The Art of Cuphead Review

May 6, 2020 at 10:58pm
By Jason Stettner

Cuphead is one of those truly remarkable, and memorable games. What makes it perhaps stand out the most aside from its incredible development story, is the gorgeous artwork. It aimed to bring alive the animation of the 30’s and it did so wonderfully. It was one stunning visual masterpiece, and I’m sure like many I’ve also been more than curious about the process behind that work. This art book beautifully showcases the creation of essentially every element in the game, and more.

You get to see creations that went unused, and even the back story behind what happened to them. On top of that they also tease the DLC for the game. You don’t get a full reveal of that, but a good glimpse into what they’re doing with it. Alongside some charming illustrations and visual elements, there’s also a full description for almost every part of the experience.

On top of that, it also sort of describes the journey that this game took since it was such a long term project. This is such a treasure, not only in terms of the quality but also in the story this tells. It’s like owning a small piece of the gaming industry, and seeing the really unique tale behind the production of this hardcore and fully distinct game.

The quality of the book is excellent, this hard cover is premium in weight and feeling when held. It features a very simple aesthetic that captures not only the era but also the game it’s aiming to present in this medium. There are a ton of pages included in this one, and it really does display every part of the game I had desired it to.

It’s filled to the brim with content, while at the same time having a very clean layout. They spared no expense when it came to making sure every point has some form of imagery to it, while also having a splendid quantity of text present. These art books sometimes overlook that aspect which is a shame, I’m glad this one was so in-depth.

I also just loved seeing the animation in progress, it’s like viewing multiple frames of what eventually is each character in the game. Whether that’s the main characters, enemies or even side ones that are sitting in certain segments. There’s a lot to be learned about this one, and the game is just so rich with history. That’s clear from this book.

The Conclusion

The Art of Cuphead is a perfect look not only at the stunning aesthetics of the game, but also as a piece of gaming industry since it describes the journey that made this experience come alive. This is one quality release, and one that’s certainly worth venturing through. You get to see the full process behind animating each of the characters, alongside details describing them. Full glimpses into the various stages you battle in, and the reason they’re structured as they are.

This book seems just as much of a passion project as the main game is. You will also learn of characters that didn’t make the cut into the game, along with a small tease in regards to the DLC expansion that’s set to release down the road someday. This is a wonderful package, it’s well weighted and features the highest quality one could expect for this type of effort. This is the most impressive art book I’ve been able to experience thus far.

The Art of Cuphead Book Review
Author: Eli Cymet, Tyler Moldenhauer with Insights by Chad and Jared Moldenhauer
ISBN: 9781506713205
Review Copy Provided by Penguin Random House Canada

Rating Overall: 10