This is BY FAR the best game in Treasure Trove, and that's saying something when given just how good the other games in this package are. I beat and really loved Shovel of Hope and King of Cards, but Specter of Torment was the one that really captivated me.
Specter Knight has always had the sickest design out of all the knights in my opinion, and his moveset is so much fun to use in this game. Every attack feels satisfying to hit, and crossing huge gaps using just your aerial attack to gain height and distance feels amazing. Specter's aerial attack is the best part of his kit, and having this attack that not only lets you attack the enemy but also adds to your movement are just great (and are generally great in most games that have them), and allow for some amazing level design. Going through levels is a blast and makes you feel like a legend for getting over obstacles and using your kit to its fullest.
The soundtrack and story are also superb. Pretty much every track in this game is a remix of the original Shovel Knight's stage themes, and I think I like these versions better. Being a prequel to Shovel of Hope, the stages are older and some of them are pretty different because of this. Thus, the music was changed/remixed in order to capture the new feelings of these levels. I think the best example is the clock tower, tinker knight's stage. When Shovel Knight goes through it, the music is more menacing and makes you feel like you're going through an evil fortress. However, when Specter Knight goes through the stage Tinker Knight hasn't joined the Order of No Quarter yet, so the music is upbeat and inspirational since Tinker Knight is just an engineer and not really a bad guy at this point. The story is also the best of all the games in Treasure Trove, and I think most would agree. It's hard to talk too much about it without spoiling it, but it's a bit more complex and interesting than the simple damsel in distress type stories of the other games.
As for the collectibles in this game, it's one of the few games I don't remember having to google the location of a single one of them. They're not the hardest to find, but I much prefer easier collectibles than impossibly hard ones. I personally didn't like too many of them, but some of them are pretty cool and are worth giving a shot.
If Treasure Trove was just this game, I'd think it was a steal. Again, this game captivated me in every aspect from beginning to end, and my only true complaint with it is that I wish it kept on going.
Specter Knight has always had the sickest design out of all the knights in my opinion, and his moveset is so much fun to use in this game. Every attack feels satisfying to hit, and crossing huge gaps using just your aerial attack to gain height and distance feels amazing. Specter's aerial attack is the best part of his kit, and having this attack that not only lets you attack the enemy but also adds to your movement are just great (and are generally great in most games that have them), and allow for some amazing level design. Going through levels is a blast and makes you feel like a legend for getting over obstacles and using your kit to its fullest.
The soundtrack and story are also superb. Pretty much every track in this game is a remix of the original Shovel Knight's stage themes, and I think I like these versions better. Being a prequel to Shovel of Hope, the stages are older and some of them are pretty different because of this. Thus, the music was changed/remixed in order to capture the new feelings of these levels. I think the best example is the clock tower, tinker knight's stage. When Shovel Knight goes through it, the music is more menacing and makes you feel like you're going through an evil fortress. However, when Specter Knight goes through the stage Tinker Knight hasn't joined the Order of No Quarter yet, so the music is upbeat and inspirational since Tinker Knight is just an engineer and not really a bad guy at this point. The story is also the best of all the games in Treasure Trove, and I think most would agree. It's hard to talk too much about it without spoiling it, but it's a bit more complex and interesting than the simple damsel in distress type stories of the other games.
As for the collectibles in this game, it's one of the few games I don't remember having to google the location of a single one of them. They're not the hardest to find, but I much prefer easier collectibles than impossibly hard ones. I personally didn't like too many of them, but some of them are pretty cool and are worth giving a shot.
If Treasure Trove was just this game, I'd think it was a steal. Again, this game captivated me in every aspect from beginning to end, and my only true complaint with it is that I wish it kept on going.