Colossal Cave

A 3D adaptation of one of the most influential text-based adventure games of all time, Colossal Cave offers players a chance to relive one of the most unique gameplay experiences as they've never seen before. From the mind of legendary designer Roberta Williams, this is a title that video game lovers just can't miss.

Even if you've never played a point-and-click adventure game before, the presentation of Colossal Cave alone should be enough to pull in new players that might be interested in the zany adventure the game promises. As a relic of a bygone era of game design, this title serves as a time capsule of what gaming was like in the early days.

Massive Adventure

This reimagining follows the same rules as the text-based original; that means that the unexpected is the only thing you can expect to happen at every step of your journey. As one of the earliest predecessors of the procedural adventure genre, you can expect Colossal Cave to draw you in with its fascinating plot and complex characters.

The game takes place in a cave system with some fantasy elements here and there, although the dangers can come both from natural and fantastical challenges. From goblins and giants to simple landslides, players will have to keep an eye open to avoid the dangers of this cave and expect lots of trial and error if they wish to see everything the game has to offer.

Points and Ranks

One of the novelties that came with the original Colossal Cave Adventure game back in 1976 is that the game used a points system to rank the players' abilities. Finding treasures and surviving enemy encounters would award players points, which would then be counted to award them a rank.

Unlike some other more experimental adventure games, like Road 96, Colossal Cave reuses this points system to assess the players' performance. Although some players might find this bothersome for a game that's mostly focused on taking in the sights and finding treasures, the system works as an incentive to relive everything the game has to offer.

A Brand New Look 

The original title on which Colossal Cave is based was a text adventure. As you might have guessed, the lack of visuals meant that this reinterpretation would be the first time that the scenarios described in the original game would be given a proper 3D treatment, and this game doesn't disappoint there.

While the visuals lack some of the oomph that we've come to expect from modern titles, the art style fits the retro feel of the game to a T. For players who may have grown up playing the original text-based adventure – and even for newcomers expecting a solid 3D point-and-click game – Colossal Cave is one of the finest titles you can find in the genre.

Pros

• Brilliant art style
• Impressive narrative and storytelling
• Lots of scenarios to explore

Cons

• Some of the character visuals look a bit unpolished