Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment Reviews

Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment is ranked in the 96th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
9 / 10.0
Aug 23, 2017
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86 / 100
Aug 11, 2017

True to its promises, Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment strives to deliver a Jump'n'Run experience that truly lives up to the base game. While keeping the core elements intact, some simple, but meaningful changes to gameplay and atmosphere allow it to stand off at its own entity.

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8.5 / 10.0
Jun 16, 2017

Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment is proof that developer Yacht Club Games still has new tricks up its sleeve.

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8 / 10.0
May 7, 2017

If you’re in the mood for some old-school platforming, Specter Of Torment is well worth putting the few hours needed, especially if you’ve yet to play Shovel Knight at all and buy it as part of the new Treasure Trove collection.

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8.4 / 10.0
Apr 29, 2017

Despite some relatively minor blemishes, Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment is an innovative and satisfying experience I would recommend to any fan of 2D platformers or retro games.

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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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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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9.5 / 10.0
Apr 6, 2017

Overall, Specter of Torment is a fabulous addition to the Shovel Knight title and further proves that Yacht Club Games are masters of their craft. Gameplay is fast and brimming with action, while adding hints of challenge. Specter Knight is an interesting character and a joy to play, while having an interesting story to boot. There's more than enough meat to justify your purchase, and it is a succulent dish indeed to experience.

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95 / 100
Apr 4, 2017

Specter of Torment is a thrilling return to form that leaves me more excited for the next chapter in the Shovel Knight saga.

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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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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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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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4.1 / 5.0
Mar 20, 2017

The Specter of Torment expansion really added to the game series with a better story and more fluid gameplay. Its not particularly long, but the fun, challenging, old-school platforming makes this a game worth playing. I would recommend buying the Treasure Trove edition with the original game and the two expansions and playing them in the order of release. It's a great package and Specter of Torment is the strongest of the set.

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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.

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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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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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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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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.

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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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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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