Shovel Knight

Shovel Knight for PC, PS4 and etc. is a debut project of an independent studio Yacht Club Games founded in 2011 by Sean Velasco and a group of former employees of Way Forward (creators of games such as A Boy and His Blob, BloodRayne: Betrayal and Double Dragon: Neon).

Story

The game is set in a fantasy realm, and the player controls the titular Shovel Knight, whose task is to defeat an evil Sorceress and save his beloved. While wielding a legendary weapon – Shovel Blade – the hero must face formidable members of The Order of No Quarter and overcome many pitfalls lying in wait for him.

Gameplay

The creators of Shovel Knight drew inspiration from productions such as Mega Man, Castlevania and Dark Souls. The title is therefore a combination of a classic 2D side-scrolling platformer, adventure, and role-playing game. It is worth noting that we have an opportunity to interact with some elements of the environment, which often triggers mechanisms facilitating completion of the level (e.g. an undermined stone can be moved from its place).

The developers made sure to provide varied locations (including a forest, glacier, and fortress), as well as a great variety of opponents, with challenging bosses among them. In addition to the single-player campaign there is also a multiplayer mode for up to four players.

Technical aspects

In terms of visuals, Shovel Knight for PC, PS4 and etc. refers to aesthetics of 8-bit productions. Two-dimensional graphics are characterized by a very limited palette (similar to the one from NES console), simple animations and very distinct effect of pixelation. The whole experience is complemented by an atmospheric soundtrack composed by Jake Kaufman.

Last updated on 01 July 2015