Bobbin Threadbare
The young protagonist and an apprentice of the Weavers’ Guild. He must investigate the catastrophe affecting his guild and learn to use the distaff.
Documented for this version
Left Mouse Button | Move the cursor, select objects or characters, and interact with the current scene. The DOS version is primarily mouse-driven. |
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The distaff is used to play four-note drafts.
Exact keyboard shortcuts can vary by release and documentation, so only the documented mouse interaction is listed here.
How it plays
Loom uses a first-person-style visual adventure presentation in which the player guides Bobbin through illustrated locations and examines people, objects, and scenery. Interaction is mainly performed with the mouse, while dialogue and discovered clues provide context for the next objective.
Progress depends on learning and identifying drafts by listening to their musical notes, then playing the correct sequence on the distaff. Drafts can alter objects, creatures, and the environment. The game has no conventional combat system, and the three difficulty modes change how clearly notes and draft solutions are presented.
Plan your run
Listen carefully to every draft and remember its musical direction rather than relying only on its name. Many drafts can be played on objects or creatures, so revisit earlier areas when a new pattern is learned.
Meet the cast
The young protagonist and an apprentice of the Weavers’ Guild. He must investigate the catastrophe affecting his guild and learn to use the distaff.
Bobbin’s mentor and a senior member of the Weavers’ Guild.
Bobbin’s mother and an important figure in the history of the Weavers’ Guild.
A powerful guild leader whose actions help set the story’s central conflict in motion.
A member of the Weavers’ Guild who becomes involved in Bobbin’s journey.
Before you begin
Write down each draft as a sequence of rising, falling, or repeated notes.
Observe the target before playing a draft; the same spell can have different consequences in different contexts.
Save before experimenting with an unfamiliar draft.
Loom is a fantasy graphic adventure developed and published by Lucasfilm Games for DOS. It follows Bobbin Threadbare, a young member of the mysterious Weavers’ Guild, whose world is endangered by a supernatural transformation. Instead of collecting a large inventory or selecting verbs from a command menu, the player solves problems by learning musical four-note spells called drafts and performing them on Bobbin’s distaff. The game is played through exploration, observation, dialogue, and experimentation. Its unusual interface, storybook presentation, and atmospheric music made it one of Lucasfilm’s most distinctive adventures. Critics and players generally praised its visual style, accessible design, and imaginative setting, although its shorter length and simplified puzzle structure were sometimes viewed as limitations.
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