Shovel Knight Dig Reviews
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 is definitely worth playing for both platformer and roguelike fans. The twist on the Shovel Knight formula makes Shovel Knight Dig feel fresh, despite the mostly unchanged controls from the original. The fair random elements and generous meta-progression make it a good entry point for platformer fans unfamiliar with roguelikes, whereas hardcore roguelike fans can enjoy the tough bosses and challenges required to get the True Ending. Although the main campaign may seem rather brief, it's a blast while it lasts, and an easy recommendation.
Yet that is also what makes Shovel Knight Dig such an addicting experience.
There is a lot to enjoy with the new challenges brought on by Shovel Knight Dig. Gameplay is fast paced, the music is just as catchy as its predecessor, and the quirky dialogue between the NPCs brings back the nostalgia from the original. Although the environments are repetitive, losing a run never feels like a typical game over; it is just a quick regroup and back into adventure. The only major drawback of Shovel Knight Dig is that it is relatively short. Unless trying to get the perfect run, it ends just as quickly as it begins. Still, Yacht Club Games has managed to make a fun new genre and chapter for its fans and new players alike.
Shovel Knight Dig is an absolute treasure to behold, the visuals are so colorful and vibrant, and the soundtrack is equally as bubbly. It’s a wonderful addition to the lore of Shovel Knight without being clumsy or overwrought. It’s a roguelike doesn’t feel like one, and isn’t a slog to get to the good stuff, as every run is an exciting escapade. You won’t have to dig too deep to find the fun, because Shovel Knight Dig is a worthwhile adventure that feels like an evolution of the series for another reason to adore it.
Shovel Knight Dig proves the knight's versatility in a great roguelike action title. Digging ever deeper is addicting, and the mix of platform moments, battles and exploration makes the stages quite frantic. Besides that, there's a good variety of content to explore and an atmosphere full of charisma with a great 16-bits pixel art style. Even with so many qualities, the game has really annoying issues, such as dangers that show up out of nowhere, unbalanced aspects and the camera position gets in the way of some movements. It's important to be ready to ignore those negative points, but, overall, the result is positive. In the end, Shovel Knight Dig is yet another great addition to the franchise.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Nitrome definitely did a good job at making a fun gameplay loop, and with all the different options and modes to tinker with, fans of the original game will certainly enjoy this roguelike twist. Dig to it!
Preserving the standard of quality that defines Yacht Club Games and evolving several pillars of the Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove experience, Shovel Knight Dig is not just a spin-off. This is a refreshing reinterpretation of the series' formula that, with refined platforming mechanics and an array of inventive enemies and gimmicks, has everything to satisfy fans of the genre and especially the paddled knight. However, this adventure is short-lived, especially if you just want to reach the end of the journey. Additionally, while the roguelite format adds to the longevity of this title, the process of generating the levels can lead to some mild frustrations.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Shovel Knight Dig is a great little game. Small in length but big in quality. It's easy to start a game for a few minutes and come back to it later. It's also easy to lose yourself in a couple of more minutes of gameplay. Once again, a great success from Yacht Club Games that we highly recommend.
Review in French | Read full review
Shovel Knight Dig may not be as fine-tuned as the original but it's still a ton of fun to dig deeper and deeper in its roguelike campaign. I definitely recommend it but try not to be disappointed if the fun is over within only a few hours like it was for me.
Shovel Knight Dig is another smart repackaging of the brand. Yacht Club games already proved it could repurpose its ideas into a tile-based roguelike with Pocket Dungeon, and now Dig demonstrates what happens when the platformer gameplay is remixed for a deadly descent into a dark pit.
I’m certainly happy that the Shovel Knight franchise continues to thrive, and none of the magic has been lost with step up to 16-bit graphics. I’m personally a bit worn out from the tidal wave of great Roguelike titles but Dig certainly represents the genre well
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.
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.
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.
Shovel Knight Dig punches above its spin-off weight class, even if its roguelike elements are a little modest.
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 remixes the popular indie platformer into a clever roguelike that's an entertaining-if somewhat diminished-Shovel Knight experience.
If you're in the camp for short-term but challenging "devil may care" fun, dig in!
Shovel Knight Dig isn't the best game in the ever-expanding indie series, but it's a solid addition nonetheless. It delivers a remarkable rogue-lite experience with tight controls, enjoyable bite-sized stages, enticing risk-versus-reward gameplay, and lovely graphics and sound. Only a short running time and an unsatisfactory sense of progression hold it back.