Cuphead

By golly, Cuphead is a swell shooter and then some! Music, graphics, gameplay - it's got it all! If only the animators Ub Iwerks and the Fleischer brothers could see this great work that they inspired...

Three years on from its original release on other platforms and there's still nothing like Cuphead. A delirious, LSD-infused trip through a prohibition-era styled cartoon hellscape, Cuphead underscores its utterly unique presentation with a rock solid and fundamentally excellent platform shooter that stands effortlessly shoulder to shoulder with the best in the genre. The wait has been worth it.

Cuphead arrives on PlayStation 4, with another simply perfect porting.

While there is absolutely no reason to double dip if you already own Cuphead on another platform, PS4 only owners that have been missing out will find this to be a game that they must purchase.

Cuphead perfectly balances it’s simple nature, difficult mechanics, and audiovisual style for a game that’s rather unmatched. It’s a work of creative genius that allows the player to feel a sense of accomplishment through learning to overcome tough boss mechanics, and the cartoon visuals and big personalities of each keep them entertaining throughout repeated play. There’s simply nothing else like Cuphead, and even three years after its initial Xbox release, it deserves to be experienced by the PlayStation crowd who may have missed out the first time around.

Now, as the current console generation ends, Cuphead conquers the last major player in the gaming market and remains as must-play as it has always been on other platforms.

The Cuphead PS4 port may not bring anything new to the table, but it’s still the prettiest chalice on it.

Cuphead for PS4 doesn't add anything to what we already have on other platforms, but it is still a very unique experience with addicting gameplay, solid boss fights, super fun coop play and great music.

Cuphead on PS4 is an excellent port of a fun and unique boss rush run-and-gun title. Outside of a few quirks with its difficulty scale, everything about this experience is fluid and entertaining. The aesthetic is the star of the show, which pair well with the responsive controls and captivating soundtrack. You might encounter a few moments of frustration after then tenth death to a boss, but the satisfaction of overcoming these moments is a great reward. If you haven’t played Cuphead on other platforms, then I urge you to play it on PS4.

With such a well-respected and well-known title such as Cuphead, there really isn't a lot that can be said for the PS4 port that hasn't already been stated since its original release in 2017. A fiendishly difficult platformer with a great soundtrack and beautiful level design and aesthetics awaits any gamer that loves a challenge, and is happy to put the hours in. Sit in a darkened room, avoid any and all of those pesky real-world interruptions, and take on a telepathic giant carrot. Ace.

Despite an occasional mean streak, when Cuphead plays fair it’s as much a treat for the thumbs as it is for the eyes– and with these distinctive, cartoon-inspired looks that’s no small feat. [Issue#179, p.78]

Cuphead finally arrives on the PS4 and it's been worth the wait. It's difficult and can be frustrating but for those with a love for boss fights and a tenacious approach to challenges this will provide a steep one. Everyone else can just watch the lovingly animated visuals.

One of the best 2D shooters of the modern era is also one of the most visually distinctive games of the whole generation, and a stunning work of imagination on every level.