Cuphead

 Xbox One
User Score
8.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 955 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 805 out of 955
  2. Mixed: 44 out of 955
  3. Negative: 106 out of 955
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  1. Neelyry
    Oct 28, 2017
    10
    An unexpected delight. I don't usually give out tens but this game earned it with its originality. All the art is hand drawn then scanned in so there is no CG, it looks like I'm playing a 1930s cartoon and its incredible. It can be very difficult on regular so play on simple if needed. I game on regular and sometimes it can take a while to beat a level but its so satisfying.
  2. FerPSX
    Oct 2, 2017
    10
    Excellent game for a great price, the graphics and the music are amazing, this game isn’t for everyone, it’s really hard, if you like challenges this game is for you, for my it’s the hardest game I played in the last 10 years (excluid Dark Souls off course) but it’s a really fun game, playing alone or co op, for $20 you wouldn’t regret to try it
  3. hiruu
    Sep 30, 2017
    10
    I'm loving he game thus far. It is an old school platformer, but has a surprising amount of depth in both gameplay and also in storyteller. Kuddos to StudioMDHR for a great job, and I'm looking forward to seeing what they do next.
  4. raimar
    Sep 30, 2017
    10
    Cuphead is Amazing, the visuals are gorgeous and i fell like i'm inside the cartoon, the soundtrack is perfect and fits the theme and the gameplay is brutal and really fun. 10/10
  5. Wozman23
    Sep 30, 2017
    10
    If some government agency came to me and said, "We'd like you to compile all of the greatest games from all time so that we can blast them into space in hopes that alien life may find them and enjoy them," without hesitation I'd put Cuphead in.

    The moment I saw it, it became my most anticipated game. For almost four years, I've anxiously awaited it. Expectations were sky high. The wait    If some government agency came to me and said, "We'd like you to compile all of the greatest games from all time so that we can blast them into space in hopes that alien life may find them and enjoy them," without hesitation I'd put Cuphead in.

    The moment I saw it, it became my most anticipated game. For almost four years, I've anxiously awaited it. Expectations were sky high. The wait was well worth it, as it is a phenomenal game, balanced and polished to perfection. The 1930s art style, the soundtrack, the boss and level design - all perfect. I haven't seen a similar level of quirky creativity since Rayman Origins, six years ago. There's not a single thing I can even criticize. Every second is a thrill, and even with hundreds of deaths, I couldn't wipe the smile from my face.

    I want to show it to friends. I want to show it to strangers. I want to show it to extraterrestrial beings. It's the reason I enjoy playing games.    … Expand
  6. C3realkillah
    Oct 5, 2017
    10
        From the intro i knew i was going to get a great experience. The music, graphics, dialogue, film grain all bring back the 1930s cartoons in glorious fashion. This is a complete love letter of a game and as someone who grew up with older cartoons it hits that perfect stride feeling classic and new at the same time. But what's most important is the gameplay which is solid and addictive.    From the intro i knew i was going to get a great experience. The music, graphics, dialogue, film grain all bring back the 1930s cartoons in glorious fashion. This is a complete love letter of a game and as someone who grew up with older cartoons it hits that perfect stride feeling classic and new at the same time. But what's most important is the gameplay which is solid and addictive.

    Gameplay:

           The game is basically a sidescroller 2D shooter platformer with a heavy emphasis on boss battles. Each boss has different phases to keep each fight feeling fresh and unique. It's also brutally difficult but rarely feels unfair. Expect to die a lot because 3 hits you're dead and have to start over the stage (unless you get health upgrades from the shop that is).There are also tons of upgrades and powers you can acquire from the shops in the game. The game also offers local co op and i know people are going to love that feature as you can team up with a buddy and take on the challenge together. It has a world map where you choose what level you want to play, boss to take on or upgrades to buy at the shops. Once you select a level you'll be platforming and shooting through the gorgeous levels... And the bosses, can't forget the bosses. The boss battles are some of the most unique challenging monstrosities I've ever faced in a side scroller. They require patience and timing to avoid their attacks and claim victory. They also feel totally different from each other so no two bosses are alike or rehashed. The game rewards patience and near perfect reaction, the feeling of taking down these bosses is akin to beating a boss in dark souls maybe even better.

         Music and sound design:

        The music in this game is fantastic. From the starting intro to the credits, it definitely feels like a timewarp back to the 1930s. The sound effects too all sound like they were ripped out of old cartoons you can just tell that the developers harbor a deep love for the old cartoons most of us grew up with. In fact there are over 50 songs and they are all great, the upbeat and at times chaotic jazz just fits right in. I especially like the intro song sung by a good ol barbershop quartet.

      Overall conclusion:
     
        Overall this game is just fantastic probably one of my favorite Indies to release this generation (next to ruiner and hellblade) the developer studio mdhr put time and love into this game and every bit of it is oozing with unique charm. It's a true masterpiece and I highly recommend this game it's even better than watching an old cartoon, now you can actually play one! 10/10    … Expand
  7. gozu
    Oct 4, 2017
    10
    The game visuals are beautiful in a timeless, unique way that does not get old.

    The music is absolutely fabulous. I especially love the songs telling the story or describing characters. They are just lovely.

    The gameplay is rock solid. The bosses take me 2 hours to beat each but the controls are tight and the challenge is appealing
  8. Dinkyinc4
    Sep 29, 2017
    10
    amazing art style, great soundtrack, game play is really fun (Can be difficult at times but in a good way), and never gets old. This game is a fantastic return to a genre that felt like it was getting old.
  9. pjosephson
    Sep 29, 2017
    10
    Exhilarating and Beautiful but, hard to Master.

    Cuphead mesmerizes you with it unique visuals, great soundtrack and exhilarating gameplay. It is fun, lots of fun. But, it is not for the faint of heart. It is not easy by any measurable means And that seems to be almost the universal complaint against the game itself. It's difficult to master. Well boo-hoo on you all. I say go back    Exhilarating and Beautiful but, hard to Master.

    Cuphead mesmerizes you with it unique visuals, great soundtrack and exhilarating gameplay. It is fun, lots of fun. But, it is not for the faint of heart. It is not easy by any measurable means And that seems to be almost the universal complaint against the game itself. It's difficult to master. Well boo-hoo on you all. I say go back to your safe gaming spaces. Count me among those that are glad this game doesn't make things easy. With recent platform games we have become spoiled with auto-aims and assists, easy game patterns, repetitive levels with s boss battles that are boringly simple and have lack of creativity. Nowadays our gameplay is to whizz through a game level after game level. There is none of that here. Except for the auto saves (and yes infinitive lives) we are taken back to a time when platform games were actually difficult. We have to throw away our spoiled ways and hunker down learn to master a game. All the levels and boss battles take real work. You have real sense of accomplishment when you are done with and each and every level. It is a real workout to play this game.

    Cuphead is run and gun gameplay with 1 on 1 boss battles or optional 2 on 1 with local co-play. You can see how games like Contra series and Mega-man and many other early platform games have influenced the game makers at Studio MDHR.

    However, if you want an easy levels go play a Mario game. Mario games are fun but, very forgiving. This game is not designed for those who want bouncy bounce time. In other words, is not child's play. This game is for grown-up gamers of all ages. Life is hard, this game is hard. Deal with it. It is wondrous journey that will frustrate those with weak gaming constitutions but, reward those willing to stick it out.

    Think of it this way. Most platform games are like getting in shape by doing a daily walk in your neighborhood with your girlfriends. Nice walk full of gabbing about your lives. Not difficult to do and pretty much the same experience each time you go out. Cuphead is like getting in shape at the Navy Seal training camp with live explosives during the obstacle runs and weights attached to your feet during the swimming. Nothing is easy. It is not for the faint of heart. Most will fail so many times they will lose count. But, when you get done you will have truly accomplished something.    … Expand
  10. metacritic3
    Sep 29, 2017
    10
    Cuphead is one of the best visual game ever made, and maybe one of the most difficult... i finish it quickly and it made me feel incredible, even if its difficulty eventually goes too far. The best 2d plateform game of the year
  11. SL36
    Jan 2, 2018
    10
    Quite simply the best game I've played in years. fun, gorgeous, difficult and inspires all those amazing feelings a great game can give. You'll stay up all night trying to master the beautifully designed bosses, palms sweating as you are down to your last life while you know they can only take a few more hits before you've won. Just get the game, thank me later.
  12. Cyclome
    Oct 2, 2017
    10
    First time in a really long time I'm enjoying a game this much. The art style and the music is sooo good. Every boss as new funky ways to kill you and change in very unexpected wayward s into something more original than the previous one. The game is really hard but for me it just had to the replayability. Definitely a MUST.
  13. mcq767
    Oct 2, 2017
    10
    Flawless mechanics, challenging gameplay, and the best art/sound design I may have played in any game. The hand drawn animations are insanely detailed and creative. Note that it is a very difficult game to play, as it should be, but you can pick an easy mode on each level. Regular mode is a challenge.
  14. r1anmadden09
    Oct 2, 2017
    10
    While the music and the art direction were the main focuses of this game leading up to release, the game offers far beyond that. This game is a burst of joyous creativity and passion. There is no filler here. The whole game is the good part of the game, and that leads to a surprisingly little amount of frustration despite how hard it is. The music and visuals draw you in immediatelyWhile the music and the art direction were the main focuses of this game leading up to release, the game offers far beyond that. This game is a burst of joyous creativity and passion. There is no filler here. The whole game is the good part of the game, and that leads to a surprisingly little amount of frustration despite how hard it is. The music and visuals draw you in immediately and are a joy to look at and listen to. Dying didn't really seem like a punishment to me, as it meant more time to soak in all the sights and sounds. There is a tremendous level of care and detail here, even for its cartoonish look. Nothing feels or sounds out of place and it makes playing the game that much more enjoyable. Gameplay wise, the controls feel smooth and responsive. To me, they looked wonky in the early gameplay footage I saw, maybe I watched too much Dean gameplay, but while you're playing the controls are fine. The bosses are the star here. Even though some are more fun and interesting than others, they are all great and all challenging. No boss plays out like another and they force you to focus on every detail of their behavior in order to win. This is enhanced by a surprising amount of abilities that you can equip and experiment with. These two things kept the game fresh. However, some people might be turned off by this game. There is a big emphasis on trial and error. You will never one cycle a boss, and you have to dedicate at least 20 minutes to each one, at least on the later worlds. Me personally, I never raged, no matter how many times I died. I got frustrated and burnt out to the point where I made numerous stupid mistakes, and at that point was laughing at myself more than anything. But despite the difficulty, the game kept pulling me back, and when I landed the final hit on a boss, I was re-energized each time, and thought, "Let's do this **** again". Few things in gaming have been so fun and rewarding, yet ball bustingly hard as these boss battles.
    The complaints I have are pitifully minor, but I still want to mention them. The run and gun levels are overshadowed by the boss battles, which is more of a testament to how good the bosses are rather than how bad the platforming is. But I rarely wanted to do them. While they are fun, unique, and just as challenging as the bosses, this isn't the main draw of the game. The only point to these levels is to collect gold coins which are used to buy upgrades. Once you collect all the gold coins in a level, I don't see many people replaying the run and gun sections.
    I've seen a few people complain about bugs. I haven't had many problems. There were a few instances where I had the auto parry perk equipped and the auto parry procked but I still took damage from the projectile. Other than that, the game is near perfect on a technical level, at least for me.
    There are a few instances in boss battles where stuff comes down to RNG. Sometimes things just unfold in a crappy way and you get screwed over by it. However, this isn't anything that happens with much regularity and 99% of the time the failures are your own fault and can be fixed with a lot of persistence.
    This game is everything good about gaming. Simple yet deep, punishing yet rewarding, and above all else, fun. This is the most fun I've ever had getting my ass beat. Even though I probably won't play this game for 2000 hours like other games, there is no denying this is a great damn game, and Cuphead will no doubt be a gaming memory I'll keep with me for a long time.    … Expand
  15. LasseVK
    Sep 30, 2017
    10
    The only marring issue I found was that sometimes, during cuts between loading screens, menus, cut-scenes, and the game, the static noise on-screen halted. This, and only this, made it look like a non-continuous old-time cartoon. If I could give this more than 10 I would.
  16. vgmkyle
    Oct 2, 2017
    10
    If you can't beat the tutorial get the hell out of the game industry and give the position to someone with passion. Side-scrolling is coming back in a big way because it's fun and challenging... the journalism business for games didn't blow up until 360, PS3, Wii when games held your hand. This one will expose the hipsters that invaded our fun for no reason and make them look incrediblyIf you can't beat the tutorial get the hell out of the game industry and give the position to someone with passion. Side-scrolling is coming back in a big way because it's fun and challenging... the journalism business for games didn't blow up until 360, PS3, Wii when games held your hand. This one will expose the hipsters that invaded our fun for no reason and make them look incredibly stupid in the process. They can't even comment back with "reported" because they are too weak-minded to process defeat.… Expand
  17. Panchogul
    Mar 21, 2020
    10
    Incredibly stunning game.
    Difficult as devil and it's original soundtrack it's the ultimate
  18. ILCAVALIERE
    Mar 21, 2018
    10
    Juegazo,sin mas. Para mi lo tiene todo,buenos graficos,jugabilidad depuradisima, musica brutal no podia parar de jugar y ademas he visto que soy un manco por que tengo mas de 20h,lo unico que le falta es el multijugador online,pero no se puede poner 9,5 asi que el 10
  19. TVTema
    Oct 12, 2017
    10
    It's not just a game. This is a real work of art. Art image is the crown of the creation of game artists in the history of game development. Music is also very colorful and fits perfectly into the gamesetting and gameplay.
  20. martinlobo
    Oct 7, 2017
    10
    This game is hard, really hard, but you never feel cheated by it and replaying a level for the 20 th time is just as fun as the first time you played it.
  21. JowDF
    Sep 29, 2017
    10
    Um jogo com uma direção de arte incrível, trilha sonora impecável e com uma dificuldade absurda!! Lembra os saudosos desenhos da década de trinta, a história apesar de simples é bem interessante. Cuphead tem tudo o que prezo em um bom jogo. 10/10.
  22. PiePieper
    Oct 3, 2017
    10
    If the early century cartoon animation doesn't charm you, the music sure will. Cuphead is as rewarding as it is challenging, offering gameplay that will keep you coming back for more. A new console icon is born.
  23. AlexanderHarper
    Sep 29, 2017
    10
    Gráficos incríveis, a ambientação está perfeita. Gameplay flui muito bem e os comando são respondidos com precisão. CupHead é obrigatório para aqueles que se dizem fans de jogos plataforma ou aqueles que gostam de encarar grandes desafios.
  24. MaximusDesmus
    Oct 8, 2017
    10
    This game is a masterpiece. The visuals, the sound, the gameplay is all rock solid.

    It's challenging, but challenging in a good way. In other words, it's not unfair at any given point. The mistakes you make are your mistakes and they are clear. Now, there are a few minor bugs, but these can be patched easily and I expect the studio to do so at some point in the near future. Besides    This game is a masterpiece. The visuals, the sound, the gameplay is all rock solid.

    It's challenging, but challenging in a good way. In other words, it's not unfair at any given point. The mistakes you make are your mistakes and they are clear.

    Now, there are a few minor bugs, but these can be patched easily and I expect the studio to do so at some point in the near future. Besides the very few minor glitches, this game is a gem. It's worth the price they're asking for it (20$) and you should definitely have this in your library.    … Expand
  25. Dark_OverLord91
    Oct 4, 2017
    10
    Is a 360 ° masterpiece destined to become a classic and a milestone of the genre. Sublime artistic style, music and gameplay, offered at a great price that could be a bit higher for the overall quality of the work.
  26. charlieval
    Sep 30, 2017
    10
    I rarely pre-order something, but when they announced the release date, I had to do it and I don't regret it, the game is amazing, it's hard, funny, beautiful and entertaining.
    Simply amazing!
  27. Panzidane
    Oct 1, 2017
    10
    Cuphead is an awesome game, with insane dificulty. This game bring me back my childhood, play it and you don't regret. I can't understand why some people says the game is bad, probaly they should be bad players. I only can talk good about this game. So, you love games? Play Cuphead and enjoy this masterpiece of Xbox One/PC
  28. Fritzio711
    Sep 29, 2017
    10
    Cuphead is the Metal slug of platformers I've always dreamed of but never thought was possible ... Until Now, This is brilliant, stunning and just amazing
  29. Mourning5tar187
    Oct 5, 2017
    10
    Great game. 10 out of 10. It's funny to me that a little indie company can pull off a better Microsoft exclusive than Microsoft can. I would recommend this game to fans of the Mega Man series. Gameplay is tight, but non innovative. I've played harder platformers, but this one's up there. Where the true innovation comes is with the visuals and good sound track. The great thing aboutGreat game. 10 out of 10. It's funny to me that a little indie company can pull off a better Microsoft exclusive than Microsoft can. I would recommend this game to fans of the Mega Man series. Gameplay is tight, but non innovative. I've played harder platformers, but this one's up there. Where the true innovation comes is with the visuals and good sound track. The great thing about Cuphead is that it does exactly what it needs to do to be a great game and nothing more. Great throw back to 80's and early 90's platforming shooters.… Expand
  30. El112119
    Sep 29, 2017
    10
    The Style, the Aspect, the Theme, The Game itself...is TOPNOTCH.... (PERIOD)
    BUT THIS GAME IS HARD AF

    GIVES ME THE VIBES OF 80's CARTOON PERFECTLY
    POLISHED GAME

    BUY IIITTT...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Awards & Rankings

9
#9 Best Xbox One Game of 2017
6
#6 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2017
2
#2 Most Shared Xbox One Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 72 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 69 out of 72
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 72
  3. Negative: 0 out of 72
  1. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Feb 16, 2018
    80
    The unique audiovisual elaborating and uncompromising playability beat a few freckles on the beauty of the game. Cuphead is a title that has mistakes, but you just cannot get it from the head. [Issue#279]
  2. FANDOM
    Dec 11, 2017
    70
    For players that appreciate classic run-and-gun combat, punishing difficulty, constantly learning from failure, and breathtaking art, Cuphead’s experience will not disappoint.
    Read full review
  3. games(TM)
    Nov 3, 2017
    80
    Microsoft's true standout exclusive for 2017. [Issue#194, p.70]
See all critic reviews »