Cadaver
| Developer: The Bitmap Brothers | Graphics: |
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| Publisher: Image Works | Sound: |
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| Year: 1990 | Difficulty: |
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| Genre: Puzzle/RPG | Lastability: |
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| Number of players: 1 | Rating: |
8/10 | |
A 3D isometric dungeon exploration game akin to Knight Lore (ZX Spectrum, 1984), developed by Ultimate Play the Game, the former name of the company Rare.
Karadoc is a mercenary dwarf, true to Tolkienian mythology: violent, uncouth, and above all, greedy! When a group of humans regales him with tales of Wulf Castle, a former royal residence marooned in a grim swamp, and host to two bloody massacres orchestrated by the necromancer Dianos, he immediately heads there in search of potential treasure. The castle’s master, however, has other plans and is hardly inclined to let him stroll out alive. He has scattered his path with hungry monsters, as well as a multitude of traps of all kinds…
The hallmarks of the Bitmap Brothers are all here: polished graphics, a distinctive atmosphere, and, as often, rather clunky controls. Personally, I find the first-person perspective (like Dungeon Master) more immersive and dynamic. It must be said that Cadaver focuses more on puzzle-solving than combat. You’ll need to be patient, enjoy getting lost, searching everywhere, and fiddling with levers. As for me, I prefer smashing skulls with a mace.
An expansion followed the next year, adding four extra levels under the title Cadaver: The Pay Off.
For something in the same vein but modern, check out Tunic (2022).
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