Review: Shovel Knight

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Shovel Knight from Yacht Club Games wears its influences proudly and loudly on its sleeve. The 8-bit platformer, one of many Kickstarter successes now seeing fruition, explodes onto the screen in almost overwhelming datedness, blasting a grand chiptune score over a blocky start menu. Over the subsequent five hour journey, the game presents a plethora of mechanical and aesthetic references to the most iconic games of the 80s, yet it is far more than simple parody or pastiche.

The plot is one of broad strokes, mainly serving as an excuse to navigate treacherous levels and battle colourful bosses. It follows the titular Shovel Knight as he defeats a league of dastardly villains on a quest to save a forsaken land. While plot and dialogue are notably sparse throughout the game, the writing is of a consistently high quality. Whether poking fun at classic games or sincerely paying tribute to them, the creators display a great knowledge of the style upon which their game is constructed, in a striking blend of mockery and reverence.

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Aside from a selection of special items which he picks up along the way, Shovel Knight’s only weapon is his faithful shovel, limiting his movement and attacks to simple swings and tight, constricting jumps, along with a “pogo stick” attack pulled straight out of DuckTales (1989). The restriction and simplicity of these controls, akin to those of the original Castlevania (1986) and Mega Man (1987), create a finely tuned, minimalist gameplay experience which is incredibly easy to learn while at times frustratingly hard to master. The difficulty rarely seems unfair, as the game’s challenging mechanics are slowly introduced, gradually increasing the challenge. In spite of this, certain sections – requiring precise, rapid movements – can feel quite cheap. Shovel Knight could be considered guilty of using these difficulty spikes to artificially lengthen playtime, a tactic commonly used by the classic games it pays homage to. This failing lets down an otherwise mechanically well-crafted game.

In spite of its brevity, Shovel Knight is absolutely packed with content, much of which is left to hidden annexes and optional routes, waiting to be discovered by inquisitive players; almost half of the game’s unique boss battles are completely non-compulsory. The haunted museum, a number of challenge maps, and the various challengers who dot the road to the final level are only there for players who directly seek them out. The game world is one of freedom and discovery, infused with an energetic lightness. Certain segments, such as the Troupple Pond or the Village Dancers, serve no purpose other than to act as celebrations of colour and music. This spirit of unconditional carnival lingers on long after Shovel Knight’s short campaign comes to a close, and marks the game as an undeniable achievement, one which has plenty to offer to video game veterans and the unversed alike.

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