The Good
- Excellent risk-reward dynamic
- Great variety of enemies, traps, and items
- Unlocking shortcuts forces you to play differently
- Lots of flexibility in how to progress.
The Bad
- Control quirks
- Forgettable cooperative and competitive modes.
The lure of an idol is irresistible. The golden gleam from the
invaluable object beckons greedy explorers, whispering promises of
untold riches in exchange for a bit of daring. More often than not, the
desire for treasure is crushed by a rampaging boulder or descending
spiked ceiling designed to protect the idol from would-be thieves. But
there are rare instances when your risk-taking pays off--you avoid the
obstacles and come away unscathed with the prize. That adventurous scene
mirrors the rhythm of Spelunky. Again and again you come away
defeated--eaten by piranhas, punctured by spikes, mauled by
vampires--but those rare moments when you survive make you appreciate
the difficult path you traveled as you bask in the glow of hard-earned
success.
As you enter an underground mine to begin your adventure, you're greeted by a series of randomly generated levels populated by all manner of traps, enemies, and treasure. Initially, Spelunky is indistinguishable from a typical 2D platformer. Whip snakes, leap ravines, rescue damsels, and exit through the door to the next stage. Accidentally trigger that arrow trap or get overwhelmed by the slow-moving bats, however, and you find that punishment is severe. When you die, you restart from the beginning of the game. The cash you earned? The items you collected? All gone.
Progress comes not from tangible rewards but rather from the knowledge you gain. The first time you encounter an arrow trap, you fall blissfully past it, only to find a feathered shaft lodged in your abdomen. The next time, you aren't quite so ignorant. Drop a rock or dead caveman in front to trigger the barrage, and then walk peacefully past it once its ammunition is spent. You learn that spiders often hide in pots, that blue snakes can spit venom an impressive distance, and that you should never take the fluttering of bats lightly. With dangers all around, you keep your head on a swivel, aware of the spiders overhead, the caveman down below, and a wild-eyed mammoth just offscreen.
Knowledge isn't the only tool to help you survive. Items empower your explorer, giving you a larger margin of error to hide any mistakes you might make. Gold and gems litter the playing area, and with a little cunning, you can amass a sizable fortune. Take your wallet to a shopkeeper (located randomly in a stage, or sometimes not at all), and select what would help you most in your quest. Spectacles offer the passive ability to see previously hidden treasure, whereas a shotgun needs to be actively held but offers a surefire method to dispose of foes. Most items imbue you with their powers as long as you hold on to them, which aids immeasurably in your quest to survive.
All of this seems tightly structured, but Spelunky gives you plenty of flexibility to venture forth as you see fit. Arrive at the shopkeeper without a nickel to your name, and you could walk away empty-handed, like a model citizen would. Or you could rob the entrepreneur. Be careful, because he's as quick with a shotgun as he is to anger, but best him in a killing match, and you reap massive benefits. Or maybe the path to the door is populated by too many baddies to make it worth your while. Bomb the ground to forge your own way through the level; just make sure you don't wind up in an even worse position. Spelunky encompasses the trial-and-error aspects that can often hinder lesser games. But you�re not forced to experiment; instead, the desire to test the waters comes naturally, so you never feel as if you're backed into a corner.
No matter which path you take, the most troubling obstacles you have to overcome are your own tendencies. A tribal assassin may be standing at the far end of the screen, readying his boomerang for anyone who has the gall to cross him. Getting into a safe position requires time and effort, but the exit is so close. Why not take a risk? So you ignore the caution that took you so far, cast away your patience, and sprint pell-mell toward freedom. Wham! A boomerang slams into your head, and you curse yourself for being impatient. Another time, you safely reach the door only to see mountains of treasure a little to your right. You could move safely onward, but a little bit of gold never hurt anyone. So you walk past the door, climb the nearby rock face, and get an arrow in your gut for your effort. Hubris struck you down, and you realize greed can spell your demise rather quickly.
As you enter an underground mine to begin your adventure, you're greeted by a series of randomly generated levels populated by all manner of traps, enemies, and treasure. Initially, Spelunky is indistinguishable from a typical 2D platformer. Whip snakes, leap ravines, rescue damsels, and exit through the door to the next stage. Accidentally trigger that arrow trap or get overwhelmed by the slow-moving bats, however, and you find that punishment is severe. When you die, you restart from the beginning of the game. The cash you earned? The items you collected? All gone.
Progress comes not from tangible rewards but rather from the knowledge you gain. The first time you encounter an arrow trap, you fall blissfully past it, only to find a feathered shaft lodged in your abdomen. The next time, you aren't quite so ignorant. Drop a rock or dead caveman in front to trigger the barrage, and then walk peacefully past it once its ammunition is spent. You learn that spiders often hide in pots, that blue snakes can spit venom an impressive distance, and that you should never take the fluttering of bats lightly. With dangers all around, you keep your head on a swivel, aware of the spiders overhead, the caveman down below, and a wild-eyed mammoth just offscreen.
Knowledge isn't the only tool to help you survive. Items empower your explorer, giving you a larger margin of error to hide any mistakes you might make. Gold and gems litter the playing area, and with a little cunning, you can amass a sizable fortune. Take your wallet to a shopkeeper (located randomly in a stage, or sometimes not at all), and select what would help you most in your quest. Spectacles offer the passive ability to see previously hidden treasure, whereas a shotgun needs to be actively held but offers a surefire method to dispose of foes. Most items imbue you with their powers as long as you hold on to them, which aids immeasurably in your quest to survive.
All of this seems tightly structured, but Spelunky gives you plenty of flexibility to venture forth as you see fit. Arrive at the shopkeeper without a nickel to your name, and you could walk away empty-handed, like a model citizen would. Or you could rob the entrepreneur. Be careful, because he's as quick with a shotgun as he is to anger, but best him in a killing match, and you reap massive benefits. Or maybe the path to the door is populated by too many baddies to make it worth your while. Bomb the ground to forge your own way through the level; just make sure you don't wind up in an even worse position. Spelunky encompasses the trial-and-error aspects that can often hinder lesser games. But you�re not forced to experiment; instead, the desire to test the waters comes naturally, so you never feel as if you're backed into a corner.
No matter which path you take, the most troubling obstacles you have to overcome are your own tendencies. A tribal assassin may be standing at the far end of the screen, readying his boomerang for anyone who has the gall to cross him. Getting into a safe position requires time and effort, but the exit is so close. Why not take a risk? So you ignore the caution that took you so far, cast away your patience, and sprint pell-mell toward freedom. Wham! A boomerang slams into your head, and you curse yourself for being impatient. Another time, you safely reach the door only to see mountains of treasure a little to your right. You could move safely onward, but a little bit of gold never hurt anyone. So you walk past the door, climb the nearby rock face, and get an arrow in your gut for your effort. Hubris struck you down, and you realize greed can spell your demise rather quickly.
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