Nevertheless, my mother was quite different. I recall her often playing Dr. Mario, and we would enjoy Donkey Kong Country together during my childhood—typical millennial family gaming experiences. However, the games that I most associate with her from my youth are the adventure titles. She certainly enjoyed King’s Quest, but I also remember her particularly fond of the Hugo trilogy.
As I mentioned earlier, I had a tough time getting into those. Thankfully, we found common ground with The Colonel’s Bequest.
I recall exchanging seating with my mom as we ventured through multiple playthroughs of the game; it was fascinating to witness the secrets she uncovered that I had missed because I was likely too young to think critically as she did.
The games played with family tend to stay with you longer, so I believe I recall The Colonel’s Bequest so vividly because, if memory serves, it was my mom’s favorite.
The impact of The Colonel’s Bequest
The Colonel’s Bequest may have been significant for me personally, yet it hasn’t really echoed through gaming history as King’s Quest, The Secret of Monkey Island, or other adventure titles have.
This might be partly due to the fact that many might justifiably find the game a little dull. There isn’t a lot here to challenge you; your character is essentially just along for the journey. She’s not the focal point of the narrative, and she isn’t very proactive. She merely moves around, listening and observing until time runs out.
This formula has a more niche appeal compared to conventional point-and-click adventure games.
Nonetheless, the game does have its enthusiasts. You can purchase and download it from GOG to play today, naturally, but it has also recently inspired a quite evident spiritual successor by developer Julia Minamata named The Crimson Diamond, which we discussed here at Ars. That title is worth exploring, too, albeit it adopts a more classic approach with its gameplay.
And indeed, the creators of The Colonel’s Bequest, Roberta and Ken Williams, remain active; they recently launched a 3D reboot of Colossal Cave, a title credited by many as the primary ancestor of the point-and-click adventure genre.
Ars Technica may receive compensation for sales from links in this article through affiliate programs.
