Cuphead

Genre: Action-Platformer

Players: 1-2 Co-Op (Local)

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Review:

Cuphead is an action-platforming game in the vein of games like Contra and Metal Slug where you’re blasting through waves of enemies with endless hails of bullets. However, what really sets this game apart is its presentation, which uses exquisitely-animated hand-drawn characters to make this game look like an old-timey Mickey Mouse-style cartoon.

I really have to hit home just how fantastic this game looks – every character is wonderfully detailed, expressive, and fluidly animated, almost as if the folks who made this game painted the characters directly on cels like they used to do back in the day. And this presentation is coupled with music, sound effects and an overall presentation that seems straight out of an century-old animation.

The gameplay has a few interesting elements too, such as the ability to outfit your character with custom items you earn to play them in a style more suited to you, and a counter move you can activate by pressing the jump button at the right time. However, it was a bit disappointing that this move is limited in use (you can only counter pink items for some reason), and mainly intended as a way to score bonus points at the end of the stage, which cuts down on its utility drastically.

Oh, and i would be remiss if I didn’t mention that this game is extremely difficult – you will be dying a lot. Thankfully, for the most part getting past a tough enemy is just a matter of memorization and pattern recognition, and enemies generally do a pretty good job of telegraphing attacks.

In the end, Cuphead is a really good action-platformer that’s elevated to something special with its truly phenomenal presentation. There’s nothing else out there that looks like this game, and if you have the patience and determination to deal with its high difficulty, it’s a game that absolutely must be experienced.

tl;dr – Cuphead is an Action-Platformer like Contra and Metal Slug where you’re firing tons of bullets and dodging enemy attacks, but what really makes this game special is its absolutely gorgeous hand-drawn animation and its high difficulty level. Not to be missed.

Grade: A-

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This game has been nominated for one or more of eShopperReviews 2019 Game Awards:

Runner-Up: Best Graphical Style, Best Action Game

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