Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment Reviews

Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment is ranked in the 96th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Edmond Tran
Top Critic
8 / 10
Mar 16, 2017

Specter of Torment is a focused and satisfyingly challenging 2D platformer which retains Shovel Knight's strong aesthetic and sense of charm.

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Mar 23, 2017

Spectre of Torment stands up well next to the previous Shovel Knight and Plague of Shadows campaigns. It's a bit on the short side and the bosses are a bit easier, but Yacht Club Games has kicked out some excellent new stages this time around. This prequel still offers precise platforming and a unique, more aggressive style of play to the series.

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Mar 8, 2017

For my tastes, Specter himself features the least compelling of the three games’ platforming styles, but it’s not due to a mechanical or half-baked implementation: I just love the original Shovel Knight. As a timed Switch exclusive on a console with what is currently a modest number of games, there’s little reason not to play Specter of Torment unless you’re revisiting Shovel Knight proper via Treasure Trove first (which includes them all). My recommendation? Go for that. These games are worth it.

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9.5 / 10.0
Mar 2, 2017

Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment is worth picking up on its own, but you should really just get the total package and play through all three campaigns. They each offer something unique like a Vegas buffet, and coincidentally enough the new price point of the Treasure Trove edition matches up.

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89 / 100
Mar 17, 2017

Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment is an expansion to live up to the original game that will allow to enjoy the essence of Shovel Knight in a different and challenging way. If you have played Shovel Knight and you have Nintendo Switch, you can´t miss this great additional content.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

8 / 10
Mar 10, 2017

For those who yearn for the days of platforming yore, Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment is a dream come true.

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9 / 10
Mar 15, 2017

Specter of Torment is an outstanding prequel, independent game and expansion (all in one) despite recycling lots of assets from the original.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

8 / 10.0
Mar 12, 2017

More of what Shovel Knight fans love, and a superb entry point for people new to the series, Spectre of Torment is a great take on modernised nostalgia.

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85 / 100
Mar 9, 2017

Specter of Torment puts cool new twists on Shovel Knight's action platformer gameplay and has a fascinating story to boot. It's challenging but very fair, and I thoroughly enjoyed the entire game. Those who already have Shovel Knight should look forward to this excellent free expansion, and those who don't have the base game needn't think twice about spending $9.99 for this masterfully crafted experience.

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9 / 10.0
Mar 22, 2017

What Yacht Club Games managed to achieve with Shovel Knight was extremely impressive, and they’ve continued their streak with Spectre of Torment. This latest expansion has overshadowed Shovel of Hope as being the best Shovel Knight game. Spectre of Torment demonstrations that with time, Yacht Club Games can create an expansion that outclasses Plague of Shadows with ease. Featuring a remixed soundtrack, a new look to each level and the coolest character in the Shovel Knight series, Spectre of Torment is better than I could’ve ever imagined. Considering what is available on the Switch right now, there is absolutely no reason for you not to own this game.

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Mar 17, 2017

Its superior kineticism shows that Shovel Knight was an amateur's first stab toward something a little greater.

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GameXplain
Top Critic
Loved
Mar 11, 2017
Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment - REVIEW (Nintendo Switch) video thumbnail
9 / 10
Mar 4, 2017

Specter of Torment is the latest in a fantastic series of games; it further cements Yacht Club Games's reputation as a developer capable of crafting experiences that are not only on par with, but often surpass the efforts of some of the largest studios in the world.The game's excellent level design, charming art style and top-notch soundtrack hold up as well in 2017 as they did three years ago in the original Shovel Knight. If you haven't played a Shovel Knight game before, we would highly recommend you pick up Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove for your Switch instead of this, as it contains Specter of Torment as well, but if you'd rather save some cash you can't go wrong with Specter of Torment.

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9 / 10.0
Mar 1, 2017

Ultimately, there is very little bad to say about SoT. It's an excellent 2D action platformer with some good RPG elements, and its balanced difficulty lets genre hacks like me struggle through while more seasoned players can still expect a good, but not overly difficult challenge.

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9.5 / 10.0
Apr 7, 2017

Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment is everything you could want in a 2D platformer, featuring mechanics from classic games brought forward in clever ways. Specter improves upon the original Shovel Knight in most regards and continues Yacht Club Games' tradition of excellence effortlessly.

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CGMagazine
Top Critic
9 / 10.0
Mar 14, 2017

If Shovel Knight is Mega Man X, then Specter Knight is Zero; his expertly-crafted new campaign is a perfect complement to one of the best 2D platformers ever made.

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Cubed3
Top Critic
8 / 10
Apr 17, 2017

Specter of Torment feels like a new mode more than a sequel or an expansion, and it benefits from this. With a new story, completely new move set, and a much darker tone, it's a must-play for fans of the original release. Make sure to grab a controller, because the keyboard isn't ideal for everything Specter Knight is capable of. Congratulations, Specter Knight; you're too good for a keyboard.

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10 / 10
Mar 17, 2017

I had a lot of fun with Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment, and I’d rate it as high if not even higher than Shovel Knight: Shovel of Truth. The level design suits the dark feel of this new campaign, and the added gameplay features make the whole experience feel very fresh. As always, Virt’s (Jake Kaufman) soundtrack is top notch and perfectly fits the action. I highly recommend that you play Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment today – for the best value be sure to grab Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove on Nintendo Switch!

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95%
Mar 24, 2017

Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment is an excellent action platformer with a lot of content to enjoy and plenty of bonus challenges to endure and feats to complete. It raises the bar for the Shovel Knight series and makes me look forward to seeing what Yacht Club Games manages to do for King Knight’s campaign. Nintendo Switch owners get to enjoy Specter of Torment as a timed exclusive, so if you want to give this excellent game a try before it makes its way to other consoles, now is the time to do so!

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9 / 10
Mar 7, 2017

Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment is exceptional. It's always incredible to see what new ways Yacht Club Games is able to reimagine the same universe, and without fail, it does it in a way that makes the experience feel completely fresh. While the setting may be similar, Specter of Torment is so completely unlike the previous two games, both in setting and gameplay. Everything about it is absolutely addictive and impossible to put down, making it a perfect launch title for the Nintendo Switch.

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