Cuphead (2017)

This game is a run-and-gun indie gem that immediately stands out thanks to its striking 1930s cartoon art style. Every frame is hand-drawn and paired with a lively jazz and ragtime soundtrack, making the game feel like you’re playing inside an old animated short. This level of craftsmanship gives it a unique identity that very few games have achieved, and this is especially awesome for people that lived this era in cartoon history, with characters such as the Disney ones from the Mickey universe.

As for the gameplay, it is focused on intense boss battles, sprinkled with some platforming stages. Each boss has multiple phases, with unpredictable and creative attacks that keep you on your toes. The controls are responsive and precise, which is crucial because the game is notoriously difficult. Success often comes after many failed attempts, making victories especially satisfying. While the formula is not particularly unique and original, it is masterfully executed, the bosses and stages are very memorable and you'll for sure know what you are facing even after lots of subsequent plays.

The difficulty, however, can be polarizing, some players will find the relentless challenge frustrating, while others will appreciate it as a test of patience and skill, particularly I enjoyed it's hard nature since I'm inclined to these kinds of games. The game does offer a “Simple” mode, but full completion requires taking on the standard, more punishing versions of bosses. Overall, Cuphead is more than just a tough game, it’s a work of art, its blend of retro aesthetics, tight gameplay, and rewarding challenge makes it one of the most memorable indie releases of the last decade.

This is a visually stunning, musically vibrant, and brutally challenging run-and-gun that’s perfect if you enjoy mastering difficult games. I got to admit that I've never finished the DLC but I highly recommend doing so, there is no excuse, is more content for people who enjoyed it. But it won't win you over, quite the contrary, it is a much more difficult content compared to the base game, I couldn't beat the final boss for example. Another standout is the coop experience, which I could only manage to play the DLC, but not the base game. This is truly one of the best games I've ever played, to the same level of other videogame classics, don't sleep on this.

The Dark Souls of sidescrolling platformers! Jokes aside, this game is incredible. It won't be for everyone, as it is fairly mechanically demanding (a games journalist couldn't get past the tutorial! I slipped in another joke - sorry!), but if you have the mental fortitude to beat your head against the wall until you succeed, this game is amazing. The art style is amazing, but it's taken to the next level with the audio also being "low quality" as it was back in the 30'ies/40'ies/50'ies.

Can't wait to play the DLC!

I've been meaning to play this for a bit.

When they say this game is difficult, they aren't kidding. I'm a veteran of many a challenging timing based experience and this game kicked me up and down the street for some time. Granted, it follows patterns and you can learn them (usually. sometimes it just messes with you and you have to cope)

The core experience is a series of boss fights, and a few sort of platforming style levels where you just dodge enemies and try to survive your way through. it's a gunner style (run and gun they call it) (like an adorable contra). You can dash, jump, shoot in all directions, and obtain upgrades to use different shooting styles to cope with what comes (for example one that chases the enemy but sacrifices some damage, for hard to reach targets).

This game looks amazing. every last bit is hand drawn to perfection and it keeps up the 1950's cartoon style with everything. I don't even like the style, but I had to admit it's perfectly done.

The boss fights are a thrill. A miserable, hair pulling thrill. They are a constant challenge and each one goes through multiple phases with over the top animations and styles. just witnessing what this game has is a joy, over and over.

This isn't my kind of game, though i appreciate the challenge. It's comprised of parts that aren't what I look for in a game. But I have to admit everything about the experience is solid, well done, flawless. This is a very excellent game. Short, padded only with the struggle to succeed, but that's fine. There is some added challenge to perfecting your runs or doing them in alternate ways. There are plenty of secrets to discover. I must admit that it deserves a recommendation.

So...is Cuphead just NOT actually that challenging or am I just EXTREMELY good at platformers of all kinds? Cause I don't understand the generalization that it's "soul crushing difficult". I mean, it can be tough at times, but not like the internet as made it sound like it is.

I'm going back right now and trying to A+ all the bosses, or as many as I can anyway, just for the hell of it and, man, it's pretty easy. I don't get it.

The old timey cartoon graphics are unlike anything I've ever seen before. It truly feels like you are watching Looney Tunes or Merry Melodies from the 1930s. Amazing and fantastic.

The game is basically run and gun stages, combined with boss fights. The run and gun stages are pretty easy, but the boss fights will test your patience. You will die a bunch of times, while figuring out patterns. With time, every boss is beatable once you learn how they operate.

Challenging game for sure, but more than playable. Usually I don't care that much about graphics, but with this game they are integral to the experience.

"Cuphead is the Dark Souls of platformers"

NO. This game is full of cheap deaths UNLIKE Dark Souls where you're punished if you don't play smart. I finished the game and my honest opinion is that IT'S NOT WORTH IT. It has a great art style, I'll give it that, but seriously... This game isn't fun to play, it's just annoying. I'd rather die 15 times in Dark Souls than play another boss in this game.

Cuphead is certainly an innovation in videogame industry; at its release, everyone played it, everyone talked about it.

I really enjoyed the graphics and the sounds that reminds the 20's cartoons, but it is too fucking difficult. You have to try a level tons of times before clear it, making the wonderful and inspired music an unbearable noise.

Maybe it is my fault for being a noob, but the high difficulty ruins the overall quality of the game.

“I am not omniscient, but I know a lot.” -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Faust: First Part

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The moment I booted it up, Cuphead made a tremendous first impression on me. The music is a grandiose tribute to big band swing, the visuals call back to the glory days of meticulously hand-drawn animation, and the gameplay is crisp and satisfying. I normally don’t remember any specific years being marked by the release of a video game, but Cuphead’s strong identity has certainly solidified it’s place in my memory as a landmark artistic achievement in 2017.

The Cuphead plot is best summed up by its tagline on StudioMDHR’s website: “Don’t Deal with the Devil.” Just like its obvious 1930’s-era cartoon influences, Cuphead’s story is deceptive: its playful mask obscures the dark undertones once it has been set in motion. It is based on cartoons, yes, but the premise is that Cuphead and his brother Mugman, both of whom are apparently children, owe their souls to the Devil and fear eternal enslavement to him. They must collect soul contracts from the Devil’s debtors in order to free themselves from their bonds. In order to do this, they must do battle with the soul contract holders in the shape of bosses, and eventually you are given the choice as to whether to hand them over to the Devil or not.

In terms of the story’s execution, however, there is very little to speak of, as there are only two full cutscenes throughout the experience: one for the intro, and one for the outro. It’s clear that a strong story was not the main focus of Cuphead.

And, while the game’s simplistic story is welcomed when compared to those that are bloated and meandering, one complaint is that Cuphead’s might be overly minimalistic to my tastes. With the exception of the storybook-like introduction sequence and the grand finale, there are very few actual cutscenes or any meaningful dialogue, and so the game’s background lore is left by the wayside. While I would normally not protest if a game were to not include a plethora of cutscenes and dialogue trees, I am only disappointed because I had genuinely been seduced by the absurdity of its quirky universe and the wit of its sparse writing.

Click here for the full review... https://thewellredmage.com/2017/11/29/cuphead/