I have a complicated relationship with Shovel Knight, a cool and beautiful game that I mostly hated playing. Learning new levels is extremely annoying and tedious because failing a problem means redoing all the precise and technical rooms in the lead-up, compared to a game like Celeste which respawns players at the problem they’ve failed. There are RNG dependent platforming segments and enemy mechanics that will kill players who have otherwise mastered a run. The healing "ichor" doesn't refill between attempts of a level. There’s no “reset to last checkpoint” button. Some of the bosses feel poorly designed, particularly Plague Knight and Enchantress (sorta); Enchantress’s first phase is one of the best designed fights I’ve ever seen, but phase two is one of the worst (hint, bounce on Shield Knight TWICE to make sure you reach the hitbox!).
I'm an achievement hunter, but I know my limits. I was never going to 100% this game, because I knew I didn't actually like it from the moment I encountered Specter Knight. Instead, I set my goal (which I achieved) as 39/45 achievements—everything except challenge runs. This included doing things like completing a level without dying, killing a boss without taking damage, completing a level without collecting money, and completing a level with 20 or less attacks. I loved playing the game in this way, perfecting a set of actions I already knew for a special goal, and this grind constituted most of the fun I had with the game. Unfortunately, it also entailed completing NG+.
NG+ puts a microscope on all of Shovel Knight's flaws. There are fewer checkpoints, so every problem is made more tedious. Damage is doubled, so RNG and finicky mechanics are more punishing. There's almost no food, which I didn't really notice until I did, and then I REALLY noticed it. The Tower of Fate: Ascent on NG+ is home to probably the single hardest boss rush I've ever faced in my entire life. Worse, it demands the use of ichor from all except the most insane players, but if one fails they must repeat the entire level for a refill. I spent 4 straight hours bashing my head against the boss rush, making incremental improvements while mastering the leadup to the point where I could run through the entire level in a couple minutes without dying, and when I finally won I almost passed out and then I almost burst into tears.
I have a begrudged respect for Shovel Knight. At this point I think I’m a serviceably good player, and that I learnt and played the game to the extent I did says something. The art and character design are captivating. The writing is good if spartan; the scene that precedes “The End” made me smile every time I saw it (3). Completing this game on NG+ is probably one of my greatest gaming achievements considering the perseverance and skill required and the effect it had on me. If you’re someone who loves technical and punishing platformers, I’m sure you love Shovel Knight. But I don’t. I don’t even really like it, for the most part.
I'm an achievement hunter, but I know my limits. I was never going to 100% this game, because I knew I didn't actually like it from the moment I encountered Specter Knight. Instead, I set my goal (which I achieved) as 39/45 achievements—everything except challenge runs. This included doing things like completing a level without dying, killing a boss without taking damage, completing a level without collecting money, and completing a level with 20 or less attacks. I loved playing the game in this way, perfecting a set of actions I already knew for a special goal, and this grind constituted most of the fun I had with the game. Unfortunately, it also entailed completing NG+.
NG+ puts a microscope on all of Shovel Knight's flaws. There are fewer checkpoints, so every problem is made more tedious. Damage is doubled, so RNG and finicky mechanics are more punishing. There's almost no food, which I didn't really notice until I did, and then I REALLY noticed it. The Tower of Fate: Ascent on NG+ is home to probably the single hardest boss rush I've ever faced in my entire life. Worse, it demands the use of ichor from all except the most insane players, but if one fails they must repeat the entire level for a refill. I spent 4 straight hours bashing my head against the boss rush, making incremental improvements while mastering the leadup to the point where I could run through the entire level in a couple minutes without dying, and when I finally won I almost passed out and then I almost burst into tears.
I have a begrudged respect for Shovel Knight. At this point I think I’m a serviceably good player, and that I learnt and played the game to the extent I did says something. The art and character design are captivating. The writing is good if spartan; the scene that precedes “The End” made me smile every time I saw it (3). Completing this game on NG+ is probably one of my greatest gaming achievements considering the perseverance and skill required and the effect it had on me. If you’re someone who loves technical and punishing platformers, I’m sure you love Shovel Knight. But I don’t. I don’t even really like it, for the most part.