Developer: GSS Studio Creation Publisher: Broke Studio Release: 08/09/22 Genre: Action
Pound for pound Gunstar Heroes might be my favorite Sega Genesis game of all time. It hits all the right notes gameplay wise, is original, and remains a technical showcase of the hardware. Not many games tried to imitate its blend of gameplay mechanics and genres and with good reason. Nailing the right mix is hard and too often one or two elements suffer heavily. But the indie efforts of today have had decades to study the greats to create new classics in their image. The Cursed Knight is one such endeavor and is fantastic. This is the type of game that would receive rave reviews but release with little fanfare back in the day and become a cult classic. Luckily the market is bigger and it has a chance to make a bigger splash. I am here to tell you why.
In the year 3122, after the fall of our civilization, the Earth has become the principality of Dallongeville and ruled by king Alberich. Ancient technologies are now myths, AIs have become gods and ancient warriors have become legends. With 5 million inhabitants, Dallongeville is the last bastion of humanity. Its handful of genetically modified soldiers are continually at war against invaders from all over the galaxy. You are Kalder the protector knight, a genetically modified and enhanced human who worships the AI Skull, now called Skull god. Following a confrontation that does not end well, Kalder will risk his life to bring his sweetheart, the princess of Dallongeville, back to life.
The Cursed Knight is a hybrid action game/shooter. Nearly every stage has two levels, a shooting level like Gradius and an action platformer like Gunstar Heroes. In the side scrolling level the game plays very similar to Gunstar Heroes as it mixes melee attacks with shooting action. You eventually find three weapons that can power-up multiple times and you can switch at any time. The three-way shot, homing shot, and laser each have strengths and weaknesses depending on the situation. When enemies get too close you can melee slash which is exceedingly powerful. There is also a special charge attack which I never found particularly useful. The shooter levels are simpler as you need only switch weapons and fire in both directions. That being said they are no less challenging.
Level design is where the Cursed Knight shines. The first level is a great introduction to both aspects of the game and its mechanics. But from there it expands. Once you receive the gravity shift it truly comes in to its own. Those familiar with Metal Storm will be familiar with this mechanic and all its mind bending applications. The game leans heavily on it and thankfully it is intuitive. The levels becomes mini puzzles as you must double jump and reverse gravity at the right moment and use its momentum to cross gaps constantly. I like the mix of action platforming and shooting. When one goes too long the game switches up almost like a reprieve. It also helps that both are solid if not excellent. I don’t like the lone driving level however. Too many gotcha moments and it feels like an excuse to flex their technical muscles.
The game revels in its homages to action classics from the past. Many of the bosses are multi-jointed wonders that would not look out of place in Contra: Hard Corps. There are many tips of the hat to Gunstar, especially in stage five. I will be honest some of the bosses might be a little too close to Treasure’s work and cross in to plagiarism and not homage territory. There is even a reference to Metal Slug 3, albeit in lesser form. I respect the attempt though. Some of the later shooter levels resemble R-Type as you fly around a massive battle ship and dismantle its defenses piece by piece. Despite these homages the Cursed Knight does not lose its identity. I do wish the story were better as it would have made the game more distinct rather than a bit cliché. But I digress.
The Cursed Knight has three difficulty modes that make it a little more accessible. Emphasis on a little. In truth the difficulty spikes quickly. By stage 2 once you receive the gravity shift power the game asks a lot of you and barely eases you in to its use. The platforming becomes quite complex and takes no prisoners. While it is fun for the most part the level design can be confusing at times. A little more clarity in the art direction would smooth out those rough edges. The boss battles feature a similar ramp up. The simplistic patterns give way to complicated multi-stage battles of attrition. While the difficulty is high it emphasizes memorization and execution like the best of them to give you a fighting chance.
In Closing
The Cursed Knight is a triumphant love letter to Sega Genesis fans, built from the ground up with both authenticity and ambition. It mixes genres with confidence, offers a real challenge, and looks/sounds fantastic on original hardware. While its story is forgettable and it stumbles slightly with pacing, the gameplay is more than strong enough to carry it.
