cup head he has a reputation for more than just his style. It’s also a fairly difficult run-and-gun platformer with a host of memorably devious bosses. cup head: The delicious last dish The DLC further expands on the base game formula, but with even more dynamic and quirky bosses and the lovable new Ms. Chalice as a playable character.
After completing the first mausoleum and freeing Mrs. Chalice, you can embark on the fourth Inkwell Island to take on a special task: free her from the astral plane, provided you can get the ingredients for Wondertart. The Wondertart, of course, is made from the finest ingredients possessed by the island’s most fearsome foes. Although what will come next, you will have to see for yourself.
Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course Review – An Exceptional Meal
Facing the new bosses in The delicious last dish it’s no laughing matter. Each one is hectic, possibly even more so than the base game, and it’s not possible to complete the DLC by taking them out in Simple mode. As with the base game, full progression only comes with Regular mode wipes, as it should be, as Simple mode skips phases and gives bosses ridiculously low HP compared to their regular forms.
One could refer to the multitude of bosses found in the original. cup head as a feast for fans of racing and weapons/platforms, while The delicious last dish is that final sweet dessert. Isle IV is strangely diverse geographically, with caves, a desert, a snowy region, and mountains, with each area having its own devious opponent.
The sheer variety gives it a distinct feel, and the challenges that await you only solidify that impression. From a multi-level brawl with a smuggler spider and his minions to a mountain giant with an infestation of gnomes, there’s no shortage of themed fights or mechanical variety.
felling each of The delicious last dishBosses is an absolute delight, largely due to the animations and music. The entirety of the downloadable content is animated as beautifully as the base game, and the music tracks it brings with each new fight are as catchy and fitting as can be.
In addition to being the cutest of the bunch, Ms. Chalice as a new character brings basic gameplay changes from Cuphead and Mugman. Instead of stopping mid-jump, Ms. Chalice stops with her run. She can also double jump and has an invincible move in her move set.
Realistically, these new abilities make Ms. Chalice easier to play, but switching to her takes up your Charm slot. Any benefits you may have enjoyed from your favorite Charms are not available when playing as her, though the benefits far outweigh the downsides in most cases.
That said, Ms. Chalice takes some getting used to. Her invincibility roll can only be used while crouched, and the parry dash requires a little extra finesse; it does not grant any frame of invincibility itself. However, the double jump serves as the icing on the cake; as it allows for extra wiggle room when things get hectic.
Ms. Chalice shines pretty much anywhere, but especially in the new Kings Leap challenges found on Isle IV. Kings Leap challenges prevent you from attacking and nullify the effects of your spells, except the one that changes you to Mrs. Chalice.
Some of these, particularly the second one with the knight horse, seem to be developed with her in mind, and really put you to work even with her upgraded moveset. Although you can certainly complete the primary stages of The delicious last dish using good old Cuphead and Mugman.
Cuphead: The Ultimate Delicious Dish — The Bottom Line
advantage
- The animation, music and boss designs are impeccable.
- Expanded game options thanks to the addition of Ms. Chalice.
- It’s still a challenge, though less so when playing Ms. Chalice.
- New charms and weapons to play with.
Cons
The delicious last dish is almost a fan of cup head could have asked for, with bosses just as and even crazier than the ones found in the base game. Impeccably presented, amazing to play, and made even more flexible with the introduction of the ambitious Ms. Chalice, there’s little reason to skip this expansion to what was already a stellar action platformer.
If you enjoyed and finished cup headeven as a less confident player, there’s a lot to love in The delicious last dish that it is impossible not to recommend. Its more difficult segments are exciting to beat and complete, and the surprises around each boss bend are always delightful. It’s not the longest DLC out there, but it’s perfect.
[Note: Studio MDHR provided the copy of Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course used for this review.]
