Shovel Knight is that magical indie franchise that just keeps managing to pull players back in. With the bevy of updates both paid and unpaid that the original game received, fans were understandably impressed. Then Yacht Club Games parlayed that game into a completely unexpected puzzle game, Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon (review here). Now, Yacht Club is back again to hit us with another game style in Shovel Knight Dig!
Shovel Knight Dig takes Shovel Knight and all his friends on yet another adventure, this time down into the depths of an underground dungeon. Drill Knight has stolen his hard-earned loot and it’s up to you to retrieve it! Naturally, Dig is thin on plot but there are lots of tidbits floating around as you expand your camp and slowly progress through this fun and frantic roguelike.
The main feature of Shovel Knight Dig is, of course, digging. Unlike previous entries in the series however, Dig makes you dig a lot! There’s no real exact parallel to Shovel Knight Dig in other games, but it incorporates elements of games like Steamworld Dig, Mr. Driller, and of course, the original combat from Shovel Knight. As you dig down, you collect treasure in order to unlock new powerups and abilities. Make it to the end of the third area in each stage and you’ll face a boss, one of Drill Knight’s henchmen. Each one is challenging but beating them allows you to unlock the ability to skip stages, assuming you have collected enough treasure. Nothing is free after all!
Once you’ve managed to beat a few areas and complete a few runs, you’ll find that Shovel Knight Dig starts to really unfold and come into its own. There are a variety of armors available that will protect you, a bevy of randomized items that you’ll collect to aid you in combat, knights along the way to teach you new skills, and even multiple levels at every stage of the game. Let’s not forget the ridiculous number of random secrets as well!
You never really know what you’re going to get when you enter a stage in Dig and Yacht Club certainly takes the roguelike part of the game seriously. Expect to be significantly challenged on most runs, especially if you’re trying to collect every gem you can. While the game looks short and you can beat Drill Knight in only five stages, it’s going to take you a good four or five hours to beat the game the first time around. Chances are you’ll have barely seen all it has to offer in that time though. If your platforming skills aren’t up to snuff though, you could potentially take a lot longer! This is definitely a challenging game that will give players a run for their money.
There isn’t a huge explanation of the mechanics here either. The impetus is on you to figure out what everything does, where it’s useful, and whether or not items and combat mechanics work for you. Even things as simple as digging have nuance that might be surprising. Continuing to dig above a drop in a horizontal line will keep you from falling for example, but it might be a few runs before you figure out what works and what doesn’t. This is no leisurely exploration either. Take too long in an area trying to get gems and a giant buzz saw comes down from above and obliterates you. There’s warning when bits of rock come tumbling down but it’s game over if you take a hit.
One key thing to remember, especially if your platforming skills are a bit rusty, is to never ignore the golden gears. Collect all three and you have your choice of healing to full health or a random powerup, plus a fair bit of treasure. Collect two and you get a healing item and some cash as well. This really compensates for skill deficits and as you get better at the game, makes everything much easier overall. While you’re at it, it couldn’t hurt to check out some of the shops with your spare loot either. But remember, anything you buy from the Horned Knight only lasts for that run so if you’re not doing so well, hang onto that cash!
Naturally the soundtrack for Shovel Knight Dig is suitably heroic and fun with some classic music from the original game and some new tracks that amp you up as you play. The graphics are souped up a bit too and the entire game aesthetic is an excellent example of modern 16-bit design. There are no bugs, no glitches, and no problems with Dig at a technical level either. This is a simply beautiful game that runs as smooth as silk.
There’s not a lot else to say about Shovel Knight. While there’s a leaderboard you can access to see how much better everyone else than you is, there’s no true multiplayer or co-op built into the game and it’s a self-contained experience that feels like it could have stepped directly out of the 16-bit era. The challenge level is definitely high here but those with experience in the Shovel Knight series will quickly find that their expectations have been easily met. If a single playthrough is your thing, then Shovel Knight Dig certainly won’t last long, but if you enjoy the Shovel Knight world, you’ll probably get 10-12 hours out of this one and that’s certainly more than worthwhile enough for most players. The simple fact is that Shovel Knight Dig is fun to play and it’s always nice to come back to an old friend with a fresh coat of paint!
This review is based on a digital copy of Shovel Knight Dig provided by the publisher. It was played on a gaming PC via Steam. Shovel Knight Dig is also available for Nintendo Switch.