Spelunky 2 produced by the studios Mossmouth and Bitworks, contains the same idea of the previous game but presents a new generation of explorers in search of treasures and the lost family. Yes, exploring caves full of enemies has a lot to be told.
Spelunky 2 is based entirely on unique and random challenges that have made the original a classic within the genre, offering an adventure designed to satisfy players of all types. What at first seems to be a very difficult task, since the line of learning is really too high. Still, insist, persist and you will have hours and hours of fun, even when you have to start the adventure again.
The player starts with four life hearts, which are equivalent to the number of damage he can take until he has to repeat the “Run” again, four bombs, four climbing ropes, and a short-range whip, which allows him to attack his enemies. From there it is an open path through randomly generated levels, built from different blocks, traps, and sets of enemies for each level.
The rule of this title is, there is danger in every corner, jump or next step. The truth is that there is a very high risk-reward level, but death is almost always instantaneous if the choice of the path is not the right one. Sometimes it is ridiculous, a missing step, and is taken with an arrow that causes the character to lose consciousness for a moment, and what happens next is to pray that no enemy appears. It is like a snowball of tragic events for “Run”.
There are two very important points to be successful. Have the reflexes up to date and the strategy to choose the correct path, or in other words, that is less tumultuous. This strategy also has, of course, the ability that the player has to take down all adversities if he chooses the most complicated path, and with that he will be rewarded for his effort. It is interesting to see how each person approaches different levels and the truth is that it works. The goal is to reach the end of the level, no matter how well.
The whole environment can seem quite chaotic at first. Some pieces have explosive traps or traps that shoot arrows as the player jumps in line of sight. Some vessels, if broken, may contain treasures or summon ghosts that follow the player until the end of the level, or some contain enemies such as snakes, spiders, etc. How can this situation be overcome? Well, to trigger the traps it is possible to throw objects to your contact line, that is, it is possible to grab pots, arrows that are already on the ground, stones, and even fallen enemies. The important thing is to play and fail, trial and error, and the more you play the more the options book opens. Now add to this whole panoply of concerns that come from the environment, the different types of enemies that each level presents with its own types of attacks.
Never imagine me saying this, but until you get back to the beginning of the level it becomes fun for the mistakes made. There are moments of laughter and pure adrenaline that flow into moments of the party, frustration or hilarious because of the way you died.
The main adventure is the base mode of this title, but it is also possible to make “Seeded Runs” of a specific level, face the daily challenge of the “Daily Run” dungeon, or choose the arena battle mode for up to four players in mode local or online.
Spelunky 2 is a very desirable title for platform lovers who want extra work in their attempt to discover the end of the level. Its super-fluid and precise controls, the use of levels that always present themselves differently and a captivating art style make this an inevitable choice for the Roguelike spectrum.
[This review is based on a retail build of the game for PS4, provided by SCEE.]
