[Intrepid Homoludens]

The classic adventurer might go for Dark Fall
or realMyst...


....while the more flexible adventurer might put
Silent Hill 2 and ICO on their list.

This is the thread to discover and celebrate the diversity of us adventure gamers as well as the diversity of the adventure genre. It's true, not all adventure gamers are the same, we have our individual tastes and preferences. Some of us place more emphasis on experiencing the story, some of us focus on the cerebral challenge of puzzles, still others love trying out various kinds of adventure styles.

Copy & paste the brief questionnaire for your post:

1. Why adventure games in particular? Why not strategy or pure action? What's the draw for you towards the adventure?

2. What thematic visual style attracts you more than others? Cartoony? Realistic? Stylized? Doesn't matter?

3. How important are the cornerstones of the adventure genre to you? Story? Puzzle? Character development, etc.?

4. How do you play a game? Do you engulf it in one weekend or do you like to take your time and savour it? Does it depend on the individual game?

5. How flexible or conservative are you in your personal definition of the adventure game? If flexible, what games have you played that you feel have powerful adventure elements to qualify them? If conservative, what games do you think epitomize the genre?

6. What is your take on the state of adventure games today, now? What do you feel is lacking, what looks promising?

[syntheticgerbil]

This is hard. I don't really want to talk that much about myself.

But I wouldn't have chosen any of those four games you presented.

[Intrepid Homoludens]

Originally Posted by syntheticgerbil

This is hard. I don't really want to talk that much about myself.

Why not? You've already revealed sooo much of who you are in your past posts. Don't underestimate our powers of observation, Mr. Humble.

But I wouldn't have chosen any of those four games you presented.

Well then, answer the questionnaire and tell us why.

[BacardiJim]

I'd say that my recommendations list pretty much answers these questions, yes? So I won't bore everyone with answering the questionaire. No offense meant to you at all, Trep. Just seems to me that you can tell what is important to me and what I like and don't like from my list, so no need for me to restate it here.

[Starflux]

Then I'll answer the questionnaire like a good little student ^_^

1. Why adventure games in particular? Why not strategy or pure action? What's the draw for you towards the adventure?
I DO play strategy and action. I'm an allround gamer in that sight, but I tend to lean more towards games (needn't necessarily be ags, but they more frequently fit the bill) that feature more intrinsic storyvalues, more craftly created, rich worlds, etc. I like the overall creativeness one finds in most ags, whether it be in the personality of the characters or the visual style of the game. These things make it more immersive, and provide a better way to escape everyday life. That said, every game that offers this, I will be attracted to, but as I said before, adventures (and rpg's) seem to get it right far more often.
On a non-narrative side: I just like it when I can interact with a world, taking things from a scene, using it on other things and see what happens. The same reason I was and am obsessed with toys that can transform.

2. What thematic visual style attracts you more than others? Cartoony? Realistic? Stylized? Doesn't matter?
As the main reason I play games is escapism, I prefer things that are not too bound to the world I already see everyday. An example with fps-games: Medal of Honor just doesn't work for me. It's fun, but I'm infinitely more attracted to the creative, unworldly marvels of NOLF2. The same goes here. Of course, cartoony ags tickly my fancy, but Broken Sword does the same, although it's pointed towards making us believe it could be true. However, essentially it IS about templars, evil gods and broken heirlooms, and thus otherworldy enough to make me forget about my world.

3. How important are the cornerstones of the adventure genre to you? Story? Puzzle? Character development, etc.?
The point&click adventure as it is seen, is for me the quintessence of an adventuregame. But just because I enjoy a true adventure most if it comes in that familiar form, doesn't mean I couldn't enjoy something else. In fact, I see a game like Zelda: The Windwaker, as an adventure all the same. It has its action elements and a platformaspect, but there never is a "rush"-element in Zelda, and there's a healthy adventure aspect, in terms of finding new things, and inventory, solving puzzles, uncovering the plot. I think my view is broad enough never to get stuck in a dead end. But that's also because I don't care if it's a 'true' ag or not; I will judge a game on its own qualities.

4. How do you play a game? Do you engulf it in one weekend or do you like to take your time and savour it? Does it depend on the individual game?
It depends mostly on factors that have nothing to do with the game; whether or not I have time, etc. But I do like to keep myself preoccupied with a game. Especially if it's a good game, I'll play it for hours in a row, and, depending on the quality, will not resist the urge to play again the day after that. I get the feeling that if I stray away from a game for too long, it'll lose its grip on me, I'll forget parts of the story, I won't be immersed anymore. A game has a certain structure, you can't just start over in every random part of the game.

5. How flexible or conservative are you in your personal definition of the adventure game? If flexible, what games have you played that you feel have powerful adventure elements to qualify them? If conservative, what games do you think epitomize the genre?
I think I'm both flexible and conservative, really See, I do feel that there is a pure, untainted breed of adventuregames, the likes of which you all know: the point & click-type and Myst-style; the games that, if at all, have only a very limited amount of arcade sequences, but concentrate on puzzles and narrative instead.
The flexible part of me consists then in that I don't care. I'll very gladly play a game that has adventure-elements in them, even though I wouldn't call it a pure adventure. Examples of these are the aforementioned Zelda-games, but also Outcast, amongst others. Like I said; I'll judge a game on its own qualities, instead of first checking if it's "pure" or not.

6. What is your take on the state of adventure games today, now? What do you feel is lacking, what looks promising?
Well, I haven't played too much adventuregames of the recent crop. Quite few, actually. I think the most recent I played was Escape from Monkey Island, and because I have little time I haven't even bought Broken Sword 3 yet (I know, I'm ashamed, but ever since I live on my own I've found life too expensive to pay 50 euro's for any game). So I can't really comment on the current state of adventures. And seen that I don't specifically exclusively stick to adventuregames...

Well, that's my addition. Cheers to the one person who actually read this

[Nomad]

1. Why adventure games in particular? Why not strategy or pure action? What's the draw for you towards the adventure?

Stories. Interactive stories. I don`t have a TV coz I hate being bombarded with input while having to be passive and without having the choice to select what I want to know or see. And adventures are like books or movies where I'm in control. Oh, pathetic shit. Well, it's something like that. And that "stories" thing. Dot.

2. What thematic visual style attracts you more than others? Cartoony? Realistic? Stylized? Doesn't matter?

Sometimes this, sometimes that. With a little overweight towards SciFi. But a good adventure is a good adventure. I personally prefer 3rd person to 1st person.

3. How important are the cornerstones of the adventure genre to you? Story? Puzzle? Character development, etc.?

Nice to remember, and nice to share the memory with friends, but I'm always looking forward to the next big thing.

4. How do you play a game? Do you engulf it in one weekend or do you like to take your time and savour it? Does it depend on the individual game?

I've got a job, I've got friends, and a girlfriend. And other interests. Takes some time to solve a game.

5. How flexible or conservative are you in your personal definition of the adventure game? If flexible, what games have you played that you feel have powerful adventure elements to qualify them? If conservative, what games do you think epitomize the genre?

Traditional PnC is the greatest for me. But new stuff makes up for a nice change. Recent examples: Black Mirror (pure PnC) was great. BS3 (some action elements) was great, too. Exept for the boxes puzzles No. 3-X.

6. What is your take on the state of adventure games today, now? What do you feel is lacking, what looks promising?

Gimme more, and see question no. 5. And continue great stories. TLJ2, Syberia 2, MI5, GK4, Black Mirror 2, IJ5, UFOs 2, Amerzone 2, BS4, Eye of the Kraken 2, Feeble Files 2, Jazz and Faust 2, LBA3, Nightlong 2, Salammbo 2. I want them all!

[Intrepid Homoludens]

Ah well, I might as just set an example and answer the questionnair now myself.

1. Why adventure games in particular? Why not strategy or pure action? What's the draw for you towards the adventure?

I love stories! I write stories, I listen to them, read them. It's the mainly the story that draws me. Yes, other genres have their plots, but the adventure genre is the only that gives it to you up close and personal. Secondly, I love the cerebral challenge of the puzzles, especially if they're well designed and seem to emerge from the plot and gameword.

There are gamers here who say they play games to escape reality. I play games to enhance and enrich reality. Syberia did that for me, as did TLJ and realMyst. I don't want to escape reality, I want to it make deeper, richer, and more real in experience.

2. What thematic visual style attracts you more than others? Cartoony? Realistic? Stylized? Doesn't matter?

It depends on the game's concept, really - if the visual style gels with the theme of the story and helps enhance it. I can appreciate different styles, and some more than others.

3. How important are the cornerstones of the adventure genre to you? Story? Puzzle? Character development, etc.?

Very important, all of them. But I think the most important of all is that they balance each other out. There seems to be a recent trend to focus too much on how the game looks rather than balancing out its constituent elements. Hopefully this will pass.

4. How do you play a game? Do you engulf it in one weekend or do you like to take your time and savour it? Does it depend on the individual game?

I savour it, I can't see myself 'wolfing' a game down in one weekend, no matter how intensely I'm loving it. I like to be able to appreciate it in detail - the gameworld, how the puzzles are done, the atmosphere.

5. How flexible or conservative are you in your personal definition of the adventure game? If flexible, what games have you played that you feel have powerful adventure elements to qualify them? If conservative, what games do you think epitomize the genre?

I'm pretty flexible, but at the same time I can truly appreciate a traditional game that really refines the genre - 'refinement' is the key word here. I loved playing realMyst, I think that's one title that eptimozes the classic adventure. I think another epitome is Gabriel Knight 3, my most favourite adventure game of all. But then, I also think that Silent Hill 2 - despite its violence and action elements - truly focuses on the the extreme intensity of the story and characters, something that Syberia managed to do relatively well, but nowhere near as boldly.

6. What is your take on the state of adventure games today, now? What do you feel is lacking, what looks promising?

I think it's great that developers like Cyan Worlds (Uru), Lexis Numérique (In Memoriam), and Revolution (BS3) are forging ahead with innovative ideas and new ways of experiencing adventures. Diversification is what we need. There is room for every type of adventure - 2D, 3D, point-&-click, direct control, etc.

What I feel is lacking now is the continuity of the challenge unique to adventure games. Good puzzle design seems to be rare these days, developers need to do something - consult specialists like cryptologists, say. For example, with titles such as BS3, it seems that the puzzles are too easy. Whether or not this has to do with it being cross platform I'm not sure, but I strongly feel that cross platform development shouldn't have to compromise any adventure game's challenge. Another thing that annoys me is the mediocrity of the games. There's a feeling of sameness from title to title, as if they were all feeding off each other. Devs need to get away from this and imbue their games with more uniqueness on all levels, from puzzle design to theme.

[Pappapisshu]

1. Why adventure games in particular? Why not strategy or pure action? What's the draw for you towards the adventure?

I do play games in other genres, or used to at least. I practically grew up with a gamepad in my hand, being a console gamer. It's more in the last five or so years that I've focused my main interest on adventure games. Of course there's different apects that I enjoy in different genres. With adventures, what I really enjoy are the combination of a solid story and problems to overcome. I don't play them purely for the story, nor do I prefer adventures that are too strongly focused on puzzles. Actually, this is just ranting. I guess I can't specifically point out certain aspects that I prefer. It must be some kind of combination that only adventure games reach.


2. What thematic visual style attracts you more than others? Cartoony? Realistic? Stylized? Doesn't matter?

All depending on the game, the themes etc. I don't pick games depending on styles, so whatever fit the style of the game I guess. My personal favourite thematic style, though, are the mystery-kind. I'm a big sucker for a good murder mystery, and I suppose a more realistic visual style would be ideal for that kind of game. Not necessarily the specific visual style I prefer the most though. Err...anyway...


3. How important are the cornerstones of the adventure genre to you? Story? Puzzle? Character development, etc.?

As I stated in the first question, I can't choose a specific part that I prefer. It's the combination I'm after. I want them all!


4. How do you play a game? Do you engulf it in one weekend or do you like to take your time and savour it? Does it depend on the individual game?

Depends on the game, but mostly I like to take my time to, as you put it, savour it.


5. How flexible or conservative are you in your personal definition of the adventure game? If flexible, what games have you played that you feel have powerful adventure elements to qualify them? If conservative, what games do you think epitomize the genre?

I like to think of myself as pretty flexible (I'd choose ICO and Silent Hill, regarding your introduction. Although, that may be because I adore those particular games.). I'd love to see, not necessarily a significant change, but an...evolution...of adventure games. Maintaining most of what I consider important for the genre, but also trying different stuff, presenting the games in different ways, etc. I believe there's inspiration to get from games that aren't seen as traditional, "pure", adventures like Silent Hill 2, ICO and Outcast.


6. What is your take on the state of adventure games today, now? What do you feel is lacking, what looks promising?

Haven't played any of the recent adventures, so I can't really say. Following it through AGs and its forum, I'd say that it looks pretty good, and there seems to be bold developers out there, willing to explore other options and such.

[Kolzig]

Here's my thoughts...

1. Why adventure games in particular? Why not strategy or pure action? What's the draw for you towards the adventure?

Hmm, since I was five years old, I have always loved adventure games the most of all. I play all kinds of games, action, strategy, racing simulation, you name it, and I play it. Still ag's affect me the most, the stories they tell, it's intriguing to solve puzzles that make you really think and use your brain.
I have never liked Myst style games that much, don't know really why, it maybe the interface, or something. That could change soon, at least in someway, now that I have tried Uru a little, even though it's only "the cousin of Myst".

2. What thematic visual style attracts you more than others? Cartoony? Realistic? Stylized? Doesn't matter?

In general, it doesn't matter that much. But the visual style of games like Secret of Monkey Island 1 always make my heart just pump faster and faster.

3. How important are the cornerstones of the adventure genre to you? Story? Puzzle? Character development, etc.?

They are all important. Story comes first, but one can never forget the importance of all the other elements of the games.

4. How do you play a game? Do you engulf it in one weekend or do you like to take your time and savour it? Does it depend on the individual game?

I never try to play games immediately, only once this has happened, and that game was Max Payne 2 and it sucked me completely inside it's gaming world (ok, the game was "short" says the general public, but I think it was just the right lenght) and though I played it through in couple of sessions, I looked through everything that the game had inside it, and I loved every second of it. It usually takes me 1 to 3 months to complete any game. I think that one can't enjoy the game at all if you try to brake some record how fast you can complete a game.

5. How flexible or conservative are you in your personal definition of the adventure game? If flexible, what games have you played that you feel have powerful adventure elements to qualify them? If conservative, what games do you think epitomize the genre?

As I've said, I have difficulty accepting Myst-style games. I enjoy most playing good Point'n Click games. Monkey 1&2 and also 3 are some of my great favourites. I have played through two endings in Shadows of Destiny, I enjoyed the story but the rest of the game really didn't feel like fun. There's always the fight 2d vs. 3d, I'm a "2d lover", still I enjoy GF, TLJ, and seems that I like BS3 also.
I'm a stubborn guy, at first I reject almost everything that is new and causing changes to the genre, but when I try the new games out eventually, many of the new stuff feels good. And I got to say that the adventure game that I feel has changed the most in our genre is Gabriel Knight 3, it's a true masterpiece. It was made in difficult times, Sierra was already changed, but still they managed to make it, the kind of swan song of Sierra's long line of ag's at that time.

6. What is your take on the state of adventure games today, now? What do you feel is lacking, what looks promising?

There's too much sequels coming out, where are the fresh new ideas, it seems that most of the great creators have gone. Of course there's much new stuff still coming out, like Salammbo, Journey to the Center of the Earth etc. but those games don't seem to affect me at all. I'm happy that people like Jane Jensen are making new adventure games. It's a strange situation, I love old style P'n C ag's, but still I want fresh ideas to come out. It creates a sort of dilemma when I'm defending old style but still wanting new style.

[Starflux]

(Anxiously awaiting the promised psychological analysis)

[Jake]

...ok, not really.

1. Why adventure games in particular? Why not strategy or pure action? What's the draw for you towards the adventure?

Though I'll always push aside any other game I'm playing if a truly good classic adventure comes along, I generally play any sort of game as long as it's good and engaging (except apparently turn-based RPGs which I will probably never be able to like). The genres I play most outside of adventures are FPS and 2D and 3D platformers. Yes, I am one of the recently mentioned under 25ers who was raised on platformers . Fortunately I was also raised on numerous graphic adventure games, action-scrollers, realtime and turn based strategy, first and 3rd person shooters etc etc and like to think that all of them combined have formed my view on games. Adventure games continue to dominate my gaming preferences (when they're around and not crap) though, because they're the only genre to this day to properly mix story and gameplay and character development, and come out on the other side completely holding my interest and occasionally actually changing how I'm feeling emotionally about the characters. That's not absolutely important and I don't mean "its made me break down and cry," but only a TINY handful of games outside the adventure genre have hooked me into the events of the gameworld enough to make me gasp, crack a huge grin, or even be shocked or moderately worried about what's going on (akin to the feelings you get when watching a good narrative film or reading a good novel).


2. What thematic visual style attracts you more than others? Cartoony? Realistic? Stylized? Doesn't matter?

Any visual style is good as long as it's done well. I'm not a fan of the not so classy "outdated version of 3D studio" style that some Dreamcatcher games seem to adopt, but other than that I'm pretty open minded . That doesn't necesarilly mean "the graphics have to be good." There are amateur games drawn in paintbrush that have a good sense of style. As long as the style meshes well with the story the game is trying to tell (FT looking like sort of noirish or the Mike Mignola comic style, the BS series looking sort of realistic but a bit fantastic in their color and occaionally location design, sort of like a good western (vs eastern) action/adventure cartoon). There's lots more to be said about this but I think this is supposed to be a brief survey and nobody really wants my opinion anyway. ¬


3. How important are the cornerstones of the adventure genre to you? Story? Puzzle? Character development, etc.?

I think they're all extremely important, though I have a particular preference for how they should work together. Having good difficult puzzles to me are just as important as a good story, but I want the puzzles to serve the story, not the other way around. It's important to me that what I'm doing in the game is actually relevant to my character's development and fit into the world at large. Though I respect them when they're good, and can occasionally enjoy them, I'm put off a bit by games like Myst where the story is basically "complete my obstacle course of intertwined levers and ingenius audio puzzles." To me having the story be there simply as a vehicle for inane puzzles doesn't feel very adventurey, it feels puzzley. Others disagree with that and that's fine though. Riven is brilliant, but Grim Fandango is far more enjoyable a game experience for me. I think "interface" or "play control" is another cornerstone at least to some, but the way a game plays is irrellevant to me as long as the designers have managed to make it feel truly organic to the player (I believe point and click feels that way, and though they haven't done it right yet in 3D adventure games, anyone looking for organic 3D control should bum a friends Gamecube and copy of Mario Sunshine, or the new Prince of Persia game for any platform, though that's not quite as good as Mario).


4. How do you play a game? Do you engulf it in one weekend or do you like to take your time and savour it? Does it depend on the individual game?

I suck tremendously at all games (though simultaneously manage to enjoy most of them, oddly) so strange adventure games from companies that aren't LucasArts take me a damn long time to complete (I had to peek at a walkthrough to get out of the first room in BS2, even ), so favorite replays aside, I can't really complete most games in a weekend the first playthrough (Full Throttle is in fact the only game I've succeeded in completing the first time through over just 2 days, though it was an extremely awesome 2 days of gaming).


5. How flexible or conservative are you in your personal definition of the adventure game? If flexible, what games have you played that you feel have powerful adventure elements to qualify them? If conservative, what games do you think epitomize the genre?

Truth be told I'm pretty conservative in my tastes when it comes to adventures. The voice in the back of my head still always tells me that the only good adventures are going to be 2D point and click. Fortunately though, more than anything I want to be proven wrong, hence thousands of words spent in these forums discussing what could be (not necesarilly what should be) in the world of adventures given the use of modern gamemaking tools. That interesting discussion aside, I'm a pretty conservative definer. To a point I don't even consider story-serves-the-puzzles games like Myst adventure games, but again, I'm willing to accept that other people disagree.


6. What is your take on the state of adventure games today, now? What do you feel is lacking, what looks promising?

No adventure games today, except BS3 (to a point) have good dialogue. I feel like designers, at least of the 3rd person point and click games that I've played in the last few years, actually fail to understand how to make an adventure game properly. They get a few aspects right, but the real punch is never there like it was in older games (and it's not just because I'm jaded. shh, it's not). It seems like isntead of trying to get a cohesive grasp on their own individual design and how it relates to the world of the graphic adventures, designers just constantly turn back to the old Lucas and Sierra games and basically just clone what they did, resulting in these more modern times in a trite turd. What is important and isn't important to creating a cohesive memorable adventure game experience just seems to be lost on the designers of modern games. Other than that, the dialogue is often jumbled and read in a monotone voice (probably partially because, much like the well-respected actors cast in the current batch of Star Wars films, the voice actors have no idea how they're supposed to read beastly sentence after beastly sentence of overly-trite unemotional melodramatic or apathetic garbage). Nothing sucks me straight out of the awesomeness of the game like fake-sounding voice acting, and this has bugged me in almost every game I've played in the last 3 years. What happened to the gold standard of voice acting laid down by LucasArts via the conversations and cutscene dialogue in Full Throttle and Grim Fandango? Since this is the Internet and nerdy griping is allowed as long as you can qualify it with some followup or another, I really do enjoy the game efforts coming out of Ragnar, Charles Cecil, and that Syberia guy, if only because they are trying (and in many ways, though not all) succeeding to give people new graphic adventure games. That wasn't happening as often immediately post-Grim as it is now, so that's good. Hopefully in addition to getting the guts (or inspiration) up to try something new within the existing rules of the genre the next time out, they'll first be able to plug the necessary gaps in their games that left them feeling emptier than the games of the past.

Sorry I wrote so much

[jannar85]

1. Why adventure games in particular? Why not strategy or pure action? What's the draw for you towards the adventure?
Because I like wandering around in this new world, getting to talk with and interact with other characters and such. It's really nice.

2. What thematic visual style attracts you more than others? Cartoony? Realistic? Stylized? Doesn't matter?
Well, Cartoony games attracts at least me, but it doesn't really matter since I play them all

3. How important are the cornerstones of the adventure genre to you? Story? Puzzle? Character development, etc.?
Very important!

4. How do you play a game? Do you engulf it in one weekend or do you like to take your time and savour it? Does it depend on the individual game?
I like to play them when I feel for it. (I still haven't played BS3 throughout yet)

5. How flexible or conservative are you in your personal definition of the adventure game? If flexible, what games have you played that you feel have powerful adventure elements to qualify them? If conservative, what games do you think epitomize the genre?
LucasArts games, Broken Sword games, Sanitarium, Phantasmagoria2, The Black Mirror (some), Runaway (some), CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, The Longest Journey...

6. What is your take on the state of adventure games today, now? What do you feel is lacking, what looks promising?
Hmmm.. Most games lacks interesting things. At least Revelution got it all right (well, except that locked view), but... Bah, can't explain... I'm sick!

[Henke]

1. Why adventure games in particular? Why not strategy or pure action? What's the draw for you towards the adventure?

The depth an adventuregame can have in terms of story, characters and atmosphere. Other genres can have part of those elements too but the actual gameplay are often focused on something else.


2. What thematic visual style attracts you more than others? Cartoony? Realistic? Stylized? Doesn't matter?

The graphicstyle that should be used in a game depends solely on the game itself and what atmosphere it wants to create. I myself doesn't prefer a certain style over the other but my taste tend to lean towards the darker and stylized kind.


3. How important are the cornerstones of the adventure genre to you? Story? Puzzle? Character development, etc.?

As I stated in the first question, I think the most important elements are story, character development and atmosphere. I haven't got a special passion for puzzles.


4. How do you play a game? Do you engulf it in one weekend or do you like to take your time and savour it? Does it depend on the individual game?

Game length is a delicate subject. A game should be as long as it needs to be. But if you, after you finished a game, look back at the actual story, locations and things you have experienced. You will know if the game felt to short or not. But if the game is long as hell and the story and gameworld are massive and compeling all the way then that is of course the best. Otherwise I would maybe say that medium is the best.


5. How flexible or conservative are you in your personal definition of the adventure game? If flexible, what games have you played that you feel have powerful adventure elements to qualify them? If conservative, what games do you think epitomize the genre?

Hard to say. I have played many great games that has many elements taken directly from the world of adventuregames like Silent Hill and Gothic. But every game on my "alltime favourite games list" are so far mousedriven 2D games. Not because I prefer my games that way but because the best ones I've played happen to have been made so.


6. What is your take on the state of adventure games today, now? What do you feel is lacking, what looks promising?

Games that lets you play through a great story will never die. But there is a trend now to make games easy and small. If you want to make a succesful game today then you should make a console game. It feels like games are only made to make the most money and can only attract people who are or feels like they're under 12 years old. The same thing can be said about movies and Hollywood. But the difference is that there are more movies being made then there are games. But the need to pull in a certain audience who wants heavily storydriven games is not ignored and it continues to grow.

[Zygomaticus]

1. Why adventure games in particular? Why not strategy or pure action? What's the draw for you towards the adventure?

I do play strategy, action and adventure. Each kind of game has its highlights that I enjoy and thus, I like all three kinds. There are, however, more than a few adventure games that reach classic-status in my book - the kind that only, perhaps, WarCraft III and Medal of Honor get in the non-adventure genre. Aforementioned "highlights" in the adventure genre are the concept of story, memorable characters, and an interesting use of tact and strategy (all three highlights also present in other games like WarCraft III).

2. What thematic visual style attracts you more than others? Cartoony? Realistic? Stylized? Doesn't matter?

Mostly I'd say doesn't matter, but cartoony is always cool. It just so happens that my favorite adventure games of all time are cartoony, though...

3. How important are the cornerstones of the adventure genre to you? Story? Puzzle? Character development, etc.?

Like I mentioned above, these three factors are my highlights for adventure games. They're pretty much my draw. It's like reading a good book.

4. How do you play a game? Do you engulf it in one weekend or do you like to take your time and savour it? Does it depend on the individual game?

I'd say it depends on the individual game. Adventure games I usually try to engulf pretty fast because there's stuff I really want to find out. On the other hand, action and strategy are usually the kind that I draw out over long periods of time. Also, for an adventure game, if I get stuck, it could get drawn out pretty long because then I'd just feel too lazy to think anymore about how to cross a particular obstacle. I might even resort to...*gasp*...walkthroughs!

5. How flexible or conservative are you in your personal definition of the adventure game? If flexible, what games have you played that you feel have powerful adventure elements to qualify them? If conservative, what games do you think epitomize the genre?

I'm pretty flexible in my definition of an adventure game. It's a game where the main character (usually the same one throughout) has an adventure, during which some quest, story, saga unfolds. That given, an example of game, which most would consider strategy, but I would consider adventure/strategy, is WarCraft III. Although you play different characters throughout the story, their development, their involvement with each other, and their ultimate show downs are what makes the game very adventure-like and story-driven, for me.

6. What is your take on the state of adventure games today, now? What do you feel is lacking, what looks promising?

Meow. Oh no!, I'm turning into a cat! Gotta go...

[nordic_guy]

1. Probably the fact that I suck in any action game, adventure games are the only ones I have a shot at actually finishing. Apart from that, I like the feel of adventure games, that you're involved in a story and involved with the people around you. When I was little I wanted to be a private investigator, and an adventure game let me do that, just in a preset path.
2. Hmm... Probably a mix between the three mentioned. Anything from The Longest Journey to Monkey Island. Doesn't really depend on style.
3. I like it when all of these factors plays an equally part of the game.
4. Adventure games tend to be short, so I like to drag it out. Talk about everything to everyone and look at everything that's lookable.
5. I'm flexible, I think. Though I must admit, I'm not drawn to games that screams action/adventure or adventure/whatever. I do play games in other genres, I just don't like to be in the middle of an intrueging story when a guy comes in and start plaffing me down.
6. I hope to see more 3D in adventure games. More interesting and challenging puzzles. In short, I want more of everything.

[Garyos]

1. Why adventure games in particular? Why not strategy or pure action? What's the draw for you towards the adventure?

I play any game that I think will be good. Genre has little to do with it. It just happens that Ags have some of the best games ever, because of their great stories and fun gameplay.


2. What thematic visual style attracts you more than others? Cartoony? Realistic? Stylized? Doesn't matter?

A game with a specific visual style at all is great. I feel drawn to games with unique looks, like Grim Fandango or Toonstruck. That's the main reason why I'm considering pickung up Gregory Horror Show...

3. How important are the cornerstones of the adventure genre to you? Story? Puzzle? Character development, etc.?

Hmmm... Definetly a combination. A good story badly told and all that.... But I guess Story is the most important, since its what keeps an adventure game together. No glue, no airplane model. Or Tie Fighter. (I always wanted one of those....)

4. How do you play a game? Do you engulf it in one weekend or do you like to take your time and savour it? Does it depend on the individual game?

It really depends on the game, and its ability to capture me. Too often I have too many games on my plate at one time, so I switch a lot. Since I get KOTOR the same time as BS3, this will be a problem....

5. How flexible or conservative are you in your personal definition of the adventure game? If flexible, what games have you played that you feel have powerful adventure elements to qualify them? If conservative, what games do you think epitomize the genre?

A LOT of games use adventure game mechanics, but I'm still pretty conservative in my view of what makes an adventure-game. But as mentioned eforehand, that doesn't make me shun the other games.

6. What is your take on the state of adventure games today, now? What do you feel is lacking, what looks promising?

Uru was the first new AG I've played since Excape From Monkey Island. No other games has really sold me, so I haven't bought them. In Memorian looks interesting, though....

[Jackal]

1. Why adventure games in particular? Why not strategy or pure action? What's the draw for you towards the adventure?

I also play action, RPG and strategy games in addition to adventures. I need variety in my gaming, and each genre appeals to me in different ways. Adventures are certainly a change of pace from the rest, and at times I enjoy burying myself in an absorbing story with relaxed exploration, engaging characters, and some cerebral puzzle solving.

2. What thematic visual style attracts you more than others? Cartoony? Realistic? Stylized? Doesn't matter?

Just like pretty much everyone so far, it depends on the game's design. But as an unqualified answer, I'd say stylized (mind you, I'd count most cartoons in that category). What a treat to be able to jump from Neverhood to MI3 to Last Express to Beyond Atlantis to Grim Fandango, each presenting a unique artistic vision.

3. How important are the cornerstones of the adventure genre to you? Story? Puzzle? Character development, etc.?

Again echoing pretty much everyone - balance. But I, too, would favour story over puzzles if one had to take precedence for some reason (and there isn't one). I can forgive a game with a good narrative and weaker puzzles more than one with good puzzles but no compelling reason to continue.

4. How do you play a game? Do you engulf it in one weekend or do you like to take your time and savour it? Does it depend on the individual game?

I prefer to engulf myself. Certainly not in a rush to finish, but just to keep the experience fresh.

5. How flexible or conservative are you in your personal definition of the adventure game? If flexible, what games have you played that you feel have powerful adventure elements to qualify them? If conservative, what games do you think epitomize the genre?

Well, my definition is probably fairly conservative, but games aren't confined to definitions. I have no problem with genre bleeding, so long as a genre maintains its core focus (for adventures - story and puzzles). The lines are being blurred and crossed and stretched everywhere, and overall I find that to be a positive. If games fall outside exisiting definitions, I have no problem calling them action/adventures or adventure/RPG's and such.

6. What is your take on the state of adventure games today, now? What do you feel is lacking, what looks promising?

Prior to BS3 and Uru, I'd have said the genre was largely tired and formulaic, desperately in need some inspiration. Those two games are a start, and I hope we see more. No experiment will appeal to anybody, but it'll get people excited and talking again, and that's always a good thing.

[DustCropper]

1. Why adventure games in particular? Why not strategy or pure action? What's the draw for you towards the adventure?

I love the interactive stories, that is what draws me towards adventure games the most. I also like the challenge you get from the puzzles. I do play games from most other genres (flight, action, strategy) but the adventure is my favorite.

2. What thematic visual style attracts you more than others? Cartoony? Realistic? Stylized? Doesn't matter?

As long as it looks pretty good then I'm happy. There isn't any particular visual style that attracts me most.

3. How important are the cornerstones of the adventure genre to you? Story? Puzzle? Character development, etc.?

A combination of everything. For me the story and characters are the most important. Next I'd say production values like voice acting, music, graphics (artistic qualities, not technical), and stability. Puzzles are important too but probably least important for me. If they're too easy then I don't mind, if they're too hard then I just use a walkthrough. As long as the gameplay isn't too frustrating (ie, if my character dies for little mistakes and I have to start over again) then I'm ok.

4. How do you play a game? Do you engulf it in one weekend or do you like to take your time and savour it? Does it depend on the individual game?

Well, I used to be able to sit down and play for hours so I'd go through games pretty quickly. But since I've gone to college I've been too busy for that, even on weekends, and so now I guess I'm in the "take your time" category.

5. How flexible or conservative are you in your personal definition of the adventure game? If flexible, what games have you played that you feel have powerful adventure elements to qualify them? If conservative, what games do you think epitomize the genre?

I guess I'm flexible. I don't mind a bit of action in my adventure games. Nor am I against 3D. But then again I suppose I'm a bit conservative because there must be more emphasis on the adventure elements, ie the story and puzzles. I also don't care whether or not the game is point-n-click. If it has keyboard controls like BS3 or Grim Fandango and Monkey Island 4 then I'm not bothered, in fact I kind of like it!

6. What is your take on the state of adventure games today, now? What do you feel is lacking, what looks promising?

Obviously it's no where as good as it used to be. Games are so short nowadays that I have a hard time really getting drawn into them. I miss the good ol' days! But I do think that it's getting better. There are many promising games on the horizon, like Jane Jensen's new game, Sam & Max 2, The Longest Journey 2, and Syberia 2.

[remixor]

Originally Posted by Intrepid Homoludens

The classic adventurer might go for Dark Fall
or realMyst...

I think it's time you brush up on your classic adventures, Trep


Anyway, here we go...

1. Why adventure games in particular? Why not strategy or pure action? What's the draw for you towards the adventure?

Well, up until I came across Fate of Atlantis in '93, the only games I'd played were educational games (I had those parents...). That Indy game was like nothing I'd ever played. It was gorgeous, it had great characters, it was fun, it had a great story, and it was Indiana Jones. Almost immediately afterwards, I got King's Quest VI and I was blown away again. It had a totally different mood, totally different characters, a totally different kind of story, and yet it too was great. When I found out that these were "adventure" games, I began to seek more of them out. I played plenty of Sierra games, but it was LucasArts that really grabbed me. Every game of theirs I played seemed totally fresh, with unique stories, well-developed characters, excellent puzzles, great humor, and many other phrases of high praise as well. By that time I'd played games like Civilization (which I loved) and Doom (which didn't grab me), and some games from other genres were great, some were terrible, but I never got the kind of consistent enjoyment with them that I did with adventure games. Every genre had something to bring to the table, but adventures quite simply had more than anyone else. Doom was an action game, so it had a lot of action. Civilization was a strategy game, so it had a lot of strategy and resource management. An adventure game was an adventure game, though, so it had story, puzzles, dialogue, generally many different settings (as opposed to most other games of the day which were pretty repetitive), and more. Man, I loved that genre. It doesn't hold quite the same magic as it once did for me, but let's not get into that now. So here I am.

2. What thematic visual style attracts you more than others? Cartoony? Realistic? Stylized? Doesn't matter?

It really doesn't matter. I'm not a particular fan of FMV or the Sierra-style cartoony (as opposed to the LEC-style cartoony), but I'll try anything.

3. How important are the cornerstones of the adventure genre to you? Story? Puzzle? Character development, etc.?

They're all pretty important. One of the amazing things to me about the great adventures of the classic era is that it wasn't the point and click/parser/whatever interface that made them great, or the 2D as opposed to 3D, or pre-rendered backgrounds, it was that it seemed like the great developers were actually trying to do new, innovative things, while maintaining full attention to all of the key areas (story, puzzles, character development). Of course there were bad adventures back then, but to me it feels like the great ones were just trying to be the best possible games they could be in every possible area (DOTT, KQ6, FOA, just to name a very small few), rather than trying to cater to some specific type of gameplay without actually remembering to make sure everything is really top-notch (Runaway, Syberia, I'm looking at you...). There are exceptions these days, of course. But I feel like these days we have to sacrifice more to play decent adventures. We have to sacrifice great characters for beautiful backgrounds, or deep characters for a good story, or well-designed puzzles for an innovative interface. Now, much of this has to do with the current state of the adventure market and I'm fully aware of how hard it is to even get a good adventure off the ground these days, but it still saddens me.

4. How do you play a game? Do you engulf it in one weekend or do you like to take your time and savour it? Does it depend on the individual game?

Depends on the game. If a game grabs me, I'll play it constantly (although I always try to pace myself; I paid good money for this time, you know!), but if a game seems unremarkable or uninspiring I'll often just forget about it for ages at a time, playing it for an hour here or there. I don't always even finish those games. I'm past the point where I feel I have to "force" myself to play sub-standard adventures just because that's what's available.

5. How flexible or conservative are you in your personal definition of the adventure game? If flexible, what games have you played that you feel have powerful adventure elements to qualify them? If conservative, what games do you think epitomize the genre?

I'm quite flexible, I think. After Grim Fandango I had a lot of trouble finding any good adventures, so I branched off into other areas. Starcraft became a big interest of mine, Diablo II consumed absurd amounts of many summers in a row, I finally got a console for the first time (PS1) and played some console RPGs, etc., etc. At this point I just want good games. I mean, I suppose I'm pretty conservative in that all my favorite adventure games pretty much come from between 1990 and 1996 (GF being the incredibly noteworthy exception there), but that's not because I feel that's how the games HAVE to be, it's just because to me that time period just had the best games. As far as what epitomizes the genre, I'd say Grim Fandango (for tying just about everything together in one amazingly and damn stylish package), DOTT (great style? brilliant puzzle design? bizarre plot? completely memorable characters? look no further. seriously.), Monkey Island 1/2 (These games, particularly MI2, continue to blow me away to this very day), King's Quest VI (to me, this game was just solid--for me, it was the King's Quest that did everything right), Broken Sword 1 (a beautiful example of a more serious adventure game, I'm sure I don't have to introduce it to anyone here).

BUT I am all for innovation in the genre! People, it seems, often forget just how innovative the adventure genre was. It consistently brought new and exciting things to the world of computer gaming, so it's silly to think that every new adventure should look like something from '95 with improved graphics. Bring on the new! Just don't forget the story, the characters, and the puzzles, damnit! Include other stuff if you want, please, I really won't mind, but don't forget those things!

6. What is your take on the state of adventure games today, now? What do you feel is lacking, what looks promising?

I must admit, I am rather pessimistic about the state of adventures today. Even the best adventures I've played released in recent years feel like they're compromising in certain areas, even if they excel in others. I really haven't played any new adventure games that feel complete to me, and considering the current popularity of the genre, I'm not sure how likely this is to change anytime soon.

[Bard09]

Here y'all go... better get comfortable...

1. Why adventure games in particular? Why not strategy or pure action? What's the draw for you towards the adventure?

I play all sorts of games, actually. I go from RPGs to third-person platformers to strategy games to even the occaisional racing game. Despite my varying preferences, I always come down to my gaming roots, which are adventure games. I really appreciate how adventure games (for the most part) place greater emphasis on story and character development. Other gaming genres seem to put these elements in almost as an afterthought. Also, the creativity inherent in the adventure game model (each game being quite unique) is especially endearing to me. King's Quest 6 is a completely different experience than King's Quest 7, for example, while the storylines seem to blur for titles like Quake I, II and III, or even the Mario titles.

2. What thematic visual style attracts you more than others? Cartoony? Realistic? Stylized? Doesn't matter?

Like almost everyone else who has answered this question, it doesn't matter to me as long as it fits the designer's vision. A successful implementation of the designer's vision, that is. Simon the Sorceror 3D and King's Quest 8 are both examples of a vision and visual style that argue and bicker between themselves.

3. How important are the cornerstones of the adventure genre to you? Story? Puzzle? Character development, etc.?

Absolutely paramount. After all, they define the adventure genre. If I had to say any aspect was "less important" to me, I would have to say puzzles. If a game has fantastic characters, great visuals, and an engaging plot, I will let a horrendous puzzle or two slide. This is not to say that puzzles ought to be overlooked *at all*. I merely think that a mistake or two in an adventure game's puzzle-system aren't as much a detriment as a poor protagonist or bad dialog.

I guess my answer to this question is that when I go shopping for an adventure game, I either aim for excellent story/characters (ex. Grim Fandango) or engaging puzzles (ex. Riven). If the game happens to encompass both, it's a "must-buy" for me.

4. How do you play a game? Do you engulf it in one weekend or do you like to take your time and savour it? Does it depend on the individual game?

Oh... this is a sensitive area for me. I truly envy those of you who say they can "savour" the game, spreading it out over weeks or even months. It might just be that I'm still young, without a full-time job, but I tend to leap off a cliff into my adventure games. I pop 'em like crack. It's definately a problem for me! With other games-- RPGs, strategy games-- I can justify spreading them out. After all, it's going to take time to build that cleric up or learn to organize your armies. But for adventure games, the story and characters take hold of me and I disappear from the world.

I almost wish I didn't love playing adventures so quickly because it encourages me to head to walkthroughs when I'm stuck. And once I've touched the first one... I keep coming back! Augh! I'll have to make a thread about it later

5. How flexible or conservative are you in your personal definition of the adventure game? If flexible, what games have you played that you feel have powerful adventure elements to qualify them? If conservative, what games do you think epitomize the genre?

As far as the world gaming community goes, I think ALL adventure gamers are pretty darn conservative. We're reverent for a type of game that is pretty much past its heyday.

Between adventure gamers, however, there is a lot more room for interpretation. I think I am very rigid-- read: conservative-- in my classifications, but I am still very open to games that expand and push the genre forward. For example, I don't see Ico as an adventure game at all. It's definately a platformer to me. It just happened to incorporate some interesting game mechanics and puzzle choices. Remember, just because EBGames lists it under "Adventure," the game is not necessarily a classic adventure in the sense of the word. I would define Ico as a platform-adventure, just as I would define games such as Deus Ex, Omikron and Outcast (three of my favorite games) as action-adventures. Unfortunately, I have been unable to place the Quest for Glory series in this classification for some reason. I still consider it a classic adventure game. Perhaps my classification logic does indeed fail me.

I often use the phrase "classic adventure" on this board. What this word means to me are the 2D Point 'n Click games of yore. Games like the King's Quest series, Space Quest series, Monkey Island series... you get the point. I also include Myst and some of the good 1st-Person clones in this Category. Anything with 3D in it I refer to as "modern adventures," of which good examples are Grim Fandango, Gabriel Knight 3 and The Longest Journey.

6. What is your take on the state of adventure games today, now? What do you feel is lacking, what looks promising?

I'm of the opinion that we are not going to find too many more games that can recreate the magic of our favorite adventures of yore. We're not going to have PCGamer introducing a new "Adventure Game" review section. Let's face it: adventure games as we know them are simply not popular anymore. It is indeed a niche market. Contrary to these defeatist words, however, I am very optimistic for the future. Other genres are finding that improved graphics and incremental changes in gameplay get old after a while. Even the makers of FPS and RTS games are realizing that the gameplay can get old without a good story or character to frame their games around. Look at the comparisons between Diablo and Diablo II. It's clear that Blizzard stepped up the story in the game significantly from the first title.

So while I doubt we will see big-budget titles in the vein of Uru or BS3 very often in the future, adventure games are going to continue to have an impact on the gaming world in a positive way. I'm not going to worry about it... too much