Cutthroats

About

Cutthroats is a text-based adventure game where you play a diver on a struggling island trying to recover sunken treasure. Each of the four shipwrecks presents a unique challenge, with characters who may aid or hinder your efforts. Success depends on solving logic puzzles while navigating underwater hazards. The game’s structure allows for varied experiences, resetting the story can lead to a completely different treasure hunt. Developed by Infocom in 1984, this game showcases the studio’s signature blend of witty writing and challenging puzzles. Unlike some of its more famous titles, Cutthroats leans into nautical humor and practical problem-solving. Players who enjoy methodical exploration and branching scenarios might appreciate its replayability, though its age shows in dated references. It remains a solid example of early interactive fiction’s potential.

Storyline

You are a skilled diver living on Hardscrabble Island, a small seaport past its prime. You will try to salvage a sunken treasure from one of four shipwrecks; if you are successful, you will be fabulously wealthy and enormously respected among old salts. Some characters in the story will help you; others will try to stop you any way they can. If you can think logically and keep your throat intact, the treasure can be yours. There are four different shipwrecks you can discover, but in each story you will be trying to recover only one particular treasure. When you restart the story, you may find yourself diving for a different treasure.