[Fairygdmther]

The story that sucked me in the most of all the adv games I've played has to be The Longest Journey. You might need a w/t in a couple of places, but the story is very strong and carries the game. It took me about 50 hrs to complete it (I'm notoriously slow), and I loved it. I prefer stories that have some relevance, and the characters are more human-like, rather than the cartoony ones, with humorous stories.

Others I like are Obsidian - totally unique, and not at all like my usual preferences, but a must-play game.

Morpheus, Amber (won't play on XP), Blackstone Chronicles, Sanitarium, and another super favorite, Faust-7 Games of the Soul. These are far more serious games and show character development, and a good story.

I suspect you haven't found the right niche for yourself within the adv game sub-genres. You need to sample different kinds and you will, I think find something that's right up your alley.

FGM