A thrilling gun-and-run adventure in a world full of cartoons
Cuphead Don’t Deal With the Devil is a gun-and-run action game developed by Studio MDHR and heavily inspired by the classic 1930’s cartoon aesthetic. This addictive title, previously released on PC, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch, finally lands on the PlayStation 4 grazing us with its hand drawn cel animations, watercolor backgrounds and amazing jazzy soundtrack. Addictive, challenging and focused on solid boss fights, Cuphead is a punishing, fun and unique experience that will captivate you from beginning to end. Do you want to know why this fiendishly difficult platformer is one of the best games to play on your PS4? Keep reading to find out!l
Story: Dealing with the Devil never felt better
Cuphead: Don’t Deal With the Devil takes us to Inkwell Island, an idyllic rural area where Cuphead and his brother Mugman live peacefully with his uncle Elder Kettle. Despite his uncle’s wise warnings, the fun-loving siblings decide to visit the Devil’s Casino where they try their luck on a game of craps. However, what seemed like a fun idea turns into a real nightmare when the Devil himself offers them a juicy deal: all the money of the casino if they win the next roll or take their souls if they lose. However, luck is not on the children’s side, as they end up rolling the ominous snake-eyes.
After begging for mercy, the Devil offers Cuphead and Mugman a new proposal: to collect all the soul contracts from his runaway debtors before midnight the next day. If they manage to do so, their own souls would be spared. Since the debtors won’t turn in their contracts willingly, old Elder Kettle gives the siblings the ability to fight by blasting fire from their fingers. And thus, Cuphead and Mugman set on a colorful yet dangerous adventure across the neighboring Inkwell Isles.Their objective? To save themselves by harvesting the souls of those unfortunate debtors that, as themselves, were reckless enough to make a deal with the Devil.
Gameplay: A fiendishly difficult but rewarding platformer
Cuphead is, at its core, a classic run-and-gun platformer similar to other games such as Metal Slug… but with a twist. Remember when boss fights used to be the climatic final challenge to beat a level? Not here. Cuphead’s gameplay is centered on continuous boss battles as these encounters outnumber the actual number of stages. To survive these challenges you’ll have to train your reflexes, memorize your enemies moves and attack their weaknesses. With your limited HP and boss cycles being fairly long, you won’t be granted a single moment to breathe, but victory will feel incredibly rewarding.
To aid you on your quest, the game offers a wide selection of weapons as well as original abilities. These are unlocked fairly quickly, letting players experiment and find interesting ways to beat any given boss fight. You’ll be given two weapons as well as a bonus power and a special attack. Knowing which ones you equip is vital to turn the tide of a battle, adding an interesting and fun layer of strategy to the game’s gameplay.
Graphics and sound on PS4: A finely tuned cartoon
Cuphead’s visuals on the PlayStation 4 can only be described as a jaw-dropping masterpiece. Using as inspiration the works of Max Fleischer and Walt Disney, the game brings to video gaming a cartoon world like you’ve never seen before. If you were born in the 80’s or 90’s, you’ll surely remember how back then, Don Bluth’s Dragon’s Lair and Space Ace were the closest you’d ever get to playing a video game with proper cartoon graphics. Their catch? They were barely interactive. Cuphead solves this, creating the perfect rubber hose animation videogame of your dreams. Every frame of the game has been hand-drawn and meticulously animated, making every second of the game feel like a living piece of art. And the best part is that it’s completely interactive.
The game’s visuals aren’t the only thing that make Cuphead amazing. Accompanying them, you’ll find a fantastic jazz soundtrack that perfectly complements its 1930’s theme. Catchy melodies and upbeat rhythms will accompany you while you jump, run and shoot your way through the different Inkwell Islands. It’s during the boss fights when the game’s soundtrack absolutely shines, offering you the perfect beats to take down the game’s ultimate challenges.
How do you play 2 player (co-op) mode on Cuphead
To play Cuphead with a friend on PS4, simply press any button on the second controller to make player two (Mugman) appear. Cuphead is an incredibly hard and unforgiving game. Why not ask a friend to help you in your adventure with its local co-op mode for double the fun?
Does Cuphead (PS4) have online multiplayer?
No, Cuphead doesn’t have an online co-op mode and you can’t start an online multiplayer session from the game menus. However, you can start an online cooperative game through the PS4 Share Play feature. To do so, simply press the “Share” button on your DualShock 4 controller and setup a Party with the friend you want to play with.
How long is Cuphead: Don’t Deal With the Devil?
It takes an average of 11 hours to beat Cuphead if you’re focusing on the main objectives. If you’re trying to platinum the game and unlock all trophies, it’ll take you an average of 25 hours. Keep in mind this is just an estimate, since Cuphead is a very high difficulty game, these times will greatly depend on the player’s ability.
A glorious boss rush extravaganza
Cuphead: Don’t Deal With the Devil is a captivating, frustrating, charming, punishing and simply excellent run-and-gun title. The game’s PS4 port brings all the fun and tough boss battles to Sony’s console, letting players immerse themselves in one of the most amazing looking games of all time. Whether you’re looking for a real challenge or you simply want to dive into a jazzy cartoon for a gaming experience you’ll hardly forget, give Cuphead a go. You won’t regret it.
