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[Bullet Club]

Spelunky 2 is now expected to launch this year

We had expected Spelunky 2 to arrive in 2019 but, y’know, it didn’t. Now creator Derek Yu has given a small update on progress, saying the plan is to launch it in 2020. Spelunky being one of the best PC games of all time, yeah, I’ll happily wait for it for roguelikelike platformer’s sequel to be properly finished. After Spelunky 2 is out, Yu says, UFO 50 will follow. That’s the compilation of retro-styled games ‘made by’ a fictional 80s company, which are really being made by a handful of different indie devs.

Yu showed off some of his art on Twitter last night (joining the #artvsartist tag, where artists show themselves and their work) and took the opportunity to give a progress report too.

“[Eirik Suhrke] and I are on both projects and at some point we knew we’d have to focus on one to finish it off before going back to the other,” Yu said. “Well, that time has come and we’re going all in on Spelunky 2 to release it this year! We’ll holler when we know exactly when.”

Here’s a trailer from 2018 showing off some of the sequel’s newness, including physics-y water and lava, some cute critters to ride, online multiplayer, and oh my that gun just cloned a cat.




As for UFO 50, Yu notes that it “is still very active!” He said that Jon Perry, Paul Hubans, and Tyriq Plummer “are working on it full time”, and pointed out that Plummer streams himself working on Tuesdays. “We’ll try to get a date this year, but the plan is to release post-Spelunky,” Yu said.

UFO 50 will have games directed by all them and, last we heard, Downwell creator Ojiro Fumoto is involved too. Presented as the work of an obscure but visionary fictional company, they’ll trip across all sorts of genres with the goal to “combine a familiar 8-bit aesthetic with new ideas and modern game design sensibilities.” Here’s a peek from back in 2017:




Source: RPS

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

Glorious news.

UFO 50 sounds interesting but I don't want the company to stretch itself too thin. Focus on one game at a time!

Everyone in my household except for the 7mo old plays Spelunky. Legendary game. The speedrunning and special-ending community have really taken to this game. A buddy clued me in to some of the craziest available challenges, like an Eggplant run.

 

[Optimistic Gamer]

So... we're gonna have that twitter situation again, aren't we?

Also, release date. Soooo hyped.



PC will be a bit later, but from the sounds of it not too much.

 

[jaysius]

Wow... all that time for this? It really doesn't sound like they've added much of anything add to that, some of the levels even look the same. If this trailer was supposed to get people excited for the sequel, it really didn't work for me.

 

[bender]

Spelunky is one of the best games ever made. I can't wait for the sequel.

 

[Manus]

Love the first one. Still rock the OST to it occasionally. Cannot wait for this.

 

[ClanOfNone]

I still do Spelunky daily runs four or five days a week. Next month? Hell fuckin yeah.

 

[Isa]

Love the first one. Still rock the OST to it occasionally. Cannot wait for this.

Thank you! I was talking about it a few years back with a coworker and I mentioned that the soundtrack is quite good with some songs that I just gotta crank up and he looked at me like I farted. One of my favorite things too is seeing people's reaction to when a character looks up. The huge head, shape and expression always gets a laugh from everyone I've seen play it.

 

[hariseldon]

I absolutely loved the original - it was a work of genius. Something about the art style for this and the movement is just not working for me, and the stuff he says in that Playstation tweet - I get the feeling he's focusing on things that don't do anything to help the core gameplay loop.

 

[Sorne]

I'm so pumped for this! The first game is still being played to this date. Really shows how good this game is!

 

[Bullet Club]

Spelunky returns in this greatly-expanded sequel to the original roguelike platformer! Meet the next generation of explorers as they find themselves on the Moon, searching for treasure and missing family. Spelunky 2 builds upon the unique, randomized challenges that made the original a classic, offering a huge adventure designed to satisfy players old and new. Explore the game alone, play locally with up to four players, or, for the first time, join up with friends online to unravel its mysteries together (or battle it out in competitive Arena modes).

A Bigger and More Dynamic World, with So Much to See and Do
Spelunky 2's world is even denser than the one in the original game, offering many more areas, characters, traps, and items, as well as new ways to interact with them (and for them to interact with each other). The world has expanded in other ways, too, with branching paths and multi-layered levels adding a third dimension to the classic 2d platforming. Animals can also be tamed and ridden. And dynamic liquid physics create new challenges and make the world feel extra reactive and alive.

Build a Community, Make Friends
Back in Base Camp, characters you unlock will mill about and relax between runs, offering encouragement and advice. As you explore, your camp will expand and develop into a thriving little community to welcome you whenever you need a break from exploring. While there, you can also access shortcuts and practice your moves in safety.

The Game is Yours to Explore
Spelunky 2 is not just about "getting good and beating the game" - more than that, it's an endlessly replayable playground to experiment in and find your own way, creating stories against the backdrop of an expansive, deeply-interactive world filled with secrets. The more you play, the more the game becomes yours!

Key Features, Summarized:

• A Bigger World with all new areas, monsters, traps, and items!
• An Extra Dimension is added by allowing players to access a second layer behind the normal playfield. The second layer might contain treasure rooms, hidden passages, and other special places.
• Multiple Routes Through the Game will add variety and give players more ways to personalize a run.
• Find and Ride Mounts (like turkeys!) that have special abilities. Enemies may ride mounts, as well!
• New NPCs that you can help, hurt, or ignore… to make each run feel even more like a unique story.
• Variations and Changes to Classic Spelunky Concepts like shops and ghosts that will make veteran players rethink their strategies.
• Improved Liquid Physics allow water and lava to move and pour realistically, which drastically affects the playfield (and looks cool)
• Deadly Poison and Curses can be inflicted on players and enemies alike.
• Build a Permanent Home at Base Camp as you do runs and explore the caves.
• Improved Lighting and Special Effects are paired with richer visual and audio design.
• Deeper Mysteries that may require a community effort to unravel.
• Possibly More Eggplants

 

[ClanOfNone]

SOON

 

[Birgitte2004-2]

Why oh why the two week delay? I want to buy it only on Steam but I also want to play it day 1.

Oh who am I kidding. Spelunky is possibly my #1 game all time, I'll just end up buying it twice.

 

[Kev Kev]

i got to try spelunky again. it seemed like my kind of game but it didn't hook me. i think i would really like it if i gave it more time. maybe i'll just jump in on the sequel

 

[MiguelItUp]

So excited to get this on Steam! Can't wait!

 

[BlakeofT]

Curious how much it will cost. Hoping for $20 but I bet they could get away with $25 or $30.

 

[ClanOfNone]

I'd pay $60 if it's half as good as Spelunky.

 

[BlakeofT]

I'd pay $60 if it's half as good as Spelunky.

The IGN reviewer loved it.

Edit: read somewhere that it's $20.

Spelunky 2 Review - IGN

A masterpiece that stays true to the original while also holding surprises around every corner.

www.ign.com

 

[John Mullins]

"Essential" on EUROGAMER.

Out tommorow?

 

[BlakeofT]

"Essential" on EUROGAMER.

Out tommorow?

Comes out tomorrow on PS4. September 29 on Steam.

 

[nemiroff]

Always wanted to like Spelunky, but the three minute thing killed it for me. Wish the sequel had some additional modes for people who can't stomach timers.

 

[shoplifter]

Always wanted to like Spelunky, but the three minute thing killed it for me. Wish the sequel had some additional modes for people who can't stomach timers.

But you can abuse the ghost to pad your money intake

 

[ShadowNate]

Eurogamer has a positive review on the game too. They played a build for the PC.

Spelunky 2 review - the depths beckon

A friend of mine recently told me what it's like to fall off a skateboard in your forties. Listen: it's an event. You r…

www.eurogamer.net

 

[shoplifter]

Game's great, they really do turn a few things on their heads early on. I'd have paid $60 for it without complaint.

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

Does the shop only show up on the 3rd portion of each level? As in x-3? I'm collecting all this money but can never spend it.

 

[Batiman]

So pissed my PS4 broke down a month ago. This is my most anticipated game. Got a new hard drive coming in the mail today. Praying it fixes my issues. Dying to play this. I envy you guys.

 

[John Mullins]

Is this procedural?

 

[bender]

Is this procedural?

Yessir.

 

[ClanOfNone]

It's so fuckin good.

 

[bender]

It's so fuckin good.

I really hated the art style of the characters in the first game and now I think I hate the entire aesthetic of the sequel. It's kicking my ass right now which is a nice feeling and brings me back to the early days of the original. Everything does feel a bit off but I'm going attribute that to the learning curve.

 

[MiguelItUp]

Still so pissed I have to wait until the 29th, but whatever. I know it'll be worth the wait.

I COULD get it for my PS4, but I can't bring myself to doing that considering I own the first on Steam.

 

[bender]

My impressions are kind of middling so far. Spelunky is one of my favorite games of all time so my expectations were through the roof for the sequel. Visually it's a mess. It really has a cheap looking mobile game aesthetic like someone made a knock off of the original. Worse, I think the readability of the environments is worse because of it. I also think the procedural generation of the levels has changed for the worse. You seem to run into areas of the beginning caves that are inaccessible (save for well timed lit bomb throws which is a pretty advanced technique for new players) much more often than the original. Damsels and key objects also tend to be "buried" and often in suspended areas much more often. It also seems like the physics system has changed a bunch. Maybe the visual are throwing me off but it feels like the arc of thrown objects is off but it does seem like how objects bounce and the distance they travel once they do bounce is different. This might come down to me needing to unlearn the original.

+The Power Backpack is a neat addition
+Ghosts are much faster now and eventually split into smaller, faster(?) ghosts. It's going to make ghost mining much more challenging
+Better load times
=The new enemies introduced in the caves are mother fuckers. They have challenging patterns and take multiple hits if you don't have spike shoes.
=Kickback on the shotgun feels different too. It will knock you off of ladders if you fire while climbing.
=Taming/Riding Turkeys is weird. I'm not sure if the Zelda style Cucco quests are worth the rewards. Good fodder to please Kali.
-Weird changes to things like cobwebs. You have to move left and right to break them and can no longer jump up and down to do so.
-The difficulty ramp feels off. If you thought the original was difficult, this one is probably going to punch you in the face.
-Music is pretty lackluster

 

[John Mullins]

Why am I completing the same level over and over? (1-1)

 

[Takeru]

I don't like the aesthetics of this second game too much but the gameplay is still very fun.

 

[jaysius]

My impressions are kind of middling so far. Spelunky is one of my favorite games of all time so my expectations were through the roof for the sequel. Visually it's a mess. It really has a cheap looking mobile game aesthetic like someone made a knock off of the original. Worse, I think the readability of the environments is worse because of it. I also think the procedural generation of the levels has changed for the worse. You seem to run into areas of the beginning caves that are inaccessible (save for well timed lit bomb throws which is a pretty advanced technique for new players) much more often than the original. Damsels and key objects also tend to be "buried" and often in suspended areas much more often. It also seems like the physics system has changed a bunch. Maybe the visual are throwing me off but it feels like the arc of thrown objects is off but it does seem like how objects bounce and the distance they travel once they do bounce is different. This might come down to me needing to unlearn the original.

+The Power Backpack is a neat addition
+Ghosts are much faster now and eventually split into smaller, faster(?) ghosts. It's going to make ghost mining much more challenging
+Better load times
=The new enemies introduced in the caves are mother fuckers. They have challenging patterns and take multiple hits if you don't have spike shoes.
=Kickback on the shotgun feels different too. It will knock you off of ladders if you fire while climbing.
=Taming/Riding Turkeys is weird. I'm not sure if the Zelda style Cucco quests are worth the rewards.
-Weird changes to things like cobwebs. You have to move left and right to break them and can no longer jump to do so.
-The difficulty ramp feels off. If you thought the original was difficult, this one is probably going to punch you in the face.
-Music is pretty lackluster

The Ice Caves were really my wall in Spelunky 1, I really hate them, they threw everything you knew about the game out the window with cheap bottomless pit deaths, are there levels that shitty in Spelunky 2?

I'm also let down by how little this game improved over the last one, I've watched a few runs, they even kept the old "kill the shop keeper" meta in the game and "jetpack FTW" shit in there, they could have changed anything and everything.

To me this looks more like a mod with some tweaks.

 

[bender]

The Ice Caves were really my wall in Spelunky 1, I really hate them, they threw everything you knew about the game out the window with cheap bottomless pit deaths, are there levels that shitty in Spelunky 2?

I'm also let down by how little this game improved over the last one, I've watched a few runs, they even kept the old "kill the shop keeper" meta in the game and "jetpack FTW" shit in there, they could have changed anything and everything.

To me this looks more like a mod with some tweaks.

I've only managed the jungle/foundry(foundry) so far. It seems brutally hard right now. Almost like the design intention was to slap around players who poured hundreds of hours and the original. I'm not sure where that leaves new comers or people who couldn't handle the difficulty ramp of the original.

There are some neat tweaks. I tried to kill a shopkeeper last night and the whole room exploded. Either the shop was booby trapped or non-purchased/unclaimed bomb bags/boxes detonate when shot.

 

[jaysius]

I've only managed the jungle/foundry(foundry) so far. It seems brutally hard right now. Almost like the design intention was to slap around players who poured hundreds of hours and the original. I'm not sure where that leaves new comers or people who couldn't handle the difficulty ramp of the original.

There are some neat tweaks. I tried to kill a shopkeeper last night and the whole room exploded. Either the shop was booby trapped or non-purchased/unclaimed bomb bags/boxes detonate when shot.

I guess making it harder makes the streamers/tubers freak out more, I suppose they're the ones that really kept Spelunky alive for all these years.

I saw on the GB QL that someone pushed a jetpack into the shop keeper with a shield and it all blew up, so I guess all unbought goods explode.

 

[bender]

I guess making it harder makes the streamers/tubers freak out more, I suppose they're the ones that really kept Spelunky alive for all these years.

I saw on the GB QL that someone pushed a jetpack into the shop keeper with a shield and it all blew up, so I guess all unbought goods explode.

I've played Spelunky for years thanks to the Daily Challenge, granted of slowed down a bunch the past year or so. I went in to this blind because I love the original so much. That's a long winded way of saying I"m the target audience for this game. I hope it starts to click with me, but I'd be lying if I said my initial impressions aren't mostly negative. I hope the readability improves as I get used to the changes. The art style is atrocious though.

 

[FranXico]

Still so pissed I have to wait until the 29th, but whatever. I know it'll be worth the wait.

I COULD get it for my PS4, but I can't bring myself to doing that considering I own the first on Steam.

I double-dipped on the first one on GOG at one point.

 

[John Mullins]

Why am I completing the same level over and over? (1-1)

Stop mocking me

Is there an answer? Bored of that awful music replaying over and over already.... wish that was procedurally generated instead of the levels.

 

[Birgitte2004-2]

Like bender, I'm moderately disappointed so far. Something about the game just feels off. I'm sure it'll get better as I improve, but like 50% of my runs die almost immediately due to chain damage resulting in instant death, which was a rare thing in the first game. And many times it feels completely unavoidable. The fact that enemies off screen can set off arrow traps which proceed to miss the enemy and hit you is pretty infuriating, because it feels like there's nothing you can do about it but luck out.

And the multiplayer is godawful, although I haven't tried it after the patch.

 

[ClanOfNone]

If you thought the first game was tough, this one will crush your soul. I've made about 3 hours worth of runs and I still haven't passed the jungle/cano.
It's brutal, but I love it. It took me like a billion hours to do my first hell run in Spelunky, I'd be disappointed if I got there too quick in the sequel.