After winning players' hearts with its stylized 1930s aesthetic and punchy run-and-gun shooting, Cuphead is finally getting a promised expansion. Having first appeared in 2014 and then launching in 2017, fans of Cuphead are familiar with the game's extensive development, so a new adventure to embark on roughly five years later is no surprise.
Titled Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course, this expansion is bringing a host of new content that many see as an entire chapter on top of the base game. With just over a week to go before The Delicious Last Course is released, fans have a good idea of everything new being added, including new bosses to conquer, stages to traverse, and even a playable character.
A New Story To Tell
Cuphead's original story had the player rounding up the Devil's contracts from all manner of bosses across the Inkwell Isles in order to pay off their gambling debt. It's a simple plot that's both charming and motivational as it introduces the player to the titular Cuphead and his brother Mugman. Overall, it does an excellent job of throwing the player right into the heart of the action, but as with many DLC stories, The Delicious Last Course will have to diverge.
In this expansion, the duo will team up with Ms. Chalice on her quest to become "as real as real can be," meeting with a new friend Chef Saltbaker and gathering ingredients for Wondertart. Once again it's a simple incentive, but Cuphead did its best work through gameplay, not weighing itself down with story, which is what fans have really been clamoring for.
A New Inkwell Isle
Though it has gone through several names during its development, at one point even "DLC Island," the new setting players will get to explore is a hidden fourth isle called "Inkwell Isle 4" - in line with the base game. Speculated to be based upon the Himalayas, the new isle will boast a diverse range of areas for the player to roam and get into frays with the local denizens. Current trailer footage shows Cuphead and Mugman traveling across the water with a clock-faced ferryman, eerily reminiscent of Charon ferrying lost souls across the River Styx, but little is known about the specifics of how exactly players will find their way to this hidden Cuphead isle.
Ms. Chalice
One of The Delicious Last Course's biggest additions is the playable character Ms. Chalice. Originally featured in the base game as the Legendary Chalice, players once defended a trapped spectral Chalice from ghosts in Mausoleum mini-games, and in return got Super Arts for use in the main game. However, this new DLC allows the player to play as Ms. Chalice instead of Cuphead or Mugman, bringing with her a roster of new abilities and controls that will help liven up gameplay.
Some of the biggest changes for Ms. Chalice start with the loss of the Parry Slap move, replaced by a Double Jump, and she is invincible while rolling. The character also has a longer dash parry in the air. Combined with more subtle changes to her overall gameplay such as an extra HP, her plane's pea-shooter being a three-shot, or even new Super Arts, Ms. Chalice seems to present a fresh challenge for players both new and old.
Completely Unique Bosses
One of Cuphead's best features was the unique and eccentric boss fights that players could get into, with multiple stages and transformations that shift up the visuals and combat. The Delicious Last Course promises not to disappoint, as it will be adding a whole new roster of bosses for players to battle against. Recognizable bosses seen in trailer footage include Glumstone The Giant, whose stage consists of all sorts from flocks of geese to gnomes; or Mortimer Freeze, an ice-centric cult leader who tries to pummel the player with giant fish and snow creatures. There are plenty more bosses beyond these, from Chess Knight to Sheriff Esther Winchester, but it will be up to players to learn about these characters and do their best to avoid getting bested.
New Charms and Weapons
Another of Cuphead's best features was the ability to switch things up through the use of different weapons, charms, and Super Arts. For instance, some players might like a three-shot spread for their pea-shooters, but at the cost of forcing them into risky close-combat. The Delicious Last Course delivers on even greater choices, including the likes of "Converge," "Twist-Up," and "Crackshot." Naturally, they all come with pros and cons, so it will be down to players to decide what suits them.
Several new charms have also been added that will help provide passive bonuses and attributes to the player when in stages, such as the "Heart Ring" which restores one HP for the player's first, third, and sixth successful parry. Much like Cuphead's choice in weapons, only being to equip certain charms at a time means players will need to balance which benefits they prefer. Other charms such as the "Astral Cookie" appear to be how the player will play as Ms. Chalice, which might explain why she has a breadth of additional features.
Knockout The Delicious Last Course!
With The Delicious Last Course finally releasing after several delays, many fans are wondering whether this will be the only DLC that Cuphead receives. The series continues to be a juggernaut on the entertainment scene, spawning a hugely successful animated series on Netflix that's about to release its second season. While there may very well be a sequel to Cuphead at some point in the future, what shape this might take is unknown, meaning for now The Delicious Last Course might be a last course.
But this shouldn't stop Studio MDHR from turning its hand to another project entirely should it so choose. It has already built an impressive reputation for itself that many indie developers could only dream of, and as the team muses on what its future might bring, time will tell what's in store for players after The Delicious Last Course.
Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course is set to be released June 30, 2022, for Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, and Xbox One.