Roberta Williams' 1989 adventure game The Colonel’s Bequest stood out by prioritizing narrative and exploration over frustrating puzzles. Players follow journalist Laura Bow through a murder mystery at a Southern US mansion, uncovering clues over in-game days. The title's passive gameplay and multiple endings have earned it a niche following.
The Colonel’s Bequest, one of the last Sierra On-Line adventure games to use a text parser, follows young journalist Laura Bow as she visits the mansion of her college friend’s grandfather, Colonel Henri Dijon, in the Southern United States. A dispute erupts over the colonel’s will, and a murderer begins targeting family members. Over a couple of in-game days, players guide Laura in finding clues, eavesdropping on conversations, and navigating the estate to survive and potentially solve the mystery.
Unlike typical point-and-click adventures, the game emphasizes timed NPC movements—characters appear in different locations based on the clock—creating a sense of realism without obtuse puzzles. Players can reach multiple endings, including ones where the murder goes unsolved, encouraging replays. As the article's author notes, "I almost never actually finished point-and-click adventure games for that reason—but there is one major exception: I completed Roberta Williams’ The Colonel’s Bequest several times."
The game holds personal significance for many, including the author, who shared playthroughs with their mother, a fan of titles like King’s Quest and the Hugo trilogy. They recall swapping chairs during sessions, with their mom uncovering secrets the younger player missed. This family bonding aspect amplified its memorability, as the author remembers it as "my mom’s favorite game."
Despite its innovations, The Colonel’s Bequest has niche appeal; the protagonist is largely passive, observing rather than driving action, which some find uneventful compared to puzzle-heavy peers like King’s Quest or The Secret of Monkey Island. It remains available on GOG and inspired Julia Minamata’s 2023 spiritual successor, The Crimson Diamond. Creators Roberta and Ken Williams continue influencing the genre, recently rebooting Colossal Cave in 3D.