Caren and the Tangled Tentacles (2015)
New games are still being made for 8-bit computers. It sounds improbable, yet there are developers who take on the challenge of creating something for a platform that is archaic by modern standards — and they are not doing it purely for nostalgia. First released in 2015, Caren and the Tangled Tentacles is a showcase of what contemporary coders can achieve. The old Commodore 64 continues to surprise. These new games blend modern design sensibilities with brutally strict technical limitations.
Graphic adventure games were rarely developed for the C64 in the 1980s. The transition from text adventures to graphical ones happened quietly and largely moved to other platforms. Adventures tend to be large in scope, and graphics consume memory fast. Neuromancer — which remains locked in this blog’s top ten — spans four floppy disks and the constant loading interrupts the flow. By contrast, the earlier Detective fits on a single cassette and loads only once.
I played version 1.1 of Caren and the Tangled Tentacles. A continuation appears to be in the works, or at least the current ending points to one — more of a question than a conclusion. A few bugs remain, but nothing that disrupted my playthrough.
The protagonist, Caren, lives alone and works as a chemist in a research centre conveniently located next door. The side-scrolling game world is not large, though it expands into the sewers. Caren discovers a body in a biology aquarium and begins investigating on her own. Why doesn’t she call the police — or tell anyone? Well, that would instantly ruin the mystery.
Caren and the Tangled Tentacles draws inspiration from the classic Maniac Mansion and its sequel Day of the Tentacle. However, the tone here is more mature and far less humorous. I must admit I have not played either of them — their style and comedy have never appealed to me. Incidentally, Day of the Tentacle recently received a remake.
Caren and the Tangled Tentacles has a certain charm, something that pulled me in. I cannot precisely name what that “something” is — perhaps the spirit that radiates from its creators and the craftsmanship behind it. The developers built their own adventure-game engine and even a new scripting language. I recognise the technical achievements more on an emotional than analytical level.
With only 16 colours available on the Commodore 64 — with no possibility of changing brightness — the visual result is impressive. The graphics are detailed and harmonious, and there are charming animations throughout the environment. The game runs smoothly and quickly. The music complements the experience well, and the sound effects are notably effective.
The user interface becomes intuitive after a short adjustment period. A joystick is required — the game cannot be played on the keyboard.
I completed the game in just under an hour. It is not long in its current form. Saving worked flawlessly once I figured out how it was intended to be used: press and hold function key 5 during a kind of inverted three-step countdown. The same method loads the save. Using the emulator’s snapshot save feature caused a bug, locking all exits in the current room.
Verdict
Beneath its ordinary exterior, Caren and the Tangled Tentacles hides something magical — something that touched the heart of an old-school player. It is easy and does not frustrate the modern adventure fan. I very much hope it receives a continuation. The story ends on an agonising cliffhanger.
Even though Caren and the Tangled Tentacles 1.1 can be viewed as a complete first episode, the game as a whole is not yet finished. Still, it is a joy to see new adventure games being made for old hardware, and carried by that warm feeling I award Caren and the Tangled Tentacles 74 points out of 100.
Availability
Version 1.1 can be downloaded for free. It can be played using the free VICE emulator.