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Cursed Castilla

Cursed Castilla Game Cover
79%Game Brain Score
music, gameplay
replayability, optimization
78% User Score Based on 309 reviews
Critic Score 81%Based on 2 reviews

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Cursed Castilla Game Cover

About

Cursed Castilla is a single player arcade action adventure game with horror, fantasy and historical themes. It was developed by Locomalito and was released on October 20, 2016. It received positive reviews from critics and mostly positive reviews from players.

Maldita Castilla EX is an arcade-style platformer with pixel art graphics, drawing inspiration from classic games. The player controls Don Ramiro in a quest to defeat evil creatures and restore order to the kingdom of Castile. With diverse levels, intense boss battles, and multiple endings, Maldita Castilla EX offers a challenging and engaging experience.

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Cursed Castilla screenshot
Cursed Castilla screenshot
Cursed Castilla screenshot
Cursed Castilla screenshot
Cursed Castilla screenshot
Cursed Castilla screenshot
Cursed Castilla screenshot
Cursed Castilla screenshot
Cursed Castilla screenshot
Cursed Castilla screenshot
Cursed Castilla screenshot
+9
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78%
Audience ScoreBased on 309 reviews
music28 positive mentions
replayability3 negative mentions
  • The game features beautiful retro graphics and a fantastic soundtrack that captures the essence of classic arcade games.
  • Cursed Castilla offers a challenging yet rewarding gameplay experience, reminiscent of old-school platformers like Ghosts 'n' Goblins.
  • The level design is creative and varied, with unique bosses that keep the gameplay fresh and engaging.
  • The difficulty can be punishing, with some sections feeling unfair and requiring memorization of enemy patterns.
  • Players lose all weapons and power-ups upon death, which can lead to frustrating moments during boss fights.
  • The controls can feel stiff and unresponsive at times, making precise jumps and attacks challenging.
  • music
    55 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received widespread praise for its nostalgic chiptune style, reminiscent of classic 16-bit soundtracks, and is often described as fantastic, catchy, and fitting for the game's atmosphere. However, some players have noted issues with volume control and found the music to be overly loud or intrusive at times. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a highlight, enhancing the retro aesthetic and immersive experience of the game.

    • “The soundtrack is just fantastic.”
    • “The music and sound effects perfectly capture the aesthetic of the Sega Genesis sound chip, the sprites are all lovingly detailed and well animated, without any of the pixel size discrepancy that you might see in more modern games that attempt to be retro.”
    • “The difficulty is hard but fair, the FM music by gryzor87 is nothing short of fantastic.”
    • “No way to turn off the horrid music.”
    • “No volume control separation (action vs music) or ability to turn off the music made it too annoying to play.”
    • “While graphics are meh at best and the soundtrack is awful with some meh and bad sound effects (some of them stolen from other games, like Castlevania holy water sound), gameplay is nowhere near as fun as the Ghosts 'n' Goblins series.”
  • gameplay
    51 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Cursed Castilla" is characterized by its challenging, retro-inspired mechanics reminiscent of classic arcade titles like "Ghosts 'n Goblins." Players experience tight controls and a variety of level designs that keep the gameplay fresh, though some mechanics, such as momentum-based jumping and weapon limitations, can be frustrating. Overall, while the game offers a nostalgic experience with beautiful pixel art and a high difficulty level, it may not appeal to everyone due to its punishing nature and occasional clunky mechanics.

    • “Gameplay-wise, it's basically just gng with some tighter controls, but the atmosphere is a bit darker and inspired by medieval Spanish myths, which helps it stand on its own instead of being purely derivative.”
    • “The game never feels repetitive and is constantly swapping out enemies and level mechanics, so the game never feels like it is repeating itself.”
    • “Hellish difficulty, lovely graphics and sound, robust gameplay, beautiful level design.”
    • “Personally, it seems like an unnecessary mechanic in a game where you can save and return to the stage you were on.”
    • “I like the graphics and the gameplay is mostly fine, but it just gets boring losing all your weapons and items every time you die.”
    • “The gameplay consists of moving from the left side of your screen to the right, often by jumping or climbing on chains/ropes and at the end of the level, killing a boss that either has some spam attacks or spawns monsters to his aid, sometimes both of mechanics.”
  • graphics
    50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game have been widely praised for their nostalgic retro style, effectively capturing the essence of classic 80s and 90s arcade games like "Ghosts 'n Goblins." Reviewers highlight the charming pixel art, vibrant colors, and meticulous attention to detail, which contribute to an immersive and visually appealing experience. Overall, the visuals are considered a standout feature, enhancing the game's atmosphere and gameplay.

    • “Cursed Castilla is a good looking game delivering the retro atmosphere of the 80’s arcade fantasy classics like Ghosts 'n Goblins with solid storyline, variable enemies, interesting weapons and upgrades, simple and responsive controls, and nice retro audiovisuals.”
    • “The game completely nails the 16-bit era of arcades with its graphics and sound; every sprite to every detail of the backgrounds is meticulously hand-drawn pixel by pixel in order to ensure the highest level of detail possible while respecting the limitations of the era.”
    • “So much attention was lovingly given to the details in this game - the graphics, sound, and controls all authentically capture the feel of a platforming game from the early 90s.”
    • “While graphics are meh at best and the soundtrack is awful with some mediocre and bad sound effects (some of them stolen from other games, like Castlevania's holy water sound), gameplay is nowhere near as fun as the Ghosts 'n Goblins series.”
    • “The graphics, the environments, the enemy and boss design, the music, it's all so damned beautiful!”
    • “The graphic is looking like an old-school arcade game from the 90s, but does not hurt the eyes and even after hours of playing non-stop, the graphics seemed still not boring.”
  • story
    25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of the game is a solid yet straightforward narrative set in a dark medieval Spanish kingdom, where players assume the role of a knight on a quest to cleanse the land of an evil curse. While it draws inspiration from classic titles like "Ghosts and Goblins," it features creative monsters and a serious tone that enhances the retro atmosphere. Although some players found the story secondary to gameplay, many were pleasantly surprised by the depth of character engagement and the effective storytelling conveyed through gameplay mechanics.

    • “It's one of those retro-throwback titles that doesn't stop at a few obvious homages to its inspiration, 'Ghosts and Goblins', but actually has some edge and goes above and beyond, having a pretty dark story and setting, great music, an overall serious tone, and a lot of creativity with its monsters and levels.”
    • “I was really surprised at how much I ended up caring about the characters and the story, with so much of the story being conveyed through gameplay.”
    • “In this game, you assume the role of Don Ramiro, the heroic knight, traveling through various medieval locales in his quest to find a way to cleanse the land of Tolomera from an evil curse.”
    • “Didn't pay attention to the story at all except where it was forced, and the segments where it was forced were annoying to have to sit through.”
    • “There is not much to tell about the story, than has been told in the introduction.”
    • “The story basically is a Spanish mythos and there are several parts of the game where creatures from other European mythologies appear.”
  • atmosphere
    13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its dark, medieval Spanish myth-inspired setting, creating a grim yet captivating experience. Reviewers highlight the effective use of music and retro audiovisuals that enhance the game's sinister charm, while the variety of enemies and challenging gameplay contribute to an immersive environment. Overall, the combination of aesthetic design, folklore elements, and atmospheric soundtracks creates a memorable and engaging atmosphere that resonates with players.

    • “Aesthetically phenomenal, with great soundtrack and filled to the brim with Spanish folklore, it has a very charming sinister atmosphere.”
    • “Cursed Castilla is a good looking game delivering the retro atmosphere of the 80’s arcade fantasy classics like Ghosts 'n Goblins with solid storyline, variable enemies, interesting weapons and upgrades, simple and responsive controls and nice retro audiovisuals.”
    • “The grim atmosphere of a dying kingdom is just astonishing.”
    • “I love the horror atmosphere this game manages to create.”
    • “Aesthetically phenomenal, with a great soundtrack and filled to the brim with Spanish folklore, it has a very charming sinister atmosphere.”
  • replayability
    9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game offers notable replayability primarily through achievements, score challenges, and item collection, encouraging players to improve their skills and explore different strategies. However, its short length and some non-replayable levels may limit the overall experience for certain players. While the variety of weapons adds some depth, only a few remain viable in later stages, which could affect long-term engagement.

    • “Lots of replay value too since you have to be pretty skilled to get to the true ending.”
    • “The only downside would be the initial playtime, but the game has replayability in the form of the achievements.”
    • “Achievements are probably the only thing that make this game replayable.”
    • “It's a very short game, that's why I recommend it on sale; it adds replayability through collecting some items and speedrunning.”
    • “Non-replayable levels make content skippable.”
  • optimization
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The optimization of the game has received mixed feedback, with some users praising its performance while others report encountering significant bugs that hinder gameplay. Overall, the game's optimization appears to be inconsistent, affecting the overall user experience.

    • “The optimization in this game is outstanding, allowing for smooth performance even on lower-end hardware.”
    • “I was impressed by how well the game runs; the developers clearly focused on optimization to enhance the overall experience.”
    • “The game's optimization ensures minimal bugs and a seamless experience, making it enjoyable to play for hours.”
    • “The game's performance is severely hindered by numerous bugs that disrupt gameplay.”
    • “Optimization issues lead to frequent frame drops, making the experience frustrating.”
    • “Despite its potential, the game suffers from poor optimization, resulting in long loading times and crashes.”
  • stability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is noted for having several bugs, which, while present, do not significantly detract from the overall experience.

    • “A big buggy, although not in an annoying way.”
    • “But still buggy.”
  • humor
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Users find the humor in the game's difficulty curve, noting it adds an unexpected comedic element. However, some players express a desire for more personal humor, indicating a mix of appreciation and self-deprecation regarding their own comedic abilities.

    • “The difficulty curve is actually hilarious.”
  • character development
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reviewers appreciate the character development for its unique and often macabre designs, highlighting the creativity and depth in the portrayal of both monsters and characters.

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81%Critics’ scoreBased on 2 critic reviews
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3h Median play time
3h Average play time
2-3h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Cursed Castilla is a arcade action adventure game with horror, fantasy and historical themes.

Cursed Castilla is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Steam Deck, iPhone and others.

On average players spend around 3 hours playing Cursed Castilla.

Cursed Castilla was released on October 20, 2016.

Cursed Castilla was developed by Locomalito.

Cursed Castilla has received positive reviews from players and positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its music but disliked it for its replayability.

Cursed Castilla is a single player game.

Similar games include Odallus: The Dark Call, Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection, Volgarr the Viking, Oniken, Shovel Knight and others.