Spelunky 2

Mossmouth took its time and managed to deliver a masterpiece that improves upon its predecessor in ways I never even would have imagined. Spelunky 2 takes everything that made the original great and expands upon each of those individual aspects without ever over complicating the elegant, retro simplicity of its 2D platforming. It doesn’t do much to win over people who already weren’t fans of the original’s unforgiving difficulty, but as someone who is more than 200 runs in and feels like he’s only scratched the surface, Spelunky 2 is a game that I see myself playing for a long, long time.

Spelunky 2 takes the ridiculously polished foundation from the first game and blows it out with new content, mystifying secrets, and big-time cave mole jerks.

In Spelunky 2 you never get the same game twice, not just because the layout changes but because all the systems interact with each other to kill you in new, imaginative, and hilarious ways. It's almost impossible to put down.

Awesome. A game that basically does not add anything to the platform genre, and still manages to be original and innovative by mixing all the ingredients with mastery. Despite the extreme difficulty it is never frustrating, keeping you in front of the screen for another run, and then another one and one more, while you promise yourself the next run will be the last. Recommended for both hardcore gamers aiming for the best score, and a more casual audience looking to have fun, and who don’t mind if they will only see a small part of the game. After all, how many of us have ever finished Bubble Bobble?

Blitworks took the best from 8-bit platformers (Rick Dangerous! Montezuma’s Revenge!), evolved it greatly, and wrapped it up in visuals worthy of 2020. The result is amazing but be aware that you’ll be dying over and over and over again, because part of the game’s retro heritage is its frustrating difficulty level. Other than that, I have absolutely no complaints and place Spelunky 2 among my top 10 games of the year. [12/2020, p.46]

A teasing blend of punishment and reward that will delight roguelike fans whether they played the first or not, Mossmouth's great achievement is in adding so much depth and scope without overcomplicating the formula.

The general difficulty, as repeated several times during this review, is undoubtedly higher than the average of contemporary products, but in the face of the goodness of the proposed experience we strongly advise you not to see it as an obstacle but as an opportunity to put yourself to the test and really understand what you're made of Good luck, you will need it!

Spelunky 2 is a treasure in every way, one you'll be glad you've discovered.

Spelunky 2 is an outstanding sequel. Derek Yu, BlitWorks, and the rest of the team behind it have assembled a game that adds to what made Spelunky great without trending toward bloat or changing too much of the essentials. In some minor ways, the level randomization and art style don't feel quite up-to-par, but the overall package is polished, compelling, and brimming with secrets. As ever, players will die over and over in pursuit of a successful run or even just an ounce of progress, which is the way it's meant to be. I'm excited to see what others uncover as they pick themselves up again and again to venture deeper into Spelunky 2's depths.

Spelunky 2 is as addictive an experience as I’ve played this year. Two-minute-long runs stack to turn into consecutive hours of gameplay, and “just one more try” easily turns into an afternoon of exploring, dying, and trying again. Spelunky 2 is at once captivating, stressful, and exciting, and even now, I can’t wait to once again test my mettle within the cave’s ever-shifting walls.

If, as Roger Ebert said, movies are a machine that generates empathy, then Spelunky 2, even more so than the original, is a machine for generating surprise. And, inevitably, its close cousin: delight. [Issue#350, p.]

Spelunky 2 is an outstanding sequel. It doesn't reinvent the formula but its small innovations are more than enough to give this sequel its own life.

Spelunky 2 doesn't advance the original's formula, but there's more stuff to sink your teeth into.

If you loved the original, you’re going to love Spelunky 2, and find it equal to its predecessor in all ways except one- where the original was a trail blazer, the new game seems content to, much like it asks of its players, simply plumb into familiar depths.