Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment
2017
- platform
- adventure
- indie
- action
- fantasy
- single player
The story
This game is a free expansion included in the main game, Shovel Knight, and its updated title, Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove. The game will also be available as a standalone title on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
What it’s like
Chunky 8-bit pixel art in a dusky palette of violet nights, bruised purples and bone-white moonlight, with tall gothic towers, crumbling stone and ghostly lanterns that flicker against deep shadow. Chiptune score drives the action with bright, bouncy melodies that turn moody and urgent in the darker stages, and the tight jump-and-strike controls have a satisfying, crisp snap in the hands. The pace is brisk and modular: short screens of platforming, bosses that demand patient pattern-learning, and a steady stream of collectibles and small rewards that keep each run feeling purposeful. The mood is wistful and dreamlike, a retro adventure with a melancholy undertow and a soft, nostalgic ache rather than dread. Intensity is low to moderate: cartoonish combat with defeated foes puffing into sparks, no gore, no sexual content, and only mild peril. It suits a focused evening session, a nostalgic weekend play, or a gentle challenge for players who love classic side-scrolling action and old-school NES-style design.
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