Shovel Knight is a 2D Side-Scrolling platform game for PS4, PC, Wii U, 3DS, and various of console platforms, which both developed and published by Yacht Club Games.
I love playing those classic 8-bit games, back in days, like Megaman, Castlevania, Contra, Ninja Gaiden, and Ducktales are really awesome NES games from 80's. In now of days, Shovel Knight really got me attention with kick ass 8-bit graphics, fantastic soundtrack, memorable characters, and very unique gameplay that made this game so amazing by Indie developers knows how to make a really impressive 8-bit games for modern consoles. I've brought this game as physical copy because it comes with digital soundtrack, cool looking NES style manual book and of course the expansion called "Plague of Shadows" was included on disc rather than just updating patches, which is sounds nice to keep on the disc version.
Shovel Knight is definitely one of my favourite 2D platformer game for modern days gaming that made the 8-bit classic fans so amazed with this game's overall, so lets start the review.
Presentation
It all start with Shovel Knight and Shield Knight started having adventures themselves across the world, while ending up at the Tower of Fate, a cursed amulet uses the magic to take over Shield Knight and leaves Shovel Knight outside of the tower causing him to give up the adventures. During his absence, the evil Enchantress and her Order of No Quarter began to spread her dark power to seal across the land and she has unsealed her Tower of Fate. Shovel Knight began to his new adventure to save his land, and find and rescue Shield Knight by battling against the members of Order of No Quarter.
The storyplot is pretty sounds straightforward with simple storytelling and some decent dialogues that made the story presentation sounds very interesting indeed. I also love the cutscenes where the part between Shovel Knight and villain are started talking before the fight begins. The textbox on top of the screen is also pretty good for having conversation with different people in the towns where you can find useful information and the stuff you want to purchase.
Shovel Knight is one of the coolest video game characters because he looks awesome with dressing up as Knight Armor and using his Shovel as weapons that made the character concepts looks amazing. I also like the boss characters, such as Enchantress because her character pretty reminds me of darkest Disney villain called "Maleficent" from Sleeping Beauty. I also like the rest of the members of Order of No Quarter as well because they are just good as the members of Maverick from Megaman series. It is sounds surprising to see Kratos from God of War for Playstation versions and Zitz, Rash and Pimple from Battletoads for Xbox One Version as the exclusive boss battles, while the Nintendo versions didn't offer the boss battles which is shame, but it includes the unlockable co-op modes for Wii U version and Street Pass for 3DS version.
Overall, I love the presentation by far the best in the game.
Gameplay
Your main goal is to complete each stages by fighting each level and battling with the boss characters.
The gameplay style is just like from Megaman and Castlevania for NES. The Shovel Knight has the basic attacks with his Shovel to attack the enemy and digging up treasures to collect gold. You can bounce up enemies by using jumping attack which is similar to pogo sticks from Ducktales. You can purchase the secondary items with limited magic. Some items, such as gloves which can punch through dirt blocks, lockets that made player invisible, anchor that throws at the enemies, war horn that uses huge vibration to kill whole enemies, and there's plenty useful magic relics that gives the player ability more easier to play during the gameplay. You can upgrades your limited health and magic from the town which increases your character's health slot and limited capacity of magic which making your player's health last long and able to use more magic attacks. You can also purchase new armor and weapons that gives the player's new skills. You can find secrets in the level where the treasure box been left which you can gain more golds and items.
While the game is quite hard, you still have a unlimited lives, but it is annoying that you could also lose couple of your gold when you lose life, but you can also get the gold back that left on the same stage that you just got killed.
I like the challenge of the game that gives me experience to enjoy the game, but the thing that I don't like about is the lack of checkpoint for some level because if you lose the life at the half of the stage then you had to start the level all the way back to start, but you can able to complete the stages once you get used to with the game.
The controls of the game is very playable because it's just like playing a classic NES games. It has very responsive character's movement, great range of attacks and selecting quick items on inventory screen. The levels are very unique that gives a player to enjoy a boss battles and avoiding the hazardous objects that makes the game even fun to play.
Overall, the gameplay has fantastic controls, excellent variety of items attack, great choices of upgrades and exciting levels with epic boss fights that made the game so enjoyable.
Graphics
It is the NES style graphics with awesome character's design because each of the characters are looking amazing in 8-bit game giving more advanced looking animation, it has very colorful stages with nicely details on the skies, buildings, and environments that made the level design look pretty amazing, it has great background effects that made the background animation look more it feels like it's moving when the players moves across the level.
It is one of the best looking 8-bit graphics in indie's gaming that made the NES look awesome. The developers did really good job on this game with outstanding graphics overall.
Music and Sounds
I got to love this badass 8-bit soundtrack, so it is the best video game soundtrack I ever heard because it's just sounds good as the other classics game like Megaman did have really kickass music. Jake Kaufman (a same composer did composed Ducktales: Remastered) did a brilliant job with the soundtrack that gives the game more intense and excitement. He did get help from Japanese composer Manami Matsumae was very known for some of the game from the past like Megaman, U.N Squadron, and Final Fight. I also love the sound effects in the game because it gives more classic feel to the game.
Overall, It has the best music in the game and the sound effects are freaking awesome.
Special Features
The game comes with free expansion called "Plague of Shadows" which you get to play as Plague Knight through the campaign, but the game expansion is also included on game disc, while the digital version is required to update patch. You get to have a exclusive boss battles with Kratos from God of War for the Playstation version. The physical copy of the game comes with digital soundtrack which you can get it from the website that says on the label and you also get a really cool looking manual book as well. This game does have cross-save features which you can able to share your save data between PS4, PS3, and PSVita which is sounds cool.
Advantages
Fantastic gameplay
8-bit style graphics
Best soundtrack ever
Physical version comes with free expansion, digital soundtrack, and manual book.
Exclusive boss battles
Excellent presentation
Lack of checkpoint for some level
Losing bit of gold
Bit frustrating level
Final Verdict
Presentation 10/10 - Superb storytelling and memorable characters.
Gameplay 9.5/10 - Fantastic controls, excellent variety of items attack, great choices of upgrades and exciting levels with epic boss fights.
Graphics 10/10 - Amazing animation, colorful stages, great background effects, and awesome character's design.
Music and Sounds 10/10 - Best music in the game and awesome sound effects.
Special Features 10/10 - Free expansion, digital soundtrack, manual book, exclusive boss battles and cross-save features.
Overall 9.5/10 - Shovel Knight is a outstanding game, it is one of the best indie game I've ever played. It offers really cool presentation, fantastic gameplay, classic 8-bit style graphics, excelllent music and it comes with nice bonus features exclusivity for consoles. Yacht Club Games did a fabulous job with 8-bit game that made the fans of classic 8-bit games so proud with this game comes with the offer. I had a fun playing this game and I hope the developer team will make another sequel in the future will sounds an awesome idea. For those who wants to get a physical copy of the game, it's available on 3 console platforms like PS4, Wii U and 3DS, but while the rest of the console platforms like PC, PSVita, PS3 and XBONE are only available on digital releases. This is definitely must buy for hardcore classic gamers.
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