Adventure Genre Decline

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Jin_the_samurai

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#1 Jin_the_samurai
Member since 2006 • 623 Posts
Remember when adventure games were at their prime and Lucas Arts was releasing games like Monkey Island ,Grim Fandango, Sam and Max, Indiana Jones, and etc... and Sierra with games like Space Quest, Gold Rush, Gabriel Knight, and etc... and many other companies releasing high quality adventure games? The adventure genre brought great dialogue, comedy, drama, suspense, story lines, environments, characters, atmosphere, music/sound, puzzles and mysteries that required you to use your mind to solve, and etc... Adventure games slowly began to disappear with people only wanting pure action in their games and forgetting about all these great elements that makes games interesting and fun. We are lucky if we even get a release of an adventure game now. I think its a shame because I thought the adventure genre was one of the greatest genres out there on the PC market. Do you think adventure games are on a decline? If so do you think its the developers faults or gamers faults and why?
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CMJR

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#2 CMJR
Member since 2005 • 331 Posts
Though I understand where you're coming from, no, I would not say adventure games are necessarily on the decline.  They're certainly not at the forefront anymore, but that's okay.  Games change and evolve...

And though the percentage of games released now that are strictly considered "adventure" games has been lower than in the past, there are still some very good ones.  Take "The Longest Journey" and "Dreamfall" as exhibits A and B.  Plus, I think action games are getting better at incorporating a decent story and characters into the overall package.  Like the "Half-Life" series and "The Chronicles of Riddick".

Adventure games aren't dead, or dying.  They're changing.  You won't see another "King's Quest" series any time soon, but try not to grieve about that too much.

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A-S_FM

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#3 A-S_FM
Member since 2004 • 2208 Posts
on the decline? sure... but not especially - just recently we've had a 4th broken sword game, a boatload of episodic sam and max games and runaway 2 - and that's just in the last couple months... compare that with worth-playing fps - fps - games, and the adventure genre probably comes out on top

and there's a ton of adventure games on that cool coming in 2007 list - but more genres exist now than did back then, and those genres are just more popular - i guess the biggest thing is that the primary focus of attention has shifted away from the adventure genre - but that doesn't mean that the games aren't still coming... just that that have to work harder to be noticed (i hadn't even heard of any of the games on that 2007 thread, as an example)

there aren't as many adventure games coming, that's for sure - and the quality is probably on a bit of a downward slide... but i'd still say there's enough quality and quantity to keep people pretty happy...you just can't live on adventure games like you could ten or fifteen years ago

still, who wants to any more? the occasional adventure game here and there is plenty enough for most people
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nutcrackr

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#4 nutcrackr
Member since 2004 • 13032 Posts
Yes in decline but not dead, I personally anticipate a shift almost industry wide to games that contain more depth than the current games. I'm talking about mixing genres and adventure style gameplay coming back at least more than now. Also you should check out penumbra overture, fun adventure game.
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Swiftstrike5

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#5 Swiftstrike5
Member since 2005 • 6950 Posts
Yes in decline but not dead, I personally anticipate a shift almost industry wide to games that contain more depth than the current games. I'm talking about mixing genres and adventure style gameplay coming back at least more than now. Also you should check out penumbra overture, fun adventure game.nutcrackr
Is that game out yet? I played the demo (which I hope is not the full version). It was interesting for awhile, but the ending sucked. Probably the worst ending ive ever seen for a game.
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nutcrackr

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#6 nutcrackr
Member since 2004 • 13032 Posts
Which demo, the tech demo which ended in a room when you go in a door Or the other demo. It's not out yet, very soon next week I think.
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Swiftstrike5

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#7 Swiftstrike5
Member since 2005 • 6950 Posts
[QUOTE="nutcrackr"]Which demo, the tech demo which ended in a room when you go in a door Or the other demo. It's not out yet, very soon next week I think.

The one where you get in the elevator and you magicly die. Is it supposed to be free game?
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nutcrackr

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#8 nutcrackr
Member since 2004 • 13032 Posts
No it isn't a free game but I don't remember that ending at all :/ In any case it was just a sample.
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Planeforger

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#9 Planeforger
Member since 2004 • 20101 Posts
If episodic content grows in popularity, we could end up seeing a revival in the adventure genre - Sam and Max being one of the few episodic game series to 'get it right', in my opinion.
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Robnyc22

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#10 Robnyc22
Member since 2007 • 1029 Posts
I wouldnt say they are on the decline, but rather they are evolving into more action-adventure type games, which is only expected given todays technology and emphasis on 3D gaming.

Games like Psychonauts, Silent Hill 3, Shadow of the Colossus, etc. contain just as many adventure and puzzle solving elements as traditional point and click adventure games....the difference is they also incorporate 3d actions as well.

And even among traditional adventures, there are still games being made and upcoming.....Dreamfall chapters was recently announced, Jane Jensen (developer of Gabriel Knight) has Grey Matter coming out next year, and then you have the Sam & Max episodes.
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bogaty

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#11 bogaty
Member since 2003 • 4750 Posts
I used to love playing adventure games like Day of the Tentacle, Gabriel Knight, hell even old Infocom text adventures on my Apple][+. Thing is, back then, I had less money and more time and I actually enjoyed finally figuring out the solution to a puzzle after being frustrated for hours and sometimes days. Now, with the internet, I lack the self discipline to play the game as it was meant to be played and not just hop on gameFAQ for a walkthrough.
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fatMasterFlex

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#12 fatMasterFlex
Member since 2007 • 129 Posts
are you crazy there is no decline ? releases like legend of zelda twilight princess, god of war?! super mario galazy? sam and max episodes 1-3 though i do miss the original.There is still no shortage just the genre is changing and morphing  and combining itself to many other genres like mmorpg, rpg, even shooters.Just we need to re-adjust to many new and innovative ideas.
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fatMasterFlex

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#13 fatMasterFlex
Member since 2007 • 129 Posts
srry about the font.
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Jin_the_samurai

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#14 Jin_the_samurai
Member since 2006 • 623 Posts

are you crazy there is no decline ? releases like legend of zelda twilight princess, god of war?! super mario galazy? sam and max episodes 1-3 though i do miss the original.There is still no shortage just the genre is changing and morphing  and combining itself to many other genres like mmorpg, rpg, even shooters.Just we need to re-adjust to many new and innovative ideas.fatMasterFlex

I meant adventure games along the lines of ones I posted before, there are about 12 or so released per year and only 2 or 3 of them are good and its okay to evolve and innovate/ create new genres but other genres shouldn't be forgotten in the process. Btw Super Mario Galaxy is a platformer.

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#15 PutU2REM
Member since 2003 • 355 Posts
In my opinion, one of the biggest problems with adventure games is the lack of replay value. These days, people want to come back to a game in 6 months and still have fun with it. Episodic content fixes that a bit, but ultimately I don't think we'll see a resurgence until someone figures out how to design a game that allows players to develop their own solutions rather than follow set patterns. Until then, I agree with people that most "adventure games" will be bastardized with FPS's and RPG's. I think that's fine, but I definitely understand why that might irritate people who'd rather not wade through monsters to get to their puzzles. I hate all the buying and selling crap you have to do in space-sims these days. I just want to fly around blowing stuff up. :twisted: