Cursed Knight, The

Genre: Action Developer: GGS Studio Creation Publisher: Broke Studio Players: 1 Released: 2023

Most games fit neatly into a single genre. Platform, action, and shooter are easy to identify, even from a single screenshot. Others try to meld styles, and the results can be mixed. Toss the different genres into a pot, mix it up, and see what you get. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t. The Cursed Knight, developed by GGS Studio, is an example of when the combination works, and it stands as an ambitious and multifaceted action game that delivers a rich blend of gameplay styles and an exciting narrative that harkens back to the golden age of 16-bits.

The Cursed Knight’s plot is relatively simple. In 3122, after the fall of human civilization, Earth became the Principality of Dallongeville, ruled by King Alberich. With ancient technologies now myths and AIs revered as gods, Dallongeville is humanity’s last bastion with five million inhabitants, and genetically enhanced soldiers defend it against alien invaders. Players control Kalder, a genetically modified knight devoted to the AI god Skull, who embarks on a dangerous quest to revive the Princess of Dallongeville following a disastrous event.

The action is divided into 10 levels spread across five unique worlds, each with its massive boss. The stages themselves are thoughtfully designed and do a great job of bringing back that twitch style of button mastery we all learned in the classics of the 1980s and 1990s. Players can choose from a three-button or six-button configuration, and actions change depending on the stage type. Platforming areas allow double jumping and sliding, and the shooting stages have a button for shooting either left or right. There are also special charge attacks that are slow but effective, particularly against bosses (don’t we always save them for the bosses anyway?). Your attacks can be powered up, and you can obtain several genre staples, like homing, melee slash, or three-way shots. These weapons can be cycled through and used for a specific situation, and learning how to change on the fly is essential. A cool detail is that obtaining a power-up icon increases the power of all attacks at once, sparing players the need to upgrade each one individually. Grabbing the corresponding icons during play can create special attacks and extra health.

The Cursed Knight offers three distinct modes: Normal, Old School, and Insane, each catering to different skill levels and play styles. Normal mode provides infinite lives, allowing players to enjoy the game at their own pace. Old School offers a more traditional challenge with limited lives and continues, while Insane mode, with only one life, is tailored for speedrunners and hardcore gamers. This variety offers something for everyone and ensures that casual and dedicated players will find the game engaging and challenging.

As I said, the game’s design also incorporates several styles, including platform, run-‘n-gun, and even scrolling shooter. There’s even a pseudo-3D driving stage! The Cursed Knight presents a significant challenge in each style and adds the ability to flip gravity so players can move on the ceiling (remember the NES game, Metal Storm?). The mechanic is introduced early in the game and becomes essential for navigating through the platform-based stages. Some stages require players to switch gravity on the fly while platforming, which can lead to some excruciating sections that will leave a lot less hair on players’ heads. It’s not that these sections are poorly designed. Rather, they’re akin to some of the deadlier platforming areas in games like Ghosts ‘n’ Goblins: frustrating but deliciously frustrating. Double jumping and then reversing gravity mid-jump over a pit? Masochists, your cup will runneth over. There’s a lot of the “try and die” aspect flowing through The Cursed Knight’s veins, not excessively, but just enough. Protip: the six-button configuration lets you map the gravity reversal to its button (x or mode) rather than having to push up on the D-pad. It makes these sections much more manageable, and the game’s manual recommends it.

Visually, The Cursed Knight does a terrific job, with its detailed environments and character designs. Its pseudo-3D buildings with lots of detail highlight the game’s look, classic parallax-scrolling (yay!), and the meticulous animation of enemies entering the scene. These elements, combined with a pumping and well-looped soundtrack, create a game world that could have been released back in the mid-1990s. The soundtrack has around fifteen tracks that range from energetic to melancholic, building the game’s mood and tempting you to crank up your stereo.

However, despite these strengths, The Cursed Knight has flaws. The narrative, while initially engaging, can feel a bit clichéd and predictable. The story of a knight rescuing a princess is a well-trodden path in the gaming world, and despite the futuristic setting and genetically modified protagonist, the plot lacks originality. Moreover, the dialogue occasionally lapses into adult language, which, although hidden behind a password system, might not sit well with all players.

Also, while generally fair, the game’s difficulty curve can be daunting for newcomers. Those of us raised on old-school games might know what to expect, but not everyone is comfortable with or aware of that challenge. Although the tutorial is helpful, the sudden shift in difficulty after the initial level might discourage less-experienced players. I understand that a lot of old-school titles used the mechanic – make the first level easier to serve as a sort of tutorial and then ramp things up – but such a quick curve may be a bit frustrating to some, and a smoother progression would have made the game more accessible without compromising its core challenge. Your mileage is definitely going to vary here.

Another area where the game could improve – and this is perhaps a very minor gripe – is the sound effects. While the music is commendable, the sound effects are minimalistic and sometimes repetitive. I would have liked larger explosions and a greater variety of sounds to give the levels more life. I’m not sure who else cares about that, but it’s something that I noticed each time I played. Also, the repetitive “Kill Them All” voiceover during combat becomes tiresome and detracts from the overall auditory experience.

In conclusion, The Cursed Knight is a visually striking and mechanically robust game that offers a unique blend of gameplay styles and challenges. Its innovative gravity-flipping mechanic and varied game modes cater to a wide range of players, from casual gamers to speedrunners. However, a predictable narrative and lackluster sound effects hold it back a tad. These issues aren’t dealbreakers, and I still think The Cursed Knight is one of the best aftermarket Genesis releases we’ve seen and a standout title in the console’s action-platformer genre.