Hauntingly familiar to an ageing role-player, this set of maps is an inspired tribute and homage to an early AD&D adventure, Descent into the Depths of the Earth. A long valley with interesting nooks and crannies to stick your nose into, provided you are prepared to do battle with whoever happens to live there, this version is expanded into an area which your players will come back to again and again given half a chance, and filled with the creative uses of PDF technology that regular users of 0one Games maps have come to expect.

There are a total of 19 separate areas to play in, distributed over 6 pages of map. In usual Blueprint style, they are available to print in blue or in black, with a nice touch being a new control which enables you to select 'Print the blue ones' or 'Print the black ones' rather than having to go through the document choosing each page that you want. The 'Rule the Dungeon' control gives you the choice of grid lines, levels, doors, text and much more, and there's an option to add a compass rose (North pointer) to the pages if you wish.

The maps are detailed, with plenty of furniture and such like scattered around (if you chose that option when you Rule your Dungeon); and there are ready reference sheets at the back where you can jot down short descriptions of each individual chamber shown - although you need to print these out and then write on them, it's not a case of text boxes.

There is huge scope here for adventure, be it a straight dungeon crawl - perhaps with your characters returning several times - or an interlinked complex, a mountain fastness of evil that needs to be cleared out. It's different from the original inspiration and yet evocative - so those with long memories will not have an advantage, yet can wax nostalgic about their earlier adventures. Overall, a fine piece of work, maintaining the traditions of the classic dungeon crawl into the 21st century!

Return to Caverns of Chaos page.

Reviewed: 27 June 2006