Cursed to Golf

About

In "Cursed to Golf," players assume the role of a Golf Champion stuck in Golf Purgatory, seeking to ascend back to the living world. This side-scrolling golf roguelike features 18 dungeon-like holes, filled with power-ups, weird obstacles, and gimmicks, all presented in charming pixel art. Drawing comparisons to the Dark Souls series, it promises a unique blend of golf and challenging dungeon exploration.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

76%

Audience ScoreBased on 403 reviews

gameplay59 positive mentions

stability15 negative mentions

Unique blend of golf and roguelike mechanics, providing a fresh gameplay experience.
Charming pixel art and a catchy soundtrack enhance the overall atmosphere of the game.
Variety of Ace Cards adds strategic depth, allowing players to experiment with different playstyles.

Long runs can be tedious, with some holes taking too much time to complete, leading to frustration.
Bugs and glitches can disrupt gameplay, including issues with controls and game freezes.
Lack of permanent progression or unlockables makes replayability feel limited after completing the game.

gameplay
145 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
54%
6%
The gameplay in "Cursed to Golf" is a mixed bag, featuring a unique blend of golf mechanics and roguelike elements that can be both engaging and frustrating. While many players appreciate the addictive nature of the core mechanics and the creative use of ace cards, the lengthy runs, repetitive gameplay, and occasional bugs detract from the overall experience. The game excels in its charming visuals and music, but the pacing and complexity of the gameplay may not appeal to everyone, especially those seeking a more traditional roguelike experience.
- “The mechanical gameplay of golf is so expertly crafted in this game, and if this game was given time to have a fleshed out normal adventure mode it would be absolutely perfect and easier to recommend.”
- “The gameplay is addicting, satisfying and at some points incredibly frustrating until you finally sink that bizarro off-the-wall shot that you never thought you'd make.”
- “Cursed to golf is a 2D golf roguelike with deckbuilding mechanics, and quite frankly, it’s a strike of genius.”
- “The pace of the gameplay, transitional animations, and cutscenes feel like a waste of time, and with a roguelike game that expects lots of replaying, time-wasting elements are all the more obvious, which only inspires wanting to play a better game instead of plugging away at this.”
- “The runs are too long for the use of roguelike mechanics; you can really feel like you wasted a couple of hours due to a single mistake or two.”
- “The actual golf mechanics are rather frustrating and feel inconsistent.”
music
99 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
65%
32%
3%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its catchy, upbeat soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. While some noted that the music can become repetitive, the majority found it to be a standout feature, often describing it as "outstanding," "banger," and a key element that contributes to the game's charm and enjoyment. Overall, the combination of engaging music and appealing pixel art creates a fun and immersive atmosphere for players.
- “The soundtrack is friggin' outstandingly good.”
- “The music is super fun, the graphics match that energy, and overall it was a really enjoyable experience for me.”
- “The art is amazing, the music bouncy and fun, and the overall presentation is extremely charming.”
- “Music is okay but super repetitive.”
- “The art style is cute, but music is really too much (loud and very repetitive).”
- “I have to reduce the master volume and music *every time* I start the game.”
graphics
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
68%
25%
7%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming pixel art style, vibrant colors, and nostalgic retro aesthetic, reminiscent of the Game Boy Advance era. While some players noted occasional graphical glitches, these did not detract significantly from the overall experience, which is enhanced by a lively soundtrack that complements the visuals. Overall, the game's presentation is considered high-quality, with engaging animations and a delightful ambiance that contributes to its fun and addictive gameplay.
- “The graphics bring back nostalgic feelings from the past, from the Game Boy Advance era.”
- “The visuals are easy on the eyes with a lovely spread of colors and cute, smooth, impactful animation.”
- “With just 2D graphics, I was expecting an 8-bit style but I was happily surprised with the level of detail and care put into the characters, animations, and backgrounds.”
- “Every now and then I'd get a graphical glitch, but nothing to ruin the game.”
- “Love the idea of this game, but pretty weak execution outside of its aesthetics.”
- “With just 2D graphics, I was expecting an 8-bit style, but I was happily surprised with the level of detail and care put into the characters, animations, and backgrounds.”
story
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
65%
7%
The game's story is described as charming and engaging, featuring a unique twist on golf with supernatural elements and cute characters. However, some players feel that the narrative is overly intrusive, often disrupting gameplay and forcing resets, which detracts from the overall experience. While many appreciate the art style and soundtrack, opinions vary on the story's depth and its integration with gameplay, with some suggesting it works better as a single-player experience rather than a roguelike.
- “This game booms with charm and swagger and has a pretty amusing story to carry its weight.”
- “The story, world, and characters are fun and creative, taking aspects of actual golf and molding them into fantasy elements.”
- “An innovative golf roguelite with a surprisingly great storyline and characters and absolute banger soundtracks.”
- “This game has a fantastic idea, but sometimes tries way too hard to force the story down your throat.”
- “There isn’t much more to explore regarding the story, as all the benefit you can get will be from your gameplay.”
- “The story is very meh.”
replayability
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
56%
12%
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the randomized levels and unique mechanics that enhance replay value, others feel that it lacks depth and variety after a few hours of play. Many reviewers express a desire for additional modes or challenges to increase replayability, indicating that while the game is enjoyable, it may not sustain long-term interest for all players.
- “It's fun, unique, and challenging, and yet a relaxing game with a lot of replayability.”
- “Unique take on the roguelike genre with tons of replayability.”
- “Great game with excellent replayability with the changing holes.”
- “This game doesn't feel like it quite has the oomph of replayability that some other roguelites do.”
- “I'd say the game is a great deal if on sale as I personally don't see much replay value.”
- “I didn't think the game itself overstayed its welcome, but it also didn't provide much in the way of replayability, which is a shame.”
stability
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
83%
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with numerous users reporting frequent bugs, crashes, and glitches that significantly hinder gameplay. While some players noted smooth performance on specific platforms like the Steam Deck, many experienced frustrating issues such as softlocks, freezes, and visual glitches. Overall, the game's stability is a major concern, detracting from an otherwise enjoyable experience.
- “Runs great on Steam Deck: no performance issues, smooth gameplay on the go.”
- “Runs great, had a blast with the unique spin on the genres.”
- “My final real gripe is that this game is extremely buggy. I'm talking about 5 or so freezes, a few loading errors, and multiple crashes.”
- “The game is fun, no doubt, but it's completely buggy.”
- “A fun 'golflite', love the mix of roguelite with golf; that being said, I can't recommend people to buy this for a simple and frustrating reason: the game is a bug-ridden mess.”
grinding
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, as repeated runs often lead to hitting par counts and encountering the same holes in a rotation, which diminishes enjoyment. The gameplay mechanics, intended to blend golf and roguelike elements, instead feel repetitive and slow, requiring excessive grinding for resources like ace cards to progress effectively. Overall, the experience can become a chore rather than an engaging challenge, particularly for those who struggle with the game's pacing and difficulty.
- “The amount of skill you obtain while playing is minimal, and golfing itself is very slow, tedious, and precise.”
- “Played it quite a bit and loved it at first, but I'm hitting a series of walls where the repetition from each run is really wearing on my patience and makes the early sections of this golf game a tedious chore the dozenth time you've cleared the same holes.”
- “Holding spacebar every time I'm not actively playing the game is incredibly tedious.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
75%
The game runs smoothly on the Steam Deck with no performance issues, providing a seamless gameplay experience. However, the design of the levels, which are composed of various segments, limits the potential for optimization, making each run feel unique but challenging for those focused on score attack and speedrunning strategies.
- “Runs great on Steam Deck: no performance issues, smooth gameplay on the go.”
- “I haven't beaten the game yet, but I can start to see all the speedrunning/optimization strategies.”
- “Each hole is created from a collection of segments smushed together, meaning each run will feel different, and optimization is impossible.”
- “This is obviously just what I would do, shifting more towards score attack and optimization than ending runs because you fell through a ledge into a zombie pit.”
- “I haven't beaten the game yet, but I can start to see all the speedrunning and optimization strategies.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by its quirky mechanics and the ability to perform amusing trick shots, despite its primary focus on golf. Players appreciate the comedic elements of the "custom run" feature, although it lacks depth, and the game's unique blend of golf and precision platforming adds to its charm. Overall, the humor enhances the gameplay experience, making it entertaining and engaging.
- “Funny enough, even though this is a golf roguelike, it somewhat feels more like a precision platformer with how the controls and gameplay feel, but that's not a bad thing.”
- “The mechanics definitely take some getting used to, but once you've got the hang of it, you can pull off some hilarious trick shots.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is effectively enhanced by its dialogues, subtle sound effects, and music, which collectively contribute to character development and immersion as players progress through each level. Reviewers appreciate the balance of these elements, deeming them well-suited for the genre.
- “The dialogues and little sounds really set the tone for the game's atmosphere and character development throughout, which to me is just the right amount for a game of the genre.”
- “The sound and music help create a great atmosphere as you progress on each hole.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the emotional aspect of the game impactful, particularly noting moments that evoke strong feelings, such as references to beloved figures like Technoblade. However, frustrations with gameplay mechanics, like inconsistent hitboxes, can detract from the overall experience.
- “I don't know if the 'legends never die' at the end was for Technoblade, but it still made me cry a bit. Also, it's a really fun game.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers appreciate the game's character development, noting that the dialogues and subtle sound effects effectively enhance the atmosphere and contribute to a well-balanced portrayal of characters for the genre.
- “The dialogues and subtle sounds really set the tone for the game's atmosphere and character development, which I believe is just the right amount for a game of this genre.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Reviewers express a desire for a monetization model similar to "Super Stickman Golf," which is free of microtransactions, indicating a preference for a more straightforward and user-friendly approach to in-game purchases.
- “It's refreshing to see a game that offers a great experience without relying heavily on microtransactions.”
- “I appreciate that the game allows players to enjoy it fully without feeling pressured to spend money.”
- “The monetization model is fair and doesn't hinder gameplay, making it accessible for everyone.”