Cave Hikers review —Underground, but surface level

Cave Hikers is a point-and-click hidden object game where you’ll solve puzzles and complete quests to maneuver through a strange and mysterious cave. Players will guide a trio of explorers, Aki, Vuvo and Valeriano as they take off on their expedition to locate the fabled “Cave with an infinite ceiling.”

Each level will have you searching the landscape for the proper items needed to progress. This might be collecting gems to pay for a ferry, or harvesting ingredients to make a potion; simple stuff. It’s quite literally point and click, meaning that while this is a game anyone can play, you may not get a lot of mileage here if simplicity isn’t something you enjoy from a game. 

There are some alchemy sections with Valeriano that are a bit more involved, but it’s mostly just dragging objects around and following a recipe. Additionally, there are playing cards hidden throughout the environment to keep your eye out for, and while they don’t serve a purpose outside of being a collectible, it was at least fun to poke around each level looking for them.

The narrative shares in the concept of simplicity, with the adventure staying neatly within the lanes of a lighthearted romp through a strange and mystical land. At one point you might be diving into the depths in search of an ancient shield, or careening through the air on a pile of junk launched from a catapult. The fun of Cave Hikers is largely drawn through the odd and humorous predicaments that you find yourself in, and not necessarily from intricate game mechanics. 

This game is likely going to have more appeal towards younger audiences, but the charming art style and laid back gameplay might still interest you for an evening if you enjoy these types of games. I did appreciate how the art direction leans into the vibe of a bedtime story come to life, with colorful and whimsical characters paired with an excellent mockumentary narration by Tom Bennet. While there isn’t really that much going on in terms of gameplay, the 90 minutes it might take you to complete it are largely inoffensive otherwise and generally fun to explore. If you’re cool with that, then you’ll probably like Cave Hikers, but if you want something deeper than just clicking on stuff, you’ll probably want to look elsewhere.

See below for our list of partners and affiliates: