There’s simply nothing wrong with the design of this game. Reviewing a game like Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon is one of the hardest things for me as a critic. Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon Final Verdict I wanted to like this much more than I did, but I found it impossible for me to wrap my head around a solid strategy. Again, this is more of a personal issue than a design issue. I found myself dreading starting from the top instead of enjoying the game for what it was. Even though I was able to better equip myself on a new run, it felt more repetitive to start from scratch after losing. In most roguelikes, perishing never feels like failure, but in Pocket Dungeon it totally does. Because of this, I wound up getting overwhelmed far too often. I found myself experimenting more than actually setting up chains like you’re supposed to. When I play a puzzle game, I like to take my time to work out a strategy. It felt impossible for me to keep my board managed in any way, but that’s more attributed to my lack of skill. Although there’s no actual “timer” present, I felt punished for making any movement across the screen. Every time I tried a new run, I felt completely stressed out. Everything should work for me on a personal level.īut it simply doesn’t. The boss designs are also very clever and offer unique challenges.
The sprites are beautiful, the music is just as iconic as in previous titles, and the controls work perfectly. Nearly everything about this game is top notch. There’s quite a selection of special abilities at your disposal, all with a Shovel Knight flourish. As expected, you’ll be able to spend the loot you’ve gathered on upgrades to make your run that much easier. You’ll progress through levels until you ultimately fail.
On top of all that, Pocket Dungeon has roguelike elements as well. This is where the red potions scattered on the screen come in handy, as they replenish your hit points. So not only are you managing the board, but you’re also managing your health. Depending on the enemy type, you’ll take a certain amount of damage yourself when attacking. You have a limited amount of hit points, as does each enemy. But attacking enemies isn’t as simple as it sounds. Defeat one enemy, and every other one linked to that one also gets destroyed. To keep your board clear, you must shovel away dirt blocks or enemies in order to line up like enemies before attacking. Your goal is to survive the stage until an exit door appears to take you to the next level. It’s a very clever way to force the player to limit their movement and strategize their next move. So basically, any time you move, so does everything else. Anytime you move Shovel Knight from one square to another, everything from the top shifts down one square as well. This happens at a very manageable speed, but there’s one catch. Although the game is well-made (and makes sense on paper for me), it’s definitely made for a different audience than myself.įans of Wario’s Woods (NES/SNES) will feel right at home with Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon. The grid playfield will start to fill with blocks, enemies, treasure chests, and health potions from the top of the screen. As a fan of puzzle games, roguelikes, and the Shovel Knight franchise, this seemed like a match made in heaven for me. This is a puzzle game with some roguelike sensibilities. To be clear, Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon from Yacht Club Games is not that type of game. From the base game to the multiple expansions where you play from the boss’ perspective, I adored every iteration.
#SHOVEL KNIGHT POCKET DUNGEON SWITCH SERIES#
Shovel Knight is a fantastic series of platforming games that clicked with me on multiple levels.
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