Elvira 2 - The Jaws of Cerberus

When Elvira shows up in the plot, you know you can throw logic out the window. This sequel to the 1991 game throws you into an underground filled with monsters and muddled physics, where you have to find your way to cave entrances and upgrade your gear before you become dinner for Cerberus.

Elvira 2 is a mix of logic puzzles and light RPG — basically an exploration dungeon-crawler game for MS-DOS. You wander through rooms, collect items, hunt for keys, and figure out how to progress. There's no classic RPG character sheet here; instead you rely on resourcefulness and readiness. The game forces you to think: what connects with what, how do I get out, how do I survive next time.

The game interface is a pain. The controls are cumbersome, the UI takes up half the screen, and when you need to react quickly, your character moves like an elderly man in a parking lot. The graphics look forty years old — nothing pretty to look at, more like a collage made from scrap paper. Drawn Elvira watches you from the corner with the expression she'd have if the sound was about to drive her crazy.

The more the game irritates you, the more you appreciate it by the time you finish. The logic puzzles aren't easy, and that feeling when something clicks and you escape a trap — that's worth it. Elvira 2 is like an eccentric old uncle — quirky, sometimes tedious, but once you sit down with him over a glass of wine, you realize he's got something special.

Today it's more of a curiosity. Anyone wanting to try a nineties dungeon-crawler without modern conveniences will find their way through it. Anyone expecting fun without thinking and inventory shuffling should move on. The game isn't pleasant, but it's ambitious and has soul — that's what you remember about it, long afterward.