User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 488 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Negative: 43 out of 488

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  1. Sep 15, 2020
    8
    Cuphead is one of the most delightful platformer games I've ever played. It's incredibly stylish and everything about its presentation is quite incredible. The voice-acting and the music were extremely fitting and really made this a great homage to last century's culture. The gameplay was very responsive and had enough powers to keep you inventing new fighting techniques based on the bossCuphead is one of the most delightful platformer games I've ever played. It's incredibly stylish and everything about its presentation is quite incredible. The voice-acting and the music were extremely fitting and really made this a great homage to last century's culture. The gameplay was very responsive and had enough powers to keep you inventing new fighting techniques based on the boss you're fighting. And of course, this one is made for players looking for a challenge. Definitely not a walk in the park but it does have an easy mode for those looking for a more relaxing run (although I never tried it so I can't comment how accessible it is).

    The story wasn't all that great, very straight-forward and simple to fit its 15 - 20 hours of gameplay until the final boss. Not really a negative point, but could be better since nothing really ties the bosses together. One issue I have with the gameplay is the way ground parries work. Having to jump to parry some of the obstacles made for a really frustrating time. Sure, they're optional but I'm a perfectionist and try to get the best possible score. And the last issue was the infuriating design of a few specific boss phases. Most bosses felt fair but there were a few instances where there was too much going on the screen.

    Overall, a very fun and challenging game. Definitely not impossible as a lot of people claim and it's just a matter of memorizing patterns (just like in most video-games, nothing new if you've been playing for a while) and timing your jumps, dodges, and parries. Personally, I found Celeste to be even harder and people cry a lot less about its difficulty. Just not an accessible game for newcomers at all.
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  2. Jun 22, 2020
    9
    Una autentica sorpresa este juego, necesitarás toda tu habilidad y concentración para superar cada uno de los boss del juego, pero con cada cada uno que superes tu satisfacción ira en aumento, aunque te aviso, vas a morir.... y mucho. Jugabilidad 10/10.
  3. Jul 28, 2020
    10
    Incredible animation. gameplay and music. You can see the enormous quantity of effort and passion the developers put in this game.
  4. Jan 19, 2023
    8
    I just beat this game last week. To be honest, I don't think the game system is fair, and it is quite difficult. I like challenging games but they have to be fair enough for gamers to challenge. Anyhow, it's art style and 30s' cartoon direction is really cool.
  5. Aug 28, 2020
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Regardless of what you think of the game, I will promise you 1 thing:
    It will be DIFFICULT, while this isn't for everyone, Cuphead is strangely, fun game.
    But there are a few glitches that hold me back from giving this a 10/10, Mainly when the boss turns white. This happened to Grim on my first playthrough, I got to the 3rd phase and then the whole screen went white, I obviously died right there, but these moments don't happen often.
    I have not wet beat the the game because of its difficulty, but it has been SO fun so far.

    In short, A VERY difficult game that is meant for the people who are really skilled at Video Games.

    Dificulty: 10/10
    Gameplay: 9/10
    Story: 6/10
    Glitch counter: 3
    Overall: 97/100
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  6. Aug 2, 2020
    9
    At the end of the day, Cuphead is a fantastic, retro run 'n gun game with that many delightful tropes.

    Let's get this outta the way. The presentation is simply gorgeous that takes inspiration from classic cartoons. This stylish game is absolutely dripping with wonderful detail. You can easily tell they went all out to make this game as visually enjoyable as possible. The backgrounds
    At the end of the day, Cuphead is a fantastic, retro run 'n gun game with that many delightful tropes.

    Let's get this outta the way. The presentation is simply gorgeous that takes inspiration from classic cartoons. This stylish game is absolutely dripping with wonderful detail. You can easily tell they went all out to make this game as visually enjoyable as possible. The backgrounds themselves have more detail than most AAA titles I've played recently.

    Whilst this game is a spectacle to look at, it's a delight to truly play. The core gameplay is fun as heck. Cuphead's physics are just right with a nice, weighty jump and a solid running speed. There's a parrying mechanic where you can bounce off of pink objects in you time your jump just right. You'll be granted with another card to build up your super. Your super is an ability that'll allow you to temporarily be invincible, fire off a powerful attack, etc. There are airborne stages where you'll have full control of the screen. These stages are incredibly fun but are only used for bosses. Speaking of which, this game has an assortment of creative and unique, yet difficult bosses that'll keep you on your toes. There are several difficulty options which gives the game far more accessibility. There's a co-op mode where you can whip out a controller and summon your pal so you can both die miserably together.

    You can't finish off a Cuphead review without mentioning its magnificent soundtrack. There's a load of peppy and upbeat toons followed up by some jazzier tracks. It's a wonderful collection of music that you can tell the composers put a load of work into.

    All in all, Cuphead is a fantastic novelty that hit the took the gaming industry by suprise, and for good reasons. Give this jewel a try and truly appreciate the tale of the two anthropomorphic cups that decided to sell their soul to the devil...

    Yeah...
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  7. Oct 8, 2020
    10
    The controls feel so tight! The bosses are so hard! The animation is awesome, seriously, the most hand drawn frames in a video game, ever! It’s a great day for a swell battle!!!!!
  8. Sep 27, 2020
    9
    Divertido, desafiador e brilhantemente bem feito. Esse jogo existir é simplesmente um milagre!
  9. Jun 6, 2023
    9
    Cuphead es uno de los mejores juegos indie de los últimos años. Es un juego de acción y plataformas basado en derrotar diferentes jefes combinando algunos niveles run and gun. Inspirado en los dibujos animados de los años treinta y con innumerables y cuidadas referencias, el diseño artístico es sublime y refleja un cuidado realmente espectacular por parte de sus creadores. Además, laCuphead es uno de los mejores juegos indie de los últimos años. Es un juego de acción y plataformas basado en derrotar diferentes jefes combinando algunos niveles run and gun. Inspirado en los dibujos animados de los años treinta y con innumerables y cuidadas referencias, el diseño artístico es sublime y refleja un cuidado realmente espectacular por parte de sus creadores. Además, la jugabilidad es muy divertida e intensa. La historia, aunque sea anecdótica, cuadra perfectamente con lo que quiere transmitir el juego. Cuphead destaca por su dificultad, la cual hace que el juego sea muy exigente y te provoque una sensación de reto y satisfacción increíble. Cabe destacar que la música es simplemente excepcional, acorde con la época en la que está ambientada el juego y muy pegadiza. Los únicos puntos negativos que se le pueden sacar a este juego son algún que otro problema con las hit boxes de algún boss, la mala implementación del multijugador (siendo a mi parecer mucho más disfrutable jugar solo) y el ligero desbalance que hay entre diversas armas y powerups (casi siempre he usado los mismos items). Pese a esos detalles, el juego es absolutamente recomendable, y sobre todo para la gente que le gusta los retos. 9,1/10
    (07/2021)
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  10. 2-D
    Dec 13, 2020
    9
    A near perfect experience with some of the most memorable animation, boss fights and music that games can offer. You may have no desire to revisit it after and some bosses may be completely forgotten in the face of the greater ones but this is a truly unique and fantastic adrenaline rush with music that grabs you and forces you to keep playing. Truly addicting.
  11. Dec 18, 2020
    9
    Cuphead is still as great as ever, and now you can play it on the go. Any old school gamers will be pleased. Just be prepared for a challenge.
  12. May 31, 2022
    10
    Cuphead ist so ein brillantes Spiel, wahrscheinlich so gut wie ein 2D-Plattformer nur bekommen kann, der brillante künstlerische Stil und die schiere Hingabe an das Thema, gemischt mit der Gameplay-Vielfalt und dem hervorragenden kreativen Design rundherum, und so ein schöner Schwierigkeitsgrad.
  13. Feb 19, 2021
    10
    One of the most astonishing looking games ever, the art direction for this game its simply a work of art. The fact that every animation its handmade deserves huge praise for this studio. The game is hard yes but also its pure fun. Its always your fault when you die, just have to keep improving and learn the patterns. The only bad thing about this game is that it ends.
  14. Mar 17, 2022
    9
    Obviously it looks amazing. The art style is so unique and fun. The gameplay is hard, but incredibly rewarding. Be warned you may spend upwards of an hour trying to kill a single boss, but when you do, boy oh boy, will it feel good. The bosses are varied and wild. The one downside to this game for me were the Run and Gun sections. For some reason this felt punishing and not near asObviously it looks amazing. The art style is so unique and fun. The gameplay is hard, but incredibly rewarding. Be warned you may spend upwards of an hour trying to kill a single boss, but when you do, boy oh boy, will it feel good. The bosses are varied and wild. The one downside to this game for me were the Run and Gun sections. For some reason this felt punishing and not near as exciting. They arent required though and so dont take away from an otherwise great game. Expand
  15. Sep 25, 2021
    10
    What a game! I thought I was actually playing in a cartoon from the 30s.
    And boy is this game hard! Luckily it controls very precisely.
    If there is one negative point it's objects passing in the foreground of a few levels, blinding the player.
    The game is still worth 10 out of 10.
  16. Apr 24, 2021
    9
    Guys can you please make this game less hard so I can beat the final boss I've already broke 5 controllers
  17. Jun 27, 2021
    10
    Masterpiece is the only word that is coming to my mind when I'm thinking at Cuphead. If I could, I would gave this game a 11 on 10.
  18. Jan 18, 2023
    10
    Cuphead é um jogo muito bonito, dificil e divertido de ser jogado; a versão do Nintendo Switch é muito bem portada. O Studio MDHR fez um belo trabalho com o jogo !
  19. Jul 25, 2021
    10
    This game is awesome. The controls are great, the graphics are splendid and the game play is fun as hell. Prepare to die a ton, though. No punches are pulled here. Oh and the music is addictive.
  20. Sep 4, 2022
    9
    Cuphead es uno de esos videojuegos únicos por su apartado artístico. Forzosamente, el esfuerzo artesanal con el que está realizado su diseño artístico lo hace único, y no es de extrañar que los canadienses de StudioMDHR tardasen más en realizar el DLC que el juego base aún teniendo ya más medios, para no repetir el agotador desarrollo con el que se llevó a cabo Cuphead. Es por eso que nosCuphead es uno de esos videojuegos únicos por su apartado artístico. Forzosamente, el esfuerzo artesanal con el que está realizado su diseño artístico lo hace único, y no es de extrañar que los canadienses de StudioMDHR tardasen más en realizar el DLC que el juego base aún teniendo ya más medios, para no repetir el agotador desarrollo con el que se llevó a cabo Cuphead. Es por eso que nos encontramos con un alocado festival de animaciones sin parangón en la industria del videojuego.

    Por fortuna para los jugadores, los responsables del título, los hermanos Moldenhauer, decidieron que este sería más ambicioso que lo presentado inicialmente. Es decir, a lo que por su esforzado apartado artístico iba a ser un pequeño Boss Rush acabaron extendiéndolo con más ideas tales como algunas fases de plataformas. No es que sea un juego largo, más allá de la duración alargada por su dificultad, pero al menos sí tiene una extensión correcta teniendo en cuenta el titánico apartado visual. Contamos además con una buena variedad, añadiendo a su base de Boss Rush influencias de otros géneros como de Run & Gun, acción-plataformas, juegos de lucha y shoot'em'up, todo un popurrí lleno de guiños a videojuegos clásicos, desde Mega Man a Street Fighter II. Y podemos jugar "a dobles".

    Por supuesto, tenemos que hablar de los gráficos del juego, que es lo primero que llama la atención y lo que encandiló desde un primer momento al público permitiendo así a los Moldenhauer realizar un juego más ambicioso que lo planeado inicialmente. Cuphead es todo un homenaje a la animación clásica de Estados Unidos, en especial a la de Fleischer Studios y Disney, y por ello sus gráficos han sido dibujados a mano, encontrándonos un trabajo alucinante de animaciones, prácticamente no visto antes en videojuego alguno, como si estuviésemos viendo uno de los alocados cortometrajes de los años 30 de Fleischer Studios. Pero, al igual que con las referencias a videojuegos clásicos, y pese a cierto riesgo de pastiche, el título desprende bastante personalidad propia. Eso sí, es todo un ejemplo de arte "vintage", un homenaje a una época, podríamos decir que la que abarca de los años 20 a los 40, pero ambientado en un mundo fantástico como los de Disney y sobre todo de Fleischer.

    Afortunadamente, el juego va más allá de los gráficos y su sistema de juego funciona muy bien. Porque si ARTE es una de las palabras clave de Cuphead, la otra para definir el juego es DIFICULTAD, emulando la dura jugabilidad de los juegos clásicos. Por supuesto como reciba esto el jugador depende de sus preferencias. Me parece legítimo no disfrutar de juegos exigentes como este. No es para todo el mundo, pero quien esté dispuesto a esforzarse encontrará su recompensa, y es que lo importante es que la dificultad esté justificada, y aquí lo está. Lo normal es morir muchas veces, pero no resulta demasiado frustrante porque vas notando el avance cada vez, como ejemplifica el gráfico posterior a la muerte donde nos indica hasta donde hemos llegado. De hecho, normalmente iremos avanzando cada vez más sobre este gráfico. Cada vez descubriremos más patrones y recursos del jefe. Hay que estar atento y así poco a poco iremos avanzando. Por supuesto, el espectacular apartado artístico influye para que no nos cansemos demasiado pronto. Estos juegos que exigen mucha precisión pueden abrumar, pero de esta manera, permitiendo poco margen de error, te fuerza a dominar todos tus recursos, lo cuál al final es satisfactorio. También podremos jugar probando distintos tipos de disparos y poderes.

    También hay que hablar de otro apartado espectacular del juego: la música. Cuphead es también uno de los mejores homenajes que ha hecho un videojuego al Jazz. En lugar de recurrir a un compositor de música de videojuegos, los Moldenhauer tuvieron el acierto de recurrir a un músico de Jazz, el batería Kristofer Maddigan, contribuyendo de manera más genuina al homenaje "vintage" a los años 30 y 40. Un Swing no tan bailable sino muchas veces cercano al frenetismo del Bebop o al que hacían compositores como Raymond Scott para los "cartoons". Además, hay una importancia en la improvisación que no solemos ver en otros videojuegos con Jazz, cambiando cada vez entre varios solos. Se grabó con decenas de intérpretes (y más de un centenar el DLC), algo importante en una música tan expresiva como el Jazz. Además, en este apartado tampoco faltan guiños a temas de videojuegos clásicos.

    Puede que la dificultad de Cuphead frustre a muchos jugadores, pero quienes estén dispuestos al reto se encontrarán con un juego bestial artísticamente, con un espectacular apartado audiovisual, unos diseños alocados y llenos de picaresca y un satisfactorio reto, habiéndose convertido en todo un clásico de los videojuegos independientes.
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  21. Jan 2, 2022
    8
    This game is Max Fleischer come to life! Strongly recommended for relentless masochists!
  22. Oct 7, 2021
    10
    So great, so challenging, and so well-made. Cuphead is a joy to behold and I love it, even though it pisses me off. It's hard-but-fair, just be ready to replay everything a LOT to beat it!
  23. Oct 20, 2021
    1
    I really wanted to like this game. But unfortunately it is too difficult to get very far. And it becomes too repetitive with its cartoonish build. It is cute in the beginning, but as your frustration takes over, it just becomes irritating. Sorry, I don't recommend this game.
  24. Oct 24, 2021
    9
    This game is pretty quality for being an indie game. Though it's pretty difficult.
  25. Nov 17, 2021
    10
    Great game in a beautiful cartoon style from the 30s. The game has excellent and varied bosses, a good soundtrack, interesting characters, levels. One of the best platform games ever.
  26. Dec 19, 2021
    10
    The game is great and everyone has given it all the praise it can get. BUT BE WARNED! This game is brutally difficult and if you don't have the patience to develop skills, you're gonna have a bad time.
  27. Aug 8, 2022
    7
    相当有趣的风格,和朋友一起双人打的乐趣会翻倍,单人打会发现基本上是在背板,但是仍然不妨碍他是个不错的游戏
  28. Jan 8, 2022
    9
    one of the best games i have played it has its flaws but it has the excitement of an on rails shooter even doe its not
  29. Feb 1, 2022
    9
    Интересная игра с хорошей стилистикой и интересными босами. В игре придётся попотеть, но процесс игры скорее всего доставит вам удовольствие.
  30. May 12, 2022
    10
    Cuphead is an amazing game and is perfect to play on the go. Can't wait for the dlc.
  31. Jun 30, 2022
    10
    “All of Cuphead is perfect (and hard)”

    I love the characters and everything of the dvs made!
  32. Jan 7, 2023
    9
    De los mejores indies que se han creado en la historia, es bastante divertido para jugar ya sea solo o con alguien, es una gran experiencia, bastante divertido y original.
  33. May 26, 2022
    4
    Game could have been absolutely amazing if they gave the player health and had checkpoints like all other videogames. they tried to hard to different and made some boss battles laughable. the art is very cool very stylish too bad they were mad at gamers when they decided to make it ridiculously hard.
  34. Oct 24, 2022
    7
    77/100
    Cuphead is visually mesmerizing, with beautifully hand-drawn backgrounds and lively charmingly freaky characters that move around with fluid, elastic animations, paying a glorious homage to the "rubber hose" era of american cartoons while instilling its own unique flare to it, as the wacky colorful esthetic comically clashes with the twisted tone of the adventure.
    77/100
    Cuphead is visually mesmerizing, with beautifully hand-drawn backgrounds and lively charmingly freaky characters that move around with fluid, elastic animations, paying a glorious homage to the "rubber hose" era of american cartoons while instilling its own unique flare to it, as the wacky colorful esthetic comically clashes with the twisted tone of the adventure. Contenutistically, the experience has a pretty barebones offering, mainly consisting of a simple marathon of boss fights, but the quality of these encounters is spectacular. They are erratic, unhinged battles that relentlessly throw at you a multitude of different attacks that can mesh in a myriad of different combinations, constantly challenging the player's adaptability and timing in new ways as the boss shifts and morphs through multiple phases, switching up or layering its offense. There are even two distinct kinds of battles, further strengthening the absurd sheer variety present as each battle feels decisively distinct both visually thanks to the fantastical characters and animations, and techincally thanks to heterogeneity of situations and attacks offered. The challenge is tough, but always fair as each attack combination provides a tight but definite window to avoid damage, or a clear visual/sound cue to alert the player. There are a couple of bosses with trickier attack patterns that can occasionally combine to lead to unavoidable damage just based on bad luck, but it's an extremely rare occasion. The game expands on its fights providing a variety of upgrades and new weapons, which aren't particularly deep but they allow to suit different playstyles and scenarios, giving a more meaningful progression to the experience. To acquire these upgrades the player will need coins, a collectible found within the "run 'n gun" stages, which are the absolute worst part of the experience. These stages are visually stunning just like the rest of the game, and provide some cute level design with unique mechanics, but the fun, fast-paced challenge offered by the bosses turns here into a tedious slog demanding hyper-precise execution as the continuous respawning of extremely fast enemies and overcrowded situations frequently leads to frustrating deaths, only worsened by the absence of checkpoints.
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  35. Jun 30, 2022
    3
    Well, what a shame, a game with great music, great art, is stained by amateur gameplay design and terrible balancing (I say balancing, but there isn't any). They tried to market it as being hard like Dark Souls(lol) , but they just shoved a bunch of RNG and badly implemented movement mechanics in with low health to give it the veneer of "difficulty " which other game devs actually have toWell, what a shame, a game with great music, great art, is stained by amateur gameplay design and terrible balancing (I say balancing, but there isn't any). They tried to market it as being hard like Dark Souls(lol) , but they just shoved a bunch of RNG and badly implemented movement mechanics in with low health to give it the veneer of "difficulty " which other game devs actually have to WORK FOR, with great design and balance, with years of experience in game design. Let me put it this way, have you ever bought a game where your buying of 1 item can literally mean the difference between impossible and too easy? Thats this game, with roundabout. Buy roundabout, you win, if you dont, you lose. Period. The game says "Spike" has high damage. That is straight up not true. Lying in the item description. Wow. That seems fair. The default pea shooter does more damage( i tested it extensively). Unfortunately this game wasnt balanced at all, and yet they have the gall to release DLC for an unfinished mess. I guarantee its a greedy, unfinished cash grab. Mark my words. Also, read the user review for these "10/10" games, they are often bots bought by a deal between the publisher and the guys over at Metacritic. Expand
  36. Aug 1, 2022
    8
    A short game, but only if you have the knowleddge and the skill, without it, the game feels eternal, an amazing artstyle and an outstanding ost. Marine Corps is my favorite song on the base game
  37. Dec 10, 2022
    10
    The old cartoon look, the creative and challenging bosses... the soundtrack and just everything in this game is awesome
  38. Jan 31, 2023
    10
    Cuphead es un gran juego. No se si tengo que decir algo sobre la direccion de arte o el soundtrack.
    Las batallas contra jefes son en su mayoria muy buenas y no en demasiadas ocasiones injustas.
    La dificultad no suele ser muy injusta pero si que hay veces que puedes llegar a pensar que el juego lo hace aposta, pero son muy pocas veces. La historia no existe pero de igual manera los
    Cuphead es un gran juego. No se si tengo que decir algo sobre la direccion de arte o el soundtrack.
    Las batallas contra jefes son en su mayoria muy buenas y no en demasiadas ocasiones injustas.
    La dificultad no suele ser muy injusta pero si que hay veces que puedes llegar a pensar que el juego lo hace aposta, pero son muy pocas veces. La historia no existe pero de igual manera los personajes son tan carismaticos y reconocibles que hasta dan para una serie. En definitiva Cuphead es un juego bello con mucho amor detras y un muy buen juego.

    Tambien los controles van con mucho delate y suelen fallar pero eso es problema de la swicht no del juego.
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  39. Apr 8, 2023
    9
    Challenging and the art style is just so charming. Absolutely hated it, one of the best games I've played.
  40. GT9
    Jul 17, 2023
    9
    I recently purchased Cuphead for my Nintendo Switch and I must say, it's one of the best games I've played in a long time. The animation style is unique and visually stunning, and the gameplay is challenging yet incredibly rewarding. The bosses are all unique and have their own personalities, which makes each battle feel like a whole new experience. The soundtrack is also top-notch andI recently purchased Cuphead for my Nintendo Switch and I must say, it's one of the best games I've played in a long time. The animation style is unique and visually stunning, and the gameplay is challenging yet incredibly rewarding. The bosses are all unique and have their own personalities, which makes each battle feel like a whole new experience. The soundtrack is also top-notch and adds to the overall enjoyment of the game. The only reason why I wouldn't give it a perfect 10 out of 10 is because there were a few instances where the controls felt a bit clunky, but it didn't detract too much from the overall experience. Overall, I highly recommend Cuphead to anyone looking for a fun and challenging game to play on their Switch. Expand
  41. Apr 9, 2023
    9
    Incredible art style, addictive and punishing combat, loud and lively music, a must-have for any fan of platformers and amazing 2D boss battles.
  42. Aug 25, 2023
    8
    Great game, which is very original and has a unique 1930s cartoon-style visuals. However, it is exceptionally difficult, even when opting to play through levels on 'Easy' mode.
Metascore
87

Generally favorable reviews - based on 40 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 38 out of 40
  2. Negative: 0 out of 40
  1. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Feb 27, 2020
    95
    Cuphead is such a masterclass in style and control that the few errant ink blots vanish in a Technicolor wonderland! [Issue #40 – July/August 2019, p. 30]
  2. May 21, 2019
    90
    Visually stunning and difficult in all the right ways, Cuphead is a testament to the importance of thought out game design. Every facet of the run and gun parts is built around giving the audience an experience unique to the videogame medium. Although this borrows quite heavily from a very specific era of animation history, its aesthetic goes beyond homage, coupling masterfully with gameplay that encourages mastery on every level. With some of the best designed boss fights this generation, a beautifully rich animation style, and impeccably fine-tuned controls, Cuphead stands out as not only one of the best indie titles on the Nintendo Switch, but one of strongest releases this generation, period.
  3. May 13, 2019
    91
    That Studio MDHR were able to make an aesthetic that’s nearly a century old seem fresh and new at the same time as they made an enjoyable game is just a bonus.