A team of Hothead Games and the Grumpy Gamer may seem like a volatile combination, but the recently announced development collaboration with Ron Gilbert is good news for Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness.

Based on the popular web comic by Jerry "Tycho" Holkins and Mike "Gabe" Krahulik, On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness is a planned episodic, downloadable game series featuring the characters from Penny Arcade. Gilbert should need no introduction in the adventure community. The renowned former LucasArts pioneer is best known for the creation of such classics as the Monkey Island series and Maniac Mansion, plus a variety of highly acclaimed childrens' adventures with Humongous Entertainment.

Although absent from the genre for many years now, Gilbert welcomed the opportunity to work on the Penny Arcade project, claiming "when I first heard they were making a game and that they had chosen to weave adventure game elements into it, I knew immediately I wanted to be involved." Although Gilbert's role has not clearly been defined, the relationship between Penny Arcade, Hothead, and Gilbert is described as "an intense collaborative development process".

For hopeful adventure game purists, however, this news does not mean that the series is moving towards a more traditional adventure format. Very little has been revealed about the gameplay so far, but early indications, including the first trailer, suggest that the game can more accurately be described as an action/adventure hybrid. But with Gilbert's involvement, the adventuring aspect should be in good hands, and we'll be keeping a close eye on this game's development.

For additional information about Penny Arcade, including a recent news update commenting on Gilbert's involvement, head on over to the PA website.