How Long Does It Take To Beat Spelunky 2?

Spelunky 2, the long-awaited sequel to the influential indie gem by Derek Yu, released for PlayStation 4 on Sept. 15. The original game, which established the benchmark for many future roguelike titles, launched in 2008 for PC and was later remastered for consoles and handheld units. The follow-up, which Mossmouth, Yu's company, developed in tandem with BlitWorks, became one of the most anticipated releases of 2020. 

The critical reception for Spelunky 2 paints a promising picture of the second installment, indicating it's exactly what a sequel should be. In fact, Polygon subtitled its review with one word: "perfection." You'll have to play Spelunky 2 yourself to determine whether the critics are right or wrong. With that in mind, you might wonder how much time you'll need to invest in the sequel to form a proper impression. Just how many hours does it take to uncover what's hidden in Spelunky 2's depths?

As you may know, one of the toughest aspects of the first Spelunky centers on the fact that every time you run out of HP or fall victim to an instant death attack, you can't just start from where you left off. There are no save points. Instead, when you die, you return to the beginning of the level, or to the entrance of the cave. This mechanic made Spelunky very difficult to beat, and returns in Spelunky 2.

According to HowLongToBeat, you can finish Spelunky in just 18 hours, but if you're a completionist it might take you over 90 hours to finish everything. Others gauge their progress by deaths rather than hours, and their numbers run into the hundreds. Of course, this all depends on your playstyle.

As for Spelunky 2, the jury's still mostly out. However, one reviewer for Destructoid said he beat the game once within 30 hours and came close to that target several other times. Similarly, an IGN reviewer still felt like he had plenty left to explore after investing 40 hours into the game. Other reviews reference ambiguous time frames, indicating run times for Spelunky 2 will be as wildly varied as the original. 

Don't expect to spend under 20 hours in Spelunky 2. Plus, if you really want to get the most out of it, you'll want to slate in dozens more.