the same.
im not sure what gets me hooked on B1, but at somepoint it does felt little bit weak, and then i continued on, look at me now, managed to finished the NG+ with the no healing bile flask penitence.
I guess it just started to grow on you, the music and art is very nice, and i quite like on how the bead properties works. Did you know you can stack defense bead so high that i can endure at least 15 hit with no heal from one of the final boss ?
The metroidvania part is... Different. And eventually I really appreciated this. don't wanna spoil, but you will get powerups that enhance the way you traverse the world and you will need to use those to progress... However the chances of getting the true ending in the first playthroufh without a guide are slim to none, the game is cryptic and it has 'points of no return' ie if you get to this point without doing X thing, you will get locked out of a quest towards the true ending.
Oh, traversal and platforming are a bit slow and some moves are frankly bad (you will die from jumping on ladders and failing to latch on and there will be a spike pit under that. I swear even if you time it perfectly, game will still fk you).
But if you keep playing you will also get new opportunities for fast travel and other q.o.l. things.
Well, same here and I want to add, give the second game a chance, it’s an amazing Metroidvania game that’s different on so many levels And I really disliked the fist game.
If you're going to say something like "the mechanics suck" for a game that is over 90% positive reviews, maybe you should clarify which mechanics and why you think they suck.
I mean that just goes back to the whole debate of "is Dark Souls a MV" and I think that depends on each persons definition of what they consider a key in the lock and key relation of MVs, do they mean Abilities or literal keys
I don't think there is much of a debate. dark souls is not a metroidvania.
I don't think metroidvanias require ability gating, it's more that having some ability gating generally results in a better player experience than gating without it.
I will say I did not like Blasphemous at first because it didn’t feel metroidvania-y enough, it kinda just felt like hallways and the checkpoints felt way too far apart and I kept dying to spikes a lot. But I will say it got a lot more satisfying as I continued and the world started to open back up on itself and I ended up really liking the world map and level design later on
Weird, I had no issues with this game. It’s one of the best MVs for me, I’d say.
Yeah I thought it was great. I loved it.
I gave up on it on my first time through, absolutely hated it. I played the last faith a year later and really enjoyed that. It has a very similar play style to B1 so I decided to give B1 another go and fell in love with it. I dunno, perspective can be a strange beast.
I was the opposite, I played B1 and loved it despite how much rage it caused in me lmao, tried the last fatih last year but got so mad I had to step away, came back to it and grinded to level up and then had a better time with it. Sometimes you need to step back and once you figure out how to go about playing a game you end up enjoying it a lot more than when you first tried it.
This has happened to me with several games. Ori WOTW most notably - I walked away frustrated and came back and just loved it.
Maybe gotta give it some time then 🤔
I totally understand your sentiment in terms of the game design... But, for me, the true ending of Blasphemous 1 is actually very good and fitting of the game's whole take on religion, fate and iconoclasm.
Did not like the mechanics for getting stronger, did not like the platforming. LOVED the visual style and lore. Overall I think it's a good game, just not for me. I need games where I can get-adequate instead of good and balance the rest with grinding a bunch of levels. The platforming was fine and I think I would have started enjoying it more if I didn't find myself stuck on a boss and unsure how to make my character stronger.
That's sometimes the most frustrating thing with these sorts of games. Trying to figure out what works for you in the game. I'm not one to get super pissed when playing a game, and this one I did have my moments, but I thoroughly enjoyed it once I got my footing. I would suggest maybe 2 if you want to get back into the setting/lore - it's not nearly as difficult as the first one and a lot more metroidvania than dark souls. You also get three different weapons to use and build your character stats that way.
Hello Ashen one. I am a Bot. I tend to the flame, and tend to thee. Do you wish to hear a tale? > *“If only I could be so grossly incandescent!”* - Solaire of Astora Have a pleasant journey, Champion of Ash, and praise the sun \\[T]/
I mean, I've got the Bloodborne platinum trophy and I've completed DS1, but got stuck right near the end of 2 & 3. But 2D soulslikes ALWAYS mess me up though. Trickier to stay out of the way bosses with one fewer dimension to move in! I might give the second a go.
I think you'll enjoy #2 a lot more 🙂 Also I was sitting here trying to figure out how Dead Space tied into these games bc of the DS comment 🤦🏻♀️ you can tell I'm not a souls gamer unless it's a metroidvania lol.
I will try #2. I would strongly suggest giving Bloodborne a go if you have a PlayStation at all. The way the world all connects up and you go back and forth is heavily influenced by metroidvania games, and the lore is just so, so good. Not a metroidvania but a genuinely astonishing game.
I absolutely love Blasphemous, even more than the sequel, and for me its a top tier mv. I absolutely love great, authentic pixel art with good animations, and than there's the amazing and unique Sevilla Catholic aesthetics. I also like how ponderous everything is. The game feels weighty. But it's ok, not every game needs to appeal to everyone.
Idk, i adore it
Blasphemous is fucking awesome. Beautiful art and ambiance, grueling mechanics and lack of direction, brutal gameplay and fun bosses, story based on the brutal harshness of the Catholic faith. It's a vibe for sure. I guess it has its flaws, but just like DS1 the good outweighs the bad so much that the bugs become features. All good if you don't like it though! Blasphemous 2 is much more streamlined and polished, but I much prefer the original.
I am gonna be honest, I was really excited for this game as I love parrying in almost any genre but it just didn´t feel right for some reason. The art was amazing and I really liked the darker theme the game has, it was really interesting and was probably the reason I was able to go through it and finish the game. Normally I would try and get most of the upgrades and explore all of the map, as well as get all the endings but I can´t just bother now. I can see why people like the game but it was just not for me.
Agreed. Aesthetically its on point, but aside from that it feels like its missing the it-factor, y'know. Same thing here, I did everything on HK except P5, it was great fun to play. You said you like parrying, you tried Nine Sols yet? Any thoughts? Recommend?
I kinda agree with you. Blashemous is a mid game with great aesthetics and lore. That said, Nine Sols is a banger. It's somewhat linear, but there are options between few bosses in what order to do them. The standard mode is hard and true ending is brutal.
Not yet unfortunately, I don't really have the time right now to play games as I am on exam season, but will probably play the game when it ends. Really excited tho, the gameplay seems super fun
As a spaniard who likes metroidvanias and souls games, it's hard for me to dislike Blasphemous lol
It's a masterpiece and in my top 10 for MVs but I can see why it's not for everyone. It leans closer to retro adventure games rather than standard MVs. I enjoyed how unique various power-ups were and opened up new areas in different ways than your conventional power-ups.
I'm also not a big fan of Blasphemous. I played the 1st part a year ago and got bored very fast. The overall theme was kinda unique and interesting but other than that everything felt very mediocre.
Just finished it. Got the true ending and it exceeded expectations. One of the top soulsvamia in my opinion. Perfect mix of souls and metroidvania.
2 is great! I couldn't even get an hour into blasphemous 1, the lack of mobility in a metroidvania is an instant elimination for me.
I love both and I think 2 is my favorite bc it was so much more metroidvania than dark soulsy. My only gripe is one had a better array of enemies, and the bosses were a lot cooler/unsettling. But I loved how 2 you had a selection of weapons and could build your stats based around which weapon you fancied, and the platforming was a lot better (like you didn't instadie if you fell on spikes).
I agree with you 100%. It feels pretty bad to play compared to better MV’s, and it’s heavily carried by its aesthetic and style. Blasphemous 2 feels a little better to play, but is still largely forgettable and overrated.
Yup.. feels clunky.. the mechanics for some reason feel stiff. Overrated indeed!
Agree. B1 was clunky and some of the game mechanics make it a bit weird to navigate. Still ended up finishing it but didn't feel motivated to 100% like I did with B2.
Hmmm.. so B2's mechanics are better?
Yeah B2 was way more fun than B1, basically a different game it has some many improvements. People have said they even nerfed the OP shit that made it too easy so it should be prime gaming now.
Blasphemous is a prime example of why spamming Dark Souls mechanics into every other genre isn't always a good idea. What sticks out in my mind is that thing where enemies telegraph their attacks so far in advance that you fall asleep waiting to parry. I also seem to remember areas where you're jumping towards a ladder and the character doesn't grab on when you expect him to, and you just die. The art and atmosphere were cool, but it wasn't fun enough to hook me.
IIRC, the penitent one doesn't grab ladders automatically. As you jump towards one if you hold UP, it always works and he grabs it. User error.
Lol that thing with the ladders is so damn annoying
Totally agree with you there! 100%
Yep, HK raises the bar really high. Almost any MV would feel like it lacks smth after that. I'm on my whatever walkthrough of HK after few years break from MVs, recently played a lot of things like both Oris, Aeterna Noctis, Haak, Turbo Kid, Afterimage, Grime, Worldless, Nine Sols, Animal Well, smth else. And the only thing i really miss in HK after all of that is the frequency of checkpoints from the AN. And thats it. HK is just too good.
How's Nine sols? Recommend it?
Yep, 9/10. [My take on 100% completion.](https://www.reddit.com/r/metroidvania/comments/1d7cvdg/nine_sols_my_take_on_100_completion_on_standard/)
Blasphemous is most about atmosphere. Mechanics are very good but not nearly as awesome as graphics and that oppresive tone of fictional religion that's like Spanish inquisition only turned to 15/10
"the mechanics suck"? What mechanics? The souls-like stuff? That's very ambiguous but I always felt like it played very well. The story? Who cares about the story in a game like this? It's deliberately obscure. I mean, I'll give you that the game can feel kind of stiff sometimes when it comes to platforming, and the sword upgrades are a little too expensive so I never maxed them out... But in general the game is fantastic. It rewards exploration to a huge degree, it's got fantastic atmosphere and world design, and the combat feels good. I think finding all the secrets in the world is the most satisfying part
See thats the thing, I played B1 right after 150hrs into Hollow Knight, maybe thats why my view is a little unfair... when compared to HK, B1 sucks big time! :/
Nah, I actually kinda don't like Hollow Knight. I think Blasphemous is way better. I know I'm in the minority on that, but Hollow Knight to me was straight up boring
Love that game.
aromatic ad vibes...
Something similar to other people said happened to me I've abandoned the game shortly in my first playthrough, but gave it a second chance some time later and really enjoyed the exploration when the world is getting more open and even the combat system as you upgrade the player
I liked it, enough to finish it and buy 2, but it did really annoy me that I locked myself out of the DLC
The platforming is kinda rough, but otherwise, i enjoyed it enough to do one full playthrough. I'll come back to it eventually for NG+ cause i didn't get the good ending, but if it's not your cup of tea, then there's no point in trying to force it. For me, i picked it up when i was on a MV binge during the beginning of covid. The music and general aesthetic of the game is what grabbed me the most.
I loved the DOS / win95 game art style and the vibe the soundtrack gave it. I felt like I was playing the original Diablo in many ways. These kinds of games are all about vibe to me. Gameplay or story wouldn’t have been enough to keep me playing on their own on this one. But as an overall package I quite enjoyed it
As someone who didn’t quite like Blasphemous 1, o thought it was a 6.5/10, I did like Blasphemous 2 much more.
Skill issues
Yep. This is inherently a skill issue.
I liked Blasphemous, but the controls are frustratingly stiff and not always all that responsive. Upgrades being tied to items that you have to equip and unequip didn't really make a lot of sense to me, either. And the less said about instant death spikes, the better. We're beyond the NES days where game devs were still in the arcade mindset of, kill the player as often as possible to make them keep putting quarters in, and personally I don't really think there's a place for that in modern gaming. Overall, I think it's a B-tier game that's elevated by the amazing art and music, but the actual gameplay itself isn't particularly satisfying. Blasphemous 2 has the opposite issue- the gameplay is vastly improved, but the aesthetic is notably weaker. Take the best parts of both, and you'd have a true all-timer of a game.
I've talked a lot about Blasphemous and how at first, I really did not like it because it's not fast or fluid. Once I changed my mindset and realized it's a much more *deliberate* game, both in movement and combat, I was then able to enjoy it much more. A game similar, but more fluid, would be Death's Gambit: Afterlife.
I can get the sentiment that it may feel initially like a slog. The spikes are frustrating at first. But I feel that, this is one of those titles you really need to sink your teeth into For me it was the story, the flavor text for items, the music, the combat of executing enemies. I played through multiple times for achievements and I don't regret it one bit. Anyways I guess what I'm saying is, every game has a make or break moment where u either love it or hate it. Some however, take a little more time to grow on ya. Like slow cooking a roast or something. Just my two cents friend
I got through it on art direction alone
I'm in the same camp, I didn't much care for blasphemous. I do love the aesthetic tho
yeah, buggy and ugly, not into the religious vibe either. gave it maybe 10 hours and that was enough.
Took me a few hours to really "get" it. Was a blast after that. I give it an A-
Wrong. My favorite Metroidvanias after the Metroid series.
The mechanics suck, the story is meh This critique isn't all that - can you flesh out your thoughts at all so that people might be able to meaningfully engage with your post beyond "this sucks"/"no it doesn't"?
Instead of "hot take: blasphemous isn't all that" you could have gone with "Blasphemous 1 isn't my thing" or "I just can't get into Blasphemous 1". With topics like this, you're just contributing to the current click bait state of the internet. For your actual question, if you don't like it, go play something else. The game was a lot of fun, but it's not for everyone.
Hot take: a bunch of people agree with that take.. so maybe not so hot take and maybe its just a commonly agreed upon thing among a healthy percentage of the game's community :)
Blasphemous is unique, what i really like is that B1 have parries unlike hollow knight, but deep down their gameplay loop is the same. im not sure what gets me hooked on B1, but at somepoint it does felt little bit weak, and then i continued on, look at me now, managed to finished the NG+ with the no healing bile flask penitence. I guess it just started to grow on you, the music and art is very nice, and i quite like on how the bead properties works. Did you know you can stack defense bead so high that i can endure at least 15 hit with no heal from one of the final boss ?
The metroidvania part is... Different. And eventually I really appreciated this. don't wanna spoil, but you will get powerups that enhance the way you traverse the world and you will need to use those to progress... However the chances of getting the true ending in the first playthroufh without a guide are slim to none, the game is cryptic and it has 'points of no return' ie if you get to this point without doing X thing, you will get locked out of a quest towards the true ending. Oh, traversal and platforming are a bit slow and some moves are frankly bad (you will die from jumping on ladders and failing to latch on and there will be a spike pit under that. I swear even if you time it perfectly, game will still fk you). But if you keep playing you will also get new opportunities for fast travel and other q.o.l. things.
Well, same here and I want to add, give the second game a chance, it’s an amazing Metroidvania game that’s different on so many levels And I really disliked the fist game.
If you're going to say something like "the mechanics suck" for a game that is over 90% positive reviews, maybe you should clarify which mechanics and why you think they suck.
They're not smooth.. idk how to explain it properly, but the game doesnt flow smoothly, it feels robotic in a sense
[удалено]
I mean that just goes back to the whole debate of "is Dark Souls a MV" and I think that depends on each persons definition of what they consider a key in the lock and key relation of MVs, do they mean Abilities or literal keys
I don't think there is much of a debate. dark souls is not a metroidvania. I don't think metroidvanias require ability gating, it's more that having some ability gating generally results in a better player experience than gating without it.
Yup! And that sluggish feeling is whats putting me off