Author: Shea Layton
The world was graced with Cuphead, one of the most impressive and innovative indie games in recent memory. Difficult bosses and run-and-gun gameplay are interlaced with stunning visuals that harken back to the 1930s Steamboat Willy animation style. Studio MDHR’s masterpiece has prompted the creation of a TV show and adorable merch. Through all of the light, the gaming community has been patiently waiting for the DLC that Studio MDHR has been working on for years. Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course not only adds more content to a wonderful game, but it adds new ways of playing, making it feel fresh.
Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course (Nintendo Switch [reviewed], Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows)
Developer: Studio MDHR
Publisher: Studio MDHR
ReleaseDate: June 30, 2022
MSRP: $7.99
Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course, or DLC for short (I see what you did there MDHR), picks up with Cuphead and Mugman taking a ferry to another island where they encounter Ms. Chalice who you may remember from the mausoleum levels in the core game. She has been trapped as a spirit but mentions a baker who has made a cookie that allows her to enter the realm of the living. The catch? The person who eats the cookie swaps their spirit with Ms. Chalice’s spirit, and it’s only temporary. The baker informs the three that he is working on a new dish that will allow him to bring Ms. Chalice back permanently. In order to make the dish, Cuphead, Mugman, and Ms. Chalice, via the cookie, must defeat the bosses of the island to acquire the special ingredients needed to make the dish.
The premise is playful and simple enough for the average player, as the story has never been the driving force behind Cuphead’s popularity.
What’s impressive about the set-up is the stunning art style. Yes, we already were aware of how incredible it is from the core game, but it is on full display again in DLC. The cut scenes are animated with love and craft. The whimsy shines through, making this player smile. The animations for Ms. Chalice and the new bosses are as perfect as the animation that came before it. Half of the deaths I had came from watching what the bosses were doing or what was happening in the background.
Speaking of the bosses, the creativity from the core game has been built upon in a brilliant way. In an effort to not spoil them all, I will try to be as descriptive without giving away too many details. One boss severely limits the platform to which you can walk while also shifting perspective; the screen rotates after the boss performs one of their moves. Another boss is constantly launching projectiles; you must dodge horizontal, vertical, and diagonal projectiles with pinpoint precision. All 5 new bosses were a joy to play against, and they range in difficulty, which is inviting for novices and pros alike.
Before I get any further into this review, it’s best to mention the new character and powers in more detail. Ms. Chalice is the new playable character, but she has a catch: in order to play as her, you must equip the special Astral Cookie to either Cuphead’s or Mugman’s “charm” slot. It gives you access to her and her powers, which include a double jump, a dash parry, an invincible roll, and one additional health. When you are doing the airplane levels, her gunfire is a three-way spread, and her bombs shoot out at a rapid pace. I personally used her double jump all the time. It allowed for some new approaches to the gameplay. Ms. Chalice’s dash parry also really grew on me. I didn’t often use her invincible roll unless the game prompted me to, but it certainly has its uses. It goes without saying, but the extra health is clutch. Every little bit helps in this game. I never felt like she overshadowed Cuphead and Mugman or was overpowered. While some of her abilities make the game easier, they take some getting used to. Also, because of the extra health and some of her abilities, I found myself being a little more brazen, getting myself into more trouble.
Besides Ms. Chalice, Studio MDHR also introduced some new equipable shots for all of the characters: Crackshot, which is a straight shot that breaks into a weaker aimed projectile, Converge, which is a piercing three-way electric bolt shot, and Twist-up, a rapid-fire shot that arcs upward and does average damage. I did not enjoy using Twist-up at all. It has a situational use, and I often found myself thinking I would rather have another shot taking up the incredibly limited space. Converge was fun because of the range, but again, I felt that it was situationally useful. However, once I started using Crackshot, I wished it had been in the core game. It is one of the best shots in the entire game.
Two of the big questions were, “Could I use Ms. Chalice and the new shots in the core game, and how would they feel in the core game?” For the first question, you absolutely can use Ms. Chalice and the new shots in the core game. I love that because it allows for different ways to play the levels. Not only that, but it adds even more replay value to the game. You want to play the core game again as Ms. Chalice to see what you can do against the bosses with the double jump and dash parry. With the new shots, it adds yet another way to carve the bosses up.
Despite the visuals and gameplay being incredible, I think the music was the most overlooked aspect of the core game. I think that the music is phenomenal and nostalgic. I’m happy to report that the music continues to be a gem in DLC. I loved the new tracks. Some of them push beyond the 1930s circus and jazz feel, pushing into other genres, such as a fantastic 1950s Western style. It elevates the whole Cuphead experience.
Verdict: For the price and the replayability, I think that the Cuphead: DLC DLC (I’ve been waiting for the entire article to do that) is immensely rewarding. The bosses, new character, and shots all feel innovative enough to warrant pulling your hair out…err…I mean playing the game again. The difficulty is there, but the experience is worth gutting it out to see it to the end. Don’t miss this.
Buy it
[This review is based on the retail build of the game purchased by the reviewer]