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Blasphemous II would have always had big shoes to fill. It would always have to have been ambitious. When I think back to the 20+ hours I’ve already spent in this game, I can wholeheartedly say the successor to Blasphemous is bigger than the boots it needed to fill. The ambition, rather than stifling the developers, has led them to produce a game of such exquisite quality that it is easily one of the best games of 2023.

Aside from its impressive hand-drawn animation, Curse of the Sea Rats is at its best a mediocre game that does little to stand out from the innumerable alternatives. At its worst, it’s tedious, grating, and unfun. Maybe if you love traditional animation and rats you’ll find something to enjoy here, but I’d wait for a discount before considering Curse of the Sea Rats.

The simple things here are just okay, though they’re fairly standard. On the whole, and whilst I can’t quite put my finger on it, something feels stale with Aeterna Noctis — “Limp” even. What makes metroidvania’s so fun is not merely the challenge but the pace, reward, and sense of impact your upgrades give you. Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, Aeterna Noctis tipped the scales heavily in favor of repetitive challenge that rarely feels rewarding to overcome.