Spelunky

What should have been a very enjoyable game ruined by the indestructable ghost that appears to kill you if you don't rush through the game. It totally ruined the game for me and I uninstalled without ever completing the first level! This game doesn't allow you to take your time or play in a relaxed style.

Spelunky is a game where you explore 4 variously-themed sets of randomly-generated levels (and a number of secret ones). In a lot of ways Spelunky is a traditional platformer, one spiced up with a multitude of intricate mechanics: for example, there are a lot of items with interesting and diverse functionality that can make your life easier. Most of the time you can buy those items from shops, or, on a rare occasion, you can just find them lying around. You can save damsels to restore health, or you can sacrifice them on an altar to get an item and then a much more efficient way to restore health. Progress through the levels, defeat bosses, and escape with as much treasure as you can. Even though all this seems to be the makings of a great game, it comes off as too difficult for its own good. While the controls and platforming elements are perfect, the enemy hitboxes can be wonky at times; getting stunned is most likely a death sentence because of both how long a stun in Spelunky lasts and the fact that you are often simultaneously hurled away to a certain doom. A number of threats kill you instantly, even if you’ve managed to amass a decent amount of healthpoints. The worst part of this game, however, is its soft time limit. At 2 minutes 30 seconds into a level the ghost comes to get you. The ghost is a relentless insta-killing pursuer that is supposed to always keep you on your toes. Spelunky isn’t impossible to complete (and by “complete” I mean unlock every journal entry and beat all the bosses, which took me well over two hundred hours), and I would even say it’s worth it, but I sort of didn’t play the intended way in that I prevented the timed ghost appearance. I wouldn’t have attempted to complete this game otherwise. It’s been a mixed bag for me. Still a net positive experience, though. Know what you’re getting into with this one.

Spelunky is an absolute gem of a game that perfectly blends challenging platforming with endless exploration. The procedurally generated levels ensure that no two runs are ever the same, keeping the gameplay fresh and exciting. Its charming pixel art and quirky sense of humor add to its appeal, while the tight controls and fair mechanics make every success feel genuinely earned. Whether you're a fan of roguelikes or just love a good adventure, Spelunky delivers hours of fun and countless "just one more try" moments. It's a must-play for anyone who enjoys creative and rewarding gameplay!

It's a difficult game to play, sometimes it's unfair, like when a snake attacks the merchant's shop and he blames you for the transgression. Or when you throw a rock against a wall and it bounces back, conveniently (and calculatedly) hitting you. Of course, over time you learn these tricks of the game and how to avoid them, which, when you think about it, even makes the repetition factor cool. On the other hand, this can be unfairly annoying! Well, I recommend this game to anyone who likes that old suffering of games from the cartridge era, where you advanced to the fifth level of the game only to see a new (and ultra-powerful) type of enemy with a totally unknown attack pattern kill the player character in one attack. Ah That bittersweet feeling of starting all over again!!!!

Developer has abandoned any updates for the GOG version.