Cuphead Review

 

Platform Played: Xbox One
Developer: Studio MDHR
Publisher: Studio MDHR
Genre: Boss Rush
Completion Status (How Long to Beat): Yes (11 hours)

When people discuss Cuphead, the conversation always begins with its artstyle - and rightfully so. Its hand drawn rubber hose animation is unlike any game. On art and music alone, Cuphead may be the greatest game of all time. Yet, what makes Cuphead even more special, is the gameplay is absolutely sublime. This boss rush game pitting you against a myriad of beautifully animated bosses is so finely tuned. Cuphead and Mugman control nimbly and allow the player to always feel in control. The mixture of boss battles on the ground and in the air, and run and gun platforming levels brings a feeling of diversity during a playthrough. The game is difficult, but with repeated attempts and playthroughs mastery can be obtained. It perfectly embodies the classic “one more try” feeling. Cuphead offers wonderful replayability in which the player can chase higher grades for each boss, and if you’re feeling bold, go for an S-rank on all bosses. Even though a skilled player can run through Cuphead in an hour or two, you could easily sink 100+ into the game chasing higher ranks. It’s one of the most magical games ever made.

Pros:

• Gorgeous, hand-drawn animation.
• Fitting and wonderful jazz and big band music. 
• Tight and responsive controls.
• Robust, diverse and memorable bosses.
• Great mixture of weapons and buffs, all feel useful.

Cons:

• Default control scheme is sub-optimal. 

Engagement Factors:

Two of the biggest signs that I’m really enjoying a game are how hard it is to stop playing and how much I’m itching to jump back in when I’m not playing.

• Difficulty to Stop Playing: 10/10
• Desire to Return: 10/10

Note: These scores reflect my personal engagement with the game and are separate from the overall score, which considers all aspects of the game.

Overall Score: 10/10