Given the resources of Tim Schafer’s Double Fine studio, only the best could be anticipated when the universally regarded Ron Gilbert came to work on The Cave. The beginning of a new tale and a lovely adventure game packed with fantastic, logical puzzles. However, the game isn’t all that amazing.
The titular cave is a location where individuals go to find what they are looking for. It is, of course, something different in the case of the game’s protagonists – a peasant, a scientist, a treasure seeker, a time traveler, a knight, a monk, and the terrifying twins who constantly walk together. Love, fame, or simply adventure? Although the plot appears to be serious, Double Fine’s performances typically include the necessary gags and a wild sense of humor. The problem is that the comedy in The Cave isn’t too outrageous – it’s been plainly toned down. The ultimate product is unimpressive since it does not totally fulfill any aim, whether it is a deeper message or entertaining the player. The cave that can… speak is the main draw. He isn’t afraid to make snide remarks; he frequently laughs and attempts to salvage the performance. However, we’ve already heard the finest lines in the trailers.
Because we can only take three characters deep into the cave at a time, we won’t be able to see everything The Cave has to offer all at once. In addition to the “mandatory” segments, each hero visits boards that are exclusively accessible to him. On the one hand, it’s great that the production pushes us to come back and see something fresh, yet the situation isn’t as pleasant as it appears. To see everything, you must play the title three times because we only chose three out of seven daredevils. As a result, we must repeat several passages several times. Surprisingly, The Cave is a two-dimensional platformer with puzzles thrown in, albeit there isn’t much leaping to test your finger dexterity. Most of the time, all you have to do is think. The object of the game is to use the correct item at the correct location. The boards include varied metals, batteries, boxes, tape recorders, and other cave-related items. We may also move between current characters, each of whom has a unique talent. The knight can be invincible, and the peasant can swim deeper than Big Daddy. The puzzles don’t take four nights to solve, but they don’t insult the player’s intelligence either – the difficulty level is properly matched. The riddles are carefully, rationally, and thoughtfully devised. As an example, consider the island where the survivor has been living for years. Poor fortune! Not only is the island in our way, but we’re also aboard a boat with only three seats available. How will the boat be transported to the opposite side? How do you get rid of a rogue stowaway? The king’s lie is still remembered: how can the hero take the fabled sword Excalibur from the rock if he lacks strength?
The design of chores and puzzles sometimes necessitates walking to the opposite end of the board to retrieve a screw or other foolishness and then rushing back. The small man moving slowly on the screen tests our patience. Worse, this scenario repeats itself throughout the whole game. The Cave includes a co-op mode. The second and third person can not only offer a solution, but also take the pad and guide another character at any time. This option, however, is not yet completely established. There is no way to play online, and playing with three other individuals is inconvenient. The camera only follows one character at a time, and once they’re off-screen, they just stay there and you can’t see what they’re up to. Furthermore, at some levels, the number of active participants is restricted to one.
Cheating serves no use. The Cave isn’t like Monkey Island, maybe it wasn’t meant to be, but Ron Gilbert’s name seemed to imply a fascinating endeavor. The expensive cost is another impediment. With such a brief journey, lasting just two or three hours, the launch price of PLN 55 appears to be a cruel joke rather than an amount worth paying for this game.