Cube Escape: The Cave is an escape game that blends point-and-click mechanics with eerie storytelling. In this game, players find themselves in the shoes of Dale Vandermeer, a curious man who stumbles upon a mysterious cave in the woods. As you journey through the cave and its many puzzles, you'll slowly uncover the dark history surrounding it and the strange beings that inhabit it.
This walkthrough will guide you through the game, starting with the opening cutscene and taking you all the way to the dramatic conclusion. Along the way, we'll provide tips and hints on how to solve the game's many puzzles.
Chapter 1: The Hatch
The game begins with a short cutscene, in which Dale approaches a hatch leading down into the cave. He tries lifting it but is unable to do so. To the right of the hatch is a strange cube with a button on it. Tap the cube, and it will reveal a key inside it. Take the key and use it to unlock the hatch.
Once inside the cave, you'll find yourself in a small room with a table, a lantern, and a chest. Look at the table, and you'll find a photo of a woman and a note that reads, "They took my wife away from me. She's still here somewhere." Take both items and put them in your inventory.
Next, look at the chest. It has three locks on it, but you don't have the keys yet. To the left of the chest is a map of the cave. Take a closer look at it, and you'll see a number of strange symbols on it. You'll need to decipher these symbols to progress further into the cave.
Exit the room and head to the left. You'll come across a wall with a glowing symbol on it. You can't do anything with it yet, so continue on until you reach a chamber with a statue in the middle. There are three doors leading out of this chamber, but they're blocked by stone slabs.
To remove the slabs, you'll need to solve the puzzle on the wall to the right of the door you came in through. The puzzle involves arranging a series of gears to rotate a crank. Once you solve the puzzle, the slabs will move aside, revealing a hole in the ground.
Chapter 2: The Hole
Drop down the hole, and you'll find yourself in a large cavern with a lake. In the center of the lake is a small island with a tree on it. You'll need to reach the island, but you can't swim across the water yet.
To the left of the lake is a waterfall. To the right is a tunnel leading to another area. Start by exploring the tunnel. It leads to a small room with a lever and a strange machine. Pull the lever, and the machine will start spitting out small cubes with symbols on them. Take one of the cubes and put it in your inventory.
Now, return to the lake and examine the waterfall. There's a grate blocking the water, but you can remove it by solving a puzzle. The puzzle involves sliding the blocks on the grate to create a path for the water to flow through. Once you solve the puzzle, the grate will fall away, and water will start flowing down the waterfall.
With the waterfall flowing, you can now use the empty bucket by the lake to scoop up some water. Take the bucket of water and pour it over the tree on the island. The tree will grow, and a bridge will form across the water leading to the island.
Cross the bridge to reach the island. On the island, you'll find a strange machine with a lever. Pull the lever, and the machine will start spitting out even more cubes with symbols on them. Take one of the cubes and put it in your inventory.
Chapter 3: The Symbols
Return to the previous chamber with the statue. You'll notice that the symbols on the cubes match the symbols on the map and the puzzle on the wall. Use the symbols to unlock the chest. Inside the chest, you'll find a key and another cube.
Make your way back to the room with the table and the hatch. On the table, you'll find a book that provides more information about the symbols and the beings that dwell in the cave. The book also mentions a strange cube with a button that can manipulate time.
Use the key to unlock the chest next to the table. Inside, you'll find the cube mentioned in the book. Press the button on the cube, and you'll go back in time to the moment when Dale first arrived at the cave, before he unlocked the hatch.
Chapter 4: The Time Loop
This time, when you approach the hatch, Dale will have a vision of the woman from the photo. She'll tell him to find four cubes hidden throughout the cave. These cubes are necessary to unlock the true ending of the game.
Exit the room and head to the right. You'll come across a new chamber with a large cube in the middle. The cube is surrounded by several symbols on the walls. You'll need to use the cubes you've collected so far to unlock the cube.
The puzzle is a combination of the previous puzzles you've solved. You'll need to rotate gears, slide blocks, and match symbols to unlock the cube. Once you've solved the puzzle, the cube will open and reveal a new area.
Chapter 5: The Final Chapter
The new area is a strange, circular room with several pedestals and a door. Place the remaining cubes on the pedestals. Each pedestal will activate, showing a holographic image of a being from inside the cave.
Once all four pedestals are activated, the door will open, revealing the final chamber. Inside is a computer, which you can use to talk to one of the beings from the pedestals. The conversation will shed some light on the dark history of the cave and the fate of Dale's wife.
The game ends with a dramatic conclusion that will leave you questioning everything you thought you knew about the cave and its inhabitants. If you've collected all four cubes, you'll also unlock the true ending, which provides a satisfying resolution to Dale's story.
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