GAMING CUPHEAD CAPTURES HEARTS

like to mention a release for PC and Xbox that fell way under my radar. It’s a run- and- gun game made by indie developer Studio MDHR Entertainment and it’s called Cuphead. Yep, Cuphead.

The story takes place on Inkwell Isle. Cuphead and his brother Mugman are two fun- loving kids living under the watchful eye of Elder Kettle.

Against Kettle’s warning, the brothers go to gamble at Devil’s Casino. They’re on a winning streak, but the devil hates losing so he raises the stakes: their souls. The boys lose and in order to regain their souls they have to make a deal with the devil, and fight the residents of Inkwell Isle to complete his contracts.

If just reading that synopsis was not weird enough for you, go check out the trailer which will add the popular retro appeal and stunning jazz soundtrack to your palette.

Using rubber hose animation that was standardised in America in the 1930s, Cuphead plays out beautifully like an old Walt Disney cartoon. Think Steamboat Mickey, except Mickey’s gone on a bender. The game features branching levels and near- continuous boss battles across the surreal landscape that is Inkwell Isle. You can play as either Cuphead or Mugman, or both with a friend. You have infinite lives ( like that even matters).

A quality that shines through is how freaking hard it is. The difficulty is high, but gamers seem to love torturing themselves. In just two weeks from release this small, unassuming game has sold a million copies. Check it out!