Spelunky 2

 PC
User Score
6.8

Mixed or average reviews- based on 162 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 94 out of 162
  2. Mixed: 28 out of 162
  3. Negative: 40 out of 162

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  1. Burrrbagel
    Jun 19, 2023
    10
    Lise is attractive. Don’t deny it. This robot girl waifu was made to explore and this can be put to good use. She is the best character as she makes noise when doing certain action which helps the player understand what is going on. She is also canonically the smartest and best explorer as whenever she dies she comes back smarter and more intelligent. This is why she is the best character
  2. Arey100
    May 20, 2023
    9
    Spelunky 2 is SUPER brutal when it comes to it's difficulty. So whenever you're feeling a bit too happy, consider booting this one up. It's also just a fun game overall.
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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.
  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. 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.
  9. 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
  10. 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
  11. 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
  12. 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.
  13. 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
  14. 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
  15. 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
  16. 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
  17. 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
  18. 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
  19. 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
  20. 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
  21. 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?
  22. 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
  23. Amase2001
    Dec 29, 2020
    10
    Wery hard game, cool! I like play spelunky with dualshok 4 on D-pad. Hello from Donbas)))
  24. 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
  25. Trix122
    Dec 18, 2020
    5
    No analog movement on stick on a 2020 game? Even crash bandicoot on ps1 had it.
  26. Julian0505
    Dec 16, 2020
    10
    Beautiful in its simplicity, remarkable in its replayability. Highly recommend.
  27. 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
  28. 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
  29. Ahmadhallak07
    Dec 15, 2020
    0
    How this this **** game take 91 and cyberpunk 2077 89 this game its **** bad
  30. 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.
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Awards & Rankings

5
#5 Best PC Game of 2020
62
#62 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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