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Pardon the dust! This page includes some jargon that hasn't been added to the site's glossary yet. I'll be around to fix this later, but sorry for the inconvenience in the meantime. |
Review: Cave Digger
At a Glance
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How to Save and Pause:Your progress is saved periodically as you play, and it's also saved whenever you close the game, so you needn't worry about lost progress. If you ever need to pause the game, you can suspend the action by using your headset's menu function. Time needed per session:While the trips down the elevator shaft last only a few moments, digging out the other areas and setting up your headset does take some time, so give yourself at least half an hour to play this game.
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Does this game pose issues for Christian players?
 | Some players may have concerns This is a generally clean game with a lot of imagination behind it, but there is one small issue that stands out - players can "eat" questionable mushrooms found deep in the mine with silly results. |
Screenshots
![[view screenshot]](../images/screenshots/cave_digger_0.jpg)
![[view screenshot]](../images/screenshots/cave_digger_1.jpg)
![[view screenshot]](../images/screenshots/cave_digger_2.jpg)
Game Overview
Cave digger is a virtual reality game where you spend your time digging up treasures buried in the walls of many different caves. It's a fairly straightforward game, but if the reviews I've read are any indication, that hasn't stopped people from being confused about it. In fact, if you just went by the reviews, you'd end up with a very poor idea of what this game is about. So let's dispel any confusion about this game by explaining what it's really like.
Every time you start the game, you'll appear inside a strange elevator situated in an old-timey saloon. This elevator is a unique scientific breakthrough that allows prospective miners (like yourself) to venture into other dimensions and mine treasures from below the surface of the Earth. Each trip with the elevator will take you to three randomly created floors. During these stops, you'll be able to use your tools to collect precious minerals and treasures from the cavern walls. Keep in mind that anything you find must be tossed in the center crate before the elevator starts moving again - otherwise it'll disappear as you move across time and space.
Once the trip is over, the elevator will return to the saloon and your spoils will be dumped out of a pipe at the back of the contraption. You can then purchase new tools from the store directly in front of the elevator, or go back down for more loot.
This doesn't make for much of a game, certainly not a $20 one, so it's understandable that people have left negative comments about it. But, there's just one detail that these players have overlooked - the interior of the saloon and the elevator make up only one of several areas in the game. You can (and should!) exit the saloon, and from there you're free to go outside and explore the town, which is where the bulk of the game actually takes place.
In town you'll find a handful of buildings, each of which serves an in-game function. The post office has a little kiosk that displays hints when you press its button, and there's a general store with expensive items for sale. The sheriff's office is particularly worth visiting often, as there's always an optional timed quest printed on its wanted poster. Completing these quests is a great way to earn a lot of money in the early game, as you'll often earn over $3,000 each time you complete a task!
But by far the most important things you'll find in town are the old train and the kiosk next to it. Initially, the train needs to be repaired before you can use it, and the kiosk is also non-functional at first. Once you've purchased the parts to repair the train, you're ready to visit the caves this game is named after. Inside these caves are various mining spots. Which spots are where is completely random, and they can change any time you're not nearby, so don't try to make a map.
While wandering around in this caves, you'll also find a helpful magical chest named Chompy. Once she's noticed you, she'll follow you around like a puppy hoping to get some treats. Chompy's purpose in the game is to provide a mobile version of the elevator's crate. Whatever she consumes automatically gets sold and added to your bank account, saving you a trip back to the train whenever you dig something up. However, there's always one type of ore that she doesn't like and may refuse to eat. Which ore tastes bad is random for every player; for me, it happened to be emeralds. If you're lucky, it'll be something rarely found in the caves, like diamonds or sapphires. If not, you'll need to plan on some extra walking.
When you're done exploring, take the train back into town and park it against the stopper at the end of the track. There's a pipe there, just like with the elevator, and your loot will spew out onto a collection plate for you to admire. Note that you can't interact with it anymore; this is just a dramatic way of showing your earnings.
As for that kiosk next to the train, it's a teleporter that will let you visit specific areas of the caves without having to ride there on the train. The catch is, in order to use it, you must first discover the destination pads. These are always near the end of a major area, so just reaching them for the first time involves a lengthy train ride. Each destination pad has its own icon, and the kiosks have arrow buttons that let you cycle through them before teleporting. An important side effect of using this teleporter is that the train, your tools, and Chompy will always come along for the ride, effectively making it little more than a fancy fast travel option.
Of course, there's also a lot of secrets and surprises for you to uncover, though I'm not going to spoil everything here. It's a really fun virtual reality experience, and I'd say it's worth the cover charge. That said, it's not as active as many other games, so don't expect much of a workout from this one.
Every time you start the game, you'll appear inside a strange elevator situated in an old-timey saloon. This elevator is a unique scientific breakthrough that allows prospective miners (like yourself) to venture into other dimensions and mine treasures from below the surface of the Earth. Each trip with the elevator will take you to three randomly created floors. During these stops, you'll be able to use your tools to collect precious minerals and treasures from the cavern walls. Keep in mind that anything you find must be tossed in the center crate before the elevator starts moving again - otherwise it'll disappear as you move across time and space.
Once the trip is over, the elevator will return to the saloon and your spoils will be dumped out of a pipe at the back of the contraption. You can then purchase new tools from the store directly in front of the elevator, or go back down for more loot.
This doesn't make for much of a game, certainly not a $20 one, so it's understandable that people have left negative comments about it. But, there's just one detail that these players have overlooked - the interior of the saloon and the elevator make up only one of several areas in the game. You can (and should!) exit the saloon, and from there you're free to go outside and explore the town, which is where the bulk of the game actually takes place.
In town you'll find a handful of buildings, each of which serves an in-game function. The post office has a little kiosk that displays hints when you press its button, and there's a general store with expensive items for sale. The sheriff's office is particularly worth visiting often, as there's always an optional timed quest printed on its wanted poster. Completing these quests is a great way to earn a lot of money in the early game, as you'll often earn over $3,000 each time you complete a task!
But by far the most important things you'll find in town are the old train and the kiosk next to it. Initially, the train needs to be repaired before you can use it, and the kiosk is also non-functional at first. Once you've purchased the parts to repair the train, you're ready to visit the caves this game is named after. Inside these caves are various mining spots. Which spots are where is completely random, and they can change any time you're not nearby, so don't try to make a map.
While wandering around in this caves, you'll also find a helpful magical chest named Chompy. Once she's noticed you, she'll follow you around like a puppy hoping to get some treats. Chompy's purpose in the game is to provide a mobile version of the elevator's crate. Whatever she consumes automatically gets sold and added to your bank account, saving you a trip back to the train whenever you dig something up. However, there's always one type of ore that she doesn't like and may refuse to eat. Which ore tastes bad is random for every player; for me, it happened to be emeralds. If you're lucky, it'll be something rarely found in the caves, like diamonds or sapphires. If not, you'll need to plan on some extra walking.
When you're done exploring, take the train back into town and park it against the stopper at the end of the track. There's a pipe there, just like with the elevator, and your loot will spew out onto a collection plate for you to admire. Note that you can't interact with it anymore; this is just a dramatic way of showing your earnings.
As for that kiosk next to the train, it's a teleporter that will let you visit specific areas of the caves without having to ride there on the train. The catch is, in order to use it, you must first discover the destination pads. These are always near the end of a major area, so just reaching them for the first time involves a lengthy train ride. Each destination pad has its own icon, and the kiosks have arrow buttons that let you cycle through them before teleporting. An important side effect of using this teleporter is that the train, your tools, and Chompy will always come along for the ride, effectively making it little more than a fancy fast travel option.
Of course, there's also a lot of secrets and surprises for you to uncover, though I'm not going to spoil everything here. It's a really fun virtual reality experience, and I'd say it's worth the cover charge. That said, it's not as active as many other games, so don't expect much of a workout from this one.
Points of Interest
Stuffed with jokes and references
Although there's barely any story, there is a narrator who uses the radio to comment on everything you do. Many of his comments are pretty comical, with some of his best quips stemming from casual and abrupt non-sequiturs. Pay attention when he's talking - most of the time, you'll only get one chance to hear each humorous diatribe per game.
Another fun bit of gameplay lies with your ability to discover and collect archeological discoveries. The ones you'll find early on are pretty predictable, like fossils or old china, but once you leave the safety of the elevator shaft, things get crazy. You can discover d20s, modems, mosquitoes trapped in amber
, and you might even dig up copies of ET for the Atari 2600.
Another fun bit of gameplay lies with your ability to discover and collect archeological discoveries. The ones you'll find early on are pretty predictable, like fossils or old china, but once you leave the safety of the elevator shaft, things get crazy. You can discover d20s, modems, mosquitoes trapped in amber
, and you might even dig up copies of ET for the Atari 2600.
Multiple endings
You're free to dig and explore however you like, and this can sometimes lead to unexpected and surprising results. Put simply, there are so many ways to "end" the game you're likely to uncover several of the game's endings before you even leave the elevator. Try all sorts of things, no matter how crazy, and watch in awe as the game has a special response to even the most bizarre actions.
Achievements
There are twenty eight achievements available for you to earn while you chip away at rocks. Most of these are awarded for finding specific endings, though there are a few for accomplishing certain milestones. If you're playing around and trying different things, you'll eventually earn them all.
Collision issues
In the later parts of the game, it's possible for poor Chompy to get stuck partway into the floor. This makes it impossible for her to collect treasure or even move deeper into a dig site. The most effective way to deal with this is to toss or carry treasures outside in an attempt to lure her out of the misaligned floor.
Annoyingly enough, it's also possible to find yourself caught in some of these areas; using the snap turning feature or physically walking around can free you, but it feels like this shouldn't have been necessary.
Annoyingly enough, it's also possible to find yourself caught in some of these areas; using the snap turning feature or physically walking around can free you, but it feels like this shouldn't have been necessary.
Some additional notes
I've seen people complain that they've had trouble mining the rocks, as if their pick's location wasn't being registered properly. After some experimentation, I've noticed two things that might make your game more enjoyable. Firstly, the strength of your blows is not important; every rock has will break after a fixed number of hits, and each blow counts as one hit regardless of how fast or hard you swing. You can even break stones by using the flat side of your pickaxe. All that really matters is that the swing connects. The second point is that if your tools seem to be passing through things harmlessly, you're standing too close. Learn to stand roughly a foot away from the rocks you're mining, as this seems to be the intended distance.
Concerns and Issues
Almost no violence
There is exactly one way for the player to die in this game: you need to deliberately ignore the narrator's warnings and wander into the area filled with toxic green goo without the gasmask. You'll choke on the gases and die within moments. You'll also gain an achievement to commemorate your stubbornness. The only impact of this is that you can't travel into the polluted area until you unlock it by purchasing the gasmask, making it an elaborate locked door.
The only other violent content is initiated by the player - you can strike Chompy with your pickaxe if you really want to. This mistreatment results in a loud clang and sends her running away, but she'll stop moping and return to the player after a few moments.
The only other violent content is initiated by the player - you can strike Chompy with your pickaxe if you really want to. This mistreatment results in a loud clang and sends her running away, but she'll stop moping and return to the player after a few moments.
Drug usage
Deep in the elevator shaft, you'll sometimes come across some strange glowing mushrooms that you can pick. You'll probably expect to toss them in the cart for a little extra cash, but you can also mime eating them to experience a short psychedelic trip. This is the only way to find one of the hidden keys to the vault, so players will need to experience this a few times if they want to earn every achievement and see every ending.
Occasional references
While there are no monsters to fight, there are some things that may lead you to believe otherwise. For example, there's a laser gun upgrade for the train, which the narrator claims is to protect you from flying creatures. Towards the end of the game, the narrator also mentions that miners need to avoid being cosigned into the forces of chaos during their visit to the underworld, and there are some spooky cave paintings and monoliths that suggest something wicked once lurked nearby.
Lastly, the Necronomicon can be found as an archeological item in the later areas.
Lastly, the Necronomicon can be found as an archeological item in the later areas.