Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment Reviews
Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment is an excellent action platformer with a lot of content to enjoy and plenty of bonus challenges to endure and feats to complete. It raises the bar for the Shovel Knight series and makes me look forward to seeing what Yacht Club Games manages to do for King Knight’s campaign. Nintendo Switch owners get to enjoy Specter of Torment as a timed exclusive, so if you want to give this excellent game a try before it makes its way to other consoles, now is the time to do so!
I had a lot of fun with Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment, and I’d rate it as high if not even higher than Shovel Knight: Shovel of Truth. The level design suits the dark feel of this new campaign, and the added gameplay features make the whole experience feel very fresh. As always, Virt’s (Jake Kaufman) soundtrack is top notch and perfectly fits the action. I highly recommend that you play Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment today – for the best value be sure to grab Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove on Nintendo Switch!
Specter of Torment feels like a new mode more than a sequel or an expansion, and it benefits from this. With a new story, completely new move set, and a much darker tone, it's a must-play for fans of the original release. Make sure to grab a controller, because the keyboard isn't ideal for everything Specter Knight is capable of. Congratulations, Specter Knight; you're too good for a keyboard.
If you’re in the mood for some old-school platforming, Specter Of Torment is well worth putting the few hours needed, especially if you’ve yet to play Shovel Knight at all and buy it as part of the new Treasure Trove collection.
Specter of Torment is a thrilling return to form that leaves me more excited for the next chapter in the Shovel Knight saga.
Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment is proof that developer Yacht Club Games still has new tricks up its sleeve.
True to its promises, Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment strives to deliver a Jump'n'Run experience that truly lives up to the base game. While keeping the core elements intact, some simple, but meaningful changes to gameplay and atmosphere allow it to stand off at its own entity.
Overall, Specter of Torment is a fabulous addition to the Shovel Knight title and further proves that Yacht Club Games are masters of their craft. Gameplay is fast and brimming with action, while adding hints of challenge. Specter Knight is an interesting character and a joy to play, while having an interesting story to boot. There's more than enough meat to justify your purchase, and it is a succulent dish indeed to experience.
The Specter of Torment expansion really added to the game series with a better story and more fluid gameplay. Its not particularly long, but the fun, challenging, old-school platforming makes this a game worth playing. I would recommend buying the Treasure Trove edition with the original game and the two expansions and playing them in the order of release. It's a great package and Specter of Torment is the strongest of the set.
Despite some relatively minor blemishes, Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment is an innovative and satisfying experience I would recommend to any fan of 2D platformers or retro games.
It occurs to me after playing the game that although each version of the game was different, they each dealt with the concepts of love and loss. While Shovel Knight focused on his hunt to save Shield Knight and Plague of Shadows dealt with Plague Knight’s secret feelings for a certain someone, Specter of Torment’s story is not about romantic passion, but camaraderie. However, even then, there is a romance in the campaign between the skeleton Red and his lady love, Scarlet. More than anything though, Specter of Torment is a game about duty and the price of holding on to our humanity. I truly enjoyed my time with it, and spent a little more than 4 hours beating the game, with 85% item completion. The Nintendo Switch is truly fortunate to have Specter of Torment as an exclusive, and for those of you waiting, rest easy knowing it will be truly worth the wait. Specter Knight’s tale is a dark and epic one, and it makes me all the more excited for the next DLC Yacht Club Games has up their voluminous sleeves.