The Blogtastic Blogfest That Is Getmeoutofthis.net!

Recently, in searching for a podcast-friendly game (because I so often need those) I’ve been playing Spelunky. I had installed it a long time ago, played like three lives, said “that’s cool” and then put it down. Then I was cleaning up my desktop, and wanted to move the folder I had it installed in to my games folder. “Hmm, but then I’d forget about it” I thought. So I got it set up as a shortcut in Steam. An hour or so later, I was looking for something to do while listening to a podcast, and saw the link, and then there I was, playing Spelunky.

I mean, I’m still a lightweight. I’ve only played maybe 150 lives at this point. But still, I’ve gotten my first shortcut built, and I’ve made it to the ice levels multiple times. (Well, using said shortcut, not from the beginning.) So that’s something! I’m not completely useless!

The real breakthrough was plugging in my SFIV Fightpad. Intense 2D gaming like this was the whole reason that I bought the fightpad in the first place, and it does not disappoint, now that I’ve put it to its first real test. It feels kind of odd in my grip, or at least it did at first. It has a weird shape that I’m not used to. But the D-pad is completely top notch. A good gamepad really, really makes Spelunky a whole lot more playable, and if you want a 2D gamepad and can still find a Fightpad, it comes highly recommended.

Brickroad, in his wonderful LP of the game, mentioned that “life isn’t that important, because most of the deaths are instant.” Maybe once you get the hang of the game, that’s true, but I’ve died so many times from life, it isn’t even funny. I take plenty of damage from enemies because I suck, and I normally end up dying from falling, and then an enemy taking off my last heart while I’m dazed. I die instantly so much rarer than damage from enemies… and it’s not just because I don’t have a good weapon. I have been successful stealing from shopkeepers many times, and I still die, even with a shotgun and jetpack, even. Just lots of stupid mistakes! But then again, that’s what a roguelike game is all about. YASDs.

Still, man, I’d easily pay money for Spelunky. It is a good, good game. I know the internet already knows this, but I’m just making it official. For the record.