I was born a few years before the new millennium and didn't play many old-school games like Super Mario 64 or Megaman. I played newer games like those on the original Playstation and Xbox, then to the PS2. I've had almost no exposure to pre-2000 games except for some Dig-Dug and Pac-Man at arcades. Many people would've thought this would be for older gamers to get some nostalgia out of them. Well, I bought it. I don't regret it at all. It's actually become one of my most favorite games I could have the pleasure of owning. The gameplay is superb. You play as Shovel Knight, a shovel blade-wielding knight of legend as he journeys to defeat the evil Enchantress and her Order of No Quarter and save the realm from evil and tyranny! You jump, slash, dig and use magic as you traverse levels. Learning enemy patterns makes traversing a level almost until you get to the boss. The story is pretty cute and, in a way, simplistic, however it is its presentation and characters that make you want to progress through the story just to see what unfolds. Each level has its own music(which is amazing!), own designs, unique enemies and secrets to find. When you feel bored of traversing one level, the next one is instantly fresh with its own feel and charisma. It's amazing how much detail and individuality a small indie team has managed to put in each level. They feel like their own game. A hidden wall can be destroyed to reveal a hidden room with gems, enemies, death traps and maybe a music sheet, which you can turn in for even more gold. Death is kind of like Dark Souls. It is brutal, comes easily and is rewarding when you avoid it. Get killed and a portion of your money gets put in floating bags for you to recollect where you died. Die before getting to the bags and those are gone, replaced with a new portion of gold. It makes the game tense and yet rewarding when you get your hard-earned gold back. Buy this. It's an amazingly fun game, with New Game+ & a great new expansion.
