Hate dying? Be warned: you’ll do it a lot in this platformer — as in hundreds, if not thousands, of times. But once you make peace with this fact, you’ll discover that deaths here are transitory…even more than in other games. Dying is really just a means to learn about Spelunky’s environmental hazards, enemy attack patterns, and lethal traps.
In many ways, this trial-and-error formula’s as maddening as it sounds. Spelunky’s tough-love quirk tests your old-school precision, timing, and patience throughout its four multi-tiered “worlds” (plus four secret “stages”) as you head further and further down to reach the exit on each stage. In addition to your Indy Jones–style whip, you start off with a few bombs and rope with which to head-stomp, carve, and explode your way to whatever godforsaken, creature-riddled torture chamber awaits you next. You can also find and purchase a wide array of various equipment using collected treasure.
One aspect that’s not part of the throwback mechanics, though, is memorizing level layout. You see, each time you load up a new level or game, every map is randomly generated, meaning traps and monster variety will differ, items and shops are placed willy-nilly (if at all, in some cases), and exits shift positions. And did we mention that Spelunky has no checkpoints or hard saves? When you die, you’re kicked back to either the start of the world you’re on (if you meet the requirements for building a shortcut via a character named Tunnel Man) or the start of the very first world. But what might seem like a kick in the pants the first few (dozen) times it happens quickly turns into a challenge — and one that’s immensely gratifying as you begin to learn from every misstep or new enemy or trap.
The challenge also carries over to a set of local multiplayer options. A four-player deathmatch mode (peopled by friends or bots) is a fast-paced, kill-everything offering that’s quick, dirty, but ultimately more of a temporary diversion from the real meat of Spelunky — its adventure mode. Even there you’re able to drag three friends into the insanity, although you’re forced to remain in close proximity to the host: if you wander offscreen, your character disappears with only a location indicator to give an idea of where they are, leaving them vulnerable. It's a frustrating limitation that dampens the thrill of shared exploration.
As clever and well-implemented as Spelunky’s randomized-level feature is — making each playthrough unique — it can backfire, too. Managing your inventory of bombs and ropes can take you only so far if a level’s packed with unfairly stacked obstacles or a lopsided number of tough enemies; a seemingly perfect run-through of a few stages can be abruptly foiled by a random level with ridiculously insurmountable odds and nary a bomb shop or health-granting damsel to save in sight. In these moments, you’ll feel like it’s not skill that’s gotten you this far, but mostly pure, dumb luck — that perhaps you’re simply at the mercy of Spelunky’s cruel level-generation gods.
Yet, this randomness is ultimately the game’s greatest sleight of hand. You’ll spend hours ceaselessly falling into spike pits, getting stung by hornets, and being chased down by invincible ghosts (which appear if you take too long completing a level), but every time you die, you'll want to immediately hit the “A” button to try again, eager to do something different or save more bombs this time. And with all the deaths you’ll rack up by the time you manage to glimpse the final stages or a fraction of Spelunky’s many well-hidden secrets, that’s truly saying something. It’s madness worth embracing.
PUBLISHER: Mossmouth • DEVELOPER: Mossmouth • ESRB: Teen • MULTIPLAYER: 2–4 cooperative or competitive (local only) • ACHIEVEMENTS: Evenly doled out • COST: 1,200 Microsoft Points ($15) • RELEASE DATE: July 4, 2012
+ Incredibly accessible, responsive controls; appealing old-school aesthetic.
+ Good balance between impossible and challenging; constantly surprises with secrets.
– Deathmatch and co-op aren’t very fun; level randomization can feel unfair.
? Did anyone opt to save only pugs as their damsels?
NBA Kirkland
July 09, 2012 at 4:51pm
lol, I almost immediately switched to pugs because I felt bad about killing lady damsels (you know, accidentally whipping them into a pool of lava, stuff like that).
