So, so pretty…
Before the E3 show floor was starting to show off each developer's new wares, I'd heard about The Cave. And all I'd heard was praise, nothing negative at all. But nothing was actually said about the game itself, only that it was an amazing game to check out, even if I wasn't writing anything about it. Thankfully, the assignment was mine, and the game was only being shown behind closed doors.
I managed to get in with a handful of other writers, and we were allowed to bask in the glory that is The Cave: a throwback to the days of classic adventure titles from the mind of Ron Gilbert, the man behind such LucasArts legends as Maniac Mansion and the first two Monkey Island games. In that fashion, The Cave is a classic-style 2D adventure title with seven unique characters—only three able to go at a time—and with everyone having their own storyline. Each of the seven also has a unique set of skills for solving puzzles, so expect to see a significant number of challenges throughout the experience.
If the basics aren't enough to interest you, the world is. In addition to everything else, each character—a knight, a scientist, a hillbilly, a time-traveller, an adventurer, a monk, and a pair of creepy twins (all walk into a bar)—has their own section of the world tailored not just to their skill set, but their story as well. The attention of detail is uncannily beautiful and really pops when each space first comes up on the screen. Combining the visual of the environments, with the Cave being the narrator (and truly a character in and of itself), the package stands up beautifully.
With three characters needed to make it through the game, the local co-op (no online play) can be up to three players deep. With each person handling another section of a particularly complex puzzle, it can start the giggles and jokes between friends to keep the atmosphere both intriguing and light (the little bit we were shown in the meeting was quite funny, as expected). This isn't just one for the nostalgics in the gaming world. Anybody looking for a deep adventure should keep their eyes peeled for future news of The Cave.
Currently, we're expecting a release date to be some time in early 2013. I wish we could get more info right this minute, but we'll just have to wait and see how this will play out, as much as I want it now!
