Cursed to Golf Reviews
Cursed to Golf is a very creative and far more difficult than expected roguelike. It’s definitely going to scratch your golf game itch, given how truly few there are on current generations, as well as spice up the genre with its unique gameplay and concept.
Much like its cursed chibi protagonist, Cursed to Golf is stuck in a sort of purgatory. Its unique mix of golf and roguelike mechanics, sublime soundtrack, and charming style ram up against its brutal difficulty and handful of questionable design decisions.
Cursed to Golf has solid gameplay, a great soundtrack, a fun retro aesthetic, and even replayability, but it doesn’t have my attention. As it is currently, it just doesn’t come together like it should for a hybrid of golfing and roguelike. I’ve played side-scrolling 2D golf games, but everything is too claustrophobic for my liking, even though it’s essentially a platformer this way. The promise of never-ending gameplay is enticing, but games like Desert Golf just do that better, and the bugs left me wanting to go play something else. Cursed to Golf is far from a bad game, but it’s a game that feels too restrictive and repetitive for its own good that gets in the way of enjoying it to the fullest.
The genre written above speaks for itself, but this isn't your average sports game. [T]he simplicity of the game's mechanics plus the puzzle-like courses that you have to make your way through really does make for an addictive experience.
Cursed to Golf has such good aesthetics, and is based on such a fundamentally sound idea, that all of this could be forgivable – and some, no doubt, will relish the challenge. The roguelike structure, though, means that these frustrations have to be endured over and over again. Unlike, say, Nuclear Throne or Into the Breach, the game lacks the smooth and addictive core gameplay to make that feel worthwhile. It’s for that reason that despite taking a strong first shot, Cursed to Golf ultimately ends up feeling under par.
Cursed to Golf is a good rogue-ish golf-like with an adorable art style and intriguing abilities. Though the repetitious levels in the beginning can offer a tarnished start-up, the enjoyment rises significantly as you putt on.
Cursed to Golf is charming, smart, sounds and plays great, and is full of heart. It mashes up a side-scrolling arcade golf game with roguelike mechanics in a fresh and exciting way. At only $20 US at launch, I think it’s well worth a purchase if anything you’ve seen here has you intrigued. This is one curse that’s well worth the cost.