The Forgotten Caves of Foolish Linger is a free adventure video game wherein you must escape a dark and dangerous cavern. Developed by Oliver Hightower, this 2D indie platformer game features challenging gameplay as you are up against the graphics’ pixelated darkness and tricky platforms.

Similar to Buried Darkness, The Forgotten Caves of Foolish Linger is quite atmospheric in its storytelling—effectively evoking dark and adult themes as you progress through the mysterious caves. It’s short enough to be completed in one seating but difficult enough to make you stay for a bit longer.

There must be a way out

In The Forgotten Caves of Foolish Linger, you play as a strange little creature who has recently woken up to find themselves lost and trapped within a dim cave. You decide to find a way out, even with the apparent danger that your surroundings glaringly impose. Making your way through the numerous platforms, you come across various characters who all have their own story and plight to share.

The controls here are easy enough but you don’t get a tutorial right off the bat. You’ll have to access it via the Controls menu. Unfortunately, there are no settings to toggle other than fullscreen mode but the game runs well enough to not need additional configurations. Your goal is simple as you have to survive while finding the exit. Some of the platforms can be too difficult, though.

Most of the time, the game focuses on each of the strange characters you come across. As a story-rich narrative, you dive deep into philosophical dialogues as you try to overcome your fears and get out of the darkness. Be prepared to read about mature themes in the process, too. The game is designed to test your patience and will to continue, even with its long-winded speeches.

Could use some adjustments

All in all, The Forgotten Caves of Foolish Linger is an interesting platformer game for players who like a bit of a challenge. While the difficulty scaling can be frustrating for most, the story often lets you take a breather and refocus your efforts of escaping. It could still use some tweaks, though—such as the tutorial being applied as you start exploring rather than being relegated to a menu screen.