PAX West Spotlight: Shovel Knight Dig
By Rae
As the rarity on my team that has not played the original Shovel Knight, but of course heard all about it, I was a little surprised when I got asked if I wanted to take the appointment for Shovel Knight Dig – the sequel with a gameplay twist to the popular platformer from Yacht Club Games. However, trying out Shovel Knight Dig has sold me not only on the upcoming release, but I’m about to go back and get the originals too!
Dig isn’t exactly the same as its predecessors, focusing instead on a roguelike premise that sends you into an everchanging chasm of danger and excitement. Each time you drop into the chasm to dig your way to victory and riches, you’ll find things look quite different. I was told it would take hours upon hours to get a similar level again – the game is intentionally designed to keep each dig downward different from your last. I went down into the chasm five times during my time playing the game, and each one was wildly unique from the others, allowing each level to feel like a new adventure.
The game itself is just stupid fun to play – you’ll hack, slash, bounce, drop, and drill your way deeper into the chasm, fighting enemies along the way and running into some pretty intense challenges, like floors full of spikes and bouncy mushrooms that need to be carefully navigated.
Each time you die, you’ll be able to go back to the surface if you want to recover some of your losses, buy powerups, or give items a chance at spawning below. You’ll also find some other things to keep the game fresh and fun, including leaderboards and challenges to achieve.
As a first time Shovel Knight player, I found Dig to be a really fun entry to the series, and it’s got me excited not only for the full release, but to go back and play the previous games as well.
You can check out the Shovel Knight Dig demo all weekend at the Yacht Club Games booth! Not at PAX West? You can also wishlist it now before its September 23rd release!