I am new to gaming. The community and slang is entirely new to me. I was unprepared for what Cuphead had in store. Cuphead is a new game from two indie developer brothers that has already received praise and a fanbase. The main gimmick and what sets this game apart from others is it unique art style. It is entirely animated with Cels, the style that old cartoons used to painstakingly animated their shorts. As a result, this game has personality and hard work steeped into it. The style is unlike any game before it.                                                                                                              

The design is so fun to look at, and the score is played by a live jazz band to mirror old music from the 20s. The screen crackles and the music has the hiss and spit of an old record player. The boss design is unbelievably imaginative, and I find it’s best to take the game slow, so you can truly grasp the beauty of this game. The very essence of this game evokes old cartoons of those bygone days. If video games existed in the 20s, this would be one of them. You can do a two player mode as well, with your friend playing as Mugman, Cuphead’s brother. The game just has so much heart, with even the loading screen looking amazing, with a cute little hourglass guy jumping up and down. But there’s just one problem.

This game is hard. But the point is not to rage, it’s to sit back and marvel at the visuals, and find new ways to beat the boss. While the boss fights are certainly the most entertaining and inventive parts of this game, the run n gun stages are rather repetitive, but are notably easier. And although the bosses are fun to look at, they become rather excruciating after some time, but if you sit back and enjoy the ride,  this inventive and original spirit becomes a treat for everyone to enjoy. A flying zeppelin woman morphs into a creepy mechanical moon that fires UFOs, A horrifying clown beast morphs into an anthropomorphic carousel, A World War 1 German rat shoots flamethrowers from his tank, and a genie shoots cat sarcophagi that shoot small kittens.                                                                                                        

Cuphead’s powerful visuals, amazing music, and fun game play make this a game that will be remembered as one of the best games of all time.

Grade: 9.5 / 10