Shovel Knight

 PlayStation 4
User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 449 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 324 out of 449
  2. Mixed: 60 out of 449
  3. Negative: 65 out of 449
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Zimbardo
    May 17, 2015
    5
    This is a solid platformer and I think the devs did an amazing job for what they set out to make. But I guess that old school platformers just aren't that fun anymore.

    This was like taking a time machine back to my youth only to realize that the games that i was so nostalgic about weren't really that great.
  2. PureGamer
    Jun 23, 2015
    7
    Well if you were born in the 70's & 80's and grew up with games like the Mega Man series then you cant help but love a bit of retro gaming 8-bit action.
    Shovel Knight has that retro appeal that some of us 'more experienced' gamers crave but it also has the ability to entice the younger audience with its fast pace and charm. For the price you can’t really argue that the developers have    Well if you were born in the 70's & 80's and grew up with games like the Mega Man series then you cant help but love a bit of retro gaming 8-bit action.
    Shovel Knight has that retro appeal that some of us 'more experienced' gamers crave but it also has the ability to entice the younger audience with its fast pace and charm. For the price you can’t really argue that the developers have produced a game of basic capabilities and asked you to pay the world which makes it an attractive proposition. If you are a sucker for a throwback then do not hesitate but if you are more into your fast pace, intricate, mind blowing RPG's & Shooters then perhaps this one might pass you by; after all an 8-bit platform game so do not expect to be blown away.
    What it does offer is fun filled gaming with a decent soundtrack that immerses you in the game.

    .................BUT saying all that we are living in the 21st century and I can not help but feel that a console which possesses so much power is being asked to run the style of games that I enjoyed in the 1980's. These games are hardly state of the art and it seems a shame that we tend to move backwards rather than forwards in our quest for fun; still that is by no means a swipe at the game itself; it does exactly what it sets out to do and for that you can only applaud it.    … Expand
  3. MisterBirdy
    May 4, 2015
    5
    When are the reviewers going to quit being so damned charmed by retro games? If it is a fine retro game it deserves a mediocre review, not high praise. And they certainly shouldn't cost more than $1.99 .
  4. TatsMcGee
    Sep 8, 2018
    5
    One thing I like to do when it comes to writing these reviews is to sit back and think about the game for a little while. I actually wrote a review earlier about Shovel Knight but I chose not to post it because it was more of a rant than an actual review of the game. The reason for this is because if I had to pick a word to describe this game, I would have to say frustrating.

    I am not    One thing I like to do when it comes to writing these reviews is to sit back and think about the game for a little while. I actually wrote a review earlier about Shovel Knight but I chose not to post it because it was more of a rant than an actual review of the game. The reason for this is because if I had to pick a word to describe this game, I would have to say frustrating.

    I am not saying this is a bad game but it’s not the game that I hoped it would be. I am very picky when it comes to 2D platformers, I’m not a huge Mario or Mega Man fan. The series I always preferred growing up is the Donkey Kong Country series. The physics engine in Donkey Kong Country is different than any other 2D platformer so I often times have a hard time adjusting to new platformers.

    The developers of Shovel Knight, Yacht Club Games deserve a lot of praise for this game. If you’re a fan of the Mega Man series then you will love this game. For me, those games are very punishing and hard for me to enjoy. When I would finally sit down and play this game, I could only play for an hour at a time because I would find myself getting frustrated. The problem with getting frustrated in a game like is as you get more frustrated and you end up taking more risk which causes you to die more. Then the frustration levels will continuously get higher. So if you’re like me where you find yourself getting frustrated rather easily this is may not be the game for you.

    Some of you may be wondering what was the cause of this frustration. For me, one of the biggest problems I have with platformers is I like to be constantly in motion so usually, I’m running as much as possible. So when I encounter an enemy, I like to hit it once and keep moving on. This game, you would often times have to hit an enemy multiple times before taking them down. So for me personally, I would have to stop running and then hit the enemy 5 times before they go down. I know it may not sound like a big issue but it’s taking away my favorite part of platformers.

    The other major issue is if you want to keep momentum, you need to know and memorize each map or stage. The only way to do that is by playing through the stage several times and kind of learning the ins and outs of each stage.So I often times don’t enjoy a Platformer the first time I play it. I know that may sound odd but I guess that is something I need to work on. Go in with a different mindset, instead of saying “I’m going to play this game, maybe say I’m going to learn this map”. Maybe that way, I won’t get as frustrated when I die a lot.

    I do want to mention that I did get a chance to go back and replay a stage. There was an unfortunate incident with my PlayStation where out of the blue it just crashed.It kind of sucked because I had just completed a stage and then all of a sudden, the system just shut off. This was not a gameplay issue where the game crashed this was a weird incident where my PlayStation just shut off. So when I finally replayed the level, I will admit it was much easier playing through the level again but I can’t say that it was any more enjoyable for me.

    My favorite part of the entire game was the boss battles, I just had a lot of fun fighting the bosses and devising a strategy to defeat each individual boss. I found myself wanting to get through the platforming aspect of the game to get to the “fun” part for me which were the boss battles. All the bosses were unique and required a different strategy to take them out.

    I know, I haven’t done a great explaining why I didn’t like this game and I can honestly say that I don’t know why I didn’t like it. It’s just one of those games where all the signs point to the fact that you should like this game. Its a genre you like, its well made, it reviews well but for one reason or another you just don’t like it. I think we’ve all been there when it comes to a video game.

    All in all, the game feels like it was designed for fans of the Mega Man series.Which is exactly how the game was marketed and I think that’s great because fans of that series deserve another good Mega Man game. I decided that I’m not going to rate this game because I don’t think its fair to give it a rating. I think it’s a great game that I just didn’t like.    … Expand
  5. Dragonfly44
    Apr 1, 2020
    6
    It looks absolutely fantastic, unfortunately it just isn't very fun to play. 67/100
  6. Ginger_Avenger
    Nov 19, 2022
    7
    I like this game. It succeeds at being an 8-bit tribute yet also does its own thing. There's some 8-bit platforms frustration to be had, and perhaps the game design of old need not be so faithfully reproduced, but overall I liked the experience. Music is also great.

Awards & Rankings

5
#5 Best PS4 Game of 2015
54
#54 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2015
60
#60 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2015

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
90

Universal acclaim - based on 18 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 18
  3. Negative: 0 out of 18
  1. Impulsegamer
    Sep 25, 2015
    84
    Shovel Knight perfectly encapsulates what is so great about playing modern-retro games inspired by the 8-bit era of the 1980s and early 90’s without being derivative or trapped in the past.
    Read full review
  2. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Jun 30, 2015
    90
    A glorious, funny, occasionally touching and often maddening tribute to the 8-bit platformer. [July 2015, p.87]
  3. Play UK
    Jun 27, 2015
    90
    A well-written love letter to the classic games of the Eighties that blends a variety of classic platformers into a game that works regardless of any nostalgia. We dig it. [Issue#258, p.72]
See all critic reviews »