Like many on Giant Bomb, I recently caught the Spelunky bug thanks to Patrick’s travails in Spelunkin’ with Scoops.It was a week ago tomorrow that I downloaded the game from PSN and started my own cave-diving expeditions on the PS3.There was triumph.There was cursing.And now, I think I’m just about done.

It’s not that I don’t think Spelunky is a good game; on the contrary, it’s a fantastic concept and design.The art style and music are full of personality and helps it stand out in a sea of pixel-art indie platformers with chiptune music.I also appreciate the clever touches, like the randomized nature of the prologue text that appears as the game starts up and the intrepid Spelunker enters the cave.And as someone that’s enjoys a good Roguelike, or Roguelike-like (but despises Like Likes), I really appreciate its qualities.

It’s also, in a strange way, helped me cope a bit.A week ago, I learned that a coworker of mine passed away.I worked with him at times, being in the same department, and we’re all going to miss him a lot.And I guess part of the reason I started playing Spelunky was to fill my time with something else I could really focus on.It helps that a good portion of Giant Bomb has been focused on it as well.So even though no one else on my meager PSN friends list has been doing the daily challenges, there’s still a sense of community there.

But it’s time I hang up my fedora and whip and move on.I’m far from mastering the game (I’ve made it to the ice caverns once and usually can’t get more than halfway through the jungle), and there’s a lot left that I could discover.Yet it’s hard to continue to find that drive when a good run is done in by insurmountable obstacles laid by the random seed.I understand that’s sort of the nature of a Roguelike, but unlike a proper Roguelike, which at least presents the player with the consistent ability to grow strongerwith experience points and leveling, Spelunky puts the player’s ability to grow in power entirely at the whims of the randomizer.I’ve had runs where I’ve been swimming in bombs and damsels without effort, feeling really good about myself, and I’ve had runs where I’ve stocked tens of thousands of dollars and have been unable to spend it because an enemy managed to send a shopkeeper into a berserker fury.My ability to progress is only partially based on practice and skill and largely based on whether or not the game has deemed fit to give me a good shot of even making it to 1-4.It’s just not a challenge that I feel willing to endure at this point.

So I’m not going to ever face Olmec, much less challenge Hell.I don’t really feel the inclination to do so.I feel that I’ve just had my fill of Spelunky.I have other games, new and old, that I’d just rather put more time and effort into.Maybe it’s just been the mourning mindset I’ve been in as of late has faded, or maybe I’ve just gotten tired of getting knocked into spikes by cobra venom, but the itch to Spelunk just isn’t there anymore.It’s been fun, duders, but while I’m bowing out, may you succeed in carrying that eggplant all the way.