'The Cave': The next game from Double Fine

'The Cave': The next game from Double Fine

It sounds like the start of a really bad joke -- "A hillbilly, knight and scientist walk into a cave ..." --- but it's a small peek into the latest game from the studio of renowned game designer Tim Schafer.

The Cave is an adventure puzzle game from Ron Gilbert, the creator of LucasArts' series Monkey Island and co-creator of Maniac Mansion.

The quirky adventure title stars a group of seven characters taking the journey down a mysterious cave that happens to house everything from scary monsters to hot dog vending machines.

Three characters were on display during a demo of The Cave at the Electronic Entertainment Expo: the hillbilly, the scientist and the knight. The team works together to recover an important amulet from a princess.

Players have control three characters at a time as they descend into the cave, working together to solve a variety of puzzles.

The first requires the trio to remove a large sleeping monster blocking their path. In front is a pit with skulls and bones, and a bell sitting nearby. Following up a shaft where the pit sits is a giant claw.

Here's where teamwork comes in: the hillbilly waits to ring the bell, while the knight finds his way to a lever operating the giant claw. Meanwhile, the scientist discovers a vending machine popping out hot dogs. She grabs one and sets it in the pit before the hillbilly rings the bell. As our monster wakes up and enjoys a snack, the knight grabs the monster and clears the path.

Each character appears to have their own special ability, as the knight displays during the group's trip inside an underground medieval castle.

The knight uses Guardian Angel, which renders him impervious from giant drops or other attacks. This proves useful when the group is trying to snag treasure guarded by a dragon.

The knight approaches head on, urging the dragon to attack. Using Guardian Angel, he sits while the dragon spews fire. The scientist sits at a rear entrance with a key, which she uses to enter the lair and grab the treasure while the dragon is distracted.

The environments and puzzles inside The Cave will vary depending on the characters chosen. For example, the knight has a castle while the hillbilly has an underground carnival.

Based on the demo, The Cave looks like a clever, charming puzzle adventure filled with humor and interesting characters. It launches in 2013 as a downloadable title for PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.