[JemyM]

I didnt say my own opinion when posting this since I did not want to poison the well.

If you look up Adventure in a dictionary you find "To take a risk", "An exciting or unexpected event or course of events" or "To dare to go or enter".

In other words, what defines a game as an "adventure" would be a focus on delivering a course of events or an opportunity to explore.
Either the game deliver an interractive story, or it simply delivers a chance for you to explore a virtual environment.


But "Adventure" is a loose genré, often used to describe a game that doesnt quite fit the other kind of games.
Game's that offers you the opportunity to build your own character is for example known as Roleplayinggames. Oblivion, that offers a heavy focus on ways to define your character, is a roleplaying game, despite it's tremendous amount of exploration.

Half-Life 2, despite it's numerous puzzles doesnt really focus on delivering a story or exploration. Instead it put all focus on delivering a fast-paced adrenaline-pumping action experience. Thus, in an actiongame even if it contains both puzzlesolving and a (weak) story.

I say that an adventuregame is an interactive story or a virtual environment (to explore).

If there's anything that can be discussed, it's the narrative in how you progress the events... In some adventures it's really obvious what to do and you just have to use the tools around you to deal with your issues (King's Quest 1).
Some adventuregames you get to progress if you know what you are doing and is thus educational (Police Quest / C.S.I).
In some adventuregames the most obvious solution isnt always right. A such adventuregame is more focused on puzzlesolving where you get to solve the puzzle to progress the story (Gobliiins). In some adventuregames you actually spend all of your time solving real puzzles (Myst).
Some adventures have inventory, some do not (Myst). Some adventures are point and click, some are not. Some adventures is in 3rd person, some are in first person. Some adventures are in 2d, some are in 3d. Some contains actually killing monsters, arcade situations or buttonmashing although that's not the experience the developers have tried to deliver.


As long as action comes second and the game is about pushing through a course of events or delivering an opportunity to explore a virtual world, it's an adventuregame in my book.

Is Alone in the Dark an adventure game? Well, if I would advertise the game I wouldnt push on "fast paced adrenaline pumping action" or "create your own virtual character"... The focus is to explore an old house which also contains a story for the player to progress through, not through building up your character, but through solving puzzles. Killing monsters is just a minor part of it and not the major focus of the game.