COLOGNE, Germany—Cuphead is difficult. I mean, really, really difficult. If you don't die within the first few minutes of playing, you're either some kind of platforming genius, or just damn lucky. But while that might sound unappealing to some, for those who suckers for punishment—fans Super Meat Boy, Metal Slug, and Contra et al.—Cuphead is a wonderful thing indeed.
Run-and-gun games like Cuphead grew out of the arcades and early consoles like the NES, where the ultimate aim was to squeeze more quarters out of you and quickly bring in the next sucker, rather than push you through some long and convoluted narrative. Cuphead stays true to those ideals, with a three-strikes-and-you're-out health system, and some insanely tricky levels and bosses to play through.
The beauty of those original run-and-gun games, even if they often became frustrating, was that you could always find a way through if you were good enough. Skill and persistence were key, as well as good level design and enemy attack patterns that could be learnt and overcome. While it's too early to tell if Cuphead has managed to pull off the same trick, it's certainly off to a promising start.
No comments:
Post a Comment