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Adventure games not dead? photo

Every time I think the adventure genre is done for good, some sly developer comes out of nowhere and throws a title in the mix like a greasy boomerang. The latest offering of this type is Hotel Dusk for the DS, and I'd say it does the past offerings of it's kind proud (although you'll have to wait until our review of it this week to be 100% sure).

All chatter aside, it seems I'm not the only one deep in hope that the adventure genre is not dead. Gamasutra's Scott Nixon offers some excellent thoughts on the topic in his latest article about Nintendo's contributions (or lack thereof) to the adventure game and the possible uses of the Wiimote in such titles. While it's probably too much to expect Maniac Mansion Universe replete with remote waving tentacle options, it is a breath of fresh air to see more quirky titles like Cooking Mama catching fire stateside.

The truth of the matter is, the Wii and the DS both have the capacity to provide an ideal new stomping ground for the adventure game. Whether or not they will be used for such is anyone's guess, but the murmurs of approval in the gaming community seem to suggest that more unique titles would be something a lot of people would be interested in buying. With some genres oversaturated to the point of nausea, it's an ideal time to bring in something to challenge players and get them thinking.

I think it's safe to say Sony will likely stay out of the picture on this one. At one time I would have said the same of Microsoft, but seeing titles like Assassin's Creed and Bioshock on the 360 have made me think twice. Sure, they aren't traditional adventure titles, but they certainly have a twist that a lot of other titles lack. If we can't hope for balls out adventure titles from our next gen systems, I'd at least like to see the sparkle of innovation in the titles that do release.

If I ramble on I may be at risk of being dragged away and locked up to protect the innocent, but I ask you this: Do you give a rat's ass about the adventure genre? Do you think it has any hope of seeing the light of day again? Or were the eighties the only time when games about mad scientists and witty British starships could possibly survive? 


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30 comments | showing # 1 to 30

charliesuh's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/06/2007 01:14
charliesuh
Wow, great article Colette! I love the adventure genre, Full Throttle ftw! I've been playing Hotel Dusk non-stop since I got it, it really brings me back to the old days when adventure games were prospering. I really hope that Nintendo does see this big chance for them to stand up and stand out with bringing even more innovative adventure games to their systems. So far so good.
Topher Cantler's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/06/2007 01:15
Topher Cantler
Gooooooolldd.

drunken commentr brought to yuo by guinness, st jamess gate, Dublin
Joseph Leray's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/06/2007 01:18
Joseph Leray
Sam and Max? Sorta?
tazarthayoot's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/06/2007 01:19
tazarthayoot
I've been playing Hotel Dusk for a week now and I absolutely love it, the only time I'm not playing it is when I'm getting my dose of daily Crackdown carnage.

As much as I love those style of games (and ones like Phoenix Wright and etc), I think for developers its a huge gamble to make a game like that. You have a better chance of it not selling then you do of it making bank, and really outside of portable systems, adventure games haven't fared well on current game systems.

I would love to see a game of Hotel Dusk or even Sam and Max caliber on the Xbox or even the PS3, but unless the developer has got some heavy hitters to back it (Nintendo obviously does.), I think they're gonna not risk the chance and just continue churning out WW2 games.
Dexter345's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/06/2007 01:40
Dexter345
I couldn't wait for the Destructoid (or TLB) reviews. I caved in and bought Hotel Dusk. It should be coming in the mail any day now...
Ignignokt01's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/06/2007 01:58
Ignignokt01
I frigg'n love adventure games. My favorite of all time was Deja Vu, and Hotel Dusk frigg'n rocked. I felted like i was playing a classic game. I hope more adventure titles come to the DS, its a natural console for that kind of stuff with the touchscreen, and I can see the same potential in the Wii. WOO!!!
Ocana's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/06/2007 02:05
Ocana
Loved that Manny Calavera's pictorial joke of yours.

Some of the best adventure entries in history I have simply passed over - or lost the opportunity, as I had no means to play. A few others, I've just given a shot (like Grim Fandango - really good and fun, though I've not dedicated myself enough to it). And for that very Sierra's Torin's Passage (not a particularly good one, but anyway) I've devoted myself, and gone through. It came with my first computer, so that justifies the effort.

The fact is, as a "mature" "gamer" (read: with better stuff to do, then playing "conventional" same-as-ever games over and over)... I lack variety, and innovation. That's what Miss Bennett is talking about here.

I see great light for the genre in handhelds, mostly (although I have not tried Hotel Dusk), because it's an interesting type of game to explore during one's time off, or during a long trip, etc.

On home consoles... Nah, I don't think I would invest my time on those - except if they REALLY innovate.

HarassmentPanda's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/06/2007 02:08
HarassmentPanda
Hotel Dusk is a magnificent game. I thought it was a little slow going at first, but I was sucked in soon after and it never let go. Further, I think Nintendo could really lead the way in a return to glory for the adventure genre. Point and click adventures were great on the PC (the Lucasfilm/LucasArts and Sierra games come to mind), but were abysmal failures on consoles because a d-pad was too clumsy of an interface to play this type of game. With the advent of the DS and the Wii, non-PC gamers finally have a great way to play these games. Couple this with the growing appeal of web-based casual games (many of which amount to point-and-click flash adventures) and I think the genre could be seeing some great years down the road.
mode7's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/06/2007 02:10
mode7
why did they kill sam n max in 3d???
INTERNET, ANSWER ME.
Aaron Linde's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/06/2007 02:20
Aaron Linde
Mode7: Uh, they didn't.

www.gametap.com
ArrestedDeveloper's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/06/2007 02:52
ArrestedDeveloper
Yeah mode7, they've release two short 3d sam n max games in the last few months with about 4 more to go. Go here to buy them.

If i had to chose between Halo 3 or another Kings Quest or Monkey Island I wouldn't think twice. Adventure games FTW!
Burnt Meatloaf's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/06/2007 03:19
Burnt Meatloaf
Is the voice acting good (if there is any)? That's my biggest beef with the new Sam & Max.
Farktoid's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/06/2007 04:29
Farktoid
I make it an annual joy of mine to play through the old LucasArts Adventure games. Full Throttle, DOTT, MI3 and 4, Grim Fandango, Sam & Max, and Indy 4. Considering that the folks who bought the Wii for classic games (like me) have also enjoyed the old school adventure games, they could stand to make piles of cash on new ones. And the Wii is the perfect platform. I will spend my money on Adventure Games, developers, pay attention to your audience!
SP420's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/06/2007 06:49
SP420
I pop in the old Monkey Island 3, Discworld II, and Riven CD every now and then and enter into absolute XTC...

Hmm, adventure games. Publishers probably don't see a market for them anymore. sadly. Everyone needs l33t n00b pwning shooters where you can talk shit and shit. Which is cool. But using your mind here and there is cool, too. We can only hope.
bhive01's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/06/2007 08:30
bhive01
Nice picture. Grim Fandango still sees the light of day every few years on my PC. I think adventure gaming will make a comeback. Certainly the DS and Wii have the correct pointing and clicking devices to make it work. I haven't got Hotel Dusk yet, but I will soon, and I'm considering getting Sam and Max on Gametap. Just gotta finish this semester...
Mxyzptlk's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/06/2007 09:45
Mxyzptlk
I'm getting Hotel Dusk soon as a late birthday present, I can't wait.

The new Sam & Max does the original justice. The voice actors fit the characters well and the humor is spot on. There's been three episodes released so far, each one should take you around 2 to 3 hours to complete. They're not the most difficult games out there, but the puzzles make sense (as much as you can expect with Sam & Max that is). Definitely worth signing up for a free trial with GameTap, and they also offer episodes of the Fox cartoon from the late 90's you can stream.
Rockvillian's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/06/2007 12:28
Rockvillian
I bought Hotel Dusk 2 weeks ago and only played 10 minutes of it. It got stole! By girl!

Seriously she loves it though, I can't wait to play the rest.
DJDuffy 's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/06/2007 12:53
DJDuffy
Adventure games need to come back, it is just a matter of time. I really hope they make a new Monkey Island game..that series is amazing!
brad drac's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/06/2007 13:17
brad drac
Great pic alright, fskin love grim fandango. It didn't quite kill point and clicks though, they had a swansong in the longest journey(which is one of the best adventure games ever made, any point and click fans who haven't played it do so right now!).
Haven't got hotel dusk yet, but I will. I really hope the DS and wii go some way to revive the genre. It's relaxingly pleasurable to play a game where you don't have to worry about dying or doing the wrong thing and having to reload and replay. Good puzzles and a strong story can be plenty.
Tiff's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/06/2007 13:28
Tiff
Colette, awesome article (as per usual). I'm a die hard fan of adventure games (anyone recognize the sexy governor in my avatar?). From Loom to Gabriel Knight to Kings Quest to Legend of Kyrandia (phew), lets just say there are epic plans in the works to be Laverne dressed up as a Tentacle from for halloween.

I think there is plenty of room for the adventure genre to make a come back in the myriad of new platforms available. I could easily see something like a steroid-pumped version of Full Throttle storming onto the scene sometime in the future. I have to admit though, nothing gets this girl's heart throbbing like a couple of old-school sprites with a point and click personality. *sigh*
Mxyzptlk's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/06/2007 13:44
Mxyzptlk
There's already a SCUMM emulator for DS, Lucasarts could make mad bank by releasing DS ports of their PC adventure games. The DS/Wii interface is perfect for adventure gaming.
brad drac's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/06/2007 14:26
brad drac
-> Marley: Full throttle sequels have been attempted twice, actually. Both were cancelled rather sharpish. Why? Because there is no justice. Kick the tin doggy? Maybe later.

-> Mxy: /signed. I've had that same notion manys the time.
VinceTwelve's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/06/2007 21:04
VinceTwelve
The Adventure Genre was never dead. Commercially, it's been stagnant. A few companies releasing games that offered nothing new or interesting, only rehashed old adventure genre standbys with illogical inventory puzzles and uninteresting gameplay.

But the really interesting thing about the adventure genre is the underground effort. No other genre has so many people making their own games and releasing them for free. Just check out http://www.bigbluecup.com/games.php and see all the freeware adventure games. Yes, a lot of them are very amateurish, and most of them have graphics that belong in the early 90's, but some of them are offering plots beyond what you'll find in today's AAA titles and explore gameplay ideas that a big commercial companies wouldn't take the financial risk to try out.

The adventure genre never died, it just went underground.
VinceTwelve's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/06/2007 21:04
VinceTwelve
The Adventure Genre was never dead. Commercially, it's been stagnant. A few companies releasing games that offered nothing new or interesting, only rehashed old adventure genre standbys with illogical inventory puzzles and uninteresting gameplay.

But the really interesting thing about the adventure genre is the underground effort. No other genre has so many people making their own games and releasing them for free. Just check out http://www.bigbluecup.com/games.php and see all the freeware adventure games. Yes, a lot of them are very amateurish, and most of them have graphics that belong in the early 90's, but some of them are offering plots beyond what you'll find in today's AAA titles and explore gameplay ideas that a big commercial companies wouldn't take the financial risk to try out.

The adventure genre never died, it just went underground.
Pangloss's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/07/2007 03:15
Pangloss
Man, I wanna get my Space Quest on now. Few things in life have been as rife with hilarity as the old Sierra adventure franchises. Space Quest, King's Quest, Quest for Glory... sigh.
There is a new King's Quest in the works, though, and it looks true to form. I'm willing to bet that adventure games will make a resurgence now, provided games like Hotel Dusk test well. Go out and buy Hotel Dusk, to send a message to those developers.
Im OK's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/07/2007 04:35
Im OK
Thank god for guys like AGDI and Phoenix and Infamous Adventures. Hell, and those are just (awesome, particularly AGDI's KQ2) remakes of and sequels to King's Quest games. I haven't played the RC for The Silver Lining yet, because I'd rather hold out and play the whole thing at once, but I expect that to be awesome as well. Imagine what they could do with original content. And thank god for Vivendi not being assholes and FOXing these things though they had every right to do so. And thank god for things like AGS and the games they make possible.

Talk of adventure gaming being "dead" depresses me, though it's pretty much true. I personally would much rather play old-school Gabriel Knight or Monkey Island or The Longest Journey or Leisure Suit Larry or Day of the Tentacle or Quest for Glory than whatever flavor of the month FPS or RTS or whatever is being peddled nowadays. RPG is about the only genre that can still hold a candle to adventure games at their height.

Also, this apparent need to "reinvent" adventure gaming depresses me as well. While I liked Dreamfall well enough, it was certainly no TLJ. And Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude, while good for a chuckle here and there, was a spit in the face of the old-school LSL games. And King's Quest: Mask of Eternity... *ugh*shiver*

(I'm not saying there's anything inherently wrong with FPS and RTS or RPG, just that they've reached the level of saturation in the market that adventure games used to have back in the day. Let the makers of cookie cutter games everywhere beware, regardless of genre.)
Im OK's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/07/2007 04:51
Im OK
Heck, call me crazy, but I miss the old text-based games. No, I'm not talking parser based stuff like the original Sierra games, I'm talking old shit like Adventure, Zork, Softporn, etc.

This medium, while not really commercially viable anymore, due to its lack of OMG graphics still has the potential for awesomeness. Awesomeness which has been realized on several occasions, and relatively recently. I'd recommend purusing the Interactive Fiction archive for anyone interested. Some of my favorites were Slouching Towards Bedlam, Anchorhead, Photopia, and Shade.
Mxyzptlk's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/07/2007 07:49
Mxyzptlk
@Im Ok:

That's an awesome site, I'd forgotten about that. I used to play Lovecraft text adventures all night at work there. :)
Atomic29's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/08/2007 12:58
Atomic29
The DS Has the RPG Final Fantasy III. thats kinda like a adventure game.
Stetsonblade's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/08/2007 16:51
Stetsonblade
Indigo Prophecy was the best adventure game I played in a while. I really liked the action scenes they threw in with the simon says gameplay. Added a new fun depth. However, the best line of adventure games is the monkey island series. Where is my Monkey Island 5??? Stop playing with lightsabers lucusarts and bring us the monkey! WE DEMEND GUYBRUSH 4 LIFE!
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