Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment

 Switch
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 138 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 114 out of 138
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 138
  3. Negative: 17 out of 138

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  1. Caleb37804
    Mar 6, 2017
    9
    Incredible game. Feels just like retro games of old. Very fast paced action, some customization options, and a great story. Both setting up Shovel Knight's history and Specter Knight's history all in the same game. Boss fights are unique and interesting each time; while some may be easier than others, I never felt like I was facing the same boss twice. If you don't want the full packageIncredible game. Feels just like retro games of old. Very fast paced action, some customization options, and a great story. Both setting up Shovel Knight's history and Specter Knight's history all in the same game. Boss fights are unique and interesting each time; while some may be easier than others, I never felt like I was facing the same boss twice. If you don't want the full package for $25, i'd definitely suggest this part for $10. Fantastic Game, and PERFECT for the Nintendo Switch. From the Tv to the Gamepad works fantastically.… Expand
  2. Captain_Faramir
    Apr 27, 2017
    9
    9.0 - Awesome game. Control of Specter Knight feels great and level design is equally as good as Shovel Knight if not better. Items were creative and unique, I feel like the developers attempted to make everything different and varied, which made this one stand out the most.
  3. Reyn_the_Insane
    Mar 17, 2017
    10
    Absolutely brilliant. Shovel of Hope and Plague of Shadows are fine games in their own right, but they can't even come close to the story of Specter of Torment. Everything was done right. Jake Kaufman truly outdid himself with the soundtrack, remastering pretty much every main song from the original. The level design is spot-on, requiring you to stay on your toes and use Specter Knight'sAbsolutely brilliant. Shovel of Hope and Plague of Shadows are fine games in their own right, but they can't even come close to the story of Specter of Torment. Everything was done right. Jake Kaufman truly outdid himself with the soundtrack, remastering pretty much every main song from the original. The level design is spot-on, requiring you to stay on your toes and use Specter Knight's abilities accordingly. While Specter of Torment is a prequel, you must play the other campaigns first, as there are too many spoilers and references in Specter of Torment that you wouldn't understand unless you've played Shovel of Hope. The game truly is a masterpiece, and yes I'll say it, it's even better than Breath of the Wild. Buy this game now.… Expand
  4. quanta
    Jul 20, 2018
    7
    So overrated. A good game, but nothing "incredible". If you want to see something incredible, try Hollow Knight.
  5. Patedus
    Mar 16, 2022
    9
    Super fun, feels like a fresh take on the classic castlevania formula. Solid DLC
  6. SuperkenGaming
    Apr 26, 2017
    8
    Shovel Knight Specter of Torment
    A great game, just not for me.
    Specter of Torment is the prequel to shovel knight where you play as specter knight, setting out to gather all of the other knights for the enchantress You have a cycth, darkness and will… To gather each of the knights you have to make it through some pretty familiar feeling levels to get to that levels boss and defeat    Shovel Knight Specter of Torment
    A great game, just not for me.
    Specter of Torment is the prequel to shovel knight where you play as specter knight, setting out to gather all of the other knights for the enchantress
    You have a cycth, darkness and will…
    To gather each of the knights you have to make it through some pretty familiar feeling levels to get to that levels boss and defeat them to bring them back to the tower with you
    And each level is new and designed specifically for torment knight, who plays more like sonic the hedgehog…
    He sticks to walls and it feels a bit awkward for a while
    you have to climb walls and do wall jumps instead of double jumping,
    You have to do attacks at enemies a lot of the time to make it to the next platform
    and this makes every single level feel like a timing puzzle..
    and because of this while I see how great the game is as I gave the original shovel knight a perfect 10..
    Specter of torment was frustrating for me and just not fun to play through..
    Other than the levels being more sonic like, there are spome pretty neat things asdded to the level like snowboarding on the cycth, and some levels look and feel completely different than the original..
    Even the bosses are a bit different, so youre not going to fly through these levels or their bosses like theyre nothing, they’ll still offer a bit of challenge even for shovel knight pros
    And much like the main game your still collecting gems for better armour, and now youre collecting red skulls to buy new power ups and attacks that give you the ability to regain your health or create a shadow of you to attack from a distance…
    But the level design this time around.. im just not feeling it..
    The platforming magic just isn’t the same and I cant appreciate it nearly as much as I do shovel knight..
    I aint about that sonic life
    I give shovel knight Specter of Torment
    a 7.5/10    … Expand
  7. Draco781
    Mar 16, 2017
    9
    I love this game. I have been hyped for it ever since the first trailer came out, and it was well worth the wait. The movement feels incredibly fluid, and Specter Knight feels very different to the other two campaigns in story and gameplay alike.
  8. Wolfville92
    Mar 29, 2017
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Shavel Knight: Specter of Torment

    Jugabilidad
    Shavel Knight toma como punto de referencia, juegos de alta jerarquía, tales como Megaman Zero y no oculta su admiración por este tipo de títulos, tomando de ellos la alta complejidad de desafíos en cada escenario, armas desbloquebales que serán muy útiles para facilitarnos la vida y armaduras especiales que otorgan habilidades nuevas al caballero. Cada escenario es único y te exigirán incluso memorizar patrones e idear estrategias para superarlos, esto complementado con enemigos que podrán estorbarte o hasta serte de ayuda para llegar a lugares que no se pueden alcanzar solo saltando.
    Cada escenario cuanta con una gran cantidad de pasadizos secretos que deberemos encontrar para conseguir piedras rojas que nos servirán para canjearlas por nuevas armas, vasijas que nos extenderán la barra de vida y de magia y diamantes que nos servirán para comprar armaduras.
    Los Jefes son también muy interesantes, cada uno con ataques únicos que pueden resultar muy entretenidos, aunque a diferencia de otros títulos de este tipo, pueden resultar algo fáciles en comparación (a excepción de los últimos dos Jefes).

    Sonido
    Los sonidos son característicos de una consola de la generación de los 16 Bits, con sinfonía que son muy entretenidas y pegajosas y ambientan de manera perfecta la jugabilidad del título, definitivamente un gran ejemplo de que no se necesita una gran orquesta para dejarnos tarareando una buena canción de videojuegos.

    Gráficos
    En este ámbito el juego cumple su cometido, un juego estilo retro ambientado en los 16 Bits complementado con Alta Definición de 720P, sin lugar a duda presume de un portento gráfico que lo sitúa en el Olimpo de los grandes títulos de este estilo.

    Innovación:
    Shovel Knight, es un homenaje a una época concreta de los videojuegos, que sin embargo a sabido darle un aire fresco, que lo hace más que disfrutable hoy en día, haciéndolo atractivo para jugadores de nueva genereración. El juego cuenta con variedad de modos de juegos que pueden ser desbloqueados al finalizar el juego y que otorga horas de diversión extra y ni hablar de la cantidad de desbloqueables que nos mantendrán pegados a la pantalla durante mucho tiempo.

    Historia (Spoilers)
    La historia de éste título es bastante simple pero sólido, que acompaña y complementa la jugabilidad del mismo. La misma es narrada poco a poco a lo largo del juego, a través de recuerdos jugables que tienen una conexión directa con los sucesos del presente y mediante los cuales lograremos entender la razón de lo que está sucediendo.
    Nos encontramos bajo la piel de un renegado caballero, el cual parece fuertemente perturbado por su asado, y no es para menos ya que la vida le ha jugado ciertos reveses que lo han marcado. Donovan fue un noble caballero quien junto a su compañero Luan, tenía la misión de recuperar una poderosa joya que brindaba fuerzas especiales a quien la obtuviera, razón por la cual muchos quienes trataron de obtenerla se volvía locos producto de la codicia., cuando finalmente logran llegar a ella, se encuentran con una bruja malvada que busca apoderarse de la joya, por lo que Luan advierte a Donovan que lo mejor es dejar ir la Joya, puesto que esta podía llevar a la destrucción a cualquier persona, sin embargo, Donovan no logra razonar y asesina a su compañero Luan para apoderarse de la poderosa joya... (el resto averiguenlo ustedes).    … Expand
  9. TohNife
    Apr 25, 2017
    9
    I grew up with games like Mega Man, Duck Tales, Super Mario 3, and Ninja Gaiden...games that were some of the best of their time, but slowly faded into memory as more complex and aesthetically pleasing games worked their way into the mainstream.

    Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment, much like the other entries in the Shovel Knight series, continues the trend of proving that "retro-gaming"    I grew up with games like Mega Man, Duck Tales, Super Mario 3, and Ninja Gaiden...games that were some of the best of their time, but slowly faded into memory as more complex and aesthetically pleasing games worked their way into the mainstream.

    Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment, much like the other entries in the Shovel Knight series, continues the trend of proving that "retro-gaming" is not only still desired by older and newer gamers alike, but is also a niche in gaming that is here to stay.

    By taking some of the best aspects of classic NES games, YCG has shown that they know what their fans both want and need. This is a fantastic game, and I really must commend Yacht Club Games for continuing to deliver a genre of games that I forgot I needed in my life.    … Expand
  10. jeffbizloc
    Mar 25, 2020
    8
    Shovel Knight is such a great series. I had already beaten the others with my favorite being King of Cards. This game was way easy compared.

    Game(s) like: Shovel Knights other entries, 2D platformers Pros: - Game was fun and that is the most important thing - Enjoyed the platforming and collection of special skulls Cons: - Slightly on the easy side, though collecting all    Shovel Knight is such a great series. I had already beaten the others with my favorite being King of Cards. This game was way easy compared.

    Game(s) like: Shovel Knights other entries, 2D platformers

    Pros:
    - Game was fun and that is the most important thing
    - Enjoyed the platforming and collection of special skulls

    Cons:
    - Slightly on the easy side, though collecting all items is a challenge    … Expand
  11. GlennGlenny
    Feb 26, 2018
    9
    Wow this is my favourite of the 3 instalments of Shovel Knight to date, same great music, graphic and level design as Shovel Knight and Plague Knight but the moveset here let's you feels like Tarzan swinging through the jungle mincing enemies on the way. Great fun, can't wait for the next one!
  12. quwip10
    May 24, 2018
    8
    I would actually give this game an 8.5 rating. The game is very fun and it flows well. The platforming is very fun and the game actually shines the most when it forces you to chain jumps and strikes through challenging platforming puzzles. The combat in the game is fun, but is not revolutionary. It feels like the game is somewhat stuck in between a Celeste-style puzzle platformer andI would actually give this game an 8.5 rating. The game is very fun and it flows well. The platforming is very fun and the game actually shines the most when it forces you to chain jumps and strikes through challenging platforming puzzles. The combat in the game is fun, but is not revolutionary. It feels like the game is somewhat stuck in between a Celeste-style puzzle platformer and hack/slash platforming. It is fun, but it left me wanting more of both. As you progress through the game, you can purchase upgrades and abilities as well as find them in the levels. As I earned these abilities and upgrades, I felt like I quickly outpaced the enemies to the point where they were too easy to defeat including the bosses. The variation in the levels and the boss fights are very fun and the story was better than I expected. There are a few flashback levels throughout the game that tell of Spectre Knight's history. I actually wish they would have had more of that story in the game as it was very interesting. Overall, it was a fun game that ended up going pretty fast.… Expand
  13. Twanui
    May 20, 2019
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I don't usually give games 10/10 but this Game (or dlc) deserves it. Because I want to explain in detail I will talk about story so [Spoiler Alert]

    I want to start with saying this is probably the easiest Story in the game, and that's kind of reason I like it so much. I had a tough time getting the hang of Shovel Knight so I switched to this one it's very newb friendly so for new players I recommend this one.

    Specter Knight uses his scythe to fight. Also if you are airborne you can dash at the enemy and damage it. You start off in the plains were you learn the basic mechanics. Then you fight a mini-boss and return to the "Tower" to lair of the enchantress whom you are serving. I should also mention that you are recruiting 8 knights for the "Order of No Quarter"

    Every couple levels you get a flashback about how you ended up here. You find out that your name is Donovan, and you are traveling with Loan trying to find a Amulet. The final level Comes with all of the mechanics from the past levels.

    Over all my favorite Story in Shovel Knight 10/10    … Expand
  14. Gontrand00
    Dec 23, 2020
    9
    As original and enjoyable as the first Shovel Knight. This time controlling the Reaper feels almost overpowered at some point, if you are well trained with the slash mechanic. It was a nice idea to do a prequel in that way and to rearrange what was already there to make a second game. Too bad they kept the recoil thing when you get hit, because that still sucks a lot. Also, the mechanic ofAs original and enjoyable as the first Shovel Knight. This time controlling the Reaper feels almost overpowered at some point, if you are well trained with the slash mechanic. It was a nice idea to do a prequel in that way and to rearrange what was already there to make a second game. Too bad they kept the recoil thing when you get hit, because that still sucks a lot. Also, the mechanic of the upward/downward slash can sometimes be infuriating because it doesn't work around logic but rhythm, and if you do your slash a tiny bit too early/late, you just go directly down the pit, die and lose your unreachable money. Kinda the same problem as in the first game, which is too bad because it's not hard to fix and it's also not a brilliant idea to insert that kind of unfair mechanic into the game.… Expand
  15. voiceofreason69
    Jul 22, 2023
    10
    This game is excellent, unlike its predecessor, plague of shadows, its controls are responsive and excellent, also, like its predecessors, it has overall above average graphics considering its genre, (not as good as hollow knight tho), and its game design is great! Overall great game, would be 96, but round up so 100

Awards & Rankings

18
#18 Best Switch Game of 2017
76
#76 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2017
77
#77 Most Shared Switch Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
84

Generally favorable reviews - based on 21 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 21
  3. Negative: 0 out of 21
  1. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Apr 24, 2017
    90
    A faster-paced, more densely packed, more melancholy and visceral experience than previous entries in the Shovel Knight series. [Issue #27 – May/June 2017, p. 20]
  2. Switch Player
    Apr 6, 2017
    82
    The Specter of Torment expansion really added to the game series with a better story and more fluid gameplay. Its not particularly long, but the fun, challenging, old-school platforming makes this a game worth playing. I would recommend buying the Treasure Trove edition with the original game and the two expansions and playing them in the order of release. It's a great package and Specter of Torment is the strongest of the set.
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  3. XGN
    Mar 24, 2017
    85
    Bringing this game as a stand alone to the Switch was a brilliant idea. It feels like a whole new game because of the way Specter of Torment plays, but offers the same great style and gameplay Shovel Knight did.
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