You know, listening to him, I wonder if the gent who made those ever played the old Infocom games, like "Zork" and "Leather Goddesses of Phobos."
Very probably, since I know he's a big fan of such adventure games (especially the Lucasarts ones like Monkey Island and Day of the Tentacle) and he's made several of his own (and bloody good ones they are too!).