DISCLAIMERS:
- the reviewer has not finished the game with 100% completion
- the game was played on the Xbox One S using the version of the game intended for United States audiences
Chad and Jared Moldenhauer’s 2017 game Cuphead is among the biggest indie phenomenons in recent years. Cuphead‘s art style, inspired by cartoons of the 1930s, is most certainly the reason for this. Cuphead (or Mugman for the secondary player) is the name of the main character of the game, The reviewer will try to avoid being overly enamored by Cuphead‘s art style in this review.
[spacer height=”20px”]
Cuphead is a self-described “classic run and gun” that involves a multitude of boss fights with some (2D) platforming sections in between. Some of these boss fights do not follow the “classic run and gun” formula and are instead play like classic shoot ’em ups. These boss fights and platforming sections give Cuphead a good variety. Cuphead (and Mugman) also get a variety of different weapons and abilities that work well in different situations and add to the game’s variety.
[spacer height=”20px”]
Cuphead can be a rather challenging game. Unfortunately, this often feels like it is not the player’s fault, due to the constantly and rapidly changing situations Cuphead (and Mugman) find themselves in. This is not helped by Cuphead‘s use of random patterns, that often include entirely different situations for Cuphead (and Mugman) to deal with. These random behaviors can make the player feel that a boss’ randomly selected behaviors were the determining factors in their performance in the game. Because of this, Cuphead will likely only be beaten through a process of trial and error, rather than the through the player becoming more skilled at the game’s mechanics as a whole.
[spacer height=”20px”]
One frustration with Cuphead‘s controls is that the player would expect the D-pad to be the most effective way to control Cuphead’s (and Mugman’s) movement, but, at least on the Xbox One’s standard controller, the analog stick is the superior option. This is because something about Cuphead‘s programming makes running while aiming upwards difficult to execute with the D-pad, but easily done using the analog stick. The reviewer found the rest of Cuphead‘s controls to function well, with many options for configuration if the player does not prefer the standard control scheme
[spacer height=”20px”]
The reviewer found the game’s performance to be essentially flawless on the Xbox One S, running at a smooth 60 FPS. The game does run at a seemingly disappointing resolution of 720p, but the player will likely not realize the resolution is that low without learning about it online. Graphically, Cuphead looks fantastic. The 1930s cartoon art style makes the game standout among the popular pixel art style of many other indie 2D games. The technical achievements of Cuphead are its greatest achievements.
[spacer height=”20px”]
The music in Cuphead emulates the style the player would expect given the 1930s cartoon art style. It is all quality music, with one song in particular even accidentally emulating the classic Athletic Theme from Super Mario World. The game does not feature voice acting in general, as one would expect given its inspiration of 1930s cartoons, but there is some music that features it and it is executed well. Cuphead‘s music is one of its greatest qualities.
[spacer height=”20px”]
The plot of Cuphead is nothing spectacular. The game has a simple premise and does not challenge the player emotionally or intellectually. The story that is there is adequately motivating and fits the game’s genre well. The world of Cuphead is not particularly developed but what is there is well executed.
[spacer height=”20px”]
The value of Cuphead will depend on the type of person playing it. People who are able to quickly adapt to the challenges Cuphead throws at the player might find the game too short, and other may find the game to be very lengthy or even impossible due to their inability to adapt to those challenges. Beyond the portion of the game required to see the credits roll, Cuphead also provides harder difficulties and collectables for players who want to further master the game. The reviewer finds the cheap starting price of Cuphead to not be too large of an investment for a player who is willing to commit to the game and give an honest attempt at beating it. The game also goes on sale often so one may want to wait for a sale if they are skeptical about the game’s value.
[spacer height=”20px”]
Overall the reviewer would give the game an 8 out of 10.
[spacer height=”20px”]
If you decide to purchase this game through one of the links below this blog will receive a commission.
[spacer height=”20px”]
