Shovel Knight Dig - Review

I recall the first time that I saw Shovel Knight on Kickstarter, here was another game that had lofty ambitions, but nothing about it said it would be anything that special to me. Of course the game launched and proved me wrong and since then the main game has been given a few meaty expansion and the series saw its first spin-off with 2021’s Pocket Dungeon. We reviewed that last year and provided it with a good review, as it was a great game, now that the second spin-off has arrived, can they dig up some more treasure, or have they unearthed all the rewards the series has to offer?

The game is very lite on story, even more so if you fail to reach the end of a run, as most of the story is given before the third boss fight. The basic gist is that a new Knight known as Drill Knight has stolen Shovel Knight’s treasure bag and made off underground with it, assisting him in the escape and a far grander plan are the Hexcavators. Each member of which rules over one of the many new domains that you will venture through. They do have a much larger plot that they are working towards, to do with gems and power, but all Shovel Knight cares about is his treasure bag and something important contained within.

Where the game shines though is in its gameplay, as a roguelite, it will definitely not be for everyone and for good reason, the game is going to be a real challenge for even the most devout gamer. The main goal is simple, make your way down to where Drill Knight is, avoiding countless enemies and traps, with of course each death resulting in the world reshuffling itself around. Much like the main game, Shovel Knight’s tool of choice is a shovel and with it, you can dig down and across, but no you can’t dig up stupid. As you explore, you will often find hidden rooms or portions of the levels to unearth, some of them will reward you with more gems, others may offer the chance to spend some and get an item or restore some health. The latter is going to be extremely important as the game will not take it easy on you, it is quite brutal at times, so any time you can replenish your health, I suggest you do so.

The other part is items, some of them can be obtained by purchasing them from Chester, who pops up here again or you can occasionally find them lying about in sacks and their uses vary. There are two types, the relic which offers another weapon to use in combat, at the cost of magic, or a buff item that can grant you bonuses like being able to headbutt dirt and have it dig away for you. The relic items are a one-at-a-time proposition, however the other items stack, so you can end up with a dozen by the end. As you make your way down each section, you will also find three golden cogs that are placed throughout, collect all three in a stage and you will be able to choose between replenishing your health or getting a buff.

As I mentioned before though, the game is quite brutal at times and that is highlighted perfectly, by the very random and never explained giant mega drill, much like the giant bucket wheel machines you see in quarries. If you dawdle too long in any room, not counting side rooms, it will slowly appear, digging its way to you and if it touches you, or anything, its instant death. The game never explains its presence and as you can’t jump too high without pogoing off something, I often found myself dying if I let it get to close. When you die, you drop random amounts of your loot, much like you do in the main game and while you can retrieve them, sometimes they are in the most awkward of places. There are also keys to find and use, but take a hit and they get dropped, or eggs that if destroyed may result in you getting a relic, or if you manage to take them all the way to a random room with a hatching pit, get rewarded with a little buddy to help, there is just so much going on that it will take a dozen runs before you have a solid grasp of the foundation.

On the visual front, the series looks very much like you would expect, however the game has been given a face lift across the board, that is a confusing statement I know. If the original Shovel Knight was using graphics inspired by the NES, then Shovel Knight Dig is using Super Nintendo level visuals, everything still looks and feels like Shovel Knight, but just better. The game makes use of scrolling backgrounds now to add real depth to the scenes and while you can’t really stop and admire all the details that often, if you find yourself in the realm of Drill Knight, you will get a great visual of that effect happening. There are countless characters for you to interact with, both as you dig down and on the surface between runs and they all feature that same stylish charm that we have come to know now, over the past 8 years.

On the sound side of things, the game features yet again another amazing score by Jake Kaufman and while there are some melodies that are taken from the earlier games, most of the score is original. The sound effects are great as well, with each area and their coterie of baddies coming to life with them, but the best area for sound, at least for me was the Smeltworks.

Shovel Knight Dig is a great take on the classic gameplay the series is known for, while Pocket Dungeon was more experimental, this feels like an evolution of the series. While many players will find the challenge to be worthy of their time, the imbalance in the early runs, may turn away many from pushing through. The game does offer a wealth of options to let you boost your enjoyment and those will likely help out younger gamers, but even with those the game will still punish you often. If you are a fan of the shovel wielding hero or seeking a new take on the roguelite genre, then Shovel Knight Dig is one to check out.

The Score

8.5

Review code provided by Yacht Club Games

The Pros

+The gameplay loop, while frustrating, is so sublime that once you get into it, stopping may be hard

+As you progress further down, the amount of buffs you can have, will make you feel like a superhero

The Cons

-The games early runs don’t really explain anything, and it will likely leave many confused as to what is going on

-The difficultly is so sharp that even the most avid player of the main series of games, may not be able to adapt to this game