Guess-the-verb is a sure way to lose your players very quickly. Even though you may be targetting an 8-bit computer, that doesn't mean you have to write your game in the same style as a cruddy schoolboy adventure from the 1980s. We are trying to attract a younger generation to the joys of text adventures, not put them off for life. The youth of today are impatient. If they don't get instant gratification, they'll go looking elsewhere.
Text adventures are supposed to be a form of artificial intelligence that uses natural language processing to give the impression that the game is smart. It's up to you to prove it. Don't spoil it for the rest of us, either as players or as authors looking for more players for our games.
Most importantly, games should be fun. Guess-the-verb, instant death and random mazes are not fun.