[CrimsonBlue]

This is the second topic I make. There will be a trilogy today, sorry if that offends anyone.

But I just wanted to spill out some of my thoughts on the state of adventuregaming. You know, our favourite genre. Don't know if anyone else noticed, but the genre seems to grow slowly instead of declining into nothing lately. I think the genre is getting back to where it once was, among the usual commercial genres and out to the masses.

Think about it. Ever since the release of Escape from Monkey Island, the genre seems to have waken up to a new reality. Heck, one of the first games on the PS2 is a brilliant adventuregame called Shadow of Memories or Shadow of Destiny (depending on where you live on this small planet). Not a game you'd think a recently released gaming system would get, is it?

Then LucasArts announced Full Throttle 2 and Sam and Max 2. Although Full Throttle 2 was never to be released, we had the impression that they were trying something new with the genre, and I see that as a good sign at least. The even better sign is that they actually saw that the game just didn't work out very well, so they decided to can it. Sam and Max 2 is however, well underway.

The last couple of years we've had a fair share of high-profiled games (well, high-profiled compared to the usual adventuregame). We've had EMI, Syberia, Runaway, Broken Sword 3, Myst III - Exile and the announcement of incredibly wellknown game series (Sam and Max 2, Leisure Suit Larry).

I see the future of adventure gaming as a bright one.

[Marek]

Yes, on the whole I agree with you that the genre is faring a little better than in years before, but I'd like the curve to be a lot steeper. <plug> Tune in this Friday as I post the first part of my article series called "The Future of Adventure Games" which has a lot to say about this. </plug>

[DomStLeger]

There are three games in particular that I think will really help continue this upward trend:

unnamed Jane Jensen Game - Jane is undoubtedly a very talented woman with an ability to make stories work in game form. I think her new series could take the genre interesting places.

unnamed Revolution Game - Rev have hinted on their forum that they've started another game (probably adventure). They've shown how good 3D games can be, albeit with some flaws. I'm in no doubt though, that they will have listened to feedback and take forward the great innovations of BS3, their amazing abilitys in storytelling and produce another benchmark game. (BASS2 is my guess but it's just a guess )

TLJ 2 - This seems a very exciting game to me, another full 3D game with a potentially great story. The standards been set by BS3, and I think Ragnar Tornquist and Co have a good chance of reaching them judging by past performance. (I can't wait for christmas )

These three games are the potential AAA titles leading the genre in my opinion, and are what are going to keep me on the edge of my seat for the next 2 or 3 years. Yes you have games like Sam and Max 2, Syberia 2 and LSL8, but I'm yet to be convinced they can push things forward. But with these too, the genre is in a very good state.

There are only a few things that could truely harm the genre I think; 1 is BS3 not meeting sales expectations (this I'm a little worried about; Revolution deserve success with this title). Also, hows FunCom doing? They've seemed a little dodgy to me ever since their excursion into MMORPGs...

[Marek]

I wouldn't completely rule out S&M2 and maybe LSL8 for contributing something to the "upward trend". I know you're speaking specifically in terms of game design, and I think S&M2 could be really interesting in this regard, since it's been called a "point and click adventure" but at the same time it's made in real-time 3D. 'Rumor' has it we'll hear more about S&M2 in about a month, so I guess we'll see. (If S&M2 uses the EMI engine I'm going to cry though.)

[Jake]

Originally Posted by Marek

(If S&M2 uses the EMI engine I'm going to cry though.)

Fortunately it doesn't. Unless I'm wrong. But I don't think I am.

[CrimsonBlue]

Is it somehow possible to change the topic-title? It was supposed to be "Genre Re-Incarnate", but I messed it up somehow.

Just thought I'd mention it.