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Old 04-18-2006, 12:21 AM   #1
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Default I'm fed up

I said a mouthful on another forum, so I think I'll past it here.


What do these have in common? They are part of a genre thats having its ass kicked. I seriously have a hard time buying any adventure anymore, when the reviews aren't scaring me away the demos do a good job of it.

CSI - If that demo doesn't stop you from purchasing the game, you must be desperate.

Paradise - from the designer of Syberia. Nuff said.....boring story, no interaction, nothing but drab puzzles and slow moving characters. Hey, but its got nice backgrounds! Hoo boy! I thought adventure games were the one genre that didn't rely on graphics....

Crime Stories - Between the translation problems, straight forward gameplay and characters they expect you to know but can't unless your a native from its country....I don't know what to think on this one.

Scratches - I used to like wandering dank lonely locations, problem is Myst does it so well this game has little new to it. The demo kept me wandering the same rooms over and over again.....and it seems it gets no better from review impressions. Just what I needed, a game to force me to read a walkthrough or pull out my own teeth.

Dreamfall maybe be the only hope....but wait! Now we hear the added stealth and fight scenes are pointless and add nothing to the gameplay. Wonderful!

You know what? It's getting damn hard for me to defend this god forsaken genre. I love adventure games, I really do....however this has got to be the only genre where the past really IS better than the future. When the hell am I going to play the next big Monkey Island or King's Quest? No, not the damn IPs....let them rest, I'm talking in context here. When am I going to be able to play a NEW adventure game with interesting characters, a good plot and puzzles that are worth my time thinking about?

It really hurts when 10 or more adventure games come out in 2 months time and I only feel the need to buy one of them, simply out of hope. I think after I get Dreamfall I'm going to go back into dosbox and scummvm and play all the games I've missed, because at least they'll be new to me, AND worth my time.

Its nice to hope for a revival, but considering Indigo Prophecy was the only decent game to carry adventure elements in ages (and its not even in the truest sense of the word) I think I'm almost done caring. So lead on Dreamfall.....your the last real hope for this genre for me. I love other genres enough not to bother looking on the horizon of a genre that can only wow me 5 years between each game.
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Old 04-18-2006, 12:29 AM   #2
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And you think the golden age wasn't full of crap adventures?

Without commenting on the specific games you've talked about
It's the nature of nostlgia, you tend to forget that all these great games were released in a span of 8-13 years, and between them there were as much as clones we get not.

B.T.W
A) Yes we are desperate.
B) and yes , it's seems to be less 'lucas-arts' style adventure games in the last few years (apart from Bone which has its flaws, and dreamfall)

Last edited by TheGreyMatter; 04-18-2006 at 12:35 AM.
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Old 04-18-2006, 12:33 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheGreyMatter
And you think the golden age wasn't full of crap adventures?
Of course it was! However is that an excuse to keep making them? Developers need to wake the fark up and make something actually WORTH my money. I hate how they price them at $20 too as if that makes everything better. No, I don't mind paying full price if it means I get a better experience thank you very much.

I'm just so sick of being so damn careful. I have games of other genres that are actually worth my money. Its sad to me.....
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Old 04-18-2006, 12:34 AM   #4
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I think the saddest thing about the Adventure Genre, is despite there being so many people like yourself, who just want a good entertaining, plain old adventure title, like DOTT, Grim, MI, KQ etc etc... every developer seems to think they need to invent some type of new adventure super genre, with Flashy 3d, and "innovative gameplay", all of which just ammounts to lackluster action game with some puzzles...
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Old 04-18-2006, 12:38 AM   #5
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Well, you havn't played Dreamfall yet, I assume? I agree, the IGN review is so disappointing, and it literally kills the hype of the game for me. I wish, oh I wish that it turns out to be wonderful. It was the only the adventure game in years that I wanted to play, and it will be such a letdown if it really disappoints as much as the IGN review suggests.

I am currently playing TLJ for the sake of going through the world again before the arrival of Dreamfall. I am enjoying it alot, since it is my second play through, after six years, so it feels very refreshing. What makes me still love TLJ is not the gameplay, which is point and click at best. It is the incredible depth in the story, the characters and dialogs. I hope, Dreamfall excels in these areas, otherwise it will kill a part of a gamer in me. Dreamfall is just not about the hype that is due to incredible graphics, or amazing gameplay, it is much more than that, its base is TLJ, and the reputation of Ragnar and Funcom.

Of course, if it really disappoints this much, I will never ever pre-order a game, unless I read reviews.
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Old 04-18-2006, 12:39 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Litrick
I think the saddest thing about the Adventure Genre, is despite there being so many people like yourself, who just want a good entertaining, plain old adventure title, like DOTT, Grim, MI, KQ etc etc... every developer seems to think they need to invent some type of new adventure super genre, with Flashy 3d, and "innovative gameplay", all of this just ammounts to lackluster action game with some puzzles...
No, see I LIKE when they try new things. However "new things" doesn't mean fill my game with pointless sequences and claim innovation. Indigo Prophecy was great, wheres its rival? I don't like the idea that I get one good adventure every few years.....thats terrible.

I don't buy many 'decent' games. I would rather spend my money on 'amazing' games. I mean, I don't exactly feel like spending all my money on just games, so the ones I do buy better be worth it. However whats the point? Why not just buy Oblivion? Splinter Cell? FEAR? You know, games which actually keep me entertained without having to say "gee....this is kind of dull, what game can I compare it to in order to justify having played it?"
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Old 04-18-2006, 12:41 AM   #7
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I don't waste my time thinking about the genre anymore. What's the point? If a game I think I'd like comes along, I'll play it, that's all.

Btw, that's my sentiment on all genres, not just the adventure genre. I don't care much for labels.
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Old 04-18-2006, 12:43 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by avatar_58
No, see I LIKE when they try new things. However "new things" doesn't mean fill my game with pointless sequences and claim innovation. Indigo Prophecy was great, wheres its rival? I don't like the idea that I get one good adventure every few years.....thats terrible.

I don't buy many 'decent' games. I would rather spend my money on 'amazing' games. I mean, I don't exactly feel like spending all my money on just games, so the ones I do buy better be worth it. However whats the point? Why not just buy Oblivion? Splinter Cell? FEAR? You know, games which actually keep me entertained without having to say "gee....this is kind of dull, what game can I compare it to in order to justify having played it?"
I am all for new styles of gameplay too, but that doesnt mean every adventure should be "innovative". I think there is still room for a good old 2d point and click, as long as it is good.
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Old 04-18-2006, 12:43 AM   #9
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Quote:
Hey, but its got nice backgrounds! Hoo boy! I thought adventure games were the one genre that didn't rely on graphics....
This applies to the 3D age. Adventures have always been known for their beautiful, hand rendered backdrops and were always the best looking games on the market. When 3D went standard is when the "graphics don't matter" mantra started.
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Old 04-18-2006, 12:46 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by insane_cobra
I don't waste my time thinking about the genre anymore. What's the point? If a game I think I'd like comes along, I'll play it, that's all.

Btw, that's my sentiment on all genres, not just the adventure genre. I don't care much for labels.

I hate labels too, thats why I prefer when games mix genres.....makes for a better experience. Deus Ex, Psychonauts and many other have proven this to me.

However when adventure is becoming synonymous with 'dried up' and 'dull'.....well it kind of sucks. I used to hail this as the best genre out there, now I just sit back and wonder why all the games to back up my claims are more than 10 years old.....
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Old 04-18-2006, 12:49 AM   #11
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Is this guy Audio Soldier on a different user or something? If you don't like adventure games, dont play them.
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Old 04-18-2006, 12:52 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dasilva
Is this guy Audio Soldier on a different user or something? If you don't like adventure games, dont play them.
Hey, I just made a rant I thought was worth listening to in case others agreed with me. Since this is a forum about the genre in question I thought I would post it here as well.

I'm not against the genre, I'm against whats being done with it. Also...I might not play them. Thats the sad part. I really wish it wouldn't be like this.....
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Old 04-18-2006, 01:00 AM   #13
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in every genre there are (more of less) 20 dull games for every great games, the problem is - unlike adnvetures, most genres get 300 games each year!

so it's only a matter of statistics...
B.T.W. when was the last time one of the major companies in the industry released an adventure game?
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Old 04-18-2006, 01:01 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Litrick
II think there is still room for a good old 2d point and click, as long as it is good.
Yes, I would always prefer a good 2D than 3d.
The problem with adventures games today isn't 3d or the fact that developers only concentrate on good graphics (because you have to admit it, it's nice to have a well drawn background ), but they concentrate ONLY on that and serve us an uninteresting and predictable story with lousy gameplay (illogic puzzles, bad dialogs).
I started playing adventure games because of their great plots and attractive gameplay (i remember staying hours in fornt of some puzzles.. ), but nowadays adventure games are very commercial (not only adv, almost all genres).

I really feel sorry because there aren't any more comic adventures (like MI, Grim. Dott etc. .). The only one i was really excitede abou was Ankh, but it was a huge dissapointment.
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Old 04-18-2006, 01:02 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheGreyMatter
in every genre there are (more of less) 20 dull games for every great games, the problem is - unlike adnvetures, most genres get 300 games each year!

so it's only a matter of statistics...
B.T.W. when was the last time one of the major companies in the industry released an adventure game?
Dreamfall?
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Old 04-18-2006, 01:02 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheGreyMatter
in every genre there are (more of less) 20 dull games for every great games, the problem is - unlike adnvetures, most genres get 300 games each year!

Of course, I'm not stupid. However isn't that the point of my post? There aren't enough good adventure games. How many bad ones versus good ones isn't a good excuse.....
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Old 04-18-2006, 01:04 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dasilva
Dreamfall?
Haha, i was really expecting that, but when i heard that it has action scenes, my expectations lowered considerably.
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Old 04-18-2006, 01:06 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wicked
Haha, i was really expecting that, but when i heard that it has action scenes, my expectations lowered considerably.
Actually I've always wondered what a next gen Manhunter would be like....... A collection of funny mini-games with an underlying adventure game. Then I think of Larry MCL.
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Old 04-18-2006, 01:09 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by avatar_58
However when adventure is becoming synonymous with 'dried up' and 'dull'.....well it kind of sucks. I used to hail this as the best genre out there, now I just sit back and wonder why all the games to back up my claims are more than 10 years old.....
It sucks, but it's not really anyone's problem but the developers'. On the other hand, many games of other genres now incorporate adventure game elements and are celebrated as better because of it. They've found the right mixture to appease the current tastes (and I'm sure some smartasses will now suggest mainstream gamers prefer shallow games nowadays - what ever rocks your boat, fellas) while "pure" adventure developers for the most part still struggle to even keep the little audience they have left. As I already said, nobody's fault but their own, it doesn't concern me anymore.

If I ever get around to developing a game, and I plan on doing just that, I'll choose what ever gameplay elements augment my general intention the best. No point in constraining oneself with genre boundaries. First there were games and then the genres formed around them - now some people think it should be the other way around.
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Old 04-18-2006, 01:16 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wicked
Haha, i was really expecting that, but when i heard that it has action scenes, my expectations lowered considerably.
Have you read about the action? You don't have to fight every fight, and its jade empire meets Kotor style, which is good.
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