Colossal Cave – Videogame Review

🐾 Review: Colossal Cave Video

Played on: [Steam/PC] · Release: [2023] · Designer/Studio: [Cygnus] · Time: [⏱ 60m] · Players: [1] · Store Link : Colossal Cave

TL;DR: A nostalgic spelunk through gaming history — this modern remake digs up the bones of the original Colossal Cave Adventure and gives them a fresh, if slightly creaky, new coat of fur.

Would I play this instead of tidying the kitchen? [Maybe].

What is it?

Colossal Cave (2023) is a 3D reimagining of the classic 1970s text adventure Colossal Cave Adventure, widely regarded as one of the first-ever computer games. It brings the same underground world of treasures, puzzles, and lurking dangers into a fully explorable 3D space, aiming to preserve the spirit of the original while making it accessible to modern players.

How it Plays

Instead of typing commands, you now roam the cave in first-person, sniffing out secrets, solving logic puzzles, and hoarding shiny treasures to boost your score. It stays true to the structure and progression of the original adventure, meaning it feels more like a museum piece lovingly restored than a fully modernized game. The pacing is slow and methodical, but fans of the original will wag their tails at seeing familiar locations come to life. What makes it stand out is its commitment to history — it’s a playable time capsule, inviting a new generation to fetch a piece of gaming’s earliest roots.

Metric	Rating	Notes (Video)
Tail-Wag Fun 🐾	🐾🐾☆☆☆	Interesting re-imagining of a game from 1976, for good and bad.
Fetch-Depth 🎾	🐾🐾☆☆☆	Text based adventure game, with 3d first person engine.
Belly-Rub Accessibility ❤️	🐾🐾🐾☆☆	Excellent map, hint and game mode system , makes it easy for newcomers to experience this game.
Drool-Worthy Presentation 💧	🐾🐾🐾☆☆	Acceptible graphics, especially when comparing with the 1976 original 😀
Zoomies & Flow 💨	🐾🐾🐾☆☆	Difficult exploration, many loops and confusing layout, can be frustrating.
Treat Value 🍪	🐾🐾☆☆☆	Fascinating game, made with a lot of love, and a heap of nostalgia. Worth a try.

Good Doggo (Pros)

• Faithful recreation of the original Colossal Cave Adventure experience.
• Charming, whimsical tone captures the spirit of classic text adventures.
• Great way to experience a foundational piece of gaming history.

Ruff Spots (Cons)

• Slow, old-fashioned pacing.
• Visuals and mechanics feel dated compared to modern adventure games.
• Can be obtuse, often expects players to think like it’s still 1976..

Verdict

A lovingly dug-up relic, a bit creaky in the joints, but still a paw-some way to explore where adventure gaming first set out on its quest. Definitely one for those interested in the history of the genre, with a more modern twist. You can play the original text based version here.. linky!

Recommendation Tier : 🐾🐾🐾 – Solid Sit

Legend: 0 🐾 Ruff · 1–2 🐾 Patchy · 3 🐾 Solid Sit · 4 🐾 Good Doggo · 5 🐾 Chef’s Kiss