Shovel Knight Dig First Impressions

 Last Winter we got a spin off to a beloved indie character in the form of Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon, which I enjoyed but need to go back to after getting distracted by other games and moving on. But I did enjoy it quite a bit and really enjoyed trying out all the different characters. The music and presentation were also great, but today is a game that is a week old, and I love it, but it does not love me back. Shovel Knight is now in a rouge like, and that is the newly released title, Shovel Knight Dig. 

This game begins with a new foe, taking everything, you have with a giant drill and creating a giant tunnel, from that point forward for the rest of the game there is nowhere to go but down. And that is the name of the game, digging away to get to the bottom of this and get treasure. Along the way there are bosses and obstacles to overcome because if you fall in battle, no matter how far you get it is back to square one. All your progress gone in the blink of an eye, and the only option is to continue on and hope this next run goes better. 

The presentation looks and sounds great, and the music for each area is fantastic. The game chugs a little from time to time and has some stuttering issues when you load into another area but aside from that, the game looks and sounds great. The sprites are vibrant and full of life, each area has the right amount of detail and the music is fantastic. The game also controls well, and people who have played Shovel Knight before will know a few of the tricks, the shovel pogo, swiping, and finding tools to add as long as you have enough energy to use them. 

This time every level, area, and traps are randomized, and once you start falling you cannot get back up most of the time, so if you go down, you stay down. There are not only enimies to deal with, but you cannot linger too long unless be faced with a one hit kill machine. The game is easy to learn but very hard to master. You never know what is waiting around the bend, but if you explore there are plenty of secrets, shops, items, and healing items to be found to help tip the scale in your favor. There are also three gears in every area, and they are must to help continue pushing forward, the reward for getting them can be a literal life saver. The bosses are a fun time to face and fun to learn. 

This game is very well balanced. There is enough going against and going for the player at the same time that it makes the game feel possible if you continue to press on and learn it. The game is very fun and each area in a run feels like it is the perfect length not dragging or being overloaded with obstacles/ This game requires pacing yourself and learning the area, while still being semi quick to avoid traps, deal with foes, not deal with the one hit kill machine, and find the best way to get gears and items. 

I may still be learning this game, but it is a fun time to learn. This is a well-done rouge like game with a very good presentation, with great pacing and gameplay that encourages the player to keep pressing forward. I am enjoying this game and want to learn to beat it, I am often discouraged by games that make me lose all my progress but this one is so fun and charming that I want to win, even if it may not be any time soon. This is a fun time for rouge like fans, Shovel Knight fans, or someone wanting something new, the game is long enough and has enough content to warrant its price in my opinion.