Cuphead Review
With the modern day video game market filled to the brim with games featuring hyper-realistic graphics, it has fallen upon indie developers to create games with different and interesting graphics. This is where Studio MDHR decided to step in and create a game based off of cartoons from the 1930’s. But, good graphics can only get a game so far. So, does Cuphead reach the bar set by its graphics, or is it just a pretty piece of garbage?
Story
The story of Cuphead feels almost like an episode of an old cartoon, fitting for the style of the game. Cuphead and his brother Mugman wander into the Devil’s casino and start gambling. Somehow, they win enough to attract the attention of the Devil himself. The Devil says that if Cuphead wins, he can have the Devil’s casino, but if the Devil wins, he gets Cuphead’s and Mugman’s souls. They lose, but the Devil makes a deal with them. If they can get back the soul contracts of the other people that owe him debts, they can have their souls back.
Gameplay
Cuphead is not an easy game. Don’t let the fun graphics fool you, this game is difficult. However, this difficulty isn’t unfair like many modern games. Cuphead will have you die a lot, but you always learn from the deaths. You learn how to avoid the obstacle or attack that killed you. It also helps that no stage should take longer than five minutes, meaning you can quickly get back to where you last were. Each boss you fight always has a certain set of attacks they can do, with some variation in which the order of attacks will appear. This helps the player learn the attacks, so after a few tries, you can take out the boss with relative ease.
Presentation
Cuphead’s most notable feature is its graphics and music. That’s because it’s based off of old 1930’s cartoons like Merrie Melodies or Mickey Mouse, in both looks and sound. This is due to Cuphead being hand drawn, with tons of different animations for even the most miniscule background characters. This is apparent most obviously in the stages, but the overworld still looks great, with tons of great and unique backgrounds and sprites for characters. There are also smaller details that just help to really tie the game together, such as the simulated scratches on the film or the creative designs of each boss and their attacks.
Now, the music of Cuphead is outstanding, and that’s because it doesn’t feel like video game music, it sounds like it could be real music made in the 30’s. They’re best described as upbeat jazz, but that doesn’t give them enough credit. Just go listen to the soundtrack on YouTube, and you’ll know why I like it so much.
Final Thoughts
Cuphead is a refreshing game in an era where sequels, remakes, and cash grabs rule the gaming market. Its style alone makes it a great game to play, but the satisfaction you get after overcoming an extremely difficult boss just makes the game that much better.
