Unnkulian Underworld: The Unknown Unventure

Baf's Guide

The first episode in the satirical Unnkulian saga. Like Zork, it's set in a high fantasy environment peppered with anacronisms. You're a slave to Kuulest, a wise hermit who dies during the intro. This makes you free, but also charges you with the obligation of descending into the ancient caverns of the Valley King to set something or other right. All the recurring themes of the Unnkulian games are established here, from Duhdhism and the obligatory fried egg puzzle to the Acme Corporation and its vastly inferior products. Hunger is a factor, but not a seriously limiting one. Contains a maze. Contains a lot of old adventure cliches, for that matter, but mostly for the sake of mocking them. Has some very nice puzzles, the sort where the solution arrives in a blaze of inspiration while you're waiting for the bus or whatever.

-- Carl Muckenhoupt