Cuphead
Developed and Published by Studio MDHR Entertainment Inc.
In good times and in bad times, there will always be a need for entertainment. With times like this, it’s a great time to go deep into the untouched archives and look at those games you haven’t really dived into completely. After a generous donation, I was gifted this title and now I’m dusting it off for a proper review. The title is 2017’s Cuphead.
The game itself is steeped in the imagery and sounds of the classic 1930s cartoons. Cuphead and his good friend Mugman get into a little trouble with gambling and The Devil. The only way to undo their deal with the Devil is to collect on the Soul Contracts that the Devil has already made by defeating those characters. With a Pea Shooter in hand, you need to jump, shoot, parry and dodge this menagerie of characters. Just playing through the first couple of levels you can see that while this looks simple, it is much deeper than that. The game play is deviously simple and challenging. Shoot the baddie, dodge their attacks, parry specials to gain extra energy, unleash massive attacks. Each character ends up having different forms or different abilities that it uses throughout your battle.
Defeating enemies gets you their Soul Contract and sometimes opportunities to gain coins that can be used to purchase items. Completely defeat all the baddies in one area and it unlocks another to continue the fight. The difficulty of the fights will vary and your skills will be tested at ever turn. This game will potentially drive you mad when you’re so close to defeating the boss and it gets one last lucky shot on you. I’ve seen many a streamer play this title and have some mild to severe frustration over this title in a good way.
Overall, Cuphead is a very solid title and not for the faint of heart. The graphics all together are magnificent. The rendering on the looks of the bosses is exceptional and the overall look makes for a very nostalgic look and gives the game a great warmth. The game play can feel a little repetitive however it gets over this point with the drive to combat these dastardly devils. The music and sounds that accompany the game bring an extra layer of depth and warmth to the game and are enjoyable. The difficulty of the title makes for a challenge and if you’re up for a challenging game, this one should draw you in.