A reimagining of a classic adventure game from the early days of video game creation steps back onto the scene at the hands of a career veteran in video game development.Colossal Cave Adventureswas originally a text-based RPG where players would explore a written-out adventure through a dark and mysterious cave. Players would receive information and prompts on the screen and type their replies through available responses. The game was well-received during its time and garnered favorable reviews. Game developers Roberta Williams and her husband, Ken, have taken it upon themselves to breathe life back into the title and bring it forward in time with modern technology. The Williams have been a part of the gaming industry for decades and have a history longer than each console generation. Together, the two founded Sierra On-line, famous for its line of computer gamessuch asKing’s Quest,Leisure Suit Larry, andFrogger. Sierra On-Line is a pivotal company responsible for some of the most respected titles in video games throughout history.
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The newColossal Caveintroduces the text-based tale to the twentieth century and brings it to modern-day devices with fresh 3D graphics, an open-world environment, and challenging puzzles. Players take on the task of exploring a secret cave and taking on the traps and ambushes awaiting them in order to figure out the mystery awaiting within for fame and fortune. Throughout playthroughs, players will have their hands full navigating the maze-like catacombs of the cave by fending off enemies and being sure to keep their footing in mind, as danger could be around any corner. Newcomers to the game will find some difficulties as the game does not make prevalent information directly available and prefers players to learn as they play. Here aresome tips to help progress throughColossal Cave.
5Inspect Everything
Players will be placed into first-person view from the start of the game and must use their visual senses to navigate more than just down dark tunnels. Players will have a reticle on screen that appears when an interactable object or clue is in range.
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Players will then have the option to interact or inspect these objects to trigger special effects that will more than likely trigger a puzzle or unlock further progression. It’s essential to leave no stone unturned, as there could be value in leaving a pebble on the ground or picking it up.
4Items Are Key To Progression
There are dozens of items scattered aroundColossal Cavethat players must discover to bypass roadblocks or unlock secrets that can aid them in navigating the cave. These items may be anything from a magic wand to an empty bottle andare key in the innovative mechanicsaround the game’s puzzles.
Unfortunately, the use of these items will almost never be obvious and will take some critical thinking to use effectively. Still, once the first puzzle reveals itself, it will be made clear how intricate the game’s mechanics are and the level of challenge to expect moving forward.
3Magical Words Unlock Fast Travel
The world that has been developed byRoberta and Ken Williamsstands true to many open-world games in terms of its size; the cave players will have to make it through is a massive sandbox that will take more than just one playthrough to trek through easier.
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Thankfully, to make traversing the dangerous stone halls, there is a fast travel system in place, but it takes a keen eye to locate the locations where this is possible. Players will notice that scattered around the cave are carved “XYZZY” runes; finding these runes will allow players to move between a number of points they have discovered and reach locations previously passed earlier in the game.
2Players Should Keep Inventory Management In Mind
Many times inColossal Cave, players will hold on to items they think are important; while hoarding special items can lead to positive outcomes, that theme is not major inColossal Cave.
There are numerous items players will discover, and out of all of them, only a few will be used more than once, so players should consider cleaning out their inventory at the beginning of each playthrough. In addition, some items prevent the solving of certain puzzles, which must be dropped to progress.
1Watch Out For Dwarves
Among the dangersand hazards thatColossal Cavehas to offer, one of the most terrorizing are dwarves. There is little combat in the game, but players will have to defend themselves from random encounters that involve dwarves showing up in a puff of smoke and attacking them with a dagger.
While these enemies are not difficult to combat in the early game, as they usually run off on their own, later on, when larger numbers of these dwarves begin to appear, they represent a critical threat that could cut a good playthrough short.
