Spelunky

Not made for keyboard and mouse, this game needs a controller.

It's 7 in the morning, almost made it to level 5, so close, just one more try... Got for free via Amazon Prime

Spelunky is an excellent platformer in which you must get from point A - B through 12 levels (divided into four areas and not including the secret levels). The premise is simple but this game is downright evil in the best ways possible! Here is why: Spelunky is a platformer with Roguelike elements, which means every level is procedurally generated, and you are given a finite amount of resources to tackle them. You are given three resources to manage; Life, Ropes and Bombs and when you start you don't have much of these resources. It's very easy to use up these resources quickly (they don't regenerate at the end of a level) and therefore quickly die in Spelunky's crazy world! However Spelunky is all about learning when and how to use these resources. On to the levels, they are designed to murder you. There is many different characters in the world of Spelunky, and they can all lead to your demise. Shopkeepers sell valuable items to your survival, however they are quick to anger and hate shoplifters (yes you can steal) to the point that they will pull out a shotgun and hunt you down 'til you or they die! Other enemies like Skeletons may lay in wait 'til you are a split second away from them before resurrecting and attacking you! Arrow traps will shoot anything in their way! The point here is the world of Spelunky is a very dangerous place, and you start with a whip, a few bombs, ropes and life and have to tackle it. Gold and Adventure await!

"Content notice: The Daily Challenge is not included in the DRM Free version. " Small notice, big effect. The daily challenges are awesome.

Pros Visually pleasing Rewards exploration Ability to purchase items off a shopkeeper Co-operative play Daily challenges Ghost appears to stop you collecting everything Cons Shopkeeper can attack you even if it isn’t directly harmed by Spelunky Camera doesn’t follow both players in co-op Ghost denies the player the opportunity to explore No levelling up ability to strengthen character Tedious Spelunky offers the player the chance to play a retro-themed platformer with rogue-like features. It is punishing to the extent that if you do not feel like replaying the same first stages repeatedly, then you'll become frustrated and leave the game. The game also relies upon the notion that replaying a stage isn't a chore, but rather a back-handed reward due to the procedurally generated levels. Whilst a decent addition, the stages change so much so, that you are unable to construct an action plan that assists you in bettering the stage on the next attempt. I’m not a glutton for punishment, nor do I surrender if I find a game too difficult. However, the game is so unforgiving that it doesn’t feel like a game, but rather a lesson in obedience or stubbornness. Spelunky isn’t the most difficult title around, in fact it is far from it, but I found there to be more frantic movement and death then actual playtime. Spelunky HD is for a specific player who might enjoy repetition and/or doesn’t mind constant death, but I believe this game is simply unfair. Recommendations Implement an explorer mode with 40-80% fewer items and less gold to encourage exploration. Have an option to turn off the shopkeeper. During co-op mode, if a player goes off screen automatically have the game become split-screen. Alternatively, have a split-screen mode. Conclusion The game is rather cheap and unforgiving, rather than meticulously constructed in its design. Personally, I prefer games like Alex Kidd or Hotline Miami; games which reward diligence, and don't punish the player. 4/10