Cursed Gem

About

Cursed Gem is a single player casual platformer game. It was developed by AikonCWD and was released on August 3, 2020. It received positive reviews from players.

In "Cursed Gem" , play as Oliver, trapped in a cursed diamond mine while trying to find a valuable gem for your beloved, Silvia. The curse makes you immortal but unable to leave the cave, so you must decipher runes with the help of your skull friend, Jerry, to break the curse and escape. This single-player adventure features over 10 levels, 80 rooms with various challenges, and adjustable difficulty modes, including a "nightmare" mode for the truly brave.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 39 reviews

gameplay3 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

Challenging gameplay with rewarding mechanics that keep players engaged.
Charming retro pixel graphics and a pleasant soundtrack enhance the overall experience.
Well-designed levels with a variety of secrets and collectibles provide replayability.

Checkpoints are infrequent, leading to frustrating restarts after dying.
Hazards are poorly timed, causing players to wait unnecessarily for openings.
The game may not run properly on newer systems, leading to technical issues.

graphics
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
46%
27%
The graphics of the game are characterized by charming retro pixel art that evokes a nostalgic feel, complemented by polished animations and controls. While many players appreciate the aesthetic and the professional quality of the visuals, some critics argue that the reliance on outdated pixel art detracts from the overall experience, especially in comparison to modern graphical standards. Overall, the graphics receive mixed reviews, with a divide between those who enjoy the retro style and those who feel it is obsolete.
- “The simple pixel graphics give it a charming retro feel, and the challenging gameplay is incredibly rewarding.”
- “Cursed Gem is a challenging 2D platformer with pretty pixel graphics and a pleasant soundtrack, made by the king of 2D engines, Godot!”
- “Its control is really polished, has a lovely minimalist pixel art style, a well-crafted soundtrack, and awesome level design.”
- “Despite this handicap, the developer spent a lot of time polishing the game, so it comes across with professional quality, with the exception of the graphics and visuals.”
- “They chose to use obsolete retro pixel 'art' as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics.”
- “It doesn't take 4 hours to determine a game has problems like locked resolution/controls, pixel 'art' instead of proper graphics, etc.”
gameplay
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
43%
14%
The gameplay is characterized by its challenging precision platforming and clever level design, offering a rewarding experience enhanced by charming retro pixel graphics and solid controls. While some players appreciate the simplicity and mechanics, others criticize it as lacking depth, labeling it as "shovelware." Overall, it provides a fun and engaging experience, especially for fans of retro-style games.
- “The simple pixel graphics give it a charming retro feel, and the challenging gameplay is incredibly rewarding.”
- “The game is very simple, all the mechanics are present from the very beginning, and the level design is fantastic.”
- “Gameplay consists of precision platforming and thinking about the best way to overcome obstacles.”
- “Jokes on them, reviews only count to a market score if gameplay is over 4 hours, and it didn't take me more than 10 minutes to determine this was retro pixel shovelware slapped together with Godot.”
music
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
80%
20%
The music in the game is consistently praised for its quality, described as pleasant and even "kickass," enhancing the overall experience alongside the charming pixel art and polished controls. Reviewers appreciate the soundtrack's contribution to the game's atmosphere, making it a standout feature in this challenging 2D platformer.
- “Cursed Gem is a challenging 2D platformer with pretty pixel graphics and a pleasant soundtrack, made by the king of 2D engines, Godot!”
- “Charming graphics and animation, nice movement and controls, and nice music.”
- “The jumping is tight... it's got secret walls and stuff... and the music is downright kickass!”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating due to infrequent checkpoints, which detracts from the overall experience and makes progression feel overly punishing.
- “The game could be fantastic, but checkpoints are far too few, making it tedious and masochistic.”
- “Grinding feels like a never-ending chore rather than an engaging part of the game.”
- “The repetitive nature of grinding takes away from the overall enjoyment and immersion.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the game's replayability, noting that despite its shorter length, it offers enough content and variety to justify multiple playthroughs, making it a worthwhile investment.
- “Great game, not very long, but there's a lot of replayability, and it's easily worth the price.”
- “The variety of choices and outcomes makes each playthrough feel fresh and exciting.”
- “With multiple endings and different character paths, I find myself coming back for more every time.”
story
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The story is characterized as simplistic and unobtrusive, serving primarily as a backdrop to the gameplay. While it may not be deeply engaging, it complements the fun and challenging nature of the platformer.
- “Fun game, fun story, and a really tough platformer.”
- “The story is very simplistic and tries to get out of your way.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is consistently praised for being funny and well-executed, striking a balance between simplicity and challenge that enhances the overall experience.
- “It's funny, simple, challenging, and well executed.”