It’s been virtually 5 complete years since Cuphead lastly burst onto the scene after years of growth hell and delays. Cuphead took the gaming world by storm, adopted by waves of merchandise, cameos in video games like Tremendous Smash Bros, a Netflix collection, and even a youngsters meal at Arby’s. Now right here we’re on the launch of its DLC growth The Scrumptious Final Course after its personal bout of delays. Fortunately, this isn’t some half-assed DLC money seize; the staff at Studio MDHR has put each ounce of affection and care into the Scrumptious Final Course as the primary recreation, and it exhibits.
The Scrumptious Final Course has Cuphead and Mugman alerted by a mysterious boatman that the Legendary Chalice has an pressing message for them. Throwing warning to the wind, our beloved heroes heed his name and sail off to the model new Inkwell Isle IV. Once they arrive they’re greeted by the Legendary Chalice who exhibits off a magical cookie that may convey her again to life as Ms Chalice — with the catch that it’s a restricted time revival and requires one other dwelling soul to convey her again. She then introduces the boys to the “biggest chef of all time” the Jolly Chef Saltbaker, who informs her that whereas the cookie solely works for a small time, he has a recipe for the Astral Wondertart, a tart which grants the proprietor management of the Astral Aircraft, permitting Ms Chalice to be introduced again completely. He then sends the cup crew off to search out the 5 elements wanted to make the tart, with every one within the possession of the isle’s bosses.
Like the total recreation, the star of the present in Scrumptious Final Course is the sport’s 1930’s rubber hose-style animation. It was beautiful in the primary recreation and it hasn’t faltered in any respect within the DLC. Every boss combat has vibrant and complicated animation, arguably wanting higher than the bosses from the primary recreation. Whereas the type stays in tact, the DLC takes cues from late-30’s and early-40’s animation, which makes the designs right here stand out quite a bit. We had been in awe the primary time we laid eyes on the Anteater within the Bootlegger Boogie combat. The DLC additionally experiments with 3D animation in segments just like the King of Video games’ fortress and the DLC’s secret boss combat.
Scrumptious Final Course comes full of six fundamental boss fights, every of which is as excessive and detailed as any from the bottom recreation. When you can deal with the growth after beating the primary island’s Mausoleum, we extremely suggest beating the bottom recreation first because the DLC packs among the hardest bosses in the whole recreation. Almost all the seven boss fights are extremely overwhelming from the get-go, with issues coming at you from all sides of the display, leaving quite a bit to maintain monitor of. For instance, Gnome Method Out’s first section requires you to maintain monitor of minuscule gnomes on the bottom, the bullets they hearth, which pillar the sunshine blue gnome is about to hammer, and Glumstone the Large’s projectiles. When you familiarize yourself with issues, the fights are as satisfying as ever, with none of it feeling inherently unfair (barring the cash in Excessive Midday Hoopla, which mix into the background a bit an excessive amount of contemplating how small they’re).
The growth additionally ditches the run-‘n’-gun phases, however gives some bonus fights outdoors of the six story required ones. The principle ones are the Kings Leap match, which is a collection of 5 brief boss fights by which your weapons and charms are unusable requiring you to rely solely in your parrying and platforming prowess. These challenges are your technique of getting cash within the growth to afford the brand new weapons and charms and provide a pleasant supplementary expertise to the primary recreation. There’s additionally a secret boss combat for many who clear up the thriller of the damaged relic; nevertheless whereas it’s a visible deal with, it is undoubtedly essentially the most underwhelming combat within the DLC.
New playable character Ms Chalice is arguably the most important recreation changer within the DLC; she’s selectable by way of the allure slot as quickly as you begin the DLC and targets the bottom recreation’s greatest criticism by providing up a neater technique of play because of her distinctive expertise. Ms Chalice has an additional hit-point, can double bounce; her parry is finished by way of her sprint, and he or she has a dodge roll which is invincible. Whereas Ms Chalice does make issues a bit simpler — her double bounce and additional hit level had been a life-saver at factors — she in no way trivialises the sport. Her being chosen by way of the Allure slot locks you out of using some other charms just like the extremely helpful smoke bomb sprint. Her move-set additionally has its personal downfalls like a shorter base bounce and the invincibility roll solely having the ability to be used whereas on the bottom. For these of you who’re stepping into the sport for the primary time, or had been turned off by the problem, Ms Chalice is fortunately usable in the primary recreation as nicely, as soon as unlocked.
Kristofer Maddigan returns because the composer as soon as once more and brings with him a brand new collection of jazzy bangers to essentially amp up the expertise. Tunes like Excessive Midday Hoopla and Bootlegger Boogie stand amongst among the finest tunes within the recreation. The music isn’t exempt from the DLC experimentation, taking part in round with different genres and even vocals on a number of of the tracks.
Conclusion
Cuphead: The Scrumptious Final Course is extra Cuphead — for higher or worse. These delay by the unique’s issue could discover the expertise simpler to swallow because of the glorious inclusion of Ms Chalice. However the recreation nonetheless has the identical model of punishing gameplay we’re used to from the unique. The growth provides among the most ingenious bosses Studio MDHR has ever provide you with, backed up with that incredible animation and music which has by no means seemed or sounded higher.
