About this game
Grue is a short Z-code parser game by Charles Mangin. Instead of adventuring through darkness as a treasure hunter, you play the creature waiting inside it.
This TerpVault starter package uses generated placeholder artwork and curator-created helper notes. The story file is the Release 5 Z8 build available from IF Archive and the author's GitHub repository.
Help & Reference
Package-local notes for commands, hints, solution paths, and version-specific package notes.
How to Play
How to Play
This is a curator-created TerpVault helper note, not official documentation from the author.
Type commands into the interpreter and press Enter. Useful parser commands include:
LOOKEXAMINE [thing]INVENTORYSAVERESTORE
The premise changes the usual parser-game assumptions. Pay attention to senses and timing, and remember that the player character is not an ordinary adventurer.
Progressive Hints The Oracle Are you lost and need a hand?
Open only the hints you want. Later hints may reveal puzzle solutions.
These are curator-created TerpVault starter-package notes, not official hints.
General approach
The game is short and built around limited information. Try sense-oriented commands and watch how repeated actions affect the situation.
In-game help
IFDB notes that the game includes in-game hints. Prefer those before looking up a full walkthrough.
External walkthrough
IFDB links an external walkthrough and map by David Welbourn. It is not bundled in this starter package because it is a separate work with separate provenance.
Catalog & Provenance
Identifiers, source references, and redistribution notes stored with this package.
- IFID
-
47DEC7E0-8F4D-4791-BFB8-382E1F4E6A16 - IFDB
- ji9b06p3iyhcyf8y
- IFWiki
- https://www.ifwiki.org/Grue_(by_Mangin)
- IF Archive
- if-archive/games/zcode/Grue.z8
- Source
-
https://github.com/option8/grue
Retrieved 2026-05-22. Story file downloaded from IF Archive and compared with the GitHub GRUE.z8 file; SHA-256 hashes matched. - License
-
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International
IFDB lists the work as Creative Commons. The author's GitHub README identifies the work as licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International.
Package Notes
These are curator-facing completeness notes. They do not prevent the game from being listed or played.
- Walkthrough not found Add walkthrough.md when a full solution is available.