If players have ventured into the dangerous realms of Mossmouth’s Spelunky 2, then they know firsthand just how powerful a turkey can be. Released as part of the September gaming rush, this procedurally generated, strategically difficult, bird-mounting roguelike is nothing short of a masterpiece.
While this sequel is sure to take up some time (and hundreds of runs), some brave souls may have already blazed through and successfully found the heroine’s parents. So if players have already conquered the volcanoes of Spelunky 2, and are still hungry for some chaotic platforming action, the following 10 titles are more than able to help fill the void.
10 Super Meat Boy
Players may not be sure what to expect when they start a game about a piece of meat vying to save his love from an evil fetus. They’re probably not expecting incredibly intuitive platforming controls, and they’re definitely not expecting one of the most challenging adventures of this generation.
Much like Spelunky, Super Meat Boy is a game that is going to eat up a lot of time. This is because players will die quite often as they learn the rules, develop their skills, and improve in the face of unforgiving difficulty. But with gameplay so sadistically addicting, most players will enjoy the slog. Most.
9 Hyper Light Drifter
Heart Machine’s edgy, top-down old school action-fest is bursting with that classic retro feel, addicting blade-to-baddie combat, and Dark Souls–like inferred passive storytelling. This masterfully-designed, surprisingly emotional journey pits players against a diverse range of enemies, hidden passageways to be discovered, and an abstract story to be put together in the player’s head.
Combat requires an attentive eye to truly master, the story requires reflection to truly digest, and full completion requires an abnormal amount of attention be paid to seemingly innocuous walls. If strategic combat and a fun-to-look-at world are somethings players liked about Spelunky 2, then Hyper Light Drifter should definitely be on their to-play list. Plus, there’s a laser sword (kind of). Who doesn’t love laser swords?
8 Salt And Sanctuary
Ska Studios’ dark and moody 2016 title Salt and Sanctuary may be a side-scroller, but it actually shares quite a lot of similarities with the Dark Souls series. This is largely due to the grim atmosphere and dreary settings of the game world, but also in part because of a ratcheted up difficulty.
There are many different paths players can take through the game world, tons of weapons and items to be found and put to use, and necessary strategies to be learned. It’s challenging, engaging, and while there aren’t any turkeys, it’s a great next step after defeating Spelunky 2.
7 20XX
The easiest way to describe Battery Staple’s 2014 title is simple: A procedurally generated roguelike that is designed to feel like a perma-death version of Mega Man X. Sure, that may be kind of a mouthful, but it’s also a recipe for a truly awesome (albeit frustrating) experience.
While most Mega Man games have players contemplating the best boss order, 20XX has players contemplating the best order out of the limited and constant information available. Like Spelunky 2, if players die in 20XX, their choices are erased and the journey begins anew. It’s an incredibly fun clone with several imaginative twists, and it is a guaranteed time-eater.
6 Badass Hero
This game has a list of descriptors that have already become commonplace on this list: Roguelike, 2d action platformer/shooter, procedurally generated, fun, etc. While Awesome Games Studios obviously don’t have the most nuanced approach to naming, Badass Hero is a chaotically fun comic book action fest with finely-tuned gameplay.
The story isn’t all that groundbreaking: A badass hero must fight through his own comic book to become badass once more. But alas, the story isn’t what usually attracts players to this genre of game. What this title provides, however, is a raucously fun experience with oodles and oodles of action.
5 Bite The Bullet
Mega Cat’s run and gun-style brawler is a traditional 2d action game with a truly unprecedented twist: All enemies are edible. Upon eating fallen foes, players gain different abilities, items, mutations, and resources. It’s a truly bonkers premise, and it’s incredibly fun.
Players can pump up with protein, carbo-load to encase themselves in fatty armor, or even go vegetarian by using a shotgun that turns enemies into veggies. It’s a hilarious mechanic that also lets players build to their play-style, with surprising specificity and control. There’s no shortage of nuanced and personal game decisions for players to really sink their teeth into.
4 Hob: The Definitive Edition
Why play Hob? Well, it features an aching, quiet world full of forgotten puzzles that are far more challenging than most video-game fare (with a few exceptions). Plus, its hero has a mechanical appendage that rivals Sekiro’s in both handiness and aesthetics. But the real joy of Hob is the atmosphere, and the silent commentary hidden beneath the journey.
Panic Button, the developers who brought Skyrim and Wolfenstein 2 to the Nintendo Switch, has crafted an engaging adventure that doubles as a subtle commentary on climate change. It is a great example of a poetic tone being put to good use, and it is a great (and somber) way to come down from those Spelunky 2 induced frustration highs.
3 Sundered
Sundered is a brainy Metroidvania that perfectly communicates an otherworldly palette of emotion. The level designs are pure works of art, infuriating enemies adapt to the player’s combat style, and bosses are bursting with old-school, button-mashing difficulty. While players may be dazzled by the seemingly hand-drawn backgrounds, they are also going to be enraged by the unforgiving difficulty.
Giant hordes of enemies randomly pop out of nowhere with bloodlust in their eyes, pinpoint controls are necessary to have any shot of success, and players will boast about how many attempts it took them before completing the game. It’s challenging, rewarding, and an experience in which the sweet kiss of death will become a very familiar feeling.
2 Dead Cells
In Motion Twin’s Dead Cells, players assume the role of a headless hero that seems dead set on rampaging through an island prison fortress with nothing but their fists. It’s yet another entry on this list to feature the words procedurally generated, and it shares a trait with Spelunky most players are sure to love: Learning. Players are not going to progress on the merits of equipment or levels. Instead, the strategies they’ve learned are the real breadwinners here.
Much like Spelunky 2 (and most other roguelikes), playthroughs involve more than a few hours, item locations are never predictable, level designs continue to change after every failed attempt, and every situation has a secret to be learned. It is a maddening experience that is sure to instill both awe and raw fury, but if players are reading this list then that’s probably exactly what the doctor ordered.
1 Rogue Legacy 2
The sequel to the title that helped kickstart the roguelike genre (by literally giving it the name), Rogue Legacy 2 is a slightly improved take on the game that helped define the term procedurally generated.
There are now separate classes with unique abilities, attacks, and perks, and new items and areas to be discovered. Which are all great and fun. The rest, however, is pretty similar to the original. But hey, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. After all, look at how many other games this formula spawned.
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