Spelunky 2

 PC
User Score
6.8

Mixed or average reviews- based on 156 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 90 out of 156
  2. Mixed: 26 out of 156
  3. Negative: 40 out of 156

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  1. BrainTaser
    Dec 15, 2020
    8
    Spelunky 2 is a wonderful, albeit flawed game design-wise, with brutal difficulty, often funny deaths, and TONS of replayability and secrets to find.
    The music is very fitting for each area, collecting gold is addictive and the enemies/traps tend to create very interesting situations you have to think your way out of.
    If you enjoyed Spelunky 1, this is surely not gonna disappoint, aside    Spelunky 2 is a wonderful, albeit flawed game design-wise, with brutal difficulty, often funny deaths, and TONS of replayability and secrets to find.
    The music is very fitting for each area, collecting gold is addictive and the enemies/traps tend to create very interesting situations you have to think your way out of.
    If you enjoyed Spelunky 1, this is surely not gonna disappoint, aside from frustrations with its higher difficulty and sometimes unfair damage, but the developer Derek Yu is hard at work ironing those out as the game goes along.    … Expand
  2. Ganerumo
    Oct 11, 2020
    4
    Inferior to the first game in every way. Unless you've played a thousand hours of the first title and have seen all that it has to offer and somehow don't want to delve into modding, Spelunky 2 has nothing to offer that will please a new or old player. Its design overall is less fine-tuned, feels more amateurish and far less coherent. The game is much harder than the first yet forces youInferior to the first game in every way. Unless you've played a thousand hours of the first title and have seen all that it has to offer and somehow don't want to delve into modding, Spelunky 2 has nothing to offer that will please a new or old player. Its design overall is less fine-tuned, feels more amateurish and far less coherent. The game is much harder than the first yet forces you to retread areas of the first game, which combined with the difficulty means that 90% of your Spelunky 2 runs will feel like Spelunky 1, with very little else that's changed besides worse level generation.… Expand
  3. Gothic_Brother
    Nov 27, 2020
    10
    I'm a huge fan of the original game as well as HD version. Spelunky 2 is better in every possible way. I might even say that it is my absolutely favorite game of all time (and my gaming experience started early 90's). I just can't stand all the people who give this absolute masterpiece a score of 0 because of difficulty. Guys, WTF? This game is supposed to be difficult and punishing. It'sI'm a huge fan of the original game as well as HD version. Spelunky 2 is better in every possible way. I might even say that it is my absolutely favorite game of all time (and my gaming experience started early 90's). I just can't stand all the people who give this absolute masterpiece a score of 0 because of difficulty. Guys, WTF? This game is supposed to be difficult and punishing. It's the core of Spelunky's game design. But because of this fact it's also extremely rewarding. Please, be sensible and don't blame the game if you don't have enough persistency to gain skill required to beat it. Give it another chance, watch some streams and tips and Spelunky will open to you.… Expand
  4. DudeLove
    Oct 21, 2020
    2
    I have to start off by saying that I loved the first Spelunky; it's probably in my list of top 5 favorite games. I've put in a couple hours at this point and I've gotten to 2-1, and it's just so very "meh" when you compare it to the first game.

    Pros: Quality of life improvements, as the game supports much higher resolution and frames per second than the first, graphics are detailed    I have to start off by saying that I loved the first Spelunky; it's probably in my list of top 5 favorite games. I've put in a couple hours at this point and I've gotten to 2-1, and it's just so very "meh" when you compare it to the first game.

    Pros:

    Quality of life improvements, as the game supports much higher resolution and frames per second than the first, graphics are detailed and interesting. You can also grab onto ledges.

    Cons:

    The ghost now moves MUCH faster and can split into multiple ghosts. In the first game, the ghost felt like a super-powerful but super-stupid force of nature. You had to be careful, but you could control it for vast profit once you got good enough. The areas I've been in feel more cramped than the first, so unless you have a jetpack I really don't see how you can kite the ghost around.

    More items are now flammable, including bomb packs, which makes fighting the merchants much harder (though it does make sense)

    Feels like there are more enemies and traps, and another layer to get down in each level, but the same amount of time as the first game.

    I know a lot of people are really enjoying this game, but it feels like a real let down. I'm still trying to like it because of how much I liked the first game, but it's an effort when it really shouldn't be.    … Expand
  5. badreview7854
    Oct 21, 2020
    0
    Worse than Spelunky HD in every way. More of a slog and more frustrating. Avoid at all costs.
  6. Leyeon
    Dec 26, 2020
    10
    I loved Spelunky HD and I think Spelunky 2 is a better game.
    It's a really rewarding game to play even if you aren't playing perfect.
    The hardest part of getting into Spelunky is knowing how monsters/items interact with each other you will die so many times to things you couldn't know without dying there. The secret/alternate ending is fun and the secret levels after that are cool but I    I loved Spelunky HD and I think Spelunky 2 is a better game.
    It's a really rewarding game to play even if you aren't playing perfect.
    The hardest part of getting into Spelunky is knowing how monsters/items interact with each other you will die so many times to things you couldn't know without dying there.
    The secret/alternate ending is fun and the secret levels after that are cool but I don't think I'll ever complete it.
    The daily challenge is really the only thing I've been playing recently after getting all the achievements.    … Expand
  7. Beardyweirdy
    Nov 19, 2020
    4
    Progress in Spelunky 2 is tedious. I keep getting to the yellow head, beating the first portion of the fight (which is monotonous) and then getting killed by a bomb in the second section. It forces me to do the jungle room over and over and over again. And there's no sense of progress, unlike in the first game where you can contribute money to the next shortcut with each run. Getting boredProgress in Spelunky 2 is tedious. I keep getting to the yellow head, beating the first portion of the fight (which is monotonous) and then getting killed by a bomb in the second section. It forces me to do the jungle room over and over and over again. And there's no sense of progress, unlike in the first game where you can contribute money to the next shortcut with each run. Getting bored fast. Doesn't help that the games are so similar. Reused areas and assets. Seems lazy.… Expand
  8. DeadYavuzRS
    Dec 11, 2020
    0
    Inferior to the first game in every way. Unless you've played a thousand hours of the first title and have seen all that it has to offer and somehow don't want to delve into modding, Spelunky 2 has nothing to offer that will please a new or old player. Its design overall is less fine-tuned, feels more amateurish and far less coherent. The game is much harder than the first yet forces youInferior to the first game in every way. Unless you've played a thousand hours of the first title and have seen all that it has to offer and somehow don't want to delve into modding, Spelunky 2 has nothing to offer that will please a new or old player. Its design overall is less fine-tuned, feels more amateurish and far less coherent. The game is much harder than the first yet forces you to retread areas of the first game, which combined with the difficulty means that 90% of your Spelunky 2 runs will feel like Spelunky 1, with very little else that's changed besides worse level generation. Collapse… Expand
  9. RocketRon
    Oct 2, 2020
    0
    Heading into Spelunky 2 off the back of hundreds of hours of HD has been great fun and I love a lot of the new mechanics and features, the new shops, optional quests, the back layer, fluid physics etc but I feel like your average person won't find enjoyment from Spelunky 2 for reasons I will detail below.
    Dwelling, the first stage. I'll split these issues into 3 categories
    1/3    Heading into Spelunky 2 off the back of hundreds of hours of HD has been great fun and I love a lot of the new mechanics and features, the new shops, optional quests, the back layer, fluid physics etc but I feel like your average person won't find enjoyment from Spelunky 2 for reasons I will detail below.
    Dwelling, the first stage. I'll split these issues into 3 categories

    1/3 Formulaic progression from 1:1 to 1:4
    This area is absolutely far too busy and more often than not is extremely unfun and unrewarding. 1:1-1:4 is practically the same everytime save you may find an alter or dark level, and the Key/Yang optional quest may alternate between 1:2 and 1:3. For a game like spelunky this repeating formulae doesn't work and results in very boring, time consuming gameplay which honestly just feels like a chore. I realise the turkeys are optional but the health they give for blowing them up is pretty important considering the difficulty of Dwelling. The further levels do not have this issue really at all. The Quillback fight is incredibly repetitive once you've done it a few times and doesn't need to be a guaranteed event.

    2/3 Resource rarity and too resource consuming:
    The terrain generation on dwelling is extremely punishing in that you practically have to use all your resources to get around, there's many areas where it's completely impossible to scale back up the level without sacrificing ropes. it's not uncommon to have to use 2 ropes and a bomb or two to get Udjat eye. This wouldn't be so much of an issue if crates weren't so rare. It feels like there's maybe a quarter of the crates you got in this level's equivalent in Spelunky HD and even then crates weren't incredibly common. This wouldn't be a problem (and isn't) if this type of resource consuming level generation was saved for later in the game when you have established a run with resources to spare.

    3/3 The sheer amount of mobs, arrow traps + moles and lizards
    Dwelling practically plays out like a Spelunky HD Frozlunky Sashavole generation mod, you'll know what I mean if you've played it. The amount of mobs you can see at any one point in the area is far too high, especially considering the moles which have 3 health and can move through blocks + the lizards which also have 3 health and whilst aren't terribly hard to avoid are still very time consuming and frustrating to deal with. I don't know why Derek/The development team decided to add 2 new mobs which both have 3 health as it breaks down the pacing of this first stage quite a bit. On top of this, moles seem to have iframes when moving in and out of blocks (I've not tried with explosives as bombs are precious on the first area). On top of this there's also an insane amount of arrow traps, it's not uncommon to see 2 arrow traps pointing directly in the area of your spawn from the getgo, and there's plenty of traps which cannot be dealt with via arrow whipping due to their placement which further breaks the pacing as you have to go find an item to set them off.

    Also, the music for Dwelling is incredibly grating and disappointing when compared to Spelunly HD's first area's 3 great songs

    The culmination of all these things makes the first area game a complete slog and will definitely put off would-be new players.

    Post-Dwelling

    Once you're past the first area the game is actually incredibly fun, Jungle and Volcana are both equally interesting areas. They both have lots of variation and extra flair added to them. Volcana having dead are restless, dark and the factory variations which are rare and exciting to come across + Vlad's castle and the Jungle having dead are restless, dark + the black market and any other variations I've not yet seen. and fun challenging mobs without being overbearing (moles, lizards)

    The Olmec fight is okay, it's kind of silly that on the second stage you practically just AFK whilst he destroys the level so you can decide if you want to go to temple or tide pool, but it's okay and i appreciate olmec is kind of a nice homage to the first game if anything even if the fight isn't great.

    From my experience Tide Pool, Ice Caves and Babylon are all good zones although I think Babylon's mobs are a little bit boring mechanically even if their artwork is awesome, I've not played enough of temple to comment. Although except for maybe temple all of the zones are far more laid back than the that is dwelling and it causes the games' overall progression to feel disjointed and weird as the game is seemingly getting easier from the first area.

    The problem with all these great zones and pieces of content is that when you die (and you will die a lot) you are sent back to the insanely grating and unfun first zone which really kills motivation to play in general for me. I generally am more upset over having to play on dwelling again than I am about losing all my gear and progress. However I do appreciate the game has only been out for a few days and there is a ce    … Expand
  10. grayback
    Oct 2, 2020
    3
    Not really an improvement. Feels like a disjointed collection of mods for the first one instead of a sequel.

    Gameplay doesn't flow as good as in Spelunky HD, and most of the new content is either useless or just forgettable. In addition, performance on low end machines (even with recommended specs) is surprisingly bad, dipping way below 10 fps when liquids appear on the screen. The    Not really an improvement. Feels like a disjointed collection of mods for the first one instead of a sequel.

    Gameplay doesn't flow as good as in Spelunky HD, and most of the new content is either useless or just forgettable. In addition, performance on low end machines (even with recommended specs) is surprisingly bad, dipping way below 10 fps when liquids appear on the screen.

    The bottom line is that you won't feel the need to play it after a few hours, wich speaks volumes about the regression in gameplay. Not worthy of the Spelunky name.

    Also... no damsel? WTF!    … Expand
  11. DamageMaximo
    Nov 6, 2020
    2
    Are you a masochist?
    Boy I know the perfect game for you!
    In this beautiful game called Spelunky 2, you can notice it is harder than the first game, which takes more dedication so you can actually make more progress while playing it, only so you relax for a second and you instantly fall into a chain of constant hits and constant stun-locks which will prevent you from escaping, making    Are you a masochist?
    Boy I know the perfect game for you!

    In this beautiful game called Spelunky 2, you can notice it is harder than the first game, which takes more dedication so you can actually make more progress while playing it, only so you relax for a second and you instantly fall into a chain of constant hits and constant stun-locks which will prevent you from escaping, making you watch all the health you dedicated yourself to gather disappear in 3 seconds, that's the Spelunky experience, and the community seems to call this "the fun part of spelunky", as I said, if you are a masochist this is the game for you.

    The art style is a bit better than the first game, but is still terrible since nothing seems to fit in the environment, in later stages you will see many colors and objects making a cluster of things in which will hurt you eyes and make it unpleasant to look at, all so you will not see the enemy creeping up on you and you will die because of the chain of hits mentioned earlier.

    Soundtrack is fine but inferior than the first game.

    Character designs are fine, the new main character has the best design for sure, and I love it, 'thus making it get 1 score.

    Gameplay is clunky, unresponsive, and unnecessarily complicated just like in the first game, making it really repulsive for any new players.

    The environment interactions are the only actually good thing in the game, being able to activate traps by throwing objects in front of them, knocking out enemies and sacrificing them to get more items, these are all good things which make it deserve 1 more score and could make the world feel alive if it wasn't for the terrible art style as mentioned already, and the non-immersive ambience.

    Spelunky (1 and 2) are the most overrated games ever and I have no idea how this thing got so many fans.    … Expand
  12. adrenilinmatt
    Dec 3, 2020
    6
    Harder doesn't necessarily mean better and no game proves this better than Spelunky 2 does. The first game is something of a masterpiece and i have thousands of hours clocked on it. This game however, after reaching the 50 hour mark, i feel no motivation to ever even think about getting close to those hours i achieved on the first game.

    If you want to see difficulty increases done    Harder doesn't necessarily mean better and no game proves this better than Spelunky 2 does. The first game is something of a masterpiece and i have thousands of hours clocked on it. This game however, after reaching the 50 hour mark, i feel no motivation to ever even think about getting close to those hours i achieved on the first game.

    If you want to see difficulty increases done right, see DOOM Eternal as a prime example of skill combined with fair and tight game design.

    Spelunky 2 is fine. But thats all it manages to achieve, which is extremely unfortunate considering how brilliant the first game was. This sequel somehow manages to feel less refined and while being much more difficult, it feels less challenging in the sense that you stand a fair chance. More artificial difficulty, and i hate it.    … Expand
  13. Trix122
    Dec 18, 2020
    5
    No analog movement on stick on a 2020 game? Even crash bandicoot on ps1 had it.
  14. Sotov
    Nov 25, 2020
    0
    There is not enough grass in this title for it to be worth your time.
    Do not buy, do not play, do not succumb to anti-grassers, **** the anti-grassers.
    0/10.
  15. literallyretard
    Dec 2, 2020
    9
    If you don't like hard games, and are bad at platforming, don't buy this game. Most of the other bad reviews are foolish and nonsensical. This game IS HARD, but there are shortcuts you can make after beating every four levels and there are various techniques/preparations to beat certain bosses. And if that's not for you, online is coming. Get friends. This game is easier with friends sinceIf you don't like hard games, and are bad at platforming, don't buy this game. Most of the other bad reviews are foolish and nonsensical. This game IS HARD, but there are shortcuts you can make after beating every four levels and there are various techniques/preparations to beat certain bosses. And if that's not for you, online is coming. Get friends. This game is easier with friends since they can revive you. But if you dare rate this game anything lower than a 5 just because its harder than spelunky HD/way too hard, you are an abomination of a human and you clearly don't know how to form an opinion. The developer made spelunky 2 harder than one on purpose. He changed a lot of things because he wanted two to feel like your first time spelunking in spelunky HD, not for it to feel the EXACT same. By the way the souls series is harder than both games combined. (get good)… Expand
  16. Ahmadhallak07
    Dec 15, 2020
    0
    How this this **** game take 91 and cyberpunk 2077 89 this game its **** bad
  17. shamusboy10
    Dec 12, 2020
    10
    If you're a fan of spelunky 1, you'll likely be a fan of spelunky 2. Same concise design, same imaginative artstyle, a fine (if slightly bland) soundtrack and moderate difficulty will encourage replays in true roguelite fashion. Minor difficulty inconsistencies at launch have been corrected, and as it stands it has set the bar for games of it's type, much like it's predecessor.
  18. TacticalSanta
    Dec 15, 2020
    10
    Aside from The Dwelling being a bit too overtuned, once you get comfortable with it, it's really only punishing if you are careless, so I can't really subtract for that. This game is about patience, skill, and putting all you've learned into each new run. It excels at that, but does take quite a bit of trial and error to get up to a level where you can consistently get to 2-1, but thatsAside from The Dwelling being a bit too overtuned, once you get comfortable with it, it's really only punishing if you are careless, so I can't really subtract for that. This game is about patience, skill, and putting all you've learned into each new run. It excels at that, but does take quite a bit of trial and error to get up to a level where you can consistently get to 2-1, but thats fine, this ain't a game for p*ssies.… Expand
  19. dunnyone
    Oct 2, 2020
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Excellent game. They added just enough to make it feel different from the original. They added quality of life changes (such as being able to choose from multiple routes VIA a shortcut - genius!) without messing with the controls that made Spelunky 1 so enjoyable. If you have waited for this sequel for over 10 years, as I have, then you won't be disappointed.… Expand
  20. Mariosonichu
    Oct 2, 2020
    8
    graficas, jugabilidad e historia bastante buena, le falta un poco para ser mejor pero no me quejo el juego es bueno y garantiza pasar un buen rato
  21. DkLaserbeam
    Oct 23, 2020
    9
    Coming from the first game this feels like a true sequel with new and improved levels, more enemies, more Items, and most importantly, more secrets. Most negative reviews I've read have been criticizing the games difficulty, which to me is unfounded, because the brutal difficulty and unforgiving level design are a huge selling point to most fans and the problems many were having with theComing from the first game this feels like a true sequel with new and improved levels, more enemies, more Items, and most importantly, more secrets. Most negative reviews I've read have been criticizing the games difficulty, which to me is unfounded, because the brutal difficulty and unforgiving level design are a huge selling point to most fans and the problems many were having with the first level have been fixed. The new art design and smoother controls are direct improvements and the game manages to do this while still capturing the essence of the original. The only things the original did better was avoiding soft locks, but otherwise I have no harsh words for this game. 9.5/10… Expand
  22. Praise_the_Sif
    Oct 4, 2020
    10
    really good, you should buy. buy now. Spelunky 1 but everything is better than the original
  23. GamerMan444
    Oct 18, 2020
    10
    It's got everything I could have hoped for in a sequel, a true successor to Spelunky HD.
  24. iRaidius916
    Nov 12, 2020
    9
    Masterpiece. May not be my absolute favorite, but super enjoyable and hilarious. Imo the user score is way too low. While I can totally see why it is, if you want to try this game, you need to dive in with a certain mind-set. Don't be afraid to make fun of yourself, process the rooms ahead of you, and prepare to get one-shot my an enemy launching you into lava. Trust me, it's so much moreMasterpiece. May not be my absolute favorite, but super enjoyable and hilarious. Imo the user score is way too low. While I can totally see why it is, if you want to try this game, you need to dive in with a certain mind-set. Don't be afraid to make fun of yourself, process the rooms ahead of you, and prepare to get one-shot my an enemy launching you into lava. Trust me, it's so much more fun when you experience it yourself.… Expand
  25. peterus
    Dec 9, 2020
    3
    I've played hours and hours of Spelunky 1. Its sequel is just not fun, I've refunded it after 2 hours.
  26. IcreatedAnAccou
    Nov 11, 2020
    0
    Get ready to pay 20 bucks for a game thats not even worth pirating. Any and i mean ANY content youve seen of this game that makes it look fun you probably will not see in game. Several hours into gameplay now and I've only gotten to 1-2 and Im about to uninstall the game because I havent heard anything other than one repetitive song. Over and over and over and over. This game could be funGet ready to pay 20 bucks for a game thats not even worth pirating. Any and i mean ANY content youve seen of this game that makes it look fun you probably will not see in game. Several hours into gameplay now and I've only gotten to 1-2 and Im about to uninstall the game because I havent heard anything other than one repetitive song. Over and over and over and over. This game could be fun if it saved your point but it doesnt so good fing luck having actual fun playing this **** game… Expand
  27. iplaylotsofgame
    Jan 22, 2021
    10
    Wonderful game, this is a must have indie title. The graphics are great looking keeping the old spelunky art style with more detail and similar gameplay. The game is based on secrets and exploration leaving so much to discover. What will you find when you go spelunking?
  28. Julian0505
    Dec 16, 2020
    10
    Beautiful in its simplicity, remarkable in its replayability. Highly recommend.
  29. amphibianalien
    Nov 16, 2020
    10
    I've played over 2,000 hours of Spelunky HD on the Xbox 360. It's safe to say its a game very dear to my heart. I think Spelunky 2 very much captures the same spirit and succeeds in many of the same ways as HD. The game has several new areas, a new secret path, and lots of new enemies. The frequent complaint that its too similar to the first game is definitely true. I don't view this as aI've played over 2,000 hours of Spelunky HD on the Xbox 360. It's safe to say its a game very dear to my heart. I think Spelunky 2 very much captures the same spirit and succeeds in many of the same ways as HD. The game has several new areas, a new secret path, and lots of new enemies. The frequent complaint that its too similar to the first game is definitely true. I don't view this as a negative because I love the first game enough that I don't mind, and I also believe that it would require changing something that is core to the charm of Spelunky to make it an entirely fresh experience.

    This part is not a critique but just a comparison for people interested in this game or in Spelunky HD.

    Spelunky 2 is more difficult compared to Spelunky HD for sure. The secret ending(s) are also significantly more challenging to get to. Spelunky 2 has more content overall, but ultimately less interesting level generation. Spelunky HD has several level generation events that have a random chance to occur. These events are present in the 2nd game but much less common or interesting. The events in the first game are much harder than a normal level, sometimes even unfair, but that is part of what makes Spelunky HD great. Dying in a funny or interesting way isn't a big deal because the game is short enough to beat in half an hour. That doesn't make subsequent playthroughs any less interesting because of these level modifiers. In short: The 2nd game is harder but is more consistent and fair in its rules, it also has more variety in enemies, areas, items. Spelunky HD is easier but relies more on RNG but as long as you can laugh off your mistakes it benefits because of it.    … Expand
  30. Devereux
    Oct 14, 2020
    10
    A shining example of how a sequel can improve on the original in every possible way. With its silky smooth controls, charming visuals and music, endless secrets & discoveries and rewarding, skill-based gameplay, Spelunky 2 is a true delight. Probably the best rogue-like platformer ever made.
  31. Crisener
    Jan 25, 2021
    8
    If you liked the first Spelunky, you will most likely find yourself liking this one too. I plays just like the old one, but better. With QOL improvements, smoothened graphics and some new ideas.
    Two downsides:
    - it's, unfortunately, an epitome of the old saying: "if life gives you lemons, it really doesn't matter, as you will get blasted from the other side of the room with no way of    If you liked the first Spelunky, you will most likely find yourself liking this one too. I plays just like the old one, but better. With QOL improvements, smoothened graphics and some new ideas.
    Two downsides:
    - it's, unfortunately, an epitome of the old saying: "if life gives you lemons, it really doesn't matter, as you will get blasted from the other side of the room with no way of predicting that". Some say it's just high and demanding difficulty level, some say it's what makes this game compelling, others that this is just unfair design choice. One thing is sure, some more visibility on the hazards would be nice, the game's still challenging without it.
    - The Olmec fight. It's definitely too long for the pace that this game has. I don't see any reason not to change it completely.
    Nevertheless, it's a fun game to come back to once in a while to see if you can get lucky this time around, but be prepared for getting tilted, as for the ways in which you can die, Derek Yu came up with plenty.    … Expand
  32. drytap
    Oct 3, 2020
    10
    A bunch of old Spelunky 1 veterans has a lot of comments on the game design but without really making useful reviews for those of you who are looking in to the world of Spelunky for the first time. Perhaps this review got your back.

    Spelunky 2 still got the same core game mechanics as the first game but with a lot more features, and it is also a lot harder! In Spelunky 2 you follow the    A bunch of old Spelunky 1 veterans has a lot of comments on the game design but without really making useful reviews for those of you who are looking in to the world of Spelunky for the first time. Perhaps this review got your back.

    Spelunky 2 still got the same core game mechanics as the first game but with a lot more features, and it is also a lot harder! In Spelunky 2 you follow the old characters footsteps all the way to a cave on the moon:

    Every time you start the game you will get a randomly generated and challenging map, keeping the game fresh and new for every playthrough.
    When you've completed about 4 stages you enter the next world/area. If you die you have to start over.

    Every stage got a 3 minute timer before a deadly ghost spawns to chase and kill you, so you have to think about your decisions.
    When spelunking you will find a lot different enemies, traps, treasures, weapons, power-ups, pets to rescue which gives HP and secrets.
    Gold you gather can be used in shops you find, or be kept for the high score.

    The game has a bunch of achievements: speedrun, no gold run, pacifist run and a few hidden ones too. Can be played 4 players: split-screen and online co-op, deathmatch, daily run and unlockable characters.
    Also unlockable shortcuts so you can jump to later areas.

    This is a true challenge only for the worthy. Get it if you like really hard platformers.    … Expand
  33. SamirMrtnz
    Oct 6, 2020
    10
    Un juegazo que mejora en casi todos los aspectos a predecesora, mas dificultad y secretos(resalto este punto ya que aún no encuentro todos sus secretos), jugabilidad increíble, y aunque el soundtrack no es tan bueno como el de la primera entrega sigue siendo buena y recomendable a todos los que gusten de plataformeros 2D
  34. Raymando
    Feb 6, 2021
    9
    Holy **** a lot of people hated this game huh? I'll just wanna add that the game is incredible. Pretty much everyone is pissed at the difficulty, and I'm not gonna disregard their opinion by saying that they suck at the game or anything. The game is very difficult, and sometimes deaths are a little BS. Unlike other rogue likes where you will be able to finish 9 out of 10 runs, in thisHoly **** a lot of people hated this game huh? I'll just wanna add that the game is incredible. Pretty much everyone is pissed at the difficulty, and I'm not gonna disregard their opinion by saying that they suck at the game or anything. The game is very difficult, and sometimes deaths are a little BS. Unlike other rogue likes where you will be able to finish 9 out of 10 runs, in this you'll finish probably 1 out of 10 runs even if you're crazy good at it. BUT the thing is, it's perfect for Spelunky because the game moves QUICK. A start to end in the game is 20-30 minutes if you're not doing the secrets and is intense AS **** Finally finishing a 30 min run is probably the most concentrated quality of purely gameplay you're gonna get. This is my "pick up and play game" where I just boot it up when I don't have much time to play more campaign kind of games and just want to have a quick round or so. This is perfect for that and a very well designed game. I do think the music was better in the original though, and they should've kept the default run at 4 levels itself.

    Detailed Steam Review: https://steamcommunity.com/id/siraymando/recommended/418530?snr=1_5_9__402    … Expand
  35. Amase2001
    Dec 29, 2020
    10
    Wery hard game, cool! I like play spelunky with dualshok 4 on D-pad. Hello from Donbas)))
  36. hisgames
    Jan 6, 2021
    10
    I'd definitely reccomend this game to everyone - at least to try. Spelunky 2 is already one of my most-played game, with almost all the achievements and beaten the true ending multiple times (to clarify, I have it on ps4 as well). Once you put in the hours, the game becomes a beautifully designed smooth ride through the levels, where the only thing stopping you is the occasional mistake.I'd definitely reccomend this game to everyone - at least to try. Spelunky 2 is already one of my most-played game, with almost all the achievements and beaten the true ending multiple times (to clarify, I have it on ps4 as well). Once you put in the hours, the game becomes a beautifully designed smooth ride through the levels, where the only thing stopping you is the occasional mistake. You feel like a just whipping all the enemies and flying through the levels. There is so much variety in the gameplay, even better with all the alternate routes (not just jungle and volcana, temple and tidepool) with choosing to go for true ending, choosing to go shopkeeper-genocide or forgiveness, true crown, eggplant and all the NPC questlines in every run. I was not disapointed.… Expand
  37. marel410
    Feb 4, 2021
    10
    The game is much harder than both Spelunky Classic and Spelunky HD but this is why its such a good run off game from both of these. BTW I will be going into small spoilers in this game but not large enough to mark as spoiler

    I have played all games in order and fallen in love with classic and HD. This is mostly likely why I, unlike other reviewers are fine with the scale in difficulty    The game is much harder than both Spelunky Classic and Spelunky HD but this is why its such a good run off game from both of these. BTW I will be going into small spoilers in this game but not large enough to mark as spoiler

    I have played all games in order and fallen in love with classic and HD. This is mostly likely why I, unlike other reviewers are fine with the scale in difficulty as I have done everything in both games and enjoy the new challenge of Spelunky 2.

    Movement/enemies/items:
    The movement translates perfectly from HD to 2 as I went back to HD recently and it felt great. The enemies move the same as last game and any new monsters fit in perfectly amongst everything else even if they can be very annoying from time to time. Some items such as the cape, climbing gloves and jetpack had changes from the original games which was for the best. The inclusion of every new item was executed perfectly and they all fit in perfectly.

    Shops:
    The main part of shops are the keepers and these were balanced out nicely. Shop keeper movement is slower and more predictable but they can now climb ladders which adds another dimension of shop keeper combat through out the game. This new AI applies to every NPC in the game so strategies are transferable. The explosive items in shops force the play to plan their attack instead of just mindless murder of shop keepers in the previous games. The varying layouts of basements and attics in shops are a nice addition.

    Background levels:
    The addition of the background levels was very well executed as many secrets and bonus items are behind the main level. This adds more options for the player to get items that were more scarce in Spelunky HD. These items are mainly bombs and the change is very noticeable as I have never, in my 1000+ runs of Spelunky 2, run out of bombs when trying to get to the black market or back ground levels in general. This change is very nice as many of my HD runs have been cut short due to lack of bombs.

    Branching Paths/Multiple Endings:
    The Branching levels add nice alternatives if you are sick of one side and also add a tactical choice when going into world 2 and 4. Examples would be if you are lacking in bombs, the black market would be a good choice, if you didn't have movement, Vlad's cape is a good choice in Volcania. This is better than HD and Classic with only one path but HD has 2 bosses unlike Classic. Others can be said about the Temple or the Tide Pools. The multiple endings allow for newer players to set goals and slowly make their way to the large endings. Getting a shortcut, learning how to fight certain areas or bosses(Wont talk about as they are major spoilers) are all carry over from HD but well implemented into Spelunky 2.

    Overall this game is a full 10/10 and a great improvement of HD and Classic. The reason why I'm talking about Spelunky Classic so much is because I recommend you play the games in order starting from Classic. Spelunky Classic is the easiest game and a good starting block to get into the other games. Both HD and Classic get you used to the perma death mechanic but being fully dedicated to the games you need some dedication. Overall you need some dedication to play this game but its well worth as winning is very satisfying.    … Expand
  38. Liberty_Gaming
    Jun 11, 2021
    10
    I've been playing Spelunky sense the freeware version and this is by far the best iteration. With over 250 hours of play time already I still enjoy working towards the cosmic ocean ending. The game is challenging to learn but that's what makes it so rewarding to master. It adds a ton of new content compared to the last game with branching paths, mounts and far more elaborate secrets toI've been playing Spelunky sense the freeware version and this is by far the best iteration. With over 250 hours of play time already I still enjoy working towards the cosmic ocean ending. The game is challenging to learn but that's what makes it so rewarding to master. It adds a ton of new content compared to the last game with branching paths, mounts and far more elaborate secrets to discover and overcome. The music is also great besides the dwelling music being a bit underwhelming when compared with the previous games. This game is in contention with being my favorite game of all time with Celeste. Get this game if you enjoy a challenge and don't have an ego that makes you blame the game for your own failures to overcome.… Expand
  39. thrapinder
    Oct 9, 2021
    10
    Despite its difficulty, Spelunky 2 is a marvel of both platforms and roguelikes. While it is tough as nails, it feels fair and lessons can be taken from each and every death. All the zones are distinct and fun while still being extremely challenging for most players. Having a game this tough still be this fun and hilarious to play with friends is extremely challenging. Highly recommendedDespite its difficulty, Spelunky 2 is a marvel of both platforms and roguelikes. While it is tough as nails, it feels fair and lessons can be taken from each and every death. All the zones are distinct and fun while still being extremely challenging for most players. Having a game this tough still be this fun and hilarious to play with friends is extremely challenging. Highly recommended for those looking for a tough-as-nails platformer experience without it feeling super unfair.… Expand
  40. teratoma666
    Dec 23, 2021
    8
    Sadly the game design isn't as perfect as the first game, you will have unfair and tedious moments. Obvious examples would be death from unavoidable explosion, unavoidable usage of bombs/ropes or slowly moving around items to maximize resources.

    In some ways it makes sense though, the game is much bigger than it's predecessor with much more to find and experience. It's not    Sadly the game design isn't as perfect as the first game, you will have unfair and tedious moments. Obvious examples would be death from unavoidable explosion, unavoidable usage of bombs/ropes or slowly moving around items to maximize resources.

    In some ways it makes sense though, the game is much bigger than it's predecessor with much more to find and experience.

    It's not necessarily a bad thing though, there will be a lot more memorable moments because of the more chaotic nature of the game. In fact, it's seriously impressive in how many hilarious ways you can die in this game.

    All in all, it's still Spelunky - highly tense game with tight controls and mechanics that requires from you to learn and adapt.    … Expand
  41. Gustavo_Cruz_
    Dec 24, 2021
    10
    I think the game provides enough new content, new mobs and new challenges to continue being entertaining. I am as addicted on 2 as I was on 1. Many mechanics were changed. Mobs and bosses became harder, not by the amount of damage they do to you, but by the change on their movement and new skills, but the game is not impossible as some people are saying. The attention to details is great.I think the game provides enough new content, new mobs and new challenges to continue being entertaining. I am as addicted on 2 as I was on 1. Many mechanics were changed. Mobs and bosses became harder, not by the amount of damage they do to you, but by the change on their movement and new skills, but the game is not impossible as some people are saying. The attention to details is great. I got surprised by many things I saw during my playtime.… Expand
  42. AnonymousPower
    Jan 2, 2021
    0
    This game isn't designed to be fair, it's designed to be punishing and tedious. For example, NPCs have more permissive rules for being able to damage the player than vice versa; they can damage you while you are stunned and can hit you rapidly, which means you will often get stun locked and just have to watch in dismay as your 20 lives turn into 0. On top of the number of one shots you canThis game isn't designed to be fair, it's designed to be punishing and tedious. For example, NPCs have more permissive rules for being able to damage the player than vice versa; they can damage you while you are stunned and can hit you rapidly, which means you will often get stun locked and just have to watch in dismay as your 20 lives turn into 0. On top of the number of one shots you can walk into, things just hit too often and too hard.

    With lots of luck and hours of grinding annoying deaths, you will get shortcuts to new stages. These make the game barely tolerable. However, using the shortcuts locks you out of being able to acquire certain items, and starting from the beginning to set up the conditions required to acquire those items over and over is an insane challenge of patience. This means that runs feel contrived rather than emergent. And at a certain point, to unlock the next shortcut you have to drag a friendly AI and a holdable item through several stages of **** that was the point I had enough.

    The game feels tight, and has the pieces of a rogue-lite, but those pieces are brought together in a way that feels frustrating rather than satisfying and rewarding. The game tries your patience with every run, and eventually it becomes too much to bear. It is inherently flawed and undeserving of its cult-like status, as there are so many games out there that balance these pieces better.    … Expand
  43. PanteraHouse
    May 31, 2022
    5
    Would be an easy 9/10 if getting combod to death outside of your control didn't happen so often
  44. Pascamp
    Mar 26, 2021
    0
    não faz nenhum sentido as natas altas desse jogo. nferior ao primeiro jogo em todos os sentidos. A menos que você tenha jogado mil horas do primeiro título e tenha visto tudo o que ele tem a oferecer e de alguma forma não queira mergulhar em modding, Spelunky 2 não tem nada a oferecer que agradará a um jogador novo ou antigo. Seu design geral é menos ajustado, parece mais amador e muitonão faz nenhum sentido as natas altas desse jogo. nferior ao primeiro jogo em todos os sentidos. A menos que você tenha jogado mil horas do primeiro título e tenha visto tudo o que ele tem a oferecer e de alguma forma não queira mergulhar em modding, Spelunky 2 não tem nada a oferecer que agradará a um jogador novo ou antigo. Seu design geral é menos ajustado, parece mais amador e muito menos coerente… Expand
  45. hoanns
    Aug 19, 2022
    9
    Great roguelike, has good improvements to the first one, like online mode and nice graphics and other endings. I'm definitely addicted.
  46. Merginatorr
    May 24, 2022
    7
    It's like Spelunky 1 but this time with a 2. I also have the same love/hate issues with this game as I did with the first one. It's incredibly fun and I sunk massive amounts of time into it and I never beat it once. I am just unlucky/not good at the game.

    This game is fun. This game is pain.
  47. Christian_TV
    May 26, 2022
    10
    This second chapter is even better than the previous one. I've been playing it since Day One and I finished the game today. You may think this is a downside, but it isn't. The fact that this game is so long-lived is good. I do not understand even in this case the vote so low of the public, perhaps because it is difficult? I can't know this, the only thing I know is that this is a game toThis second chapter is even better than the previous one. I've been playing it since Day One and I finished the game today. You may think this is a downside, but it isn't. The fact that this game is so long-lived is good. I do not understand even in this case the vote so low of the public, perhaps because it is difficult? I can't know this, the only thing I know is that this is a game to play absolutely… Expand
  48. Mascham
    Jun 11, 2022
    5
    Less interesting and balanced than the 1st one. I think devs took the wrong lesson from the original. They just just cranked up difficulty without thinking about balance. The first one was difficult but fair. Gradually increasing the challenges you faced to force you to be more careful. This one has multiple insta death items from the very first minute of play. Making it a prettyLess interesting and balanced than the 1st one. I think devs took the wrong lesson from the original. They just just cranked up difficulty without thinking about balance. The first one was difficult but fair. Gradually increasing the challenges you faced to force you to be more careful. This one has multiple insta death items from the very first minute of play. Making it a pretty uninteresting challenge in the end. Still 5/10 cause it benefits from the great gameplay inherited from the 1st iteration.… Expand
  49. stupidopinion
    Jun 20, 2022
    8
    An improved version of Spelunky for the most part. Really though it acts as a shakeup to the original with a more pleasant art style and a litany of new mechanics. If you enjoy Spelunky you'll enjoy this. I will say though that it feels like a lot more could have been added to this sequel. Mods to the game add to the game, but it feels unfair to include that as a part of my rating.
  50. maylokana
    Jul 24, 2022
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. spelunky 2 is an initially fun game for your first 100 or so hours. completing challenges, getting through all the areas, filling out your journal, all that good stuff.

    but then cosmic ocean rears it ugly head and then you don't want to play the game anymore.

    all that fun is thrown out the window as soon as you realize the entire meta of the game revolves around CO. those 22 levels were just the preparation/warmup to go through 94 more levels of boring, monotonous recycled layouts for another 2~4 hours. anyone who plays this game anymore only plays it to get to CO to "prove" themselves or whatever. there's no reason to go through CO yourself unless you want to understand what all the hype is all about.

    .. the mods you can play around with are pretty neat, though.    … Expand
  51. Loganscuba
    Jul 30, 2022
    9
    I bought this game twice. First on PC and then later switch.
    Kicks my ass constantly but I go back for more pretty frequently. I am by no means an expert and will probably never experience the ultimate endings. However, going for the basic route again and again by myself and with new players is always a treat, no matter how disastrously it ends.
    Only gripe is that I wish there was an    I bought this game twice. First on PC and then later switch.
    Kicks my ass constantly but I go back for more pretty frequently. I am by no means an expert and will probably never experience the ultimate endings. However, going for the basic route again and again by myself and with new players is always a treat, no matter how disastrously it ends.

    Only gripe is that I wish there was an option to listen to more than one song in each area like in HD as I prefer that to the same song over and over again with adaptive twists.    … Expand
  52. bullwinky
    Aug 25, 2022
    10
    Brutal, infuriating, brilliant.

    I did play quite a lot of the other spelunky game on steam (i was going to call it the original but i believe that one was already a remake of an older version), this one just improves on the existing formula without losing the bits that make the game really pop. I can see it wouldn't be for everyone but if this is up your street then you are going to    Brutal, infuriating, brilliant.

    I did play quite a lot of the other spelunky game on steam (i was going to call it the original but i believe that one was already a remake of an older version), this one just improves on the existing formula without losing the bits that make the game really pop.
    I can see it wouldn't be for everyone but if this is up your street then you are going to want to spend a whole lot of time playing it!    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

5
#5 Best PC Game of 2020
64
#64 Most Discussed PC Game of 2020

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
91

Universal acclaim - based on 16 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 16
  3. Negative: 0 out of 16
  1. CD-Action
    Dec 18, 2020
    90
    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]
  2. GamingBolt
    Oct 31, 2020
    80
    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.
    Read full review
  3. DualShockers
    Oct 8, 2020
    95
    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.
    Read full review
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