Shovel Knight is like an ancient relic someone dug up off the old days of gaming(Specifically 8-bit platformers). As the opening sentence would tell, it's a platformer from Yacht Games for the PC and gaming consoles. Having been funded via Kickstarter, the developers have delivered as advertised(With more to come). The main game revolves around the titular Shovel Knight, named after his signature weapon. After the loss of a beloved ally while exploring the Tower of Fate, his will for adventure is broken until his homeland is terrorized by The Enchantress and her group of rogue knights The Order of No Quarter(They seem to hate spare change). Seeing this as a chance to right his wrongs as they are all related to The Tower, he digs himself out of his slump and sets off.
Gameplay:
Shovel Knight pretty much replicates the kind of controls one would find off an old 8-bit platformer(I.E directional buttons for movement, two buttons for jumping and attacking. Press the up direction and attack for special weapons). Shovel Knight's shovel has many a feature itself besides being used as a beatstick. True to its original purpose, he can use it to dig up dirt piles for treasure or destroy certain walls and uncover hidden areas. A well-timed swing also lets him reflect projectiles, even magic. Somehow.
Another gimmick that Shovel Knight uses is the Shovel Drop, which is executed while he is in mid-air. By stabbing down his shovel, he can bounce off and damage enemies.
Besides his signature weapon, he can be also armed with various sub-weapons that give more options when dealing with enemies or even level obstacles.
Shovel Knight's source of growth comes from the Village and later the Armour Outpost, wherein he can purchase weapons or upgrades. The interesting thing about this is that you can actually find said weapons while going through the stages and finding the hidden rooms that contain them. Armour upgrades affect how Shovel Knight plays, like giving him more mana at the cost of reduced defense.
Why would you be interested:
-RETRO 2D PLATFORMING.
-Stages are designed well, each one with unique features and usually aren't long enough to make you tire of them(Unless you keep dying of course).
-Sub-weapons do more than
-Worried you missed a sub-weapon? Fret not, for a merchant in the town would still provide you with it, so there's no need to backtrack a stage.
-Story isn't overly complicated but it still gives a sense of investment.
-Some enemies and bosses actually test player skill to a degree as certain they adapt and bring out countermeasures to repeated tactics.
-You're rewarded with exploring and interacting with whatever you can find using your shovel, be it in the stages or back in town.
-Achievement/Feats that give a challenge to those who want more.
-CONTENT. Yacht Games has promised more content for the game like additional game modes and playable characters(Read as BOSSES). As of the time of this review, Plague Knight is a playable character alongside the Challenge mode with the Specter Knight expansion coming in the Spring of 2017.
-RETRO 2D PLATFORMING. IT'S PRETTY HARD.
-Well-designed does not mean it's free from giving you nasty last minute surprises that send to back to the last checkpoint with a cheap death
-It's 2016. Everything has more buttons. Be it using a controller or keyboard, there should be a separate button for using sub-weapons instead of pressing up+attack.
-Specter Knight's stage does not have an Achievement/Feat titled 'Grave Digger'. Damn shame.
Gameplay:
Another gimmick that Shovel Knight uses is the Shovel Drop, which is executed while he is in mid-air. By stabbing down his shovel, he can bounce off and damage enemies.
Besides his signature weapon, he can be also armed with various sub-weapons that give more options when dealing with enemies or even level obstacles.
Shovel Knight's source of growth comes from the Village and later the Armour Outpost, wherein he can purchase weapons or upgrades. The interesting thing about this is that you can actually find said weapons while going through the stages and finding the hidden rooms that contain them. Armour upgrades affect how Shovel Knight plays, like giving him more mana at the cost of reduced defense.
Why would you be interested:
-RETRO 2D PLATFORMING.
-Stages are designed well, each one with unique features and usually aren't long enough to make you tire of them(Unless you keep dying of course).
-Sub-weapons do more than
-Worried you missed a sub-weapon? Fret not, for a merchant in the town would still provide you with it, so there's no need to backtrack a stage.
-Story isn't overly complicated but it still gives a sense of investment.
-Some enemies and bosses actually test player skill to a degree as certain they adapt and bring out countermeasures to repeated tactics.
-You're rewarded with exploring and interacting with whatever you can find using your shovel, be it in the stages or back in town.
-Achievement/Feats that give a challenge to those who want more.
-CONTENT. Yacht Games has promised more content for the game like additional game modes and playable characters(Read as BOSSES). As of the time of this review, Plague Knight is a playable character alongside the Challenge mode with the Specter Knight expansion coming in the Spring of 2017.
He makes an explosive entrance(You know. Cause he uses bombs-)
Why would you NOT be interested:-RETRO 2D PLATFORMING. IT'S PRETTY HARD.
-Well-designed does not mean it's free from giving you nasty last minute surprises that send to back to the last checkpoint with a cheap death
-It's 2016. Everything has more buttons. Be it using a controller or keyboard, there should be a separate button for using sub-weapons instead of pressing up+attack.
-Specter Knight's stage does not have an Achievement/Feat titled 'Grave Digger'. Damn shame.
It was asking to be made.
Final Word:
If you've been interested in how old 8-bit platformers were like but can't be bothered to dig them up off the vast internet, this is your reference. Now you too can know the fun and frustration of the old days of gaming.
If you've been interested in how old 8-bit platformers were like but can't be bothered to dig them up off the vast internet, this is your reference. Now you too can know the fun and frustration of the old days of gaming.
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