The Cave

The Cave is an adventure game with heavy hits of irreverent comedy, designed to be played multiple times. With an eerie atmosphere and a sentient, talking cave, The Cave invites players to weave their way through comedic stories as they uncover the secrets buried below. Playing from a sidescrolling perspective, players must navigate three characters through a shifting cave, solving puzzles and overcoming obstacles as they go. Similar in style to early adventure games like Maniac Mansion, in order to get the full gameplay experience, you'll have to play through the game several times with a variety of characters. Luckily, the stylish presentation, smart puzzles, and memorable characters make The Cave a game that's easy to keep playing over and over.

Main Game Features

• Fusion of sidescrolling puzzles and classic adventure games
• 7 unique characters to control
• Supports local co-op for three players

Story

The Cave tells a mysterious story of seven characters, traveling across space and time, to meet at the mouth of a huge, sentient cave. The characters follow archetypes like the Scientist, the Knight, the Hillbilly, etc, and each has their own story to uncover.

With your choice of three characters, you'll go spelunking deep into the tunnels below, where an assortment of mysteries await. Along the way, your journey is narrated by the cave itself, offering humorous commentary and occasional tips. The story you uncover is almost entirely dependent on the characters you choose, as each trip through the cave allows you to experience their independent stories. With seven different tales to see and the overall mystery of the cave to discover, this game offers a quirky narrative with lots of intrigue.

Gameplay

In terms of controls, The Cave plays like many other sidescrolling games, with the ability to jump, pick up items, and swim. However, puzzles are the main focus of the game, with characters finding various items to fix hazards, trade with NPCs, and more. There are seven main characters that you must choose from, each with a corresponding section of the cave to explore. Once you start the game, you'll progress through each character's chapter, utilizing all three characters together to solve puzzles. Puzzles are often themed around the characters and their backstories, offering a great variety of level designs.

For example, the Knight's story requires you to save an endangered maiden, slay a dragon, and recover a legendary sword. You do this by exploring a castle-like segment of the cave, adorned with fantasy decorations and medieval-themed puzzles. Conversely, the Scientist's story takes you deep into a technologically advanced lab, where you'll solve various door puzzles and complete experiments. One of the best characters is the Hillbilly, with a memorable story that takes place in a nostalgic rural carnival. Since you can only experience three character stories in one go, you'll have to play the game at least three times to see every level.

Conclusion

Although some of the puzzles can be frustrating and repeated stories can feel repetitive, The Cave has a stunning amount of personality. The game is incredibly funny, packed with snarky humor and memorable characters. If you're a fan of old school adventure games like King's Quest or Leisure Suit Larry, you'll love the offbeat humor and overall gameplay progression.

Pros

• Each playthrough feels unique
• Characters are fun and memorable
• Smart and challenging puzzles

Cons

• Clunky movement
• Some areas can grow tedious
• Lack of combat