Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew

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Critics Recommend

Average Score

Total Reviews: 31

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Shadow Gambit is a phenomenal character-driven stealth action and tactics game, featuring a charming setting and story, and mechanics that encourage varied approaches to combat.

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Critics Recommend

Critic Reviews: 31

Critics Consensus

# Reviews: 31

Shadow Gambit is a phenomenal character-driven stealth action and tactics game, featuring a charming setting and story, and mechanics that encourage varied approaches to combat.

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Awards & Recognition

Critic Reviews for Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew

Critic Reviews

Score Distribution

31

Reviews

Average Score - 86/100

86%

Ranges

95/100

Ron Burke (GamingTrend)

With innumerable improvements to the formula, Mimimi has delivered another hit. Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew is a wonderful tactical title with an even better story than its predecessors. This is the formula perfected.

August 16, 2023 |

Full Review

Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew is a bountiful blend of stealth, strategy, and swashbuckling.

August 16, 2023 |

Full Review

9/10

Steve Watts (GameSpot)

10/10

Mick Fraser (God is a Geek)

Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew is simply the best example of the genre MiMiMi helped create.

August 16, 2023 |

Full Review

Ron Burke (GamingTrend)

95/100 - (Read Review)

Steve Watts (GameSpot)

9/10 - (Read Review)

Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew is a bountiful blend of stealth, strategy, and swashbuckling.

Mick Fraser (God is a Geek)

10/10 - (Read Review)

Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew is simply the best example of the genre MiMiMi helped create.

**Read all 31 critic reviews on the desktop version of VSG.

Read the Reviews (31 total)

Outlet	Author	Score	Date	Quote	Read
33bits	Fernando Sánchez	92 / 100	08-17-2023	Blasphemous 2 takes the best of Blasphemous and takes it to a new level. With structural changes that pivot towards a more “metroidvania” oriented experience, The Game Kitchen offers us a worthy sequel that improves what the first installment offered us without renouncing the hallmarks represented by its art and its imagery as beautiful as terrifying. A sequel more than worthy, necessary.	Read review
3DNews	Денис Щенников	9 / 10	08-19-2023	Blasphemous 2 is great work on mistakes and just an excellent adventure, full secrets and mysteries.	Read review
AnaitGames	Víctor Manuel Martínez García	9 / 10	08-18-2023	The Game Kitchen gets it right with the new features when it comes to building a sequel that learns from the first Blasphemous to improve everything they did back in 2019.	Read review
Attack of the Fanboy	J.R. Waugh	4.5 / 5 stars	08-17-2023	The battles are tough but fair, the magic and parrying system is satisfying, the weapon system caters to different playstyles, and the Liturgical Horror visuals are hauntingly beautiful.	Read review
BaziCenter	Farzan Mihanzadeh	8.5 / 10	08-18-2023	Priced at a decent $30 and the size of only 2GB, Blasphemous 2 offers well over 20 hours of Metroidvania Action, and for those who are patient and are willing to learn and explore, it’s a must buy.	Read review
But Why Tho?	Abdul Saad	9 / 10	08-17-2023	Blasphemous II is a fantastic game that meets expectations as a fan of the first game and leaves the player satisfied and engaged throughout.	Read review
CGMagazine	Andrew Farrell	8.5 / 10	08-17-2023	Blasphemous 2 is another excellent Metroidvania that’s quite different from its predecessor in a number of ways, even if it doesn’t quite manage to supersede it overall.	Read review
Checkpoint Gaming	Tom Quirk	8.5 / 10	08-13-2023	Blasphemous 2 is a truly stand-out Metroidvania that is an easy recommendation for fans of the original and newcomers alike. From its detailed and fluid animations to its wide assortment of gameplay improvements, Blasphemous 2 is everything a sequel to the already-strong Blasphemous should be. Although it isn’t as consistently challenging as its formidable art direction and clear Soulslike influence would suggest, the core experience of Blasphemous 2 is still something fans of 2D platformers and Metroidvania exploration are sure to greatly appreciate.	Read review
Chicas Gamers	Álvaro Bustío	Recommended	08-17-2023	Blasphemous 2 offers us a new adventure of the Penitent where a large part of its original formula is respected, although adding many new elements that make this sequel feel like a new and refreshing product. A highly recommended adventure that has exceeded the expectations of its first part, offering us a new challenging, addictive and charming adventure that, although it borrows many ideas and concepts from other games of this style such as Hollow Knight, Metroid or even Castlevania , manages to possess its own lore as well as its own personality. A journey to enjoy playing through an exquisite and well-thought-out mapping, original and entertaining to explore in equal parts, whose only defects may be the occasional difficulty peaks of some final bosses or not knowing where to go at certain moments of the game. adventure. Special mention of its careful artistic aspect as well as its magnificent pixel art, at the height of its predecessor, in an adventure that can easily take you 14 hours to finish it for its bad ending and some more if we want to get 100% of it. In conclusion, if you liked Blasphemous, do not hesitate to play its sequel, since you will not be disappointed.	Read review
COGconnected	Mark Steighner	84 / 100	08-17-2023	Blasphemous 2 is a very challenging game but by and large, it’s a fair one, too. Timing, persistence, and the ability to read patterns — not brute force — are the only keys to making it out the other side. In terms of level design and weapon variety, it’s a step forward from the first game. If you enjoyed Blasphemous, the sequel will feel both familiar and surprising in equal measure.	Read review
Cultured Vultures	Mike Worby	8.5 / 10	08-17-2023	Though Blasphemous 2 lacks the wow factor of the first game, it does smooth out its edges to the point where it feels like a tighter, more fluid experience.	Read review
Destructoid	Timothy Monbleau	8.5 / 10	08-17-2023	Anyone who likes Metroidvanias should absolutely make time for Blasphemous 2. Aside from an underwhelming final act, I had nearly consistent fun with this one from start to finish. From the gorgeous visuals to the customizable combat, your journey as the Penitent One will be filled with steady highs and only occasional lows. It’s a great sequel, a great game, and just a great time in general. If you were a fan of Blasphemous, you’re in for a treat with Blasphemous 2.	Read review
Digital Trends	Giovanni Colantonio	3.5 / 5 stars	08-17-2023	Blasphemous 2 doesn’t break any new ground for the Metroidvania genre, but it delivers a holy trinity of important genre staples: rewarding exploration, top-notch boss design, and deep secrets. Those strengths are balanced out by a slew of sins, as tedious backtracking and some eye-rolling sacrilege make for a tough trial that’ll sift out the non-believers from the devotees.	Read review
Expansive	Jay Jones	8 / 10	08-18-2023	Blasphemous 2 is a bold, bloody, brilliant sequel that betters everything that came before it. The Game Kitchen have polished, refined, and re-energised this franchise, crafting a fantastically unique and compelling souls-like, metroidvania that may just be one of the best things Team 17 have ever published.	Read review
Game Informer	Brian Shea	8.8 / 10	08-17-2023	At several points in my lengthy journey through the Gothic delight that is Blasphemous 2, I worried the monstrous foe in front of me would spell an end to my journey. But without these frequent frustrations, the triumphs wouldn’t be as great. Blasphemous 2 takes inspiration from those that came before it, but by intertwining a gorgeous art style, enticing exploration, and rewarding combat, it rises above the horde of Castlevania-inspired action titles.	Read review
Gameblog	KiKiToes	8 / 10	08-17-2023	Blasphemous 2 is a success. If you enjoyed the first trip, here you will love this new pilgrimage.	Read review
GameGrin	Conor McGuigan	7.5 / 10	08-17-2023	Though steeped in stunning artwork and illuminated by its intriguing lore, Blasphemous 2 is ultimately a paint-by-numbers Metroidvania title that is occasionally more frustrating than it is fun.	Read review
GameMAG	Unknown	7 / 10	08-17-2023	Blasphemous 2 is a safe and competently-made sequel with a cool looking visual style, aimed at any fans of good metroidvanias. Just be sure to play it in short bursts, otherwise you’ll risk burning yourself out with overall simplicity and all too familiar tropes of the genre as a whole.	Read review
GameSpot	Richard Wakeling	9 / 10	08-17-2023	With robust combat, improved traversal, and a return to the series’ surreal art style and fascinating world-building, Blasphemous 2 is a triumphant sequel.	Read review
GamesRadar+	Joe Donnelly	4.5 / 5 stars	08-17-2023	“Easily the game’s crowning features, Blasphemous 2’s blockbuster boss showdowns are spectacular affairs, sometimes bizarre and always brutal.”	Read review
GamingTrend	Noah Rigsby	80 / 100	08-17-2023	Blasphemous 2 continues the achievements set by its predecessor while adding three new ways to fight. Not straying outside the lines, Blaspehmous 2 is simply more Blasphemous at the end of the day.	Read review
Geek Culture	Jake Su	8.5 / 10	08-17-2023	It is clear to see that Blasphemous 2 is an excellent sequel which addresses many of the issues that plagued the debut game. The combat retains its tactical and methodical nature but amps it up with improved mechanics and the breadth of customisation available to players. Similarly, exploration is even more enjoyable this time around, with environmental puzzles doing their part. Combine all of that with the stunning pixel art visuals, and you have a great time ahead of you, even if the storytelling can be a tad ostentatious.	Read review
Generación Xbox	Frank Montes	9.3 / 10	08-17-2023	Up to this point it is quite clear that this is no ordinary continuation; The number two is not just an indication of a simple sequel. This time we find that Blasphemous II is more and better than its first installment, as we have seen in each of its sections, standing out in all of them and raising the bar of quality to exorbitant levels.	Read review
God is a Geek	Mick Fraser	9 / 10	08-17-2023	Blasphemous 2 is a bold step up for The Game Kitchen, and somehow manages to feel both familiar and brand new.	Read review
GRYOnline.pl	Karol Laska	7 / 10	08-17-2023	Blasphemous 2 is a really cool metroidvania, a full-fledged 2D soulslike and simply a good game with appealing pixel-art. It pulls you in and is able to keep the experience fresh.	Read review
Hobby Consolas	Álvaro Alonso	88 / 100	08-17-2023	Blasphemous 2 surpasses its predecessor in everything, thus becoming a new jewel of Spanish development and one of the best metroidvania of recent years. It is an authentic work of art that we never tire of contemplating, listening to and, above all, playing. Praise the Miracle and praise be to The Game Kitchen.	Read review
IGN	Travis Northup	8 / 10	08-17-2023	Blasphemous 2 is an orthodox Metroidvania with style, creepy bosses, and a gloriously gross return to Cvstodia.	Read review
IGN Italy	Alessandra Borgonovo	8.6 / 10	08-17-2023	A sequel that first of all thinks about smoothing out the previous imperfections, before offering a series of very well implemented innovations overall.	Read review
IGN Spain	Mario Seijas	9 / 10	08-17-2023	Blasphemous 2 takes the essence of the first game and elevates it to a new level. Challenging but fair, graphically simple but visually stunning. It is a sequel made with care and respect, that any fan of the format will find tremendously satisfying.	Read review
LevelUp	Santiago Villicaña	9 / 10	08-17-2023	Blasphemous 2 really nails the sequel formula: it beefs up the gameplay, expands the world and all its hidden goodies, and keeps you hooked to give it another shot. In this game, every bit of effort you put in pays off.	Read review
Metro GameCentral	Steve Boxer	8 / 10	08-24-2023	A significant improvement on the original and undoubtedly the best 2D Soulslike game so far, with a macabre and imaginative style all of its own.	Read review
Nintendo Life	PJ O’Reilly	9 / 10	08-17-2023	Blasphemous 2 sticks with the exquisitely dark and gory style of its predecessor whilst building on the core combat and improving upon the platforming we saw the first time around. The Game Kitchen could have served us up more of the same and we’d have been perfectly happy. However, they’ve made meaningful upgrades here, with deeper and more satisfying combat and three upgradable weapon sets that combine perfectly with environmental puzzling that feels more cohesive and fluid overall. The Penitent One’s return to Cvstodia is an absolute banger.	Read review
NintendoWorldReport	Alex Orona	8 / 10	08-17-2023	The customization is substantial and the story brings even more rich lore to this world. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Cvstodia and plan on going back to 100% it, after I’ve had a bit of a break. Thank the miracle, this game rules.	Read review
NoobFeed	Jay Claassen	90 / 100	08-18-2023	Blasphemous 2 is yet another masterwork from The Game Kitchen and a brilliant sequel to Blasphemous. With the mountain of strange lore and even stranger things to fight against, you’ll find yourself coming back for more each time and trying even harder to get to the next part of your adventure.	Read review
PCGamesN	Nat Smith	7 / 10	08-17-2023	Blasphemous 2 is a well-constructed but ultimately conventional Metroidvania, and while it still delivers on holy grotesquerie and striking visuals, the end result is a sequel that feels markedly smaller in scope.	Read review
PlayStation LifeStyle	Michael Leri	7 / 10	08-17-2023	Blasphemous 2 is more ambitious than its predecessor with its fleshed-out swordplay and cleaner dedication to the search action genre. And while these additions give Blasphemous 2 more of an identity, they also give it more room to stumble. Said deeper combat is sticky and held back by its dedication to being adjacent to the soulslike genre. Its narrative tries to broaden the game’s world but suffers because of its lack of a solid recap and overreliance on cryptic storytelling. It’s an artistically sublime world but seemingly pays penitence with its uneven gameplay.	Read review
PlayStation Universe	Garri Bagdasarov	9 / 10	08-17-2023	It’s always great to see a sequel improve on the original while keeping the spirit of the original alive. I loved my time in the crazy world of Blasphemous 2, with plenty of secrets to find and great combat that keeps you on your toes. Though its story could be a little more cohesive, it doesn’t take much away from the overall product. Blasphemous 2 is easily one of the best indie titles of the year.	Read review
Polygon	Paulo Kawanishi	Recommended	08-17-2023	In the end, Blasphemous 2 is a strong union of narrative and function. Its gloomy world is full of nooks and crannies to explore, and its inhabitants have compelling stories to tell. Its boss fights — arguably the biggest piece of twine — may be frayed, but the slick mechanics and biting themes more than make up for any weakness in the braid.	Read review
PSX Brasil	Marco Aurélio Couto	85 / 100	08-17-2023	Blasphemous 2 retains the core elements of the first game, but improves them with the addition of new combat, movement, and exploration mechanics. A must-play game for fans of Soulsvania games.	Read review
Push Square	Simon Fitzgerald	9 / 10	08-17-2023	Blasphemous 2 takes the foundations of its well-received predecessor and builds upon it in all the right ways. Tweaking combat to make it faster, smoother, and more accurate, removing insta-death scenarios to make platforming more manageable, and packing the game full to the brim with secrets and collectibles. The great attention to detail in the presentation and high level of polish make Blasphemous 2 a delightfully memorable experience that players will look back on fondly for years to come.	Read review
Rectify Gaming	Henry	8.8 / 10	08-17-2023	The Game Kitchen has created a captivating and hauntingly beautiful experience that stands as a testament to the artistry and creativity of indie game development. Blasphemous 2 is a worthy sequel to its predecessor and a must play for anyone that’s a fan of Souls-like Metroidvanias.	Read review
Rock, Paper, Shotgun	Matt Cox	Recommended	08-17-2023	A fittingly punishing mashup of Metroidvania and Dark Souls, with lovely animations of many not-so-lovely things. Just make sure you actively track down the Chalice woman, and other hidden quality of life boosters.	Read review
Shacknews	Nicholas Tan	8 / 10	08-17-2023	Blasphemous 2 is a solid sequel that improves upon its predecessor by being truer to its Metroidvania inspirations. It refines the concept of the original game by mixing classic platforming with more modern Soulslike themes. The combat and platforming aren’t ground-breaking, relying a lot on backtracking and collectibles, but the difficulty level generally strikes a fine balance between being challenging and fair. Along with a wonderful art style and spirited music, the game makes blaspheming a reason worth fighting for.	Read review
SpazioGames	Domenico Musicò	7.9 / 10	08-17-2023	Blasphemous 2 is a sequel that knows how to improve a brilliant concept, previously held back by a dull combat system and a under-developed skill system. The art in the game and the monster design shine less in this second chapter of the series, but variety is now assured.	Read review
TechRaptor	Joe Allen	7.5 / 10	08-17-2023	Blasphemous 2’s arresting religious imagery and massive world help to offset its rote boss design and confusingly pretentious narrative.	Read review
The Games Machine	Nicholas Mercurio	9 / 10	08-17-2023	Blasphemous 2 is an incredible dark journey within Christian mythology, but it’s not just that: it’s the evolution of a brilliant and satisfying play structure, capable of involving and exciting. A metroidvania to have.	Read review
TheSixthAxis	Steve C	9 / 10	08-17-2023	I thoroughly enjoyed my time back with The Penitent One and would heartily recommend it both to fans of the original and newcomers alike. There are enough changes to make it feel like a new title whilst still having continuity in setting and aesthetic.	Read review
Use a Potion	Unknown	9.5 / 10	08-17-2023	Blasphemous 2 is absolutely brilliant, with the game maintaining the core mechanics that made its predecessor so good whilst evolving upon the combat in a deep and strategic way. Alternating between weapons always feels satisfying, whether that’s when strategically switching up when facing off against a hulking enemy or utilising their unique traversal methods, whilst simply exploring the beautiful yet haunting world and discovering all of its secrets is just as tantalising as before.	Read review
WayTooManyGames	Heidi Hawes	9 / 10	08-17-2023	Blasphemous 2 is a brilliant follow-up to its iconic predecessor. The combat has been improved from the original, and features new weapons and skills to better customize the gameplay to different playstyles.	Read review

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Game Info

Game Description / Storyline:

Welcome to the Lost Caribbean! In this stealth strategy game, join a ghost ship with a living soul and assemble a cursed pirate crew. Embrace magical powers to defy the menacing army of the Inquisition, who stands between you and the mysterious treasure of the legendary Captain Mordechai.

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