Shovel Knight Dig | Steam Deck Review

Yacht Club Games and Nitrome collaborate to bring you the latest 2D roguelite game in the Shovel Knight universe. The game brings in the usual flavors of games past with the pastel blue Shovel Knight and his trusty spade on a stick battling enemies of different shapes, sizes, abilities, and strengths. The “blue bludgeoner” of the gaming universe fights against the Hexcavators lead by the evil Drill Knight. The game’s difficulty is prevalent right from the start and gets even more frustrating as things go…down!

You’re Going to Die…A Lot!

Much like other games in the series, Shovel Knight takes on many types of enemies conforming to the levels he encounters. Unlike the traditional side scrolling level layouts of games past, Shovel Knight Dig takes you down…down…down into a treacherous, seemingly never-ending pit putting your shovel to work through the different levels in a unique way of traversal. And “different levels” means that in ways that most other games can’t imagine. Although there are six different levels of varying environments and enemy types, the game never (NEVER) has the same layout twice.

As mentioned before and several times to follow, players will die A LOT! When death happens…and it will…Shovel Knight starts back at the beginning and traverses down the same pit that he started at many lives previous. Only each time, the starting level is the same but the layout is completely different giving the player a completely fresh experience each and every time.

When moving through the levels, players are presented with laid out paths of gems but also secrets away from the dugout paths with breakable walls, secret doors, and even lanterns lighting the way to side areas for bartering, extra gem gathering, or enemy traps that must be completed before resuming the great dig. Each level has three sections that players will be forced, or sometimes, luck out to make a choice. Some of those choices are hinted at with signs, warning, or locks (if the player is fortunate enough to have a key) that will result in higher difficulty sections that can offer more rewards or secrets or preferred enemy groups the player wants to take on. No matter which path is taken, take heed that you’re going to die…a lot and get to do it all over again!

You’re Going to Die…A Whole Lot!

Enemies, like the level layouts, are at random and are unique to each main area covered. Some float, some have shields, some interact with the environment and make Shovel Knight’s already difficult journey that much more treacherous. Lollygagging is highly discouraged as a giant, diamond covered saw will approach from above. One touch and Shovel Knight’s already high mortality rate will go that much higher. The bosses are the same as previous installments in their Mega Man-esque presentation with unique sets of offense which gets stronger when more damage is taken. The further down you go, the more hairy the opposition becomes and, take heed, you will die a whole lot!

You’re Going to Die…A Whole Heckuva Lot!

If you couldn’t tell already…you’re going to die a whole heckuva lot! As with most roguelite games, after death you will start at the very beginning of the game. In some instances, you are able to keep what you die with and grow stronger with each meeting of your demise. Shovel Knight Dig is EXTREMELY unforgiving in this regard. If death takes you, death takes almost everything with him along with what you gathered. The only thing brought back from the afterlife is a sizable chunk of gems and gold collected during the latest run of our journey which accumulates as your attempts pile up in order to purchase upgrades before, once again, beginning your subterranean traversal. Any other power up or item gathered is the great majority of the time lost when your soul is taken.

During very lucky runs or some lucrative purchases before you begin your next attempt, some items or opportunities to retain items collected are put forth. Many of the items collected aren’t the most useful and so much battle is happening almost constantly that very high gaming dexterity needs to be exercised to make the items useful, let alone move forward to survive. As a whole, these features can be frustrating for newcomers to the franchise and be a turn off before committing to the seemingly infinite death drops. Even veterans of the IP will have a hard time starting off. Patience will need to be exercised before finding the balance of progressive euphoria with the frustration of the ever present 2-D kill rate.

Does It Really Need to Be Said in Closing…Again…Really?

Shovel Knight Dig will test the patience of the best 2D gamers, but those same gamers will get hooked to the clean gameplay, familiar mechanics, and clever dialogue fans of the franchise have come to love and know. Let this be made very clear if it hasn’t already: You’re going to die more times than any horror movie body count that has ever been officially made! But you’ll also drop in for more!

Hang in long enough and tidbits from the original series come to light during the end credits that will have a mild satisfaction and connection for veterans only to be faced with a drop again hoping to unlock everything this game has to offer.

To hear more about Shovel Knight Dig, be sure to listen to Episode 416 of The Gaming Outsider Podcast around the 52:58 time stamp.

This review is based on a PC copy of Shovel Knight Dig provided by Yacht Club Games for coverage purposes. It is also available on Nintendo Switch and iOS.