Cuphead (Second Chance with the Chick)

UPDATE : After publishing my review, I completed Cuphead and crafted a comprehensive final analysis of the game. Click here In conclusion, I will share my final impressions of the game. Stay tuned, as completing it didn't significantly alter my viewpoint.

UPDATE #2 : After replaying it once more, I came to the realization of my previous errors. Embrace the entire Indie Gamer Chick versus Cuphead experience. I certainly did. Click HERE for the absolute final review.. until the DLC.

No one wishes to be the odd one out at the gathering, feeling uncomfortable under the scrutiny of curious onlookers questioning your lack of enjoyment. That's how I feel about Cuphead - not engaging, despite its visual appeal. I reviewed it a year ago and you would swear I’d gone door-to-door and sodomized every Xbox fan’s dog while making their grandmothers watch by the way people reacted to my opinion of it. The cries of “how dare you review it when you didn’t even really finish it” rang through the land. Which I think is bullshit. Hey, *I* paid for my copy, fellow critics. Did you? If you buy a gallon of dish soap from Costco, are you not allowed to complain about the shoddy quality of it until you’ve emptied the entire container in a futile attempt to get that last bit of crusty shit off every plate in your sink? Of course not. And besides, as I took delight in pointing out, I made it further than 95% of Cuphead owners did at the time I threw in the towel. That number has since climbed to a whopping 88% of people who didn’t make it as far as I did. Apparently the 12% of those who outlasted me were all game critics. I’m sure.

As a conscientious game critic, it is crucial to assess whether updates have addressed previous criticisms. Cuphead has undergone several patches to refine timing and fix glitches. Fans who appreciate the game understand the importance of such updates in enhancing the overall gaming experience. wouldn’t like it did point out to me that the patchwork was so minuscule and insignificant that it couldn’t possibly change my opinion. And they were right, but I wasn’t happy with the original review, because it left some stuff out that I feel I probably should have talked about. So, let’s get this over with, shall we?

If pressured, I would likely choose Cuphead as the most visually appealing game. ever . Any game, indie or otherwise. And I don’t take that lightly, even if I think it’s 2018 and we probably should be over graphics by this point. I’m not going to claim that I grew up some kind of vintage animation superfan or anything like that. I didn’t. I was a huge Superman fan growing up and loved the 1940s Fleischer Studios Superman shorts (there’s an awesome YouTube video on their significance to film history here, you actually owe lightsaber battles to them As a major studio, they inspired the creation of Cuphead. While excessive nostalgia can be irritating, Cuphead stands out due to the tremendous effort invested in its development. It's hard not to appreciate the dedication and craftsmanship that went into making this game. assembling voxels Resembling KITT from Knight Rider, it exudes a unique authenticity beyond common expectations. any game, except maybe South Park where the style isn’t hard to replicate.

I fail to comprehend the rationale behind making Cuphead excessively challenging. Access to exceptional character designs is restricted until all bosses are defeated on "normal" mode. In this context, "normal" implies... normally "It feels like trying to swim across the Pacific Ocean." I found it challenging enough to defeat some bosses on easy mode, and now they expect me to defeat the same boss with additional phases just to access all the content in a game I already paid for? After investing so much effort into progressing through the game (I even defeated all the bosses in worlds 1 – 3), being told that my performance wasn’t satisfactory felt like a disrespect. It was akin to a disrespectful gesture, comparable to executing a break-dancing move where one spins on their erect penis - simply uncalled for.

Strangely, the segments I enjoy the most in Cuphead, reminiscent of Contra's "run and gun" style, lack selectable challenges. Initially manageable, they quickly escalate to infuriating levels, potentially causing frustration. While some players may find themselves as agitated as a former Raiders coach, the lack of customizable difficulty remains puzzling. do The game features optional challenges, such as achieving success without causing harm. Implementing this design approach on a broader scale would allow players to create personalized challenges. As an Xbox exclusive, leveraging achievements becomes crucial. Players completing all levels on one difficulty could earn an achievement, while others could access the final level without reaching that milestone. This way, players on easier settings wouldn't miss out on facing challenging bosses, ensuring a more inclusive gaming experience. eleven Boss battles. ELEVEN! One more than the sum of the first two worlds (out of three). Adding an extra boss fight for hard mode is a common gaming practice. Cuphead restricts access to almost all features of the game, leaving players with a challenging experience. 40% Offering easy modes in games is pointless if players are unable to complete the game as intended by the developers. Criticizing developers for this seems unwarranted. It raises questions about the developers' intentions and professionalism.

Gamers are really cool about doing hard stuff if that’s what they’re into . Speed-running has become its own thing that people take notice of. We have an odd admiration for people who can beat games with their feet or holding the controller upside-down. Developers, you can cater to the insane-hardcore crowd and the people who just want a solid ten hours for their $20 investment. You shouldn’t want to lock anyone out. Especially a game like Cuphead, that put so much effort into the audio-visual presentation. Why divide people into two different groups and say “this is for THIS group, and not that group”? There’s something kind of heartbreaking about Cuphead. That it’s something that should be admired by everyone, but actually only a small niche of gamers will ever truly enjoy it to its fullest potential. That’s actually tragic. I don’t have a joke to go with that. It makes me legitimately sad.

I revisited Cuphead this week, intrigued by the enjoyment it brought to the party attendees. Surprisingly, I found myself appreciating it a bit more this time. The nostalgia of playing with my dear friend added to the experience. Brad Gallaway I was advised to use one of my hair ties to keep the right trigger pressed, allowing the game to continuously fire without the need to use my finger. This simple trick not only worked but also prevented the hand pain I experienced last year while playing. Revisiting Cuphead, I could play for hours without needing to pause frequently to relieve hand strain. It's reminiscent of the Atari 5200 era when a rubber band was a gamer's best friend (a joke only a few would appreciate, but those who do are surely chuckling now). This raises the question: why didn't Cuphead incorporate this feature from the start? Surprisingly, the firing action isn't even assigned to the most intuitive button; players must do it manually. Such observations lead me to ponder once more, "Who was the target audience for Cuphead?"

The response given was seemingly “for the creators themselves.” This is perfectly acceptable. Chad and Jared Moldenhauer had the opportunity to realize a dream few ever do: they brought their vision of a game to life. Whether others enjoyed their creation was almost secondary. Even if not appreciated by everyone, they still achieved their dream, a feat no one can diminish. Cuphead stands out as a rare game that, personally, I may not particularly like, yet I deeply respect. While playing, one can almost envision its conception. “People tend to recollect the bosses in games like Gradius, Life Force, or R-Type, not so much the levels. What if we focus solely on the bosses in a side-scrolling shoot 'em up? Why not?” Reflecting on this idea, it actually makes sense. If specific elements are what endure in players’ memories over time as the rest of the game fades, why not center a game around those aspects? Cuphead is undeniably memorable. Its distinctive characters resemble those from a 1940s cartoon, complete with a grainy filter, as if illustrated by someone in a fever-induced trance. Each boss encounter feels meticulously crafted, devoid of any hint of half-heartedness. Many excessively challenging games often come across as lacking effort or refinement. Not Cuphead. Upon completion, players are left with the impression that the game materialized precisely as intended.

This is why the game disappoints me. The repetitive nature of replaying boss fights without checkpoints becomes tiresome. While the controls are generally precise and responsive (after customizing button mapping), mastering the timing for parrying proved to be a challenge for me. Furthermore, the item that offers automated parrying occupies the slot intended for the invisibility-dash, a crucial tool according to experienced players. This design choice by the developers seems unfair. Why restrict players to choosing between items? Additionally, the abundance of bullet sponge enemies in the run-and-gun levels seems excessive and unnecessary. Arranged like totem poles, those tree stumps stand tall. Enemies in the game don't pose much of a challenge, yet they absorb an excessive number of bullets, disrupting the pace of the stage. This issue recurs throughout the few levels available. It seems like the stages were not given much thought. Honestly, playing Cuphead was not enjoyable for me. It appears that fun was not the primary goal of the game.

Many individuals who claim to enjoy it may not actually do so. People's perceptions may differ. claim It is important to enjoy the game to avoid being the one who is not having fun at the party. The game's achievement statistics support this. Currently, only 12.36% of Xbox One Cuphead owners have successfully defeated all bosses in Inkwell III. any I only managed to reach that point in the game, which isn't even its final level. Progressing further requires defeating all bosses on the challenging "normal" difficulty setting. In comparison, Dead Cells, known for its high level of difficulty and released almost a year after Cuphead, has only been completed by slightly over 14% of all players. final boss on any difficulty. So, more people have beaten all of Dead Cells in a lot less time than Cuphead has had people beat two-thirds of it over the course of its first year of release. 56% of Dead Cells players have beaten the 2nd boss, about two-thirds through a run of it. For Cuphead, only 21.56% of players have beat all the bosses in the game’s second world on any It raises a question about the true depth of passion for the game among those who find it challenging. If nearly 80% of players fail to progress halfway, one may ponder if their proclaimed love for the game truly matches their experience. How enjoyable can it be if most struggle to advance?

Dead Cells Cuphead has become my top pick among indie games. Despite my general aversion to roguelikes and my belief that games should offer adjustable difficulty levels for wider accessibility, Cuphead won me over. It would be remiss of me to dismiss it as "not my type." I must admit, it's truly a remarkable game. designed In Cuphead, the thrill lies in the satisfaction of defeating a boss after numerous attempts. The sense of accomplishment is genuine when you invest time learning and mastering attack patterns. The game's entertainment value is in the challenge and the reward of overcoming it. so close After numerous attempts, falling short just by a fraction before finally achieving success can be incredibly satisfying. The journey towards victory is as important as the triumph itself. Why not enjoy every step leading up to that moment of glory? Games like Super Meat Boy demonstrate that the entire process can be enjoyable and fulfilling. Spelunky Games like Cuphead and Dead Cells can be incredibly challenging and frustrating, yet the thrill of overcoming obstacles often outweighs the difficulty. However, in Cuphead, the frustration of starting over after each defeat can diminish the enjoyment. Unlike other games where dying can be part of the fun, in Cuphead, it feels like a setback rather than a learning experience. Apart from the side-scrolling levels, the game may not offer much enjoyment. The constant cycle of pain without much pleasure raises the question of whether Cuphead can be considered a true work of art. It is unlikely that da Vinci only shared his paintings with those who endured a beating beforehand.

Cuphead was developed by StudioMDHR Entertainment
Point of Sale: Xbox One , Steam

$19.99 noted IGC won’t be buying the DLC MDHR should consider allowing players who have only defeated the bosses in world 1-3 on easy difficulty to access the final bosses. Players deserve to experience all the content they have paid for. Creating a boss character like "Chef Saltshaker" to ridicule those who find the game too challenging is not appropriate. It is essential to provide customers with the full value of what they have purchased.