It's good! After 5 years of waiting for the DLC, most of the hype for it has pretty much dissipated and getting it all of the sudden like if it was 2017 all over again was a pleasant surprise. Even odder is how much this DLC feels like something that would have been released just 1 year after the main game. Nothing has fundamentally changed, it being pretty much a boss pack for players already experienced with the main campaign, smartly ditching out the run n' gun stages and focusing exclusively on the things that make Cuphead such a visual joy to play.
Part of me wished that, after 5 long years, Cuphead would bring in something more creatively challenging or at the very least evolve the boss rush concept beyond a new character to play as and a couple of new weapons and charms, but I gotta say that I appreciated this small sized encore that didn't outstay its welcome, had it been a chunkier campaign and the Cuphead fatigue would probably set in.
Hard not to once again be impressed by the level of commitment and care that the devs took with the presentation and how perfectly it encapsulates a bygone era of animation, and the challenge provided is still engaging enough to master while not frustrating to the point of giving up. In terms of criticism, I'll say that the propensity for the difficulty of Cuphead to lean on screen clutter that is hard to keep track of and that relies a bit too much on RNG for my liking is definitely most felt on this DLC. Luckily, the King's Leap stages and the secret boss alleviate this issue with unique gimmicks that force you to play differently and provide a welcoming break from the main content.
I leave Delicious Last Course with my stomach happily full, but I fear the devs now sit at a comfortable position where they can keep chucking Cuphead content out for as long as they please. If Cuphead 2 is an inevitability, then I hope this DLC serves as a victory lap for the incredibly successful endeavour this team put itself through, and doesn't become just a recipe to strictly follow for their remaining future.
Part of me wished that, after 5 long years, Cuphead would bring in something more creatively challenging or at the very least evolve the boss rush concept beyond a new character to play as and a couple of new weapons and charms, but I gotta say that I appreciated this small sized encore that didn't outstay its welcome, had it been a chunkier campaign and the Cuphead fatigue would probably set in.
Hard not to once again be impressed by the level of commitment and care that the devs took with the presentation and how perfectly it encapsulates a bygone era of animation, and the challenge provided is still engaging enough to master while not frustrating to the point of giving up. In terms of criticism, I'll say that the propensity for the difficulty of Cuphead to lean on screen clutter that is hard to keep track of and that relies a bit too much on RNG for my liking is definitely most felt on this DLC. Luckily, the King's Leap stages and the secret boss alleviate this issue with unique gimmicks that force you to play differently and provide a welcoming break from the main content.
I leave Delicious Last Course with my stomach happily full, but I fear the devs now sit at a comfortable position where they can keep chucking Cuphead content out for as long as they please. If Cuphead 2 is an inevitability, then I hope this DLC serves as a victory lap for the incredibly successful endeavour this team put itself through, and doesn't become just a recipe to strictly follow for their remaining future.