Curse Crackers: For Whom the Belle Toils

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"Curse Crackers: For Whom the Belle Toils" is a charming puzzle adventure game that follows the story of a skilled cat burglar, Belle. With various tools and skills, Belle must navigate through treacherous environments to steal valuable treasures while evading security and solving ingenious puzzles. This game combines wit, charm, and humor in a captivating tale of feline larceny and redemption.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

98%

Audience ScoreBased on 150 reviews

story14 positive mentions

character development3 negative mentions

The movement mechanics are incredibly satisfying, allowing for fluid and fast-paced gameplay that rewards mastery.
The game features charming graphics and a delightful soundtrack, reminiscent of classic Game Boy Color titles.
There is a wealth of optional content, including secrets, collectibles, and side quests, providing a lot of replayability and exploration.

Some players may find the story and character interactions to be lacking depth, with a simplistic main plot and occasional typos in dialogue.
The game can be frustrating at times due to difficulty spikes, particularly in certain boss fights and level designs that may feel unfair.
The inventory and item management system can be cumbersome, requiring players to backtrack to switch items, which can disrupt the flow of gameplay.

story
78 mentions
18 % positive mentions
78 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The story of the game revolves around Belle's quest to rescue her boyfriend Clyde from her rival Bonnie, featuring a light-hearted and somewhat cheesy narrative that serves as a backdrop for engaging platforming gameplay. While the main plot is simple and occasionally rushed, it is enriched by a wealth of side quests, hidden lore, and character interactions that add depth and charm to the experience. Players can enjoy a variety of content beyond the main story, making it appealing for both casual players and completionists alike.
- “The story is also fun and there are a lot of great side quests and hidden areas to figure out.”
- “It's a simple story that's more of a pretext to set up a colorful world filled to the brim with interesting characters, locations, secrets, and lore.”
- “The story and world still remain entertaining with fun interactions in a beautifully fleshed out and in-depth world.”
- “Curse Crackers, on the other hand, wraps up its story hastily and leaves many loose ends unaddressed.”
- “There's only like half a dozen main story cutscenes, so the transition from the fake conflict ('we're fighting because I stole your boyfriend') to the real conflict ('we're fighting because you were a bad friend') is lightning fast.”
- “The plot falls relatively flat in the mid-game and seemed to be almost non-existent, just to be spiced up at the later section of the story.”
music
64 mentions
53 % positive mentions
42 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its catchy melodies and ability to enhance the overall gaming experience. The soundtrack features a diverse range of chiptune tracks that evolve in intensity as players progress, creating a memorable auditory backdrop that complements the game's charming pixel art and engaging gameplay. Overall, the music is described as a standout element, with some tracks being particularly memorable and enjoyable, making it a significant draw for fans of retro-style games.
- “The musical score has plenty of melodies that never got on my nerves (heck, my play history on last.fm was riddled with many of the songs from the soundtrack).”
- “Moreover, the fitting soundtrack enhances the gaming experience, complementing the pixelated charm with a melodic backdrop.”
- “The soundtrack is impeccable with a great mix of tunes that get stuck in my head after a play session.”
- “The soundtrack starts off a little weak but gets better throughout the game.”
- “The music matches the areas well and are a lot of fun, and even though as I am writing this, I don't believe the game is finished, I still can't wait to see what more this game has to offer.”
- “I still find the first few stages' music playing in my head at random times, most of them being appropriate chiptunes you could imagine a Game Boy making, give or take some clarity.”
gameplay
62 mentions
35 % positive mentions
60 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Curse Crackers: For Whom the Belle Toils" is widely praised for its engaging mechanics, fluid movement, and tight controls, reminiscent of classic platformers while incorporating modern elements. Players appreciate the balance of challenge and accessibility, with a variety of collectibles and side quests that enhance the experience. The game features a charming aesthetic and a captivating soundtrack, making it a standout title for fans of the genre.
- “The solid character controls, coupled with a diverse set of mechanics, make this game a standout gem.”
- “Belle's moveset allows for fast-paced gameplay, and taking risks with it is fun thanks to fast respawns and the wise placement of enemies to bounce off as well as checkpoints.”
- “The gameplay is fantastic, giving the player lots of movement options that feel really good to play around with.”
- “Honestly, some of the postgame stuff has an uneven level of difficulty not from the fights or areas themselves, but more like the game mechanics not keeping up with the content they designed, like some minor hitbox issues or artifacts they designed for use in the challenge being a bit undercooked.”
- “It's not a huge deal, but the game's movement mechanics are built for continuous flow, so it feels kind of at odds with itself.”
- “Game has items that would mix up the gameplay, like a balloon that makes you float, or a fireball that destroys certain blocks, but just refuses to use them (in fact, these items were only used once and never again). There is a B-side world with more challenging levels, but you have to find the way into it.”
graphics
35 mentions
49 % positive mentions
43 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming pixel art style, reminiscent of Game Boy Color classics, which evokes a strong sense of nostalgia while also feeling fresh. Players appreciate the attention to detail in character and world design, complemented by a captivating soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. The visuals are described as clean and appealing, making the game a must-play for fans of retro aesthetics and platformers.
- “The attention to detail in the visuals creates a nostalgic yet refreshing atmosphere.”
- “The graphics and music are very well done, and there's a ton of secrets and lore to keep you occupied after the initial ending.”
- “This game absolutely nails the Game Boy Color-like art style.”
- “I couldn’t take the cutesy aesthetic or even the name of the game seriously.”
- “I can respect its commitment to the Game Boy aesthetic, but the tiny field of view leads to a lot of blind drops where the only way to know what's below you is to come to a standstill and hold down on the D-pad.”
- “The game is great with its presentation but only if you like pixel or 'old school' graphics.”
character development
5 mentions
0 % positive mentions
40 % neutral mentions
60 % negative mentions
The character development in "Curse Crackers: From Whom the Belle Toils" is highly praised for its charming and unique designs, particularly the well-crafted characters Belle and Chime. The game emphasizes world-building and offers optional content that enriches the character experience, contributing to an overall engaging and wholesome platforming adventure.
- “The character designs of both Belle and Chime are incredibly well made, with both of them being very cute.”
- “Curse Crackers: From Whom the Belle Toils is a wholesome platformer that puts a lot of attention towards world building, character development, and optional content (such as hidden stages and sidequests/unlockables) all while benefiting from excellent gameplay coupled with a remarkable soundtrack that ranges from cozy acapella BGMs to dramatic chiptunes and an unexpectedly jaw-dropping final boss theme.”
- “The character design is one of my favorite aspects of the game, with most of them being quite unique and creative.”
replayability
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
-100 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players highlight the high replayability of the game, citing its fun and varied levels, as well as the abundance of collectibles and hidden items to discover. The retro platformer style adds to the enjoyment, encouraging players to revisit levels for additional challenges and dialogue.
- “The levels are super fun, have a good variety, and are very replayable.”
- “I found this to be a rather fun retro Game Boy-styled platformer with a ton to do and collect, which makes the levels replayable to search for hidden collectibles and collect medals.”
- “Really fun game with a lot of replayability and dialogue.”
- “The game lacks significant changes in gameplay or story on subsequent playthroughs, making it feel repetitive after the first run.”
- “Once you've completed the main objectives, there's little incentive to replay the game, as the experience remains largely the same.”
- “While the initial playthrough is enjoyable, the lack of varied content means that replayability is severely limited.”
grinding
3 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding in the game to be enjoyable, as it starts off easy and progressively becomes more challenging, particularly when aiming for speedrun or no-hit medals. While some aspects, like the music, may feel tedious, the overall experience remains engaging, prompting players to return for hidden levels and arcade mode, especially with guides to ease the grind for secrets.
- “The music sounds great, but it can become a bit tedious.”
- “I'll probably come back to it to do the hidden levels and arcade mode once guides are out to cut down on the grinding for secrets.”
atmosphere
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is characterized by a nostalgic yet refreshing quality, enhanced by detailed visuals and engaging dialogue, which together create an immersive and enjoyable gaming experience.
- “The attention to detail in the visuals creates a nostalgic yet refreshing atmosphere.”
- “The dialogue is fun, the gameplay is juicy, and the atmosphere really complements this!”
emotional
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its emotional depth, featuring a wholesome narrative and strong character development that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the attention to world-building and the engaging soundtrack, which complements the game's emotional highs and lows, culminating in a memorable final boss theme.
- “Curse Crackers: From Whom the Belle Toils is a wholesome platformer that puts a lot of attention towards world building, character development, and optional content (such as hidden stages and sidequests/unlockables) all while benefiting from excellent gameplay coupled with a remarkable soundtrack that ranges from cozy acapella BGMs to dramatic chiptunes and an unexpectedly jaw-dropping final boss theme.”
humor
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a diverse range of side characters, each bringing their own unique comedic style, from amusing and charming to annoying and bizarre. This variety contributes to a lighthearted and entertaining experience throughout the journey.
- “Funny”
- “During your trip, you'll be able to interact with a number of side characters ranging from funny to annoying, charming, and even downright bizarre.”