Shovel Knight Dig Reviews
Shovel Knight Dig is a wonderful melding of the mechanics and feel of Shovel Knight and the ever evolving roguelite genre. It stumbles a bit on its roguelite progression mechanics, and its a bit on the short side, but none of that stops Shovel Knight Dig from being a blast to play.
Compact and terrifying, this score-attack shooter feels like it's come from the future.
Still though, because most of my eight hours with Dig were spent spelunking through stages leading down, I rarely had to think about the game’s roguelite efforts. I spent most of my time playing through beautiful stages to the tune of chippy synth tunes, fascinated with how far Nitrome and Yacht Club were able to stretch the “dig” aspect of this game. Perhaps the roguelite nature of Dig will play a bigger role in my post-game excavations because I’m rearing to jump back in to discover all of its secrets. Even if it doesn’t, though, I know I still have at least a few more hours of great Shovel Knight gameplay ahead of me and in the world of platforming, that’s a treasure worth digging up.
Shovel Knight Dig takes everything that was fantastic about the retro platformer and recontextualizes it into a roguelike that's hard to put down.
Impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash.
Shovel Knigh Dig is another success in the universe of the knight of the shovel, a roguelite that, without moving too far from the formula of the genre and what has been seen in other games of the character, manages to give it a spin to make it feel somewhat fresh. And he succeeds. Guaranteed fun for lovers of the most agile and casual roguelite.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
I had hoped that Dig would be an adventure on par with the original Shovel Knight, but instead, it feels like every bit the spin-off and side story that it is. It's certainly not a bad game, but fans for hoping for a more substantial adventure will have to dig a little deeper.
A fresh new take in the Shovel Knight adventures which succesfully embraces the roguelike trend and wraps it in wonderful pixelart.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Shovel Knight Dig is the perfect first roguelike, packed full of that tasty Shovel Knight gameplay we all know and love.
Shovel Knight Dig has lacklustre progression and flawed design choices, but solid core gameplay and levels.
Despite the insidious roguelike trappings, this is a Shovel Knight title to its core. Dig is a nasty slog with no shortcuts to slump against. Spend your money as you might, only your skills can get you further. Like the original games, you can only throw yourself into the meat grinder until your muscle memory spits you out the other side. Although it looks and sounds great, I found myself tangled in the roguelike mechanics. If you’re incompatible with that genre, you might have to pass on this one. But Shovel Knight Dig hides a pretty decent game under all those frustrating outer layers.
Shovel Knight Dig is a fun little rogue-lite. While it took me over ten hours to beat, I know better, more rogue-lite skilled players will not need as much time. I did not encounter bugs or errors with my time; but more than a few of what felt like unfair deaths. The chaotic gameplay of Dig makes it hard to see how great the pixel art is at times, but being able to literally slow down the gameplay or adjust my health and damage output makes it easier to appreciate the visuals. I can see myself returning to Shovel Knight Dig in a few months just to give it another spin, but the overall replay did not entice me back immediately.
While not packed with content, Shovel Knight Dig is rich in quality. Charming pixel artwork combined with excellent level chunks and tight gameplay make it well worth the hours spent.
Shovel Knight Dig remixes the popular indie platformer into a clever roguelike that's an entertaining-if somewhat diminished-Shovel Knight experience.
In the end, Shovel Knight Dig is more Shovel Knight. The basic gameplay and boss fights are the stars of the show, and they more than make up for the ways that the game struggles in its capacity as a roguelite. It’s got a healthy supply of that just-one-more-attempt magic, which should serve folks hankering for more shovel-swinging action just fine. The irony remains that Shovel Knight Dig is just not exceptionally deep.
Shovel Knight Dig isn't just a cash-in on the series' popularity. It's a game that stands on its own merits as a worthy prequel to the original. The titular hero's moveset translates perfectly to a more vertical orientation, and Nitrome's bite-sized level design makes full use of Yacht Club's well-established gameplay style. The 16-bit-style visuals and music are an absolute treat, especially for fans of the series, and the roguelike elements present a nice sense of progression and replayability. Shovel Knight Dig might not be the exact sequel that fans have been clamoring for, but it's the next best thing.
Shovel Knight Dig punches above its spin-off weight class, even if its roguelike elements are a little modest.
Shovel Knight Dig is another triumphant and enjoyable entry in the popular indie knight's growing legacy, offering up thrilling, challenging gameplay that will appeal to fans both old and new. Though it may be a little on the short side, every minute of Shovel Knight Dig positively oozes quality, whether that be the snappy action-platforming or the fresh 16-bit art style and animation. We'd give this one a high recommendation to anyone who enjoyed the original platformers or to anyone looking for a tough (but not offputtingly tough) new roguelite. Shovel Knight Dig has got it where it counts and can stand tall beside its noble predecessors.