Spelunky 2 recreation assessment: Roguelike perfection

Ana (center) is the star of <em>Spelunky 2</em>, and she's on a search for her adventuring parents after they abandoned her to look for treasure on the Moon.

Enlarge / Ana (middle) is the star of Spelunky 2, and she or he’s on a seek for her adventuring dad and mom after they deserted her to search for treasure on the Moon. (credit score: Mossmouth)

My latest work at Ars Technica has principally revolved round high-end devices like VR headsets, GPUs, and next-gen consoles. It is enjoyable stuff.

However whereas swimming via embargoed {hardware} and frantic information bulletins, I preserve coming again to a single online game nicely exterior the “next-generation” mould.

Spelunky 2 is probably going probably the most “dated” recreation I am going to slap the “Ars Accepted” sticker onto in 2020. The adjective “dated” works partially as a result of the sport’s success builds largely, and loudly, upon the muse of 2012’s 2D smash Spelunky HD… and that title builds upon the 16-bit genius of 2009’s freeware authentic. (Which you’ll nonetheless obtain! Totally free! Proper subsequent to its supply code!)

A sure class of gamer will hear that “Spelunky 2 is every thing good about Spelunky HD, solely higher” and want to hear nothing extra. That is honest (particularly for gamers who will maintain out for the sport’s launch on PC in two weeks, after its timed PlayStation four exclusivity runs out). The appeal of Spelunky 2, like its predecessor, comes from the way it cleverly shakes a cup filled with gameplay and level-construction parts, dumps them onto a desk, and shouts “Yahtzee!” because it surprises you many times. (To be clear, on this recreation’s case, “Yahtzee” is a synonym for “You died!” You’ll die repeatedly in Spelunky 2.)

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