There comes a time when I get in a game searching phase and look for interesting new games to play...especially indie freeware games. And for this last phase, I am glad to have found this incredible gem called Spelunky. Seriously. This game is AMAZING. I'm surprised it's not talked about all that much on gaming forums in general. Spelunky is a combination of games like La Mulana and Nethack. Basically it's a platformer with Roguelike elements. I'll be frank. I'm not a fan of Roguelikes. They just seem all too complex for my feeble mind. However, Spelunky, on the other hand, is just the right mix that gives you the excitement of Roguelikes without all the complex details. This game is brutal, but in a way that's clear and easy to understand. Most things are avoidable, some things need skill, and everything needs experience. Sure, if you die, you go back to the beginning. But because every level is randomized, the experience is always different. There are shops, creepy altars, dangerous monsters, simple traps, damsels in distress and tricky platforming challenges. This game always keeps you on your toes and makes you think about the risk and rewards of every situation. Highly addictive and replayable...and FREE. It even works well with a gamepad. Plus the art and the music is sublime. I cannot recommend this game enough. Definitely one of the most interesting indie titles I've ever seen.
 
 http://www.spelunkyworld.com/

There comes a time when I get in a game searching phase and look for interesting new games to play...especially indie freeware games. And for this last phase, I am glad to have found this incredible gem called Spelunky. Seriously. This game is AMAZING. I'm surprised it's not talked about all that much on gaming forums in general. Spelunky is a combination of games like La Mulana and Nethack. Basically it's a platformer with Roguelike elements. I'll be frank. I'm not a fan of Roguelikes. They just seem all too complex for my feeble mind. However, Spelunky, on the other hand, is just the right mix that gives you the excitement of Roguelikes without all the complex details. This game is brutal, but in a way that's clear and easy to understand. Most things are avoidable, some things need skill, and everything needs experience. Sure, if you die, you go back to the beginning. But because every level is randomized, the experience is always different. There are shops, creepy altars, dangerous monsters, simple traps, damsels in distress and tricky platforming challenges. This game always keeps you on your toes and makes you think about the risk and rewards of every situation. Highly addictive and replayable...and FREE. It even works well with a gamepad. Plus the art and the music is sublime. I cannot recommend this game enough. Definitely one of the most interesting indie titles I've ever seen.
 
 http://www.spelunkyworld.com/

Agreed. Spelunky is a blast to play. The way the world responds to your actions is surprisingly polished. And if you ever just want to screw around, you can kill a shopkeeper and steal his shotgun.

Great game indeed. I love all the little ways you can get around traps. It's one of those games where no two times playing are a like, and not just because the dungeons are random.