Title: Shovel Knight: Plague of Shadows
Original Release: September 17, 2015 (Multiple)
Finished Release: Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove (Switch, 2017)
*Potential spoilers for Shovel Knight: Shovel of Hope*
So let's just get this out of the way. Yes, I'm reviewing the base Shovel Knight game and Plague of Shadows (and Specter of Torment) separately, and counting them as two separate finished games. The reason for this is manifold, but I'll stick to two good reasons.
One, they came out more than a year apart, and each had pretty much their own separate development cycle. And two, they're both full-length games in their own right. In fact, I actually have a slightly longer playtime recorded in Plague of Shadows than Shovel of Hope.
And yes, it lets me inflate my "finished games" number for the year.
So anyway, let's talk about Plague of Shadows. See, back during the development of the original Shovel Knight game, Yacht Club held a poll. Fans could vote on the top three members of the Order of No Quarter they would like to see become playable characters. The three winners would receive their own add-on story content, with full storylines and gameplay campaigns as DLC.
The winners, and subsequent DLC campaigns were:
#1 Specter Knight in Specter of Torment (which actually got released second)
#2 Plague Knight in Plague of Shadows (released first)
#3 King Knight in King of Cards (not yet released at the time of this writing)
Note: these are not the three I would have chosen. I like all the characters in Shovel Knight, but it's kind of funny that none of these three choices are ones I would pick, even though I like all of them. For those curious, the three I would pick would be Polar Knight, Treasure Knight, and Propeller Knight, not necessarily in that order.
Still, the three we got are still great characters in their own right, and who knows? Maybe someday we'll get all of the Order as paid DLC. But destiny dictates that we are here to discuss Plague of Shadows, so let's do just that.
As mentioned before, in Plague of Shadows you play as Plague Knight, one of the stage bosses that Shovel Knight goes up against in Shovel of Hope. Plague Knight's story takes place alongside Shovel Knight's, but it's told from Plague's point of view. The interesting thing about that is that Plague is A. crazy and B. not a little bit self-aggrandizing. So it goes without saying that the events herein are embellished slightly, which basically serves as a way of explaining how, in this game, Plague Knight actually won his fight with Shovel Knight.
Anyway, Plague Knight is attempting to create a potion that will make him the most powerful person in the land. Unfortunately (or possibly fortunately), the ingredients he needs for the potion are guarded by the other members of the Order of No Quarter, unbeknownst to the knights themselves. And so Plague Knight, having little sense of loyalty or camaraderie, sets out to take down his compatriots and concoct his potion. Things are, of course, more complicated, and we learn a bit more about how Plague Knight really feels along the way.
So the story here is just as quirky-yet-heartfelt as the original, if not moreso. Shovel Knight is a great mostly-silent protagonist, but Plague has the advantage of getting to cut loose. He's mildly psychotic and loves explosions (we'll come back to that), but this game adds a surprising amount of depth to him. I won't say too much, but suffice it to say that, while he may be a psychopath, we learn here that he is not a sociopath. Well, not completely, anyway.
Along with this new story comes a whole new supporting cast. Some are new characters, some are returning, but nearly all of them are lovable. In particular, one of my favorite minor characters from the original has a greatly expanded role in Plague Knight's story, and everything is the better for it. We also get a bit of insight into the history and motivations of other lesser-used side characters.
So the story and characters are fun and great. The graphics and audio, as well, are just as great as they were before. There's a fair amount of reused assets as far as visuals go, but not to the point of it feeling boring. The soundtrack is, as far as I could tell, more or less completely new. I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the original, but it's still got more than a few good tunes.
Now let's talk about something serious. Yacht Club could have played it safe. They could have taken the easy way out. Plague Knight could have just been "Shovel Knight with bombs." I am happy to report that that is not the case. Not at all.
Plague Knight feels and plays completely different from Shovel Knight. And his bombs aren't just a fun little thing he has, they're intrinsic to him, as they honestly should be. The bombs not only do damage, they're a major part of his movement controls, allowing you to use them in mid-air to slow your descent. He also has a separate double jump, which Shovel Knight didn't have.
And the bombs themselves aren't just fun and practical, they're also customizable! See, your basic bomb is made up of three parts: powder, casing, and fuse. There are several kinds of each part, and they can be mixed and matched without limitation. This leads to a certain amount of strategic assessment, wherein you'll get used to looking at a situation and quickly adjusting your bombs to overcome it. I found it quite an enjoyable little system, and would sometimes change things up just for fun.
Now, it must be taken into consideration that the altered mechanics are a bit of a double-edged sword. Plague Knight's controls, especially his jumping, are more complex and, compared to Shovel Knight's relatively simple controls, could lead to a more challenging experience for certain players.
Movement here is quick and versatile, and opens up a bit more options for many given situations. Unfortunately, they also feature a much steeper learning curve. Add to this the fact that Plague Knight feels just that extra bit more fragile, and it ultimately leads to a more challenging experience overall.
For me this level of challenge wasn't insurmountable, and I enjoyed myself all along the way. Some people, however, may not have a good time, especially if they prefer the relative simplicity of Shovel Knight. It's a personal preference thing, and there's nothing wrong with not enjoying a more difficult game.
Either way, though, if you loved the original, Plague of Shadows is definitely a high-quality follow-up. If Shovel of Hope didn't quite convince you that this is a world worth expanding, then this one definitely will.
Until next time!
Current interests:
Listening - Permanent Waves (Rush, 1980)
Playing - Hollow Knight (2017)
Reading - Kamen Rider Spirits (2001)
Watching - Kamen Rider Drive (2014)
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