Shovel Knight. Review of the game

I am with great skepticism with “nostalgic” projects that are trying to leave exclusively in a recognizable style of the eighties or nineties. Most often, in the end, it turns out that the product has nothing interesting but an attractive appearance. But what I literally hate – when the developers come to Kickstarter and say: “We will now make you the spiritual heir to the very game that you always wanted to get! The creators of the original even work for us: a composer, a game designer who seems to be not a game designer in fact, but nevertheless! Give a couple of million, please! ”In the end we get YOOKA-LAYLEE – One of the most boring representatives of the Collectathon genre, in which you are banal to collect objects, which is already a sentence. Or Mighty 9 – Such a disaster that managed not only to disappoint fans and ordinary gamers with her game, but also by an advertising campaign, even to Backers could not send awards without scandals ..

And there is Shovel Knight.

None of the so -called “eminent” developers took part in the development of this game – the game was initially positioned from fans and for fans of eight -bit platformers of the NES: Mega Man, Castlevania, Duck Tales. The game raised a modest 310 thousand dollars on crowdfunding (given that the last Stretch Goal was reached at a mark of 300 thousand), while previously mentioned YOOKA-LAYLEE And Mighty 9 collected 3 million and 4 million, respectively. What did we end in the end – a pleasant platformer for lovers of classics, or something more?

Let’s start with Shovel Knight, Of course.

Shovel Knight: Shovel of Hope

The introductory screensaver is made in style Ninja Gaiden .

Meet Shovel Knight and Shield Knight – legendary travelers and heroes who loved only each other only. Unfortunately, this did not last forever – reaching Tower of Fate, a certain amulet aroused dark magic. As a result, the powerful power stunned our shovel knight, and when he woke up, the faithful partner was not nearby, and the tower was sealed. Our knight was upset and decided to spend the rest of his days as a hermit. So he would have digged further than the beds if the sorceress did not appear with her Order of No Quarter – a group of knights who divided the territory of the entire kingdom among themselves. Alas, no one is able to resist the villains, so our hero takes his faithful shovel and goes into a long way to the tower, simultaneously overcoming all other knights.

Let’s talk about our hero. Initially, he is not capable of much. Can only hit the enemy with a shovel and … jump on the enemy from above with a shovel. And dig piles of stones with your shovel to find treasures. And then he will learn to apply a strong blow with a shovel … In general, a shovel is our everything. Except for the abilities of any other types of weapons and will not be. In addition, you can try on a new armor. Some will improve certain characteristics, like the same mana that is spent on skills, and some just decorative. In addition, the most expensive thing that is ironic.

The card has a large. Very large.

Moving between levels occurs on a SportsBettingMedia global map – similar can be observed in Super Mario Bros. 3. Each boss has its own castle, which needs to be completely circumvented before getting to the owner of this estate. These stages are large and long levels with many opponents, platforms and obstacles, on the overcoming of which can be spent from miserable five to seven minutes to half an hour-depending on the speed of passage and studying the locations. There are various secrets at the levels: in some room the treasure is hidden, somewhere a music parchment will be found that a musician is looking for, who is in the melody of the coin and offers to play music for every taste. And somewhere a merchant in a chest is hiding, who strives to sell a new talisman, which will make it possible to use some power. The most banal is to throw fireball or become invulnerable for a short period of time. From the more interesting – a wheel with a platform that allows you to drive through deadly thorns. And all levels in this game are cool, even underwater and winter! There are 12 levels of levels in the game, and each of them has its own peculiarity. Of course, it sounds quite commonplace and for granted if these chips were not two or even three for each level! Take for example one of the very first stages – Lich Yard. There are bushes that need to be lifted into the air with a shovel and then bounced off them;platforms that fall under the action of gravity, so you have to gently move and sometimes not eliminate enemies so that the platform can go to the desired passage;Some levels of the level become dark, and only lightning blows can illuminate it for a short period of time. I am already silent about unique opponents, various secrets and all that way. And this I described only the early stage. And there are twelve! And after passing all the castles, the last three stages are opened: one of them is the final boss, and the other two are the levels that use all the mechanics from past castles, and they are so rich and funny that you do not even complain about their complexity.

One of the lightest bosses of the game. This is so, by the way.

Speaking of complexity. The game is ideal balanced. The hero responding to the pressing of the buttons, opponents do not fill the entire screen, and their patterns are easy to memorize, but if you distract from them, do not pass the damage. Of course, some traps are much harder for passing, say, propellers, but there is nothing deadly dangerous. In addition, there are no vanchant opponents. Only abysses and spikes, which are placed normally, unlike deadly cubic meters from Angry Video Game Nerd Adventures. With bosses – exactly the same situation. Some of them make abysses or there are spikes, but there are only two per game and these obstacles are easy to avoid. Moreover, the game is quite loyal to the deaths – if the hero loses all his lives, then he will be survived by the nearest checkpoint. There are four to four of them at the level, not counting the last stages-there is only one or two, which does not run out, since by that time the player will play so well that it will not be difficult to replay a certain stage due to death.

However, the game is limited not by the same levels with bosses. On the map you can find several hab-locations. There, the player expect various additional quests, characters that will help pump health and mana, improve their shovel or try on a new armor on themselves. In addition, there are other levels – basically these are stages, strongly tied to platform skills and the use of certain abilities. There are several random encounters with both small bosses and ordinary opponents who are just a small platform stage. However, I don’t want to reveal all the chips of the game. The game manages to surprise the player throughout the game up to the final credits, so any description of the boss or level can spoil the passage.

After the next defeated knight, the hero needs a well -deserved rest.

What about the visual and musical component? Everything is amazing: springs look very pleasant, the picture is colorful, the backs are diverse, and the musical accompaniment is also made in an eight-bit manner-in a word, everything is for fans of the retro-game. But magic Shovel Knight lies not in the fact that it allows you to recall that very era of eight -bit classic platformers. It allows you to join it to an ordinary player who will surely enjoy the game for one simple reason – it is fun to play it. Basically, spiritual heirs focus on the visual, which is made at a decent level, to recall the same YOOKA-LAYLEE. But the games are so boring that it is a serious test in them and to conduct an hour. Shovel Knight praises the era of the eighties, but is not afraid to bring something new. The game is insanely diverse, it is pleasant humor, a fascinating gameplay in it. Even if the game was performed in modern stylistics, it would still have fun playing it, otherwise the visual decision that was realized now just plays into the hands. And this is the main advantage of the project compared to other “spiritual heirs”.

After death, you lose their bags with gold and you can pick them up, as in some Dark Souls.

However, the game is not limited to the main campaign. Also, two additions came out to the game and it is planned for another that should be released this year and will be distributed as a free update for all owners of the game. Let’s talk a little about DLC.

Shovel Knight: Plague of Shadows

The actions of this addition occur parallel to the main story. We are given under the control of Plague Knight – one of the bosses of the original game. We will help him in achieving the main goal – to cook the potion of unlimited power. Structurally, the game has not changed at all: all the same global card, the same bosses and opponents. However, due to the specifics of the character, the gameplay changed. You see, our knight does not jump very well, so he has to charge bombs to reject from surfaces with an explosion. This technique can be used in the air, so the platforms are easier somewhere, and somewhere it is more difficult.

It is here that we will pump our character.

Moreover, the new hero has the opportunity to use special potions that increase health, but only for a certain time. If you get a lot of damage – it will not work to make up for health to the maximum. In addition, fighting with opponents has become more difficult, since instead of a shovel we use bombs that are not so easy to cause damage directly. In general, there are no significant changes. Changed secrets, some boss patterns, but not particularly significant, added new tests. And the final boss has changed, of course. However, you can not tell about the addition a lot about the addition, as it is seriously based on the original game. But the addition is still worth passing, since it is not inferior to the original, although it seems a little secondary.

What can not be said about the second addition.

Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment

We are again given control of one of the members of Order of No Quarter – Specter Knight. Chronologically, actions take place to the main campaign and tell a surprisingly serious story. We will be told how Specter Knight got his abilities about the tragic fate of his partner and how Order of no Quarter was formed. Actually, the latter is the main task of our hero. But if the hero of the first addition was added to his goal due to the fact that he is simply angry, personal motives are traced in this story, as Specter Knight wants to return his humanity. Unlike previous campaigns, there is no global card here. Instead, we have a large hub-location, which is filled with a large number of secrets, and through the portal we can choose completely any level and, as a result, pass the bosses in any order.

Perhaps the best hab-location of all presented in this game.

Levels were significantly redone for new abilities. First of all, our character can move along naked walls that are not covered with grass, fabric or something like that. The new knight also jumps badly, but he can perform the so -called Dash Slash. With his help, the hero causes damage to opponents and pulls up to various objects. Added new types of objects collected, plus some bosses completely remade, otherwise the third time and the same knights would be boring to win. Locations also underwent serious changes due to the new abilities of the hero. In general, developers came up with great diligence in the development of this addition. However, we will find another addition in which we will play for a completely new hero. What will come of it – wait, see.

Even the fed initial fields pleasantly modified.

SHOVEL KNight – A great game. And there is nothing to scold her and for nothing. And the meaning? For some $ 15, we are given an original game filled with various content, from additional stages and tests to the new game plus, as well as two full-fledged additions plus the third on the way. In the era of Indi-Musor for a couple of dollars and AAA-IGR with the Seyzon by Pass, the cost of which is practically not inferior to the game itself-a real find. However, not only it pleases. Over the past few years, so many first -class platformers have appeared: Celeste, Iconoclasts, Owlboy. No, guys from Yacht Club Games did not affect the development of these games, but popularization – undoubtedly. I hope this will continue further. And I, perhaps, will go and recall the game for the fifth time. Yes, and not all the tests were completed in additions ..