E3: Cuphead Review Roundup
We've been looking forward to playing Cuphead, Xbox One's latest console exclusive, ever since its initial reveal in 2014. After a delay, the action-platformer is finally out, and critics' verdicts have started to go live.
In our Cuphead review, Peter Brown said the game is "relentless," but that "toppling Cuphead's imposing bosses is both a monumental and rewarding task." He praised the game's "endlessly charming" 1930s cartoon aesthetic, which "truly re-creates the look of hand-drawn cel animation." He awarded the game an 8/10; if you want to see the platformer's unique art style in motion, check out some Cuphead gameplay.
For more critics' opinions, you can take a look at our review roundup below, or check out GameSpot sister site Metacritic.
- Game: Cuphead
- Developer / Publisher: Studio MDHR
- Platforms: Xbox One, PC
- Release: Out now
- Price: US $20 / £16.74 / AU $30
GameSpot -- 8/10
"Cuphead has been a longtime coming, and it's great to see that it lives up to its initial promises. It's beautiful to look at, and with a pitch-perfect soundtrack, it flawlessly captures the era its developers so clearly revere. It's also an intense action game that pulls no punches. It could benefit from a few tweaks, and two-player co-op doesn't feel like the valuable addition you might imagine, but Cuphead remains a rare, unique game that truly stands out." -- Peter Brown [Full review]
Polygon -- 8.5/10
"Cuphead's deal with the devil eventually leads to hell, and so perhaps it's fitting the conclusion should be so torturous. Though, honestly, even the residual headache has been soothed by the sweet, sweet salve of victory. When I think of my time with Cuphead, instead of frustration I'll remember the dozens of tiny breakthroughs, when the impossible became possible, and a game that built an identity around difficulty helped me to feel, however briefly, undefeatable." -- Chris Plante [Full review]
GamesRadar -- 5/5
"Yes, Cuphead was worth the wait. Too often, I find myself thinking "Thank God I never have to do that again" after wrapping up a difficult game--but with Cuphead, I'm mighty excited to further my eight-to-nine-hour Regular run by trouncing those bosses in an Expert encore. If you're partial to a tough-but-fair challenge, and you have even the slightest appreciation for the rich history of animated cartoons, you'll be overjoyed by the wonderfully artistic adventure that is Cuphead. Maybe you'll even get a blistered thumb or two to remember it by." -- Lucas Sullivan [Full review]
Destructoid -- 9.5/10
"Cuphead's incredible style belies its magical complexity. It's so much more than a hard-as-hell shoot-'em-up with artistic flair. It's cerebral in a way that these kind of games rarely are. Cuphead's commitment to forcing the player to understand is commendable. Those who don't have the patience to learn won't get far. That's the kind of stand-your-ground moxie that makes this a hallmark of game design. My praise runneth over." -- Brett Makedonski [Full review]