89 years ago, young Walter Elias Disney unleashed a rodent-infested
cartoon named Steamboat Willie. It changed animation
forever.
89 years later, StudioMDHR (finally) unleashed a
game named Cuphead. It didn’t change gaming forever - but,
by golly, it sure looked killer-diller. It sure sounded
killer-diller, too. Then there was the playability. Oh lordy it was,
well... gosh-dickensy hard!
Too gosh-dickensy hard, to be
frank (who wasn’t Walt’s brother, as that way Roy). But it sure
looked swell. Super swell.
If looks were everything, then
Cuphead would be the greatest game ever. Seriously, it’s a
doozie in its recreation of classic animation stylings from Disney
to Warner Bros to Fleischer, Iwerks and all other comers of the
golden age of American animation.
Yep, visually, Cuphead
has pizazz. We think we’ve established that. Sonically, it’s
majestic in its faithfulness to its inspirations. If we hadn’t
established that previously then we sure have now, by gum.
But our question is this: If you’re going to make such a
beautiful-looking (and sounding, in case you’ve forgotten) game, why
make it so close to impossibly hard so that few will experience your
incredible work?
A fairly standard side-scrolling platform
run-and-shoot affair, it’s the art (and sound) that makes
Cuphead special. But it’s the flipping Dark Souls of
platformers! It’s hard, even sometimes on the basic,
you-can’t-progress-if-you-wuss-out-and-go-this-route setting.
Actually, it isn’t hard, it’s punishing. It almost taunts you in its
need for repeated, relentless pinpoint accuracy in order to advance.
We’re always up for a challenge, but when we want to kick in
our screen after several failed attempts at a level rather than
getting that itch to beat the thing, then something’s unbalanced.
It’s nuts that many - like us - will stop futzing after a while
and toddle off to play something that’s actually fun.
Walt
Disney may have – allegedly - been a bit of a crumb, but at least he
wanted his art to be seen and appreciated for its brilliance. This
attitude garnered him some little success...