Software Alternatives & Startups

The Cave VS ShellNewHandler

Compare The Cave VS ShellNewHandler and see what are their differences

The Cave

A beautiful, funny, and engaging point and click adventure

No screenshot yet
Rating
0 reviews
ShellNewHandler

SourceForge.net: ShellNewHandler details page

Rating
0 reviews
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, ShellNewHandler seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned 2 times since March 2021.

social mentions
0 vs 2
Games popularity
100% vs 0%

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

TC
The Cave
ShellNewHandler
Website store.steampowered.com sourceforge.net
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

TC
The Cave 5 features
ShellNewHandler 0 features
  • Unique Character Roster
    The game features seven distinct playable characters, each with their own personality, backstory, and special abilities, allowing for varied gameplay experiences across multiple playthroughs.
  • Clever Puzzle Design
    Created by Ron Gilbert (of Monkey Island fame), the puzzles are witty and satisfying, blending environmental logic with character-specific mechanics to create engaging challenges.
  • Dark Humor and Writing
    The game features Ron Gilbert's signature dark, quirky humor, with the Cave itself narrating events and commenting on the characters' actions in an entertaining way.
  • Replayability
    With multiple characters to choose from and different story paths depending on which three characters you select, the game encourages multiple playthroughs to see all content.
  • Charming Art Style
    The game features a distinctive 2D art style with detailed environments and character animations that give it a unique visual identity reminiscent of classic adventure games.

Possible disadvantages

  • Limited Character Interaction
    Only three characters can be chosen per playthrough, meaning players miss out on content from the other characters unless they replay the game multiple times.
  • Simplistic Puzzles
    Some critics found the puzzles to be too easy or straightforward compared to Ron Gilbert's previous adventure game work, lacking the complexity fans expected.
  • Repetitive Backtracking
    Players often need to backtrack through areas with different characters to solve puzzles, which can feel tedious and slow down the pacing of the game.
  • Underdeveloped Characters
    Despite having interesting backstories, some characters receive less development and screen time than others, making certain playthroughs feel less substantial.
  • Short Playtime
    The core game can be completed relatively quickly, which some players felt didn't justify the price point, especially for a single playthrough.

No features have been listed yet.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

TC
The Cave
ShellNewHandler

Overall verdict

  • The Cave is a solid, entertaining puzzle-platformer from Double Fine that offers charming storytelling, clever level design, and good replay value at a budget-friendly price, though it may feel a bit dated and short by modern standards.

Why this product is good

  • Created by Ron Gilbert and Double Fine, known for witty writing and clever adventure game design
  • Unique mechanic of choosing 3 out of 7 playable characters, each with their own backstory and abilities
  • Combines platforming, puzzle-solving, and dark comedic storytelling in a memorable package
  • High replayability due to multiple character combinations and hidden areas/endings
  • Charming hand-drawn art style and quirky narration by the Cave itself
  • Affordable price point typical for older Steam titles, offering good value
  • Supports both single-player and local co-op play

Recommended for

  • Fans of puzzle-platformer games with a narrative twist
  • Players who enjoy quirky, dark humor in storytelling
  • Those looking for a game with high replay value through multiple character paths
  • Adventure game enthusiasts who appreciate Ron Gilbert's design style
  • Gamers seeking a budget-friendly, moderately challenging indie title
  • Players interested in local co-op puzzle experiences

Overall verdict

  • ShellNewHandler is a niche, lightweight utility hosted on SourceForge designed to give users more control over the Windows 'New' context menu (the ShellNew menu). It can be considered good for its specific narrow use case, but it is an older, minimally maintained tool that may not suit all users, especially those on modern Windows versions.

Why this product is good

  • Provides direct control over customizing the Windows right-click 'New' menu, allowing users to add or remove file type entries
  • Lightweight and free, without bundled bloatware typical of some other free utilities
  • Simple and focused in scope, making it easy to understand for its specific purpose
  • Open distribution via SourceForge allows transparency and no-cost access

Recommended for

  • Power users who want to declutter or customize the Windows New context menu
  • IT administrators managing standardized desktop environments across multiple machines
  • Users comfortable with older utility-style tools and Windows registry-related tweaks
  • Not recommended for casual users seeking modern, actively supported software with regular updates

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
TC
The Cave
ShellNewHandler
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

Share your experience with using The Cave and ShellNewHandler. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

Log in or Post with

Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

TC
The Cave 0 mentions
ShellNewHandler 2 mentions

Tracking The Cave since Jul 2026.

  • I recently got libreoffice, but now the new option in right click looks like a mess. Can someone help me get rid of them please?
    Use Shell New Handler. Run the portable app and simply untick the items you don't want to appear in your new context menu. Source: about 4 years ago
  • This menu should be easy to add/remove programs to... Who is really creating Access Databases from this menu often enough to keep it here? (Not me!) Is there an easy way to edit this?
    I've always used ShellNewHandler for this. It's a really simple portable utility that allows you to remove most of the items from that menu. Tested it out on Windows 11 and it's still compatible. Source: over 5 years ago

Alternatives to The Cave and ShellNewHandler

When comparing The Cave and ShellNewHandler, you can also consider the following products.