Forgive Me Father 2 on PS5 is a bloody, frantic, eldritch-filled ride that's held down by its performance issues.
I went into Forgive Me Father 2 without playing the first one, so I wasn't entirely sure what I was stepping into. Right away, it's clear that there is some sort of continuing story here, but the way it is delivered feels strange and, honestly, not all that easy to follow. You play as the Priest who seems to be haunted by voices, visions, and a looming cosmic entity. Sometimes he mutters to himself, sometimes he hears things whispering at him, and you often stumble across letters or notes scattered through the levels or back in your asylum hub. These are written by some mysterious figure and are supposed to piece together what's going on, but I never really connected with it. The story feels secondary, more like flavor text in the background rather than a driving force to push you forward. And you know what, that's fine, because this game shines brightest where it really matters, in its combat.
Forgive Me Father 2 is a boomer shooter through and through. The goal is simple, clear, and absolutely joyous: kill everything in your path with increasingly outrageous assortment of weapons. The early guns are standard fare, like a revolver, a knife for melee, a shotgun, an automatic rifle, and a grenade launcher. These handle as you'd expect, with chunky feedback and that satisfying burst of gore when they connect. But the real fun begins once you start unlocking the eldritch-inspired weaponry, because this is where the developers just went all-in on weirdness.
You can swap your revolver for a grotesque fish that fires spines at a ridiculous rate of fire, and it melts enemies in seconds. The shotgun can be replaced with a twisted, bone-covered beast of a weapon that tears through mobs in the most brutal way imaginable. The assault rifle has an upgrade that turns it into this horrifying hairy, eyeball-covered monstrosity that spits out bullets that actively home in on targets, drilling right through them. Then there's the Obelisk, a railgun-like thing that shoots slabs of rock with devastating impact. Every weapon feels unique, powerful, and dripping with eldritch horror flavor, and swapping between them is where the game hits peak fun. You start to look forward to each token you collect, just to see what bizarre creation you can unlock next.
The shooting itself is smooth and frantic, as any good boomer shooter should be. Enemies come at you in swarms, ranging from creepy cultists to abominations straight out of a Lovecraft nightmare. When you blast them, they explode in a shower of blood and chunky bits. It never gets old. You also have your Dark Tome, a sort of magical ability system that lets you equip up to three abilities at once. These can be active powers, like devastating area attacks, or passive buffs that give you survivability or utility. To use them, you need to fill up a bar during combat, and when it's ready, unleashing the Tome can often save you from being overwhelmed. It's another layer of strategy, and it gives you something to think about beyond just unloading shells.
On PS5, weapon switching is handled with a radial menu, and the game smartly slows down while you pick what you need. That little moment of breathing room is welcome, because Forgive Me Father 2 is fast, twitchy, and unforgiving at times. Playing a boomer shooter on a controller will always feel tougher than on a mouse and keyboard, but the developers included an aim-assist slider that helps tremendously. It makes the difference between frustration and flow, and dialing it to your comfort level is something I strongly recommend.
The asylum hub is another neat addition. Between levels, you return here to unlock new weapons, power up your Dark Tome, or just wander and absorb the unsettling atmosphere. It gives the game a little break from the chaos, while still dripping with mystery and mood. The asylum itself feels alive, with shadows, whispers and other patients that keep you unsettled. It's not necessarily a place you'll spend a ton of time in, but it does a good job of grounding the progression loop.
Visually, Forgive Me Father 2 goes for a very distinct style, and it nails it. The enemies, weapons, and effects are all rendered in a bold comic book style, essentially 2D cutouts that pop against the fully 3D environments. It looks like you're playing inside a graphic novel soaked in blood and madness, with sharp outlines and vibrant colors. Lighting is strong too, often painting the levels in eerie hues that amplify the horror mood. Whether you're in old abandoned buildings, ruined city streets, or a majestic cathedral, the visual design pulls you in with its unique flair.
Unfortunately, the presentation also comes with some technical drawbacks. On PS5, performance is inconsistent, borderline terrible at times. For the most part, the game runs well enough during quieter moments, but once smoke effects, particle effects, or when you are too close to the blood splatter, the framerate takes noticeable dives. Given how often those elements appear, especially smoke, this becomes a recurring problem that really hurts the flow of combat. It is especially frustrating in a game that demands precision, speed, and fluidity. I really hope a patch smooths this out soon, because the art style and chaos deserve to shine without being bogged down by stuttering performance.
Audio-wise, the game leans heavily into atmosphere. Guns sound weighty and vicious, enemies scream and gurgle with grotesque life, and ambient whispers constantly remind you that you're fighting against more than just flesh and blood. The soundtrack that picks up during the most intense moments is an absolute rage. It fits the dark mood and elevates the gameplay like the best shooter soundtracks do.
When everything is working as it should, Forgive Me Father 2 is an absolute blast. The joy of mowing down hordes of eldritch horrors with grotesque, imaginative weapons cannot be overstated. The combat feels crunchy, the gore is plentiful, and the art style makes the whole thing feel like a twisted graphic novel come to life. The Dark Tome abilities add depth, the asylum hub gives you progression, and the constant promise of unlocking a new nightmare weapon keeps you hooked.
On the downside, the story is confusing at best and forgettable at worst and the performance issues are glaring on PS5. But if you're in the market for a boomer shooter that leans heavily into Lovecraftian weirdness, Forgive Me Father 2 delivers where it counts. It may not be perfect, but when you're blasting away waves of monsters with a spine-spitting fish gun, perfection doesn't really matter. What matters is how fun and cathartic it feels, and in that regard, this game succeeds spectacularly. Thanks for reading!
The game was reviewed on a PS5 via a promo copy provided by the publisher. Forgive Me Father 2 is available on PS5, PC and Xbox Series.
