The Dig (video game)
| Industry | Video game development and publishing |
|---|---|
| Founded | May 1, 1982 |
| Founder | George Lucas |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, California , United States |
| Products | The Dig (1995 video game) |
The Dig is a 1995 point-and-click adventure game created by LucasArts for both PC and Macintosh platforms. Utilizing the SCUMM engine, it marked the final SCUMM-based game launched on MS-DOS. The title features a complete voice cast, including performances by Robert Patrick and Steve Blum, alongside a digitally orchestrated soundtrack. Its visuals combine meticulously hand-drawn 2D art with select pre-rendered 3D sequences produced by Industrial Light & Magic.
Initially developed as a concept for Steven Spielberg's Amazing Stories, The Dig diverges from the usual LucasArts comedic style, embracing a more serious and atmospheric tone within its science fiction story. Players take on the role of Commander Boston Low, who is part of a team tasked with detonating explosives on an asteroid to avert its collision with Earth. Upon discovering that the asteroid is hollow, Low and two colleagues are transported to an abandoned alien facility featuring advanced technology. Their mission involves using xenoarchaeology to decode the alien technology, uncover the fate of its creators, and find a way back home.
Critics gave The Dig mixed to positive feedback; its immersive atmosphere and musical score were praised, while some found the puzzles excessively difficult. Opinions on its graphics, voice performances, and dialogue varied. Alongside the game's release, a novelization penned by science fiction writer Alan Dean Foster was published.
Gameplay
In The Dig, players navigate as Commander Boston Low in a point-and-click adventure game, employing the mouse to interact with characters, objects, and surroundings, gather items, and engage in conversations. The game operates on the SCUMM game engine and represents LucasArts' eleventh title utilizing this system. A minigame titled "Asteroid Lander," reminiscent of Lunar Lander, is accessible through the communicator interface. Although role-playing elements were initially planned for inclusion, they were ultimately removed prior to launch.
Plot
A radio telescope detects a sizable asteroid named "Attila" heading directly toward Earth. Scientists devise a plan to alter its trajectory by placing explosives on its surface to shift it into orbit. A crew of five aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis—consisting of Commander Boston Low (voiced by Robert Patrick), archaeologist/geologist Dr. Ludger Brink (Steven Blum), linguist and reporter Maggie Robbins (Mari Weiss), pilot Ken Borden (David Lodge), and NASA technician/congressional candidate Cora Miles (Leilani Jones)—arrives at Attila to execute this plan.
Low, Brink, and Robbins conduct a spacewalk to set charges and successfully adjust Attila’s course but soon realize the asteroid is hollow inside. When they enter a central chamber, they become trapped as Attila transforms into a dodecahedron-shaped pod and accelerates into deep space. The trio finds themselves on an alien world—called Cocytus in the novelization—where evidence points to an extinct intelligent civilization and an advanced but deteriorating complex. Guided by an ethereal energy presence, they discover a subterranean cavern where Brink tragically dies after falling through debris.
Robbins insists on exploring separately; during this time, Low uncovers crystals containing luminous green liquid within what resembles a museum. By utilizing these crystals, he manages to revive Brink. Together, they seek a route back to Earth while interpreting alien inscriptions using Brink’s archaeological knowledge and Robbins’ linguistic skills.
As their journey continues, Brink develops an addiction to the crystals, creating friction within the group. Low also revives an alien preserved inside a pyramid using these crystals; this being explains that their species pursued immortality by migrating from their own universe (Spacetime Four) to another dimension (Spacetime Six). They remained behind to warn others about the hazards associated with these crystals and inter-universal travel. Though unable to return home themselves, they offer humans access to their spacecraft if Low assists in reactivating their portal.
Low agrees to journey into Spacetime Six to escort the aliens back, necessitating portal reactivation first. After securing two life crystals from a generator, Brink dies during a struggle over them; Robbins is killed during the portal’s activation. Players have one opportunity to revive Robbins; however, she subsequently takes her own life, preventing further revivals. Low proceeds through the portal to meet the aliens in Spacetime Six; once open, they return home with him and restore both Brink and Robbins—curing Brink’s addiction but causing him accelerated aging. Depending on Robbins’ survival status, her demeanor toward Low differs. The aliens construct a spacecraft for the humans’ journey back to Earth accompanied by alien delegates.
Development
Initially envisioned by Steven Spielberg as an episode for the series Amazing Stories and later considered as a feature film, The Dig was ultimately deemed too costly to produce in those formats. The idea was transformed into an adventure game, with the first design meeting held in 1989 at Skywalker Ranch. Attendees included Spielberg, George Lucas, Ron Gilbert, and Noah Falstein. The writing team comprised Spielberg, science fiction author Orson Scott Card (who contributed dialogue), and interactive fiction writer Brian Moriarty. Some computer-generated imagery was provided by Industrial Light & Magic (ILM).
The Dig experienced the longest development period among LucasArts adventure titles, beginning around the time of the 1989 San Francisco earthquake and culminating in its release in 1995. The project saw four different leads over its course: Falstein, Moriarty, Dave Grossman, and ultimately LucasArts' Sean Clark.
Early versions of the game presented a futuristic narrative involving explorers investigating a deserted planet featuring alien technology, resembling the final product but with significant variations. Moriarty restarted the project, adding a character named Toshi Olema, a Japanese tycoon who was later removed along with more graphic elements after Spielberg decided to reduce violent content following parental concerns raised by the film Jurassic Park. Other discarded features included survival gameplay mechanics and exploration of planetary cities. Although initially slated for release in the second quarter of 1992, the game ultimately launched in December 1995.
On July 8, 2009, The Dig was reissued through the Steam digital distribution platform.
Soundtrack
Sean Clark, the final project leader, highlighted that music played a crucial role in "setting the overall atmosphere" of The Dig. LucasArts aimed for a soundtrack with a "Wagnerian" quality. Composed by Michael Land, it includes his original compositions performed on a Kurzweil K2000 synthesizer, enhanced by chord samples inspired by Richard Wagner. Land remarked that this score closely reflected his own musical style.
The soundtrack primarily consists of ambient pieces that provide a subtle sonic backdrop described as "vague cadenzas, modulations and movements without much consequence for the material." However, during pivotal scenes and cinematic sequences, the music becomes more pronounced and dynamic.
The Dig marked LucasArts' first game to have its soundtrack released independently on CD, arranged as a continuous sequence of tracks. Land performed both piano and synthesizer parts and produced the album with support from cellist Hans Christian Reumschüssel, vocalist Emily Bezar, and woodwind musician Paul McCandless. The soundtrack release was accompanied by a CD-ROM featuring demos from five other LucasArts games as part of early cross-promotion efforts.
Reception
By early 1998, LucasArts reported that The Dig had sold approximately 300,000 copies worldwide, making it their best-selling adventure game at that time. Despite these figures, internal assessments regarded it as commercially underwhelming due to its high production costs limiting overall profitability.
Critical responses were mixed regarding its visuals, voice performances, and narrative quality. Reviewers noted that its puzzles presented greater difficulty compared to typical LucasArts titles. Cinematic cut scenes garnered praise along with widespread acclaim for the musical score.
Evan Dickens from Adventure Gamers likened The Dig to Myst, emphasizing its challenging nature and intricate puzzles. Reviewers from Next Generation and GameSpot also highlighted frustration stemming from vague puzzle clues necessitating trial-and-error approaches. Conversely, Maximum commended most puzzles as well-balanced for dedicated adventure players. Allgame appreciated puzzle designs that demanded patience rather than obscurity. PC Magazine found some puzzles irritating but generally acceptable.
Opinions on graphics varied: Dickens considered visuals somewhat outdated, while Allgame and Next Generation valued the expansive alien environments and increasingly surreal imagery. Maximum described the art style as dated yet impressive. GameSpot and PC Magazine criticized character animation quality and detail levels. Cut scenes animated by ILM received widespread acclaim for their cinematic excellence.
Audio feedback was mixed; Dickens praised the score's grandeur but found voice acting average despite approving Robert Patrick's casting. GameSpot deemed voice performances adequate though somewhat stereotypical; PC Magazine praised them highly. The music consistently stood out as one of the game's strongest features.
Critiques of writing were divided: Dickens dismissed dialogue as clichéd but appreciated the suspenseful narrative tone. Maximum lauded its serious plot and character development, whereas GameSpot criticized it for excessive seriousness combined with weak dialogue. Allgame regarded the story as excellent with an engaging protagonist.
Overall impressions varied: PC Magazine described The Dig as an immersive extraterrestrial adventure with cinematic flair. GameSpot viewed it as a regression compared to earlier LucasArts efforts; Next Generation called it a solid graphic adventure with notable strengths. Maximum recommended it for veteran adventure gamers but suggested beginners try less demanding titles first. Allgame ranked it among top adventure games due to its imaginative storyline and intelligent puzzles. Adventure Gamers especially recommended it to fans of science fiction.
The soundtrack received strong commendation; Chris Greening of Square Enix Music Online awarded it a 9/10 rating, praising its accessibility combined with depth and thematic variation that enhanced player immersion.
In 2011, Adventure Gamers placed The Dig at number 92 in their list of the top 100 adventure games ever made, acknowledging its initially mixed reception but affirming its quality when evaluated on its own merits. In 1996, GamesMaster ranked it 75th in their "Top 100 Games of All Time."
Novel
Renowned science fiction writer Alan Dean Foster, recognized for his adaptations of movies such as Star Wars and Alien 3, authored a novel inspired by The Dig. An audiobook edition was made available as well.
This novel expands beyond the game's narrative by incorporating viewpoints from the native alien species and offering deeper context, including Earth's response to the discovery of Attila, thereby addressing enigmas that the game left unresolved.
However, Publishers Weekly critiqued the novelization for feeling limited by its video game roots, highlighting clichéd characters and a straightforward storyline largely influenced by the puzzle-based gameplay.