Date played: September 29th
Platform: Xbox One
Cuphead is a 2D run-and-gun action game, focused on boss battles. Walking in the time-tested footprint of Contra and Megaman, Cuphead adds a unique style and aesthetic, modeled after 1930's cartoons. Cuphead, the titular character, is a cup that shoots bullets from his hands.
He and his buddy, Mugman, once went on a stroll in the forest and stumbled upon the devil's casino. They go on an amazing winning streak, then agree to gamble their souls to the devil. Of course, they lose the bet. The devil agrees to give them one chance to redeem themselves by killing all the creatures on his kill list.
And so, the game begins. Cuphead can jump, shoot, dodge, change weapons, parry and use a special move. The whole game is focused on boss battles, with only a couple of platforming levels per world, compared to 6 bosses.
I started with one of the platforming levels, and it was not easy, considering it's the first level. Enemies come at me fast and hard, with a flurry of projectiles to avoid and gaps to cross. It's fun, and kinda feels like Metal Slug or Contra in these segments.
The real action is in the boss battles though. I only had time for one battle, but holy crap, it was amazing! The boss was split in 3 phases, each more difficult than the last. The first phase was against a potato, who lobbed dirt balls at me. The second phase was an adorable crying onion, that attacked with tears falling from the sky.
Finally, the final phase had me battle against a giant telekinetic carrot. Yep. I used my secondary weapon here, which is currently a short ranged spread weapon that resembles a shotgun. There's a shop in the world map where I can buy new weapons and accessories, and there seems to be a large number available, so that's really cool.
The carrot wasn't too hard to beat honestly, but since the battle is split into 3 phases, it's still hard. I only have 3 HP, so it doesn't take much to die. Which I did. A lot. I have a feeling there's going to be a copious amount of dying in this game...
I have to take a moment and acknowledge the incredible artistry on display here. This might just be the best looking 2D game ever made, and I don't say that lightly. It looks like it's straight out of a cartoon... But it's more than that. It's the overall feel of the game. The music is particularly good. The filters added on top of the game look great.
The animation steals the show though. Even the loading screen is absurdly detailed, with a wonderful little hourglass, smiling at me as it spins around, playfully moving the sand inside it's glass body to the beat of the music. The attention to detail here is unparalleled. The bosses are easily the best part of the game, both visually and as a game. I just love Cuphead! Challenging difficulty, tight combat and beautiful style come together to make a really cool game.
Platform: Xbox One
Cuphead is a 2D run-and-gun action game, focused on boss battles. Walking in the time-tested footprint of Contra and Megaman, Cuphead adds a unique style and aesthetic, modeled after 1930's cartoons. Cuphead, the titular character, is a cup that shoots bullets from his hands.
He and his buddy, Mugman, once went on a stroll in the forest and stumbled upon the devil's casino. They go on an amazing winning streak, then agree to gamble their souls to the devil. Of course, they lose the bet. The devil agrees to give them one chance to redeem themselves by killing all the creatures on his kill list.
And so, the game begins. Cuphead can jump, shoot, dodge, change weapons, parry and use a special move. The whole game is focused on boss battles, with only a couple of platforming levels per world, compared to 6 bosses.
I started with one of the platforming levels, and it was not easy, considering it's the first level. Enemies come at me fast and hard, with a flurry of projectiles to avoid and gaps to cross. It's fun, and kinda feels like Metal Slug or Contra in these segments.
The real action is in the boss battles though. I only had time for one battle, but holy crap, it was amazing! The boss was split in 3 phases, each more difficult than the last. The first phase was against a potato, who lobbed dirt balls at me. The second phase was an adorable crying onion, that attacked with tears falling from the sky.
Finally, the final phase had me battle against a giant telekinetic carrot. Yep. I used my secondary weapon here, which is currently a short ranged spread weapon that resembles a shotgun. There's a shop in the world map where I can buy new weapons and accessories, and there seems to be a large number available, so that's really cool.
 |
| The carrot boss was incredible |
The carrot wasn't too hard to beat honestly, but since the battle is split into 3 phases, it's still hard. I only have 3 HP, so it doesn't take much to die. Which I did. A lot. I have a feeling there's going to be a copious amount of dying in this game...
I have to take a moment and acknowledge the incredible artistry on display here. This might just be the best looking 2D game ever made, and I don't say that lightly. It looks like it's straight out of a cartoon... But it's more than that. It's the overall feel of the game. The music is particularly good. The filters added on top of the game look great.
The animation steals the show though. Even the loading screen is absurdly detailed, with a wonderful little hourglass, smiling at me as it spins around, playfully moving the sand inside it's glass body to the beat of the music. The attention to detail here is unparalleled. The bosses are easily the best part of the game, both visually and as a game. I just love Cuphead! Challenging difficulty, tight combat and beautiful style come together to make a really cool game.
