Andreas J. Pratama

 

Blasphemous is a game released in 2019. Its dark tones and corrupt religious theme explored the darker side of the Miracle. Inspired by Catholic tradition of penitence as an act of self-purification, each of the character found in the game is both blessed and tormented at the same time by the Miracle. The lore of the game is best understood through studying the Medieval idea of mysticism, an act of witnessing or receiving divine grace.

Hildegard von Bingen a medieval scholar believed that many symbolisms found in the grand narrative of Catholicism was made to be understood allegorically. Many of the torments and misfortunes inflicted upon the self voluntarily or involuntarily are captured as meaningful signs of the divine. Thus, from this idea we may begin analyzing each of the character’s in the game.

The main character or the avatar of the player is the penitent one. A pilgrim clothed in armor and armed with the sword called “Mea Culpa” (I am guilty) which hurts the user as much as it inflicts pain upon the opponent due to its thorny handles. The penitent one as a character resembles his vow of silence and facelessness unidentified as a person by disabling identification of self, constantly disarmed of wants and always induced in pain. Through this husk, the player will journey through the world of Cvstodia a town ravaged by a twisted miracle. A miracle of divine retribution put exactly the reverse of what we are accustomed to. This perverse notion of miracle according to the developer simply highlights the darker part of history where obsession for a connection to God and His presence led people to take extreme measures of self-inflicting pain or take pride in having such appeared on the self (such as the stigmata or wounds of Christ)

The Next character “The Lady of Six Sorrows”, exhibits knives piercing through her bodies as a form of penitence which she accepted. This character came from inspiration of Mater Dolorosa who in Catholic tradition was made sanctified after her burden of sadness and griefs She had to endure in Her life. The character appears several times throughout the playthrough of the game to provide the player with blessings of increased hit point commonly referred to as health which therefore interwoven into a strong impact on its ludological purpose.

The last example of the character design visible and inspired from Catholic tradition is the Pieta by Michelangelo during the renaissance era. Despite the appearance similar to that of Christ laying on the Holy mother, this person sleeps unaware of his transformation, and shall return only to its human form when asleep. The penitence which he has to endure all the time of his constant pain and anger.

It is no doubt that many other characters in Blasphemous borrowed and visible epitomize the power of penitence a recurring theme resurfacing in history of Catholicism. A self-flagellation, the acceptance of pain, the visages of necropolis inhabitants, and the humbling of self before god is taken by the developer to be highlighted under its darker tones. This is the darker side of medieval imageries.