[rmegone]

I'll admit, I found this announcement really exciting.

I'm a big fan of Pendulo and really pleased to see them coming back with something quite different but visually similar.

I'm not a huge fan of horror-gaming so I'm hoping it will still retain Pendulo's comedic approach.

I've seen a few screenshots, the trailer and press teaser pack, all seem to make things more con fusing rather than less.

What are your opinions on what we have seen so far?

[Monolith]

Wait what?!?! I love Y. This is def news to me. Can't wait!

[Majsan]

I'm a big fan of Pendulo and really pleased to see them coming back with something quite different but visually similar.

I'm not a huge fan of horror-gaming so I'm hoping it will still retain Pendulo's comedic approach.

I love Pendulos work too! And am no fan of horror games either..
But I am a little teased by this game. I think it could be interesting for me if they don't dig too deep into the 'horror' thing...
Wouldn't mind comic-adventure-horror...

Next I'm hoping to meet Liz Allaire again soon...

[Monolith]

Nevermind, lol realized this isn't based on similar to Y: the Last Man. A much better series.

[skeeter_93]

Love Pendulo's work, can't wait to hear more about this game... I am not a horror fan (scaredy cat) but I am mystery fan....

[tsampikos]

This will be surely a nice dark-horror adventure game. Since Pendulo creates technically (Graphics, Sound, Gameplay) games, which are the "definition" of adventure games, I think this game will be success. But there is an issue. Pendulo has changed the style of the story. They have chosen to create a horror/dark adventure game. The adventure games scene is "sick" because of these games. The same again and again. That's why the whole genre whas driven to decadence in the last 10 years. What did adventures games miss? The crazy storys full of fun. Happy scenarios and unforgettable characters. The elements which are responsible for the huge success of the adventure games in the 90s and beginning of 2000s. Games like Gilbert Goodmate, Next big thing, the Runaway series, Ankh series, Day of the Tentacle,back to the Future,tales of Monkey Island,the Riddle of Master Lu, Jack Keane, Ghost Pirates of Vooju Island, a Vampyre story, etc. are the type and style of games which the adventures scene needs. What difference does it make if you play Still life or Art of Murder, Asylum or Case of John yesterday. It is like re-chewed food. They might be good games, but there is no history innovation, no elements like described above. Adventure gaming is famous because it was known to offer fun,laugh, crazyness and not dark scenario, macabre plot and dark/negative thoughts.

[L-Jazz]

Originally Posted by tsampikos

This will be surely a nice dark-horror adventure game. Since Pendulo creates technically (Graphics, Sound, Gameplay) games, which are the "definition" of adventure games, I think this game will be success. But there is an issue. Pendulo has changed the style of the story. They have chosen to create a horror/dark adventure game. The adventure games scene is "sick" because of these games. The same again and again. That's why the whole genre whas driven to decadence in the last 10 years. What did adventures games miss? The crazy storys full of fun. Happy scenarios and unforgettable characters. The elements which are responsible for the huge success of the adventure games in the 90s and beginning of 2000s. Games like Gilbert Goodmate, Next big thing, the Runaway series, Ankh series, Day of the Tentacle,back to the Future,tales of Monkey Island,the Riddle of Master Lu, Jack Keane, Ghost Pirates of Vooju Island, a Vampyre story, etc. are the type and style of games which the adventures scene needs. What difference does it make if you play Still life or Art of Murder, Asylum or Case of John yesterday. It is like re-chewed food. They might be good games, but there is no history innovation, no elements like described above. Adventure gaming is famous because it was known to offer fun,laugh, crazyness and not dark scenario, macabre plot and dark/negative thoughts.

I have to disagree with you there. You're counting up things that the adventure genre misses, but then you're giving lots of examples of games that has come out in recent years. Doesn't make sense to me.

Personally I prefer games with a darker, more serious story. (Although I absolutely love Monkey Island).
I'm absolutely thrilled that Pendulo has gone in that direction and are trying to make a game that is different than the Runaway series and The next big thing.

And also I have to say that Still Life is a MUCH better game than Art of Murder. So there's a big difference between them. Just my humble opinion.

[diego]

i think we're exaggerating the "seriousness" factor here. I mean, sure, it's going to be more "mature" than Runaway with a bit of a grittier story, but i don't think it's going to be any more "serious" than, let's say - Gabriel Knight and we know how appreciated GK series is, so there's no reason that theme like this can't turn out to be good.

More correctly, i think it will resemble Broken Sword series most, because of the blend of cartoon graphics and thriller/mystery. And i can bet humor won't be totally forgotten. I mean, just look at those faces

[MoonBird]

Interesting-looking game. I really hope that they have fixed the awful dialoque trees for this game. What's definitely positive, is that the inventory is at the bottom of the screen this time. It's much more easy to use.

[MoonBird]

Originally Posted by tsampikos

This will be surely a nice dark-horror adventure game. Since Pendulo creates technically (Graphics, Sound, Gameplay) games, which are the "definition" of adventure games, I think this game will be success. But there is an issue. Pendulo has changed the style of the story. They have chosen to create a horror/dark adventure game. The adventure games scene is "sick" because of these games. The same again and again. That's why the whole genre whas driven to decadence in the last 10 years. What did adventures games miss? The crazy storys full of fun. Happy scenarios and unforgettable characters. The elements which are responsible for the huge success of the adventure games in the 90s and beginning of 2000s. Games like Gilbert Goodmate, Next big thing, the Runaway series, Ankh series, Day of the Tentacle,back to the Future,tales of Monkey Island,the Riddle of Master Lu, Jack Keane, Ghost Pirates of Vooju Island, a Vampyre story, etc. are the type and style of games which the adventures scene needs. What difference does it make if you play Still life or Art of Murder, Asylum or Case of John yesterday. It is like re-chewed food. They might be good games, but there is no history innovation, no elements like described above. Adventure gaming is famous because it was known to offer fun,laugh, crazyness and not dark scenario, macabre plot and dark/negative thoughts.

Shortly put: I think that our lovely genre needs all the settings and style directions that only can be found. It enrichens the genre and gives us the freedom to play kind of adventures we want. If we limit the genre too tightly, soon there will be no-one playing these, and their commercial making would be halted again. We do not want that, now do we?

[cbman]

Originally Posted by tsampikos

This will be surely a nice dark-horror adventure game. Since Pendulo creates technically (Graphics, Sound, Gameplay) games, which are the "definition" of adventure games, I think this game will be success. But there is an issue. Pendulo has changed the style of the story. They have chosen to create a horror/dark adventure game. The adventure games scene is "sick" because of these games. The same again and again. That's why the whole genre whas driven to decadence in the last 10 years. What did adventures games miss? The crazy storys full of fun. Happy scenarios and unforgettable characters. The elements which are responsible for the huge success of the adventure games in the 90s and beginning of 2000s. Games like Gilbert Goodmate, Next big thing, the Runaway series, Ankh series, Day of the Tentacle,back to the Future,tales of Monkey Island,the Riddle of Master Lu, Jack Keane, Ghost Pirates of Vooju Island, a Vampyre story, etc. are the type and style of games which the adventures scene needs. What difference does it make if you play Still life or Art of Murder, Asylum or Case of John yesterday. It is like re-chewed food. They might be good games, but there is no history innovation, no elements like described above. Adventure gaming is famous because it was known to offer fun,laugh, crazyness and not dark scenario, macabre plot and dark/negative thoughts.

This is the most contradictory thing i've ever read. You say the adventure
game 'scene' is 'sick' because of horror games 'again and again' and your solution is that they should instead make Lucas Arts style games again and again. Surely those games are equally like 'rechewed food'. What about people like me who don't like them? You think adventure games should stay just for you? I can't see how that will 'cure the sickness'. What a solution for success: be less diverse!

What a disinegenuous way of saying your tastes are superior to others and they should only make games that appeal to you.

[sierramindy]

Hmm, I think it would be great if they only made games that appeal to me!

[terhardp]

I personally find it hard to resist when I see screenshots of Pendulo's games. I love realistic graphics in games as much as cartoon approach, but I tend to lean toward the latter a bit.

Pendulo's visual style is defintely their strong point, but I've also like their colorful characters and voice-acting, at least when talking about Runaway triology. Their last game, The Next BIG Thing, continued the tradition in some way, but IMO the end result was rather disappointing. The main reason (for me) was the creatures for sure, but the story also simply wasn't fun and engaging like in their previous games. Therefore, I expect this upcoming game to put them back on the right track. Judging from the look of the main character and the story synopsis, I'd say things are looking promising.

As for the side discussion in this topic.. I don't agree with the claim that the adventure genre is overflown with the horror-based titles. I'd say that it's a rather fair market; you can find equal share of both light and dark themes. The only question is your particular taste and the quality of the title itself. And, of course, the magic ingredient: the atmosphere.

[Matt Berkeley]

I would say (objectively! how very dare you!) that there are far too many (geedee!) horror games, period. Across all the blurry (bloody) genres.

So I agree, in a sense.

...

Also I, too, though this was to do with "The Last Man" for a moment there despite the "John Yesterday"; and I wish it were too, too.

[tsampikos]

Some forum members understood some things not correctly.

It is a fact that the adventure games, after the golden years, were driven to decadence. No doubt about that. By that time the adventures with a dark or horror theme where very common. That's not co-incidence. Of course there are many good games with that kind of subject but it is true that something was missing and the game industry lost interest in adventure games for several years. Pendulo, Deck 13,Daedalic, Autumn Moon and Telltale games, seem to have understood what was the problem. The lack of new ideas and interesting projects. It is games like the Whispered World, Runaway, the Vampyre story, Book of unwritten tales, next big thing, Ankh which gave to adventure games a new breath. No wonder that Whispered world was the most successful adventure of 2009, Book of Unwritten tales the most wanted by now, Ankh overall best game in Germany (not only adventure but in general) in 2006 etc. No wonder that Back to the Future and Tales of Monkey Island were that successful. The same for Hector. Is there any game similar to Hector? The horror games, especially the 1st person ones are very similar. Some may be better desigmed than others, they may be good, but the general impression and elemets are the same. Same for games with investigators/detectives.

The case of John Yesterday might be a very good game. No doubt about that. I am a huge fan of Pendulo and I will buy this game too. It might contain humoristic elements, which would be very good, but the trailer gives not that impression.

[Matt Berkeley]

Not wanting to spoil myself by looking at any trailers (I hate them, and things akin to them, especially those that run just before you are about to watch a program of which they are a preview!)...

If this:



is a screenshot from what you are lamenting as another "horror" game, well then, you are being silly. That looks to be no more a "horrific" than "Vampyre Story".

C'mon. You may have a point but not relying on this example.

[kate me]

I don't like horror to the extreme games (mainly in high 3d rendering, it's just creepy!), but I agree some games wouldn't be the same without a little part of that. I repeat: a little !

About The case of John Yesterday , I haven't read much yet. But I'll stick my nose in some screens and info tomorrow...

BUT, (yes a very big BUT, because I was thinking of changing the font to 48 and make it bold) if it's Pendulo Studios, I'll definitely grab my claws on as soon as I can! Period!

[gray pierce]

Originally Posted by tsampikos

The adventure games scene is "sick" because of these games. The same again and again. That's why the whole genre whas driven to decadence in the last 10 years. What did adventures games miss? The crazy storys full of fun. Happy scenarios and unforgettable characters. The elements which are responsible for the huge success of the adventure games in the 90s and beginning of 2000s. Games like Gilbert Goodmate, Next big thing, the Runaway series, Ankh series, Day of the Tentacle,back to the Future,tales of Monkey Island,the Riddle of Master Lu, Jack Keane, Ghost Pirates of Vooju Island, a Vampyre story, etc. are the type and style of games which the adventures scene needs. What difference does it make if you play Still life or Art of Murder, Asylum or Case of John yesterday. It is like re-chewed food. They might be good games, but there is no history innovation, no elements like described above. Adventure gaming is famous because it was known to offer fun,laugh, crazyness and not dark scenario, macabre plot and dark/negative thoughts.

I think what defines the genre is a generally good plot and characters plus well integrated puzzles. It doesn't matter whether this is in a dark horror story or a cartoonish comedy. In fact what the genre is serously lacking is a truely dark game with real characters and an actually thrilling story. All they've been able to produce in the last 10 years were games that were gory but not really dark. The only game that I think comes close to what I mean is Overclocked but that one had a rather strange ending. Still Life also came very close but that had no ending at all. In fact when I hear "a cartoonish comedy" I normally think of an uninspired Lucasarts rip off and half the time I'm right. Problem is not that there is no innovation in dark games but that there is no innovation in most games regardless whether they're dark horror or cartoonish comedy.

I understand that you like cartoonish comedies a lot which is fine by me but don't blame AGs lack of innovation on one genre which is just as fine a genre as the one you prefer.

Edit: All the above mentioned is off course based on my experiences. I'm sure there are many more exceptions but I just haven't played them yet. For instance I've heard Jonathan Boakes games are more scary than gory so those might be exceptions as well. (before I get the whole JB lovers league against me)

[Majsan]

I just really hope they won´t get stuck on digging too deep into gore. That would make the game uninteresting for me.

The only game that I think comes close to what I mean is Overclocked but that one had a rather strange ending. Still Life also came very close but that had no ending at all.

Have played both those games and liked them. I LOOOOVE Still Life!!!!
Don´t mind the ending at all, but I think the answer they offer in Still Life 2 is reeeally bad...

[Luna Sevithiainen]

Pendulo doing horror. That's going to be interesting. The only problem is that I'm afraid I will not be able to see it as a game that has nothing to do with Runaway. That main character just looks too much like Brian Basco. I wonder why they didn't create a character that didn't look that much the same.