[Jackal]

Yeah yeah, I know, this update has been a long time coming. But with E3 looming during what was already the busiest adventure release schedule I can EVER remember, there just wasn't any point in scrambling to do an update until now.

So at long last, we're caught up again. In fact, we're ahead of the game and have to slow down. There are several games that we got early glimpses of at the show that truly deserve spots on the list, but can't really lay a claim to any "hype" until we start generating some! And that will happen as we get into our E3 game previews. So while the H-o-M is temporary by nature, this one is perhaps even moreso than usual.

But for today, here's where we stand:

1) Sam & Max: Season 1... Nostalgia pick? Telltale favouritism? Um, not quite. Let's just put it this way. On the front page of the daily E3 newspaper last Friday were only two games: Sam & Max... and Halo 3. Pretty heady company, little buddy. So if there is a more worthy successor to Dreamfall's enduring claim on the #1 spot, I don't know what it is.

2) Phoenix Wright: Justice for All... Hold it!! Isn't this only a big deal to Nintendo DS owners? Well, yes, but it's a REALLY big deal to DS owners. And don't look now, but that's not just a fringe group of übergeeks anymore, and the DS is quickly becoming a major player in the adventure scene. Let's hope that more publishers have the courage to keep the trend moving. But really this pick isn't about championing the DS. It's about being the sequel to easily one of the top adventures of last year. (I'm overlooking the fact that there's no Edgeworth, though that seriously bums me out.)

3) Broken Sword: The Angel of Death... Holding steady at #3, just leapfrogged by two new games. The screenshots don't excite a lot of people, and rightfully so, but they aren't final, and hey -- it's Broken Sword!

4) The Secrets of Da Vinci... This is NOT The Da Vinci Code, the action/adventure based on Dan Brown's book, nor is it a cheap rip-off to capitalize on the hype. No no, this is the first-person historical adventure from Kheops and its partners. The growing number of Kheops fans will already be optimistic about this title, but having seen the game in action, that optimism seems well-founded, with great graphics, challenging gameplay, and a few new wrinkles thrown in for variety. The game won't be on the list much longer, however, as it's due for release imminently in the UK, and shortly thereafter in North America.

5) Runaway 2... Hey, this slid down a notch! That will make the naysayers happy, but despite all the hatin', this is still one of the most highly anticipated games of the year for many. So bring it on!

6) Agatha Christie: Murder on the Orient Express... A new Agatha Christie game is hype-worthy in and of itself. Sure, the last one got mixed reviews, but the developers seem intent on learning from the original experience and delivering everything players want this time around. Except Hercule Poirot as a playable character, but what can you do. Our little grey cells just aren't up to Poirot's standards. Hastings, maybe, but not Poirot.

7) Uru Live... We sure didn't see this one coming. I'm not exactly sure if this qualifies as a new game, an old game, or even a traditional game at all, but the re-launching of Cyan's multiplayer Uru on GameTap later this year is a major event. It's not everyone's cup of tea, of course, but then what game on the list is?

8) Al Emmo and the Lost Dutchman's Mine... Also slipping in the E3 aftermath is the independent Sierra-style adventure from Himalaya. The game is charging hard down the home stretch, however, and it'll soon be big news again, so don't wander off.

9) HCA - The Ugly Prince Duckling... Where the heck did THIS game come from?? (And I don't mean Scandinavia, either.) Announced just prior to E3, this fictional take on the life and works of Hans Christian Andersen is anything but an ugly duckling itself, looking every bit as good in action as it does in its stunning screenshots. Don't be surprised to see this game leap up the charts as more is revealed in the coming months.

10) Secret Files: Tunguska... Even with the recent announcement of a North American publisher to go with its fabulous looking screenshots and trailers, Tunguska just barely clung to the last spot against some furious competition, as there wasn't much to see of it at E3. Whether it's able to hold its position once all our E3 coverage shakes out remains to be seen, but make no mistake, this game is definitely a looker!

And there we have it. We saw... get this... 30 adventures at E3. 30!! And not every upcoming adventure was even there, of course. So narrowing the list down to these 10 was incredibly difficult, and for the first time in quite a while, there was a fair bit of debate about what should and shouldn't be on the list -- not because these 10 didn't deserve it, but because other games deserved it as well. It's a nice dilemma to have!

Of those that didn't make the list, honourable mention (and I mean really REALLY coughnextupdatecough honourable mention) goes to Experience112, Overclocked, and Hotel Dusk: Room 215, each of which looks poised to entrench themselves on the Hype-o-Meter for many months to come. But for now they're still waiting their turn until more can be revealed and the hype machine starts turning in their favour.

So that's it for now, but check again in a couple weeks.