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This new indie game Cuphead, has really taken the gaming community by storm. It’s a game inspired by 1930’s cartoons which got people's attention. It was first revealed way back in 2013 and it has been postponed multiple times before its final release in 2017. The hype for this game was overwhelming, people had been waiting years for this game to finally be released. The question is, did it live up to everybody's expectations?

The Story (Spoilers Ahead)

The story of Cuphead is very simple, but that’s how it’s supposed to be. Most of the stories and plots of old 1930’s cartoons were very simple and not very deep. That's what the devs were going for. The main character Cuphead and his brother Mugman wander into a casino by mistake and it ends up being a casino run by the devil himself. They end up gambling their souls to the devil and the only way they can break the deal is by gathering all the soul contracts of everyone in their world (aka the bosses). Overall I think it’s a nice and simple story that isn’t necessarily the strong point of the game but it’s not bad.

The Gameplay

The gameplay of Cuphead is one part of the game people had no idea how it would be. The type of game Cuphead is going for is a run and gun/boss rush type game. I would say the gameplay is solid, but it’s not the part of the game I would praise for being amazing. The difficulty of the game is also not for the faint of heart. It gives a real challenge. Don’t get me wrong the gameplay is fun, it just doesn’t wow me as much as the rest of the game. The controls of the game are actually very nice and run smooth though. Also the 2 player mode is a blast and works great.

Ninety percent of the levels are bosses that you fight. The bosses are very fun and definitely give you a challenge. Some are pretty generic while others have some unique points. There are bosses where you fly in a plane and regular bosses, so it gives more to experience. Then there are the run and gun levels which are very scarce throughout the game but they do bring a little more variety in the gameplay. Overall the gameplay is okay. It definitely keeps me coming back for more, but nothing special.

Art and Design

This is where the game really shines. First of all the art style of this game is absolutely gorgeous and the 1930’s style is executed so insanely well I sometimes forget that i’m playing an actual video game. It’s by far the best art style i’ve ever seen in a video game. The artists and animators hand drew all of the animations and transferred them to digital (that is some dedication). The soundtrack of the game is fantastic as well. The music was created with all live instruments and it just represents the 1930’s feeling so well.

The way the game is laid out and designed is done very well. It has a way of progressing you through the levels but you do have some choices between a few different levels to move on to. The boss designs are fantastic and so creative. The bosses are different in so many ways that the game never gets old. For example the boss Cala Maria is so colorful and creative it just blows me away. Also the boss Werner Werman is definitely my favorite, from the catchy music to the homage to Tom and Jerry it’s just fantastic. Also how the run and gun levels have completely unique things from each other. Overall the art and design of this game is outstanding.

Conclusion:

Cuphead is a game with fantastic visuals, game design and has very unique aspects. Though the gameplay is not amazing and isn’t for everyone.

The Verdict

9 Amazing

The Good

• Beautiful Visuals and Fantastic Soundtrack
• Has a great 1930’s vibe and atmosphere
• Amazingly designed levels and bosses

The Bad

• Gameplay is slightly lacking compared to the rest of the game