Uninvited

Uninvited is a graphic adventure created by ICOM Simulations in 1986 for Macintosh, using the MacVenture engine.

This eerie adventure showcased the studio’s knack for atmospheric storytelling, distinguishing itself from other ICOM titles like Deja Vu: A Nightmare Comes True!! and Shadowgate.

In Uninvited, players awaken outside a decrepit mansion after a car crash, searching for their missing sibling. The game’s focus on horror was a stark departure from the hardboiled noir of Deja Vu and the high-fantasy peril of Shadowgate. Instead of gangsters or goblins, Uninvited immersed players in a supernatural setting filled with ghostly apparitions, cursed artifacts, and cryptic puzzles. The mansion felt alive—every room carried its own chilling story, from a ghostly piano to menacing specters that could instantly end your game.

While all three ICOM classics shared the innovative window-based interface, Uninvited leaned heavily on creating tension and dread. Its slower pacing and reliance on atmosphere made it unique compared to Shadowgate’s trap-filled castle or Deja Vu’s fast-paced mystery. The haunting graphics on the original Macintosh, with sharp black-and-white visuals, amplified the game’s unsettling tone, setting a new standard for horror in interactive entertainment.

Uninvited wasn’t confined to the Macintosh—it saw several ports across different platforms, each bringing its spin to the haunted adventure. Amiga and Atari ST versions retained the atmospheric visuals but added color, breathing new life into the haunting mansion. The vibrant yet subdued palette enhanced the creepiness while staying true to the game’s roots. The DOS release adopted EGA graphics, which, while less detailed than the Macintosh’s monochrome art, captured the eerie essence of the game.

The NES port by Kemco took significant creative liberties. The game toned down some graphic elements to suit a broader audience and reworked the interface to fit the console’s controls. While the gameplay remained largely intact, the NES version featured vibrant visuals and a simplified inventory system. It also added a bit of unintentional humor thanks to the game’s awkward translation, which gave rise to lines like “You are now dead.”

Each version brought something different to the table, but all retained the core appeal of Uninvited: the blend of exploration, puzzle-solving, and a mounting sense of dread.

Like its siblings, Uninvited could be unforgiving. Many puzzles required trial and error, and the game didn’t hesitate to punish mistakes with instant death. For example, examining an innocuous-looking object or entering a specific room without preparation could lead to your demise. This created a constant sense of tension but also frustration for players unfamiliar with the genre’s conventions.

Inventory management added another layer of difficulty. Players could pick up numerous items, but only a fraction were genuinely useful—carrying the wrong ones could clutter your inventory and mislead you. Additionally, some puzzles required specific items or actions to be performed in a particular sequence, further complicating progression.

The most notable challenge, however, was the presence of a time limit. The game subtly hinted at a curse that worsened as you lingered in the mansion. Taking too long could lead to death, adding a layer of urgency that demanded efficient exploration and problem-solving.

Despite these challenges, Uninvited was less brutal than Shadowgate, notorious for its abundance of lethal traps. While Shadowgate forced players to think on their feet, Uninvited encouraged a slower, more deliberate approach—though the threat of unexpected death always loomed.

Uninvited is often mentioned alongside ICOM’s other classics, Deja Vu and Shadowgate. Together, these games defined a new era of interactive fiction. Deja Vu: A Nightmare Comes True!! stood out for its gritty detective story, while Shadowgate challenged players with a medieval setting filled with deadly puzzles. Yet, Uninvited holds a special place for its effective use of horror—a genre not often explored in adventure games of the time.

If you are curious about the origins of interactive horror, Uninvited and its ICOM siblings are worth revisiting. Just remember to keep your wits about you—this mansion is as deadly as it is mysterious.