Cramped
Room of Death

Cramped Room of Death (2023) is a puzzle game where you traverse maze-like chambers with a cumbersome, oversized spear. You advance by defeating all the enemies in a given room, but to do this you must carefully choose your path so that your spear doesn't block your movements. It stands out for needing to think ahead to ensure you have the right orientation and sequencing to get your deceptively large spear through the smallest of gaps while also defeating enemies along the way.

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You play brave knight, Lance, who is on a mission to get his money and gear back. He sets off and quickly realises why they left his spear: it can hardly fit down the hallways, much less turn tight corners.

Play is turn-based and movement on a grid, so you can take your time. The trick is working out how to ensure you kill the enemies but are still able to turn left or right without being blocked so you can get to the exit. As you progress, you find traps and hazards that require you to plan ahead even further, and a turn limit that means you need to conserve your actions.

The result is a puzzle game where the simple concept belies the complexity involved in positioning yourself correctly. It's a fun challenge that demands you think outside the box and experiment with different approaches to each new area.

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Our examiner, Ben Kendall, first checked Cramped Room of Death 9 months ago. It was re-examined by Jo Robertson and updated 9 months ago.