Developer: Studio MDHR Entertainment Inc.
Platforms: Xbox One (Reviewed), PC
Genre: Action, Indie
Published by: Studio MDHR Entertainment Inc.
Cuphead is a run and gun action indie game. The game is Inspired by cartoons of the 1930s. Games that are similar to Cuphead include Ori and the beast, Hat in Time, Mega Man and Gunstar Heroes.
Cuphead can be played both in singleplayer and multiplayer. If you are playing single player you play as the default character who is Cuphead and if you join up with a friend and play two players your friend is Cuphead’s brother, Mugman.
The story starts off with Cuphead and Mugman making their way through Inkwell Isle where they happen to take a wrong turn and end up at the Devil’s Casino. Cuphead and Mugman start playing in the casino where they win loads of times. Then the Devil shows up and makes a deal with Cuphead and Mugman. He says that if they win they get to keep all the loot and if they don’t the Devil gets to take their souls. Cuphead and Mugman loose making the Devil extremely happy. Cuphead and Mugman plead for the Devil to not take their souls and that there must be another way. The Devil tells them to collect the souls of the other runaway debtors in order for him to spare the lives of Cuphead and Mugman.
The controls to Cuphead can be easy to remember, but before starting the game you go through a tutorial that shows you all the different controls needed to take on all the bosses. You have controls that include shooting, jumping, parry, dash, and moving. Also, some of the default buttons can be annoying like for example when you are shooting and you need to dash the buttons are too close to each other on the controller making it hard to use efficiently. But you can change the controls and map the buttons any way you like.
The art style of Cuphead resembles that of a cartoon from the 1930s. The game itself feels like a cartoon. The design of each boss, monster, weapon, the level is extremely well designed. Each boss has its own different type of setting and a style which is very eye appealing. For example Beppi the Clown is one of the bosses you advance when taking on world two. The detail of the background, the roller coaster, balloons, Beppi himself is so well detailed it gives the game a sense of a real cartoon. This game has a very unique art style that isn’t present in many of the current games being released. The graphics are created in such a style as to make the whole Cuphead experience look like a 1930s cartoon.
The soundtrack choice of Cuphead is very classy and goes well with the game itself. The theme song for Cuphead is also very catchy it gives a great feeling when the game is booted and sets the tone for the game. Also, the same can be said for the music when facing King Dice as he has a very catchy song which gives the games a really good vibe. The music for each boss is also really good, for example when you go to Dijimmi the Great (The Genie) on world 2, the music resembles the genie himself. Also, when listening to the music when playing Cuphead makes you want to dance a bit because the soundtrack has a great Jazz vibe to it.
In Cuphead there are three worlds in total which end with a finale world. You go through each world playing a few ( 2 – 3 ) run and gun levels where you get coins to upgrade your weapons from the shop. There also is no specific order in how you choose to do each level or boss. Each boss also has a difficulty option where you can choose either simple or regular. Playing in simple is like practice to defeat the boss whereas if you beat the boss in Regular you get its soul and get to move onwards.
Cuphead is a great game to play. The game looks like a cartoon and is very fun to play. Sometimes it can be frustrating because most of the bosses are pretty hard to beat but practice always makes things perfect, especially in this game. It takes a while to beat each boss but it’s definitely worth it.
In order to get away from the Devil himself, collect all the soul contracts, make your way to King Dice, as well as the Devil. Defeat all the runaway debtors, upgrade your weapons and supers then head back home to Elder Kettle with your souls not taken.
Overall: 9/10
This is S & S. We are world game explorers. We play games. We have played over 10,000+ games! We travel, we write reviews AND we play more games!!!!
