[Intrepid Homoludens]

Originally Posted by Gamespy

2006 wasn't a terribly strong year for adventure games. Of course, the genre's been on life support for a long time now with only a few excellent titles like Sam & Max: Culture Shock to break the monotony of mediocre and low-budget titles. Even so, Dreamfall: The Longest Journey stands so far out of the pack, we believe it would have been a stellar candidate no matter what year it was released.

In many ways, Dreamfall suffers from The Empire Strikes Back problem. Not only is it the middle chapter of a trilogy, but like that film, it's essentially "internal." Dreamfall isn't about plot points, it's about characters asking questions and discovering some painful truths about themselves. As such, it raises a lot of difficult questions and is told in an unhurried, almost circular pace that's sure to rankle those who prefer their stories to unfold in a faster and more linear style. If gaming is ever to be more than merely colored lights and sensation, though, it needs these types of experimental projects to move forward. Gaming may not yet be "art," but with Dreamfall: The Longest Journey, we're one step closer.

YAY for Dreamfall!