Topic: Shovel Knight: Plague of Shadows. (free DLC)

[Nile Boogie Returns]

http://yachtclubgames.com/2015/03/introducing-shovel-knight-plague-of-shadows-playstation-release-date-pax-east-plush/




SWEET MONEY G CHRISTMAS!!!!! The Game of the Year just got better. I adore this game and I will buy pretty much whatever these people release for the next 3 years .

[Phil]

Just saw this!


In your excitement, Nile Boogie Returns, the link is incorrect.

[Nile Boogie Returns]

Just saw this!


In your excitement, Nile Boogie Returns, the link is incorrect.

I was in a rush so I could beat someone to the punch. I shan't name the person.

[Evan_B]

Now I have to hear more about how a mediocre homage to the NES is the savior of gaming.

[Adrock]

Now I have to hear more about how a mediocre homage to the NES is the savior of gaming.

I know. I hate when people are excited about things I'm not excited about. They should only like what I like.

[Evan_B]

Now I have to hear more about how a mediocre homage to the NES is the savior of gaming.

I know. I hate when people are excited about things I'm not excited about. They should only like what I like.

WARNING, THE FOOLLOWING POST COMES FROM SOMEONE WHO HAS ABSOLUTELY NO LOVE OF THE MEGA MAN FRANCHISE AND SUBSEQUENT RIPOFFS/IMITATIONS/GAMES THAT SHARE THE SAME DESIGN FROM IT. So disregard this if you think you have better taste than me, because I'm also the guy who hates 3D Land and that has made me something of a laughingstock on the site.

Glad to see someone gets it.

I just don't get how massively overhyped this game is. The level design is boring, the vigor use is garbage, the story is typical indie fare, and the best part of the game is the music by far. Of course, this update will mean it is now playable in a different and better way, but it honestly would have felt like more of an effort if it had been released altogether. It's like they were excited to show us how great their Mega man ripoff was when it ended up being mostly just a boring retread of the same things.

[Soren]

As someone who never played a Mega Man game until a year ago, this is a good game and I'm looking forward to every bit of DLC it has to offer.

[Spak-Spang]

The game is extremely polished.  It feels like the old NES games we remember from our childhood.  However, it has many modern game mechanics that make it a better game, and it is a keenly crafted and designed games.

The graphics and animation are beautiful and although it 8 bit, the art style doesn't feel 8 bit or ugly.  Instead it is charming and the detail and personality provided in the animation is inspired.

Not having a certain number of lives and having save states make this game much friendlier to players.  Everyone should be able to beat this game. 

Platforming is carefully designed, and although it maintains many elements of old school games, it tweaks the experience to make it more playable and forgiving. 

In the end, this game deserves all the praise it has received and it is not just a Mega Man clone, but a tribute to an entire generation of gaming.

[marvel_moviefan_2012]

I like it its a pretty good game but I didn't even compare it to Mega Man. If you want a cheap (not literally cheap) Mega man knock off made by modern gamers play Battle Kid.


I haven't played the game, or my Wii U for that matter, in a while so something like this could get met to go back and try it again.

[Phil]

There's even more free DLC coming since those Kickstarter goals were funded. Wasn't one of the goals funded a multiplayer battle mode or something similar?

[Evan_B]

Whoa whoa, just because it's accessible and nostalgic means it's a good game? I beg to differ.

The art style, while quite nice in some areas, feels cluttered in others, and the game is not polished if the only way they could figure implementing vigors into the game design was achievements and specific segments that don't flow with the rest of the game at all.

Just because a title doesn't have a lives system doesn't mean it's forgiving the sins of older titles. And I would argue the game looks little like an 8-bit game because of it's complexity in animation and visual aesthetic. There are other developers who have done what Shovel Knight aims to do but barely any of them were respected for it.

To say this game is a game of the year is a bold statement, to say that it's in a league of its own is frankly untrue. It's well-made, yes. But it's not amazing. Maybe if all the content they have planne for the game is as well-thought-out and decently executed as the original package was, I might reconsider. The initial product left me very underwhelmed.

[Nile Boogie Returns]

Whoa whoa, just because it's accessible and nostalgic means it's a good game? I beg to differ.

The art style, while quite nice in some areas, feels cluttered in others, and the game is not polished if the only way they could figure implementing vigors into the game design was achievements and specific segments that don't flow with the rest of the game at all.

Just because a title doesn't have a lives system doesn't mean it's forgiving the sins of older titles. And I would argue the game looks little like an 8-bit game because of it's complexity in animation and visual aesthetic. There are other developers who have done what Shovel Knight aims to do but barely any of them were respected for it.

To say this game is a game of the year is a bold statement, to say that it's in a league of its own is frankly untrue. It's well-made, yes. But it's not amazing. Maybe if all the content they have planne for the game is as well-thought-out and decently executed as the original package was, I might reconsider. The initial product left me very underwhelmed.

Although I did proclaim this Game of the Year upon release, its not just me who feels like this game is special. Might not be your twist but it has won numerous GOTY nominations and wins. Not too many games surpass the hype like this did.

[Evan_B]

Like I said, it's well-made, but I think a lot of the choices made aren't new, or novel, or even that great.

That's also why I gave a big old disclaimer saying I don't care for Mega Man style games in my second post.

Shovel Knight didn't do it for me, but at least this DLC is free so I can find out if it's actually worth it.

[NWR_insanolord]

I haven't been able to stand the Mega Man games despite repeatedly trying to give them a chance, but I did really like Shovel Knight, for what it's worth.

[Evan_B]

I haven't been able to stand the Mega Man games despite repeatedly trying to give them a chance, but I did really like Shovel Knight, for what it's worth.

I'm the same way except Shovel Knight still didn't win me over.

[Spak-Spang]

I am the odd gamer that believes the latter Mega Man games are better thanthe earlier. 3 is better than 2...but I really enjoy 4-6.

[Soren]

Played the first level of Plague of Shadows. It took me a while to get used to the new burst charge/jumping mechanic, but once you master it there the possibility of some really cool moves. Still unsure about the combat aspect of it but I'm sure it will get better once I start getting some upgrades.

[Phil]

Was surprised to see the update is less than 100 MB! Yay! I can download it and have room for it on my Wii U!

[broodwars]

I just started playing the Vita version of Plague of Shadows, and I'm not sure I like how Plague Knight plays. This is a game that relies on pixel-perfect platforming, and he has pretty much no way to deal with enemies directly below him. I've only cleared the first stage, and I've seen some pretty tricky moments already with blast jumps leading into hover-bombing on tiny platforms. It's pretty cool so far, though.

[Spak-Spang]

I just started playing the Vita version of Plague of Shadows, and I'm not sure I like how Plague Knight plays. This is a game that relies on pixel-perfect platforming, and he has pretty much no way to deal with enemies directly below him. I've only cleared the first stage, and I've seen some pretty tricky moments already with blast jumps leading into hover-bombing on tiny platforms. It's pretty cool so far, though.

True, but you can platform and bypass so many enemies it is just crazy. 
Triple jump that can be linked together with a bomb throw to reset and do it again...is pretty amazing.

[Evan_B]

Glad to see the patch doesn't even recognize I've already beaten the game. Bravo.

As for Plague Knight, I'm already enjoying it more than Shovel Knight's campaign just because it is now just a Mega Man clone with downward trajectory and chunky explosion sounds. The story is much more charming than Shovel Knight's, and the customization options are much cooler even though it's not like any 8-Bit game I've ever played, further distancing itself the original premise and actually a bit better because of it.

Level design still has some annoying moments, though, and things that were aggravating in Shovel Knight's campaign continue to be annoying here, like the loot system being broken by a number of bottomless pits. I see they also put no effort into shaping up the boss fights at all, as their attack patterns are still random and stupidly hard to read.

[Soren]

Here I am fumbling around the opening stage as Plague Knight.

[Soren]

For those of you wondering what happens on the Explodatorium stage: He fights Shovel Knight and it's awesome.

[Evan_B]

Why is it that people complain about the usage of bottomless pits in Sonic games but it's perfectly fine to implement them ad nauseam in this game?

Because it's "Nintendo Hard"? Seriously, try to convince me here.

[ClexYoshi]

Why is it that people complain about the usage of bottomless pits in Sonic games but it's perfectly fine to implement them ad nauseam in this game?

Because it's "Nintendo Hard"? Seriously, try to convince me here.

because in sonic games, they loom off-screen most of the time and they can just be something that if the level isn't designed right, you just FLY off into. in a platformer where the challenge is more of a screen to screen based one and the jump has a very predictable arc Vs. a highly momentum based one, such instant death traps can be consistently avoided on first time playthroughs as well as repeat playthroughs.

I still end up accidently falling  into that stupid pit in Mystic cave every now and then and shut the game off because I'm super sonic and don't feel like waiting out an eternity in that hole to die.

[Spak-Spang]

Why is it that people complain about the usage of bottomless pits in Sonic games but it's perfectly fine to implement them ad nauseam in this game?

Because it's "Nintendo Hard"? Seriously, try to convince me here.

Because Sonic is about speed and Sonic had bottomless pits and hidden spikes that couldn't be avoided if you moved fast and didn't know where they were...it forced you to get hurt and then memorize the level. 

This game NEVER does that.  There are no hidden traps that are unavoidable.  The game isn't "Nintendo Hard"  I actually found the game very refreshing.  Because you have endless lives and check points the difficult is not too hard.  Though New Game Plus is pretty dumb.

I found the plague Knight game mode easier and more enjoyable than Shovel Knights.  Shovel Knight felt like a nice mix between Mega Man, Duck tales, and just alittle Castlevania. Plague Knight feels more original but perhaps has even more of a Mega Man feel, because of the item switching. 

[Evan_B]

That's a pit with a bottom though.

Momentum is predictable once you become accustomed to Sonic's physics, so I fail to see your point. They end up pretty predictable based on level design anyway. Whereas Shovel Knight's pits are just there to deliberately screw you over because of their frequency.

Not to mention this game's obsession with one-hit-kill spikes. That's equally irksome.

[Spak-Spang]

That's a pit with a bottom though.

Momentum is predictable once you become accustomed to Sonic's physics, so I fail to see your point. They end up pretty predictable based on level design anyway. Whereas Shovel Knight's pits are just there to deliberately screw you over because of their frequency.

Not to mention this game's obsession with one-hit-kill spikes. That's equally irksome.

Platforming in and of itself is based on pit deaths.  Because the skill of a platformer is involved around skillfully navigating a level and defeating their enemies, spikes and pits are there to add challenge...they ARE the level. 

However, when they become unfair is when you can not avoid them without prior knowledge of them existing.  Take the original Sonic games, there are plenty hidden spikes that are designed to kill your momentum unless you know where they are prior to getting to them.  Now in Sonic because the spikes are not one hit kill people forgive them, but it is still very poor level design. 

Shovel Knight has some sins based on the old design flaws of 8bit games, re-spawning enemies and such...but they put those aspects into the game for nostalgia.  However, they did design a very forgiving check point system and endless lives and level saves to balance this out. 

I truly fail to see the comparison.  If you say spikes and bottomless pits are bad you must hate every platformer...because it is in all of them.

[Evan_B]

I'm not saying I hate them, I find it sill that people complain about a design element in one platformer while praising its inclusion in another, more adventure-based game. I have never found a spike or pit in a Sonic game particularly unpredictable, they scale well with the difficulty of the game. Even if platformers MUST include such elements in order to be a part of the genre, many actually don't use them because they're considered cheap. Again, Sonic was a specific example, and one that I don't even think features all that many bottomless pits.

But the predictable nature of their placement in Shovel Knight (as in, you know there's going to be one since they're EVERYWHERE in the game) and their inclusion in Plague of Shadows highlights the trappings of the game's initial design. And it does not have limitless saves and checkpoints, since the loot system limits replays. What is more annoying about the loot system is that recovering your loot is actually sometimes an impossible thing, which is again facilitated by the design of the levels.

You know, Mutant Mudds is one of my favorite platformers. Period. And it also features these elements, including instant-kill spikes. But the thing Mutant Mudds does is it freezes the character upon taking damage, which instantly creates a mental picture in the player's mind to remember situations such as those, or to be more cautious in those circumstances, or even try a different approach. Shovel Knight uses a recoil system which sends the character on a predictable arc but one that can react very differently given the design of a level- and more than often ensures death. I understand people enjoy beating their heads against a wall, especially in action/adventure games such as these, but I guess I will never understand or appreciate the reason why. It's aggravating to me, and it doesn't make me want to keep replaying the same instance over and over when I know there's about ten different ways I can be screwed over by one design element in a stage just because it has an abundance of pits close to it.

[Soren]

I do feel like the combat is more of the source of frustration than the actual platforming itself. Combat just doesn't feel as rewarding as it did when playing as Shovel Knight. And while you can find a combination of double and burst jumps as the game moves along (I never feel like I'm short of money to buy upgrades, and I die a lot), and those jumps can actually save you from death once you master them, there's no way to account for being force by an enemy to pull back, only to have that same enemy respawn. It's really frustrating.

That being said, boss battles don't feel as daunting as they did with Shovel Knight. Propeller Knight and the second Black Knight battle are the first time I found myself dying mid-battle, which makes for interesting strategy when handling tonics.