This is a bit before my time ... however, it's worth playing at least once, just to see one of the first text adventure games ever created. In it (full name "Colossal Cave") you must type in commands to move through various locations and solve puzzles. (This is a 350 points version of the game. For lots more info on this game, plus dozens of other versions of the game for DOS and many other platforms, visit Baf's Interactive Fiction Guide: Adventure!)
One of two "paks" of games released by the famous Apogee Software VERY early in their company's storied history (the other pack being the Puzzle Fun-Pack), this collection contains 4 different games, of generally "okay" quality. Both packs were recently released by Apogee as freeware. The games contained in this collection are: Rogue Runner: Similar but mostly inferior to the Kroz series of maze games. Night Bomber: A Missile Command clone with ugly graphics ... didn't seem to work properly for me? Raiders of the Forbidden Mine: It looks a lot like Pharoah's Tomb but plays quite differently/strangely. The Thing: Blatant clone of "Hunt the Wumpus". How blatant? Well, theres a Wumpus in the game ...
Anyone who has played the Resident Evil or other modern "survival horror" games should really take a look at Alone in the Dark. It turns out, as many of you probably already know/remember, the basic mechanics used in Resident Evil were pioneered about ten years ago by Alone in the Dark. Its graphics, while hightech at the time of its release, look rather poor now, but remember, this was many years BEFORE 3D cards. Overall it's still a fun game to play, and the classic game that spawed the entire "survival horror" genre. (NOTES: This is the demo version of the full game! To start the game, run the file "tatou.com". Press 'S' during the game to turn on sound effects. See below to a link to some instructions on how to play the game.)
If you enjoy old-school ASCII games (that is, games that use default character-set "graphics") you'll probably find ANSiDude pretty cool. It's kind of like the classic Kroz series, except with more story elements and an inventory system. The graphics are decent (for a text mode game!). Overall the game is not extremely fun to play, but definitely worth a look for those interested in this type of game.
Adventure game fans may remember this classic graphic adventure game, created by Al Lowe (of "Leisure Suit Larry" fame) and loosely based on the Disney movie of the same name. The gameplay is simplified a bit from most other famous Sierra releases. The game is controlled not controlled by typing commands, everything is done through the function keys (F1,F2,etc). Press F1 during the game for a list of these keys (or check the walkthrough guide below). Overall a simplistic but fun adventure game.
An obvious takeoff of the classic Gauntlet games, The Black Orb is a little known game from 1989 with basic EGA graphics and gameplay that closely mirrors the game its trying to emulate. It does include decent Gauntlet-like gameplay and includes a level editor to make your own levels, although I wouldn't think many people would enjoy doing so for very long.
This is a very old "graphic" adventure game. It must've been very impressive when it came out, since many adventure games back then were still text based. Anyways, the game is rather average, but it does include action and adventure elements, although there is very little plot. (Note: You'll probably need MoSlo to make this game run at a normal speed.)
An innovative adventure game, Castle Master has the distinction of being the first (?) 3D adventure. Of course, back in 1990 3D graphics weren't quite as advanced as today, so this game uses the 'Freescape Engine' to generate simple polygons (similar to what would later be seen in more advanced form in games like Alone in the Dark) for graphics. Although the game is obviously not as deep as conventional adventure games, it does have a certain undeniable charm and was (and still is in some ways) quite innovative. Mare sure to read the included CASTLE.TXT file for instructions and keyboard commands.
Caves of Thor is an extremely interesting and oddly playable ASCII game released early in Apogee's existance, shortly after the Kroz series of games. Programmed by Todd Replogle (who later went on to be lead programmer on all of the Duke Nukem games), Caves was Apogee's first game release that was coded by an outside author. The game itself is an extremely simple action/adventure game that is still playable and fun. (NOTE! This game does NOT seem to like Windows, or modern computers. Probably using DOSBox or using an old computer to play this game will work best!)
Similar to the classic game Gauntlet (one of my favs) this game features large dungeons that are explored from an overhead perspective. You choose from three different characters, then explore the dungeons, killing monsters and collecting treasure. The graphics are fairly good, and the sound isn't too annoying, even though it's played through the PC speaker. The only real problem with the game is that when the view scrolls, it doesn't scroll far enough ahead, so it's sometimes hard to see where you're going.
Dark Woods 2 is an interesting hybrid strategy/puzzle/adventure game. The objectives for each level vary, but the game involves a series of single-screen challenges. The game is done using ASCII "graphics" and there are no sound effects, yet the gameplay is strangely inviting. You can also make/play your own game maps (see the included file "mapmaker.txt" for instructions how to make your own maps).
A point and click adventure game, in the style of early Sierra point and click adventures. I didn't find this one very enjoyable, however, dispite its nice graphics. Most of the game seems to take place in a forest maze, where you sometimes run into monsters, that are fought in uninteresting battle scenes. It has an unprofessional feel to it. However, some adventure fans may enjoy it.
Dungeons of Grimlor is a mild action/adventure hybrid game where the object is to "Find the Evil Dragon Grimlor
and retrieve the GEM of Souls!". This actually means fighting through many EGA dungeons and fighting some monsters. :) The game shows potential but in my testing the graphics were quite choppy and slow which made the game a bit tough to play. Still it seems like a reasonably large sized adventure game. (NOTE: The full version has been released as freeware; all three episodes are contained in one Windows-based installer. Both the original shareware DOS install and the recent Windows package are linked below.)
Dungeon Thief is essentially a simple ASCII-based maze game. Only a small portion of the maze is revealed at a time, and you must avoid the various baddies and find your way to the exit while collecting treasure. There isn't too much more to the game than that really, but it's a low-stress exercise to be sure. There's also a lot of text contained within the menu, including the designer's philosophy on game design and other mildly boring tidbits. (Run the game in color by typing "DTDEMO COLOR" at the command prompt.)
Ever wanted to play funky puzzle/adventure game with ASCII graphics where you must flee or otherwise use your wits and collected items to flee from trolls? Well, if so, this is the perfect game for you! While the controls and interface need some getting used to (read the included docs before playing) this game is fairly unique, includes both puzzle and adventure elements, and yeah I'm always a sucker for ASCII games. :) (The author notes if you run this from Windows to be sure to maximize the window.)
It sorta looks and plays like the original Zelda for the NES. I say sorta because it's very simplistic in nature, and probably won't hold your interest for very long ... however, the zipfile is so small (22k!), it's probably worth downloading anyways.
God of Thunder is an unusual adventure game that includes a lot of action elements as well. As the "God of Thunder", you must use your boomerang-like hammer to defeat enemies. (?!) It's a generally fun game to play, with slick video-game style graphics and sound effects, although it can get rather difficult at times. (Note: The full "registered" game has recently been released by Adept Software as freeware! Click below to download it.)
This game is odd. The premise is that you have a limited amount of time (30 minutes) to reach the control room of the nuclear reactor. The gameplay is strange. It involves avoiding multiple pits of water, and occationally robot guards. You can jump (only while running) and pick up items (once in awhile, out of grates on the ground). It's unique, that's for sure, but I can't say I found it very entertaining. (Be sure to check JOGGER.DOC for full instructions including what various keys do ... as well as more weirdness.)
These are fun! Done in the style of those classic Sierra adventures, these feature EGA graphics and annoying PC speaker effects (which, thankfully, can be easily turned off). They're all fun to play, though, especially if you enjoy graphic adventure games.
Humbug is one of the rare text adventure games you'll find on dosgames.com, and it's here because it is truly a classic of the text adventure genre. There are tons of locations to explore in this lengthy and well written adventure game.
Remember "Adventure" for the Atari2600? If so Indenture will seem very familiar! :) The author programmed this game from scratch in order to recreate the original as closely as possible, so don't look for any graphics/sound imporvements. However he did add some additional modes with new screens/items/etc to play with. (Note: Press F1 after starting the game and read the help text! Starting the game is not done in a usual way!)
This demo version of the interactive Indiana Jones adventure game gives you an idea what to expect in the full game (if you can find it, that is ...) Made by LucasArts, this game shares both the great LucasArts interface and great production values. The game involves Indy investigating the lost "City of Atlantis" (duh). Overall this demo looks and sounds quite impressive, and the well thought out interface makes it easy to get into. (I am not sure how long this demo is because I didn't complete it, so don't be too surprised/disappointed when it ends!)
According to the game, it is "a game to A-MAZE, astound and drive you completely insane". Um, right. Insanity is an ASCII-based (ie text-mode) maze game, where you must find your way through the maze while collecting items, avoiding enemies, picking up clues, and doing lots of other stuff. Its a weird little game but if you're into old DOS games this is a unique and interesting one to play. (Note that it will definitely need to be slowed down so use DOSBox or MoSlo available on the Essential Utilities page.)
A first person detective adventure (that was apparently released by its developer Trecision for free) this game takes place in a chalet after a murder has occurred, and it's your job to solve it. The game takes place from a 1st-person perspective and features decent EGA graphics. The mouse-based control scheme is a bit cumbersome, and the translation from the game's original Italian language is sometimes also a bit clumsy (see the screenshot above) but overall the game seems pretty well made and will provide a suitable challenge adventure buffs.
Ahh, memories! Even before the days of ZZT, I remember playing this ASCII gem. (The full name is "Kingdom of Kroz II". There were many different versions made, this is the only free one.) It's a decent adventure game, if you're willing to look past the dated graphics and sound. (See also "Return to Kroz" below!) (Note: If you have a fairly fast computer, you'll need the MoSlo slowdown program (from the Essential Utilities section) to make this game run at a reasonable speed.)
This graphical horror adventure game predates slightly more modern efforts like Phantasmagoria. The game consists of selecting actions (ex. TAKE, OPERATE, HIT, etc) and applying them to the graphic scene in front of you. You can move to various rooms in the haunted house that serves as a backdrop to this game and figure out the puzzles contained within. Apparently this game attracted a cult following when it was originally released. The game is definitely professionally put together, but somehow to me seems to be lacking a little where gameplay and plot are involved. Note that now you can also play Last Half of Darkness online! Nice!
Lunatix: The Insantiy Cycle is a classic IF (Interactive Fiction) game that also includes some graphics of some scenes. What that means is that it's a text adventure game with pictures. It was created for an online IF competition. If you enjoy text adventure games you'll probably want to give this game a try, otherwise you probably won't like it. (I don't often enjoy text adventures so I didn't make it very far in this game.)
The first game ever published by Revolution Games, it was recently made available for free download for the first time! In this graphical adventure game you play the role of Diermot, who starts the game in a prison cell. The game has decent graphics and sound effects, and is generally quite fun to play. The only complaint about it is that is is rather short, but it is still quite enjoyable to play. (Note from the game's authors: "When the game first begins, move the cursor to the menu at the top of the screen and RESTART the game. This bypasses the copy protection system.")
Reminiscent of earlier Sierra (On-Line) games, Maddog Williams employs the same style interface as the original Kings Quest and Space Quest games. (And, uh, Leisure Suit Larry ... ^_^) The story, which is explained in a lengthly cinema before the game starts, is pretty standard adventure game fare, but the game is quite well put together. It has some nicely drawn graphics (although they are a bit too dark) and good 'ol fashioned gameplay.
Majik is an interesting ASCII-based text RPG game which is not a Roguelike. The levels are randomly generated, but the gameplay is significantly simplified. Playing as a wizard who seeks to "achieve greatness" by exploring some caverns, you'll face a multitude of text-character enemies and obstacles. A colorful and fairly unique ASCII adventure. (Note: You'll need a numberpad on your keyboard to play this game.)
This often overlooked gem from Apogee is an isometric puzzle/action game that is hard to classify. Defeat enemies with magic, push blocks around, pickup items and find your way through the numerous rooms of the tower. Quite nice graphics and sound effects here, as usual for an Apogee game. The controls take awhile to get used to, however this game could appeal to both puzzle and action genre fans.
For those of you who enjoyed classic adventure games from Sierra like Space Quest, King's Quest and Leisure Suit Larry (for older gamers, of course, heheh) and Lucas games like Monkey Island, this is the game for you! It's a bit short (I finished it in roughly a half hour) but it has great graphics and an interface almost identical to that of the later Sierra point and click games. (This game was made using Adventure Game Studio which can be downloaded from dosgames.com.)
If you've ever tried Nethack (check the RPG page) and found it interesting, but just too complicated, you'll want to try this one. It's extremely simple to play, but it's interesting nonetheless because of the mazelike gameplay and graphics. Too bad I couldn't get a screenshot ... (I love the pseudo-darkness effects! Wish I had the source code for that.) It's worth the download!
The sequel to the Quest game above, this one looks even cooler. The gameplay is now more balanced, there's more stuff to do, and the graphics look even better! (The screenshot doesn't do it justice!) Quite incredible for just a 144k zipfile! Can't wait for part 3.
One of the many sequels in the epic KROZ series which started with "Kingdom of Kroz" and ended with "Lost Levels of Kroz", this game, Return to Kroz offers identical action to the original game, with all new levels. The object remains the same: Navigate your way through the various screens, using your whip to defeat enemies. Suffice to say, the dated ASCII text-mode graphics and PC speaker sound effects will excite few, but if you enjoy this type of game, it will definitely provide modest challenge and entertainment value.
I was a bit unsure of which category to put this in, but nevertheless ... it's a neat maze/shooting game where you run around looking for keys and treasure and try to get to the exit. You also must avoid/kill the 'snarfs' that are running around. Average graphics and sounds, but it's fun to play. It also comes with a simple editor to make your own levels. (Read snarf.doc ... it contains detailed instructions.)
This Lucasarts-inspired point-and-click adventure game was originally released in a for-sale "boxed" version but has apparently has now been made available by its author as freeware. The story involves an average teen guy becoming a ... uh, teen agent ... for a super-secret government agency in order to investigate a series of robberies. Much hilarity ensues. Good graphics and decent music make this a fun adventure to play. (See below for a walkthrough if you get stuck ... also, for some reason you can't seem to skip the opening story, so you'll have to watch it EVERY time you start the game.)
Troll's Tale is a simplistic adventure game released by Sierra On-Line Inc, creators of such famous adventure games as King's Quest and Space Quest. Your quest is to find the 15 treasures which have been hidden by a troll. To progress in the game you choose one of several options at the bottom of the screen. (See the screenshot.) The graphics are CGA (what do you expect from a game made in 1984?) so they are rather poor by today's standards but the game will still likely be fun for young gamers since it is uncomplicated. (Thanks goes to creator Al Lowe for releasing this game for free.)
Note: The "Zork" games are no longer available on this site. Activision, the current copyright holder for these games, is no longer allowing their free distribution on the web as can be seen at the bottom of this CNet page. A petition has been started to petition Activision to release the Zork trilogy for free. Please sign it, sorry that the Zork downloads are no longer here, but please take it up with Activision not me. ;)
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