Point n Click Adventure GAF 2015 - Back with a vengeance

I do want to see more of Lost Horizon 2 since I heard it was going 3D and all that jazz and people were getting worried it was going to lose its charm. But yeah It's been quite a while since we've heard anything substantial about it, right? I feel like the last time I heard anything about it was Gamescom 2013? lol
 
I added this to the OP. A game made by a gaffer (minhta)

cropped-poster_kickstarter_1024-768.png

 
I really really hope a new episode of Kentucky Route Zero gets released soon. I don't think any other narrative-driven game I've played even comes close to how incredible I think the series of episodes have been so far.

I need to check out some of these games, a lot I haven't heard of which look wonderful!
 
Adam Syndrome from Dark Motif is another PnC game I've been keeping my eye on for quite a while and they've hit some snags for funding and getting help on aspects of their game but it looks like they're progressing and not giving up. Saw the trailer like a year or two back and it was pretty awesome so I'll definitely be supporting these guys. Game will be episodic but that's obviously because they have to self-fund their game and work day-time jobs to support their game.

http://www.darkmotif.com/#/home


On another note I finally set up my desktop over here and first thing I do is turn on Lost Horizon again. It's been too long, my love..
 
Sweet thread! Looking forward to another good year. I'm really hyped for Grim Fandango remastered in a few weeks, never got to finish the original game.

Also, Wadjet Eye sent out some official media stuff to announce Technobablyon today. Man it looks good! Some of the shots in this teaser trailer are gorgeous: http://youtu.be/w6Z5-KHbKXQ
 
I'm playing The Cat Lady right now. Currently on chapter 2 (
I was "stabbed" by Doctor X
). I know this is just the beginning, but I'm really enjoying this game. I was skeptic about the art at first, but it really suits the game. I don't remember what was the last game I played that fucked with my mind so much.
 
I'm playing The Cat Lady right now. Currently on chapter 2 (
I was "stabbed" by Doctor X
). I know this is just the beginning, but I'm really enjoying this game. I was skeptic about the art at first, but it really suits the game. I don't remember what was the last game I played that fucked with my mind so much.

Quite possibly my favorite adventure game of recent years. Unforgettable story.
 
Also, Wadjet Eye sent out some official media stuff to announce Technobablyon today. Man it looks good! Some of the shots in this teaser trailer are gorgeous: http://youtu.be/w6Z5-KHbKXQ

Is this game actually being developed by Wadjet Eye or just published. It sounds like Dave Gilbert may be writing so it's a day one for me.

I'm playing The Cat Lady right now. Currently on chapter 2 (
I was "stabbed" by Doctor X
). I know this is just the beginning, but I'm really enjoying this game. I was skeptic about the art at first, but it really suits the game. I don't remember what was the last game I played that fucked with my mind so much.

I should play this along with Downfall (the dev's earlier game, I think).
 
Is this game actually being developed by Wadjet Eye or just published. It sounds like Dave Gilbert may be writing so it's a day one for me.
Published, but it's kinda like Gemini Rue or Primordia, where Wadjet Eye helps out with things like voice acting, art and the soundtrack. The developer is Technocrat Games, so it won't be written by Gilbert.
 
The developer Harvester Games is remaking Downfall using The Cat Lady style/engine, also they made the original 2009 release of Downfall freeware. So you can play original for free, download via their site.

http://www.quiethavenhotel.co.uk

Aiming for Spring 2015 release for the remake.

Nice. I guess I could skip right ahead to The Cat Lady. Are the games related in any way? I want to make sure I'm not missing anything by playing them out of order.

Published, but it's kinda like Gemini Rue or Primordia, where Wadjet Eye helps out with things like voice acting, art and the soundtrack. The developer is Technocrat Games, so it won't be written by Gilbert.

Ah well. Wadjet Eye's track record is still good for those kinds of releases so I'm still interested.
 
so many things to be excited about. everything from the next chapter of a story that already has you invested, revisiting old classics or meeting them for the first time, to totally new titles that look just as promising.
 
I was thinking of trying to give the p&c genre a go haven't really played anything like that for a long time. Any suggestions for a novice?
 
I was thinking of trying to give the p&c genre a go haven't really played anything like that for a long time. Any suggestions for a novice?

Book of Unwritten Tales is a fantastic 'classic' PnC but not too difficult/fustrating. The new Sherlock Holmes game if you prefer something more along the lines of Telltale's games (and very easy).
 
I was thinking of trying to give the p&c genre a go haven't really played anything like that for a long time. Any suggestions for a novice?

The Blackwell series is a good intro IMO. Simple, short with great stories and characters.
 
Book of Unwritten Tales is a fantastic 'classic' PnC but not too difficult/fustrating. The new Sherlock Holmes game if you prefer something more along the lines of Telltale's games (and very easy).

The Blackwell series is a good intro IMO. Simple, short with great stories and characters.

Cheers guys I had read a few comments earlier about the Blackwell series, will defo give BoUT a look at too. Muchos appreciated!!!
 
I'd also recommend the Blackwell games. Play them in order of release, just keep in mind that they improve dramatically.
Try The Journey Down.

This is actually turning into a great series. I look forward to playing the finished game in 2019.
 
The Journey Down is such an amazing series. Episode 1 drew me in and episode 2 just made it even more awesome! Really hope we see episode 3 this year. I actually feel like replaying them soon, atmosphere is real nice.

I also suggest Lost Horizon, pretty easy puzzle wise and it's memorable.
 
Try The Journey Down.

I'd also recommend the Blackwell games. Play them in order of release, just keep in mind that they improve dramatically.

This is actually turning into a great series. I look forward to playing the finished game in 2019.

The Journey Down is such an amazing series. Episode 1 drew me in and episode 2 just made it even more awesome! Really hope we see episode 3 this year. I actually feel like replaying them soon, atmosphere is real nice.

I also suggest Lost Horizon, pretty easy puzzle wise and it's memorable.

Thanks again guys a great looking selection to start with.

Is Lost Horizon part of an earlier series - just watched the trailer?
 
This is actually turning into a great series. I look forward to playing the finished game in 2019.
lol yeah =[ episodic gaming is such a brutal wait sometimes.

I always feel bad trashing it because I know it helps the well being of some of these smaller developers, but boy it sucks hard as a consumer waiting months (sometimes years) for tiny chunks of a full game.
 
So I always considered myself a big adventure game fan, but I never really played anything else beyond the big classics: Lucasarts and the games that came out of the companies that came out of that (Telltale, Double Fine and Autumn Moon - didn't like the last one though), Sierra (a couple of King's Quests, Larry and Space Quests - not really for me), Cyan, Revolution (mostly the first two Broken Sword's and Steel Sky), and a handful of other adventure games when I was younger (like the Pink Panther games).

I was always very wary of newer adventure games because, while they often look very pretty, a lot of them fall in the trap of trying to be too much like the classics (mostly Monkey Island). The writing just isn't there a lot of the time, and no matter how good a game like that looks, I just can't force myself to sit through them. This thread convinced me to give some of them another try, because a lot of the games in the OP just look too good. Heard a lot of good things about Wadjet Eye, so I played The Shivah (which I really, really enjoyed - took me by surprise. Loved how 'adult' it was - as in "written for adults", not full of boobs and guts. Also started the first Blackwell game. Really enjoying it a lot, although I'm not sure if I'm ready for an entire series with the same characters. I'll keep playing it for now though.

So Adventure-Gaf, what are the best games that I've missed in recent years? I'm ready for some new stuff instead of revisiting the classics all the time.


Edit: I should add that I already played (and really liked!) Machinarium and Kentucky Route Zero (also great).
 
Thank you to the OP for making this thread. I discovered quite a few adventure games I hadn't heard of yet to be excited about! Point and Click adventure games are my favorite and I am really looking forward to 2015. 2014 was an amazing year and I think this year has the potential to be even better.

Some of my favorite adventure games I played in 2014 were

Released in 2014
The Blackwell Epiphany - I played the first four games in the series in the course of a week back when Deception came out so I've been waiting for two years for this to arrive and I was not disappointed. As many of said, it was an amazing finale to a great series. I look forward to playing them all again in the future with the commentary.

The Samaritan Paradox - This one came out of nowhere for me. I tried the demo and had to buy it immediately. This game had some of the most satisfying puzzles and I really enjoyed the two different settings. This game does not get a lot of attention but I think it is well worth checking it out.

The Journey Down: Into the Mist - It was a long wait since 2012 but it was well worth it. Being able to pre-order both episodes for $7 was a great deal! I played through the first episode for the second time and followed that up with the second episode, which improved on the first in almost every way. So I am confident the trend will continue with Episode 3, hopefully released next year.

Broken Age: Part I - It wasn't what I was originally hoping for, but I think with the release of Part II later this year it will have been worth the three year wait. At the very least this game has hopefully given a lot of exposure to newcomers to this genre that we love.

Moebius - This game received a lot of mediocre reviews when it released and I probably wouldn't have played and enjoyed if I hadn't been a backer on Kickstarter. It wasn't my favorite game I played this year but I enjoyed the puzzles in this game and I liked the protagonist despite his personality. It's too bad that this game and the reception to the Gabriel Knight Remake has probably ruined our chances of getting Gray Matter 2 and Anglophile Adventure, the two other games from the Kickstarter campaign, but I hope things work out for Jane Jensen.

Not released in 2014, but my first time playing them
Gone Home - I loved the setting and exploring the house. As a big fan of punk music and zine culture it was really great seeing these things in a game. This game made me feel so much nostalgia for 90's alternative culture. We need more settings like this in video games.

Beyond: Two Souls - We don't get too many big budget adventure games these days, so it was great to play one with such an interesting story and characters. Ellen Page was awesome in this game, and although the gameplay was not the greatest, I look forward to what Quantic Dream releases next.

Digital: A Love Story - This is a freeware game, but I really enjoyed it. I liked reading all the different posts on the message boards. I'm looking forward to Christine Love's next game Ladykiller in a Bind, that although maybe is more of a visual novel, should come out later this year.

Leisure Suit Larry: Reloaded - Another game released to mediocre reviews when it came out but I bought it on sale on Gog for like $4 and maybe because of my low expectations, I generally enjoyed my time with the game. I really like the graphical style and animations and although some the humor was a bit dated, I still laughed quite a few times during my playthrough, Although I played quite a few of the Leisure Suit Larry games in the past this is the first one I actually finished. It's too bad we probably will never see a Leisure Suit Larry 8 done in this style, because I would be excited for that.

Replays in 2014
The Longest Journey and Dreamfall - In anticipation of Dreamfall Chapters I played through both of these back to back to refresh myself with the story and characters. It had been over ten years since I played The Longest Journey and I knew I really loved it when it came out since it is the inspiration for my username but I forgot just how good this game is. It holds up really well and the puzzles, story and characters are some of the best in any adventure game I've played. It is well deserving of all the acclaim it receives. Despite this, I still prefer Dreamfall and it was my third time playing this game. Criticism over the stealth and combat aside, I enjoy the story even more so I was extremely excited to play Dreamfall Chapters after a painful 8 year wait. However, my experience with Dreamfall Chapters was very bittersweet since it was released with so many game breaking bugs that I had to restart the game multiple times just to finish it. I did enjoy the new characters (Kidbot!) but Europolis loaded so slowly on my computer that I didn't enjoy my time exploring it. Hopefully by the time Book 2 is released I will have a new computer and this time they will hopefully have less bugs so I have faith that Dreamfall Chapters will make my top ten of 2015.

A New Beginning - I don't think this game gets as much praise as it should since it is my favorite Daedalic game. Maybe people have a problem because of Fay's voice acting but I really liked the story, but maybe I am just partial because the game has time travelling, climate change and activism which are three of my favorite subjects.

Sam and Max: Hit the Road - Even will all the great new adventure games that were released this year, I was actually most hyped when it was revealed that LucasArts game were coming to Gog. Sam and Max has some of my favorite humor, with the great dialogue and use of big words. Growing up, I would quote the game and the TV show constantly. I was glad to see everything still held up and hopefully this year I will get around to replaying the Telltale games.

Games I'm most looking forward to in 2015
Grim Fandango: Remastered - I am excited that one of my favorite adventure games of all time is getting a remaster and unlike Gabriel Knight 1 and The Secret of Monkey Island, I think this is one of the few that will benefit from the HD treatment, especially since they aren't changing any of the puzzles or voice actors and I don't think they will mess around with it in anyway to make it worse than the original. I am also excited to try this game on the PSVita. Having Grim Fandango on the go is a dream come true so I hope that version plays well.

Shardlight and Technobabylon - It feels like Wadjet Eye Games are the LucasArts of this decade and although I wasn't amazed with A Golden Wake, I wasn't let down and at this point I just pre-order all their games on faith alone!
 
So Adventure-Gaf, what are the best games that I've missed in recent years? I'm ready for some new stuff instead of revisiting the classics all the time.


Edit: I should add that I already played (and really liked!) Machinarium and Kentucky Route Zero (also great).

Those two along with the Blackwell games are probably my favorites of the last few years. The Dream Machine is great too but like KRZ, it's not quite finished yet.

For Lucasarts-style comedy, there's really not much out there. Good videogame writing is hard to find, good comedy writing is harder, and good comedy writing in an adventure game is my white whale. Can't go wrong with the Ben and Dan games.

Oh, and I really loved the first episode of Dreamfall Chapters. I still can't belive that it's actually being produced. You shouldn't play it unless you've been through The Longest Journey as well as the first Dreamfall.
Despite this, I still prefer Dreamfall

*high-five*

BTW, make sure you see Shitbot when you replay Chapters.

It feels like Wadjet Eye Games are the LucasArts of this decade

They're easily the most consistently good publisher. And they actually go for new IPs instead of endless sequels. I like em a lot.
 
Those two along with the Blackwell games are probably my favorites of the last few years. The Dream Machine is great too but like KRZ, it's not quite finished yet.

For Lucasarts-style comedy, there's really not much out there. Good videogame writing is hard to find, good comedy writing is harder, and good comedy writing in adventure game is a goddamned while whale. I recommend the Ben and Dan games.

Oh, and I really loved the first episode of Dreamfall Chapters. I still can't belive that it's actually being produced. You shouldn't play it unless you've been through The Longest Journey as well as the first Dreamfall.

Oh yeah, I did play the Ben and Dan games, forgot to mention those. Really fun, and even though they obviously depended on Lucasarts-nostalgia they did their own thing with it. And yeah, bad writing really turns me off, especially in adventure games, and bad comedy writing (like the many Monkey Island-clones - not looking forward to Duke Grabowski for that reason) is even worse. I'm not opposed to really jokey adventure games, but outside of Telltale and Double Fine there's really not much out there that's any good, as far as I can tell.

I had my eye on Dreamfall Chapters, but I never really played The Longest Journey. I gave it a go a couple of years ago, but it didn't really grab me. Can't remember exactly what my problem was, but I think I still have a copy of it on GOG.com, so I might as well try again.
 
I had my eye on Dreamfall Chapters, but I never really played The Longest Journey. I gave it a go a couple of years ago, but it didn't really grab me. Can't remember exactly what my problem was, but I think I still have a copy of it on GOG.com, so I might as well try again.

Playing TLJ first is a very good idea but you absolutely shouldn't touch Chapters without playing through Dreamfall*. It's a direct continuation of one of the all time best/worst cliffhangers.

Just so you know, I don't have any real love of adventure game puzzles so Dreamfall's tendency to be more of a visual novel is fine with me. Chapters has more puzzles but it's still nowhere near TLJ.


*And honestly, you'll get a lot more out of the first Dreamfall if you've played TLJ. There's no shame in using a guide!
 
Oh yeah, I did play the Ben and Dan games, forgot to mention those. Really fun, and even though they obviously depended on Lucasarts-nostalgia they did their own thing with it. And yeah, bad writing really turns me off, especially in adventure games, and bad comedy writing (like the many Monkey Island-clones - not looking forward to Duke Grabowski for that reason) is even worse. I'm not opposed to really jokey adventure games, but outside of Telltale and Double Fine there's really not much out there that's any good, as far as I can tell.

I had my eye on Dreamfall Chapters, but I never really played The Longest Journey. I gave it a go a couple of years ago, but it didn't really grab me. Can't remember exactly what my problem was, but I think I still have a copy of it on GOG.com, so I might as well try again.

I'll second what epmode wrote about The Longest Journey and Dreamfall and I'll add that I also enjoyed the Ben and Dan games a lot as well. One of the games I forgot to mention in my replays for last year post above was To the Moon, released in 2011. It doesn't really have any puzzles and it has the esthetic of a RPG-Maker gamer but it has a really touching story and very interesting premise. It's a short game so it's well worth a look.

I'll also recommend Cognition (a kickstarter game released episodically in 2012). I am partial to murder mystery stories, but I think that Erica Reed is a great character. If you can look past some wonky graphical issues, the comic book style works very well and I think this game also deserves more praise than it receives.
 
So I always considered myself a big adventure game fan, but I never really played anything else beyond the big classics: Lucasarts and the games that came out of the companies that came out of that (Telltale, Double Fine and Autumn Moon - didn't like the last one though), Sierra (a couple of King's Quests, Larry and Space Quests - not really for me), Cyan, Revolution (mostly the first two Broken Sword's and Steel Sky), and a handful of other adventure games when I was younger (like the Pink Panther games).

I was always very wary of newer adventure games because, while they often look very pretty, a lot of them fall in the trap of trying to be too much like the classics (mostly Monkey Island). The writing just isn't there a lot of the time, and no matter how good a game like that looks, I just can't force myself to sit through them. This thread convinced me to give some of them another try, because a lot of the games in the OP just look too good. Heard a lot of good things about Wadjet Eye, so I played The Shivah (which I really, really enjoyed - took me by surprise. Loved how 'adult' it was - as in "written for adults", not full of boobs and guts. Also started the first Blackwell game. Really enjoying it a lot, although I'm not sure if I'm ready for an entire series with the same characters. I'll keep playing it for now though.

So Adventure-Gaf, what are the best games that I've missed in recent years? I'm ready for some new stuff instead of revisiting the classics all the time.


Edit: I should add that I already played (and really liked!) Machinarium and Kentucky Route Zero (also great).
Check out Gemini Rue. Put out by Wadjet Eye, one of my favourite point & clicks ever.
 
Thanks for the suggestions everyone! I think I'll check all of them out in the coming weeks.

You're welcome, but I remembered another recent gem that also does not get enough praise is the game Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective, released in 2011. If you have a DS or 3DS then you should definitely check it out because it is one of the best adventure games on the handheld. The animation is amazing and the Pomeranian Ghost Dog Missile is just one of the cutest characters ever.
 
You're welcome, but I remembered another recent gem that also does not get enough praise is the game Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective, released in 2011. If you have a DS or 3DS then you should definitely check it out because it is one of the best adventure games on the handheld. The animation is amazing and the Pomeranian Ghost Dog Missile is just one of the cutest characters ever.

Great game. More visual novel than adventure game*, not that there's anything wrong with that.

Too bad about the iOS version being unplayable in iOS8.



*now that I think about it, I'd say it's a 50/50 split between puzzle and visual novel.
 
Thanks again guys a great looking selection to start with.

Is Lost Horizon part of an earlier series - just watched the trailer?

Nope it's a standalone journey! Super fun and the locations are beautiful and so on. Same developer as the Secret Files games which I adore, as well. Definitely play Lost Horizon if your interest is piqued. There is a sequel in the works at the moment too.
 
Thanks again guys a great looking selection to start with.

Is Lost Horizon part of an earlier series - just watched the trailer?

Lost Horizon is amazing, it is sort of like Indiana Jones and set during the same period with Nazis and shit. Puzzles are abit easy and Fenton looks like a dork but otherwise it is an amazing ride. They made Fenton look like a badass in Lost Horizon 2.

Lost Horizon 1 Fenton

fenton.png


Vs

Lost Horizon 2 Fenton

jHRPtLg.jpg


Mind you it is set 20 years later aswell.
 
I'm actually gonna miss Fenton in his dorky version, he looks too old in LH2 but then again 20 years later and all.. So I get it lol

But yeah puzzles are pretty easy but damn the environments really speak to you. Great game.
 
I have always hoped that Daedelic would bring their adventure games to console. And now that they finally are, they aren't coming to the console i own. It would have been nice to play The whispered world 2 from the comfort of the couch and on a big television but it's coming to xbox one only.

Anyhow, 2015 seems like a promising year for adventure games. Looking forward to playing them. And thanks for making this thread, OP.
 
Also since I haven't started my copy of DFC yet I kinda don't want to until I have my audiobook and those other character backstory things from the Kickstarter. Did they get a massive pushback or something? Haven't heard much about when they were pushing those out and all. Considering they kept saying they'd be out prior to episode one and after that I haven't heard anything.
 
Finally beat Black Mirror 3 and man, it's really over, huh? No Black Mirror 4 really makes me sad, but it's been a long and fun journey. Really great games I recommend to every PnC fan.
 
I've finished The Cat Lady today. I think the first half of the game was better than the second one (
the "Parasite" in chapter 5 felt forced: just a random mute weirdo who happened to knock on your door and later got killed by a bunch of cats; the investigation in chapter 6 eventually went nowhere, although I liked the short arc with Joe - it was really disturbing; and finally the unsatisfying and rushed pay off with the Eye of Adam
). But overall the game is still great. I love how it touches topics like depression, suicide, cancer and death, and while treating them in a very mature way, still manages to merge it with abstract horror/slasher themes.

Puzzles are good too. There's a fair share of normal (and realistic) ones like use item X on item Y to get Z. But there are also those amazing weird, abstract puzzles that required you to think outside the box (
the puzzle with lock combination from chapter 5 and the one from chapter 6 with levers to manipulate mirrors take the cake
). And yet there was only a single puzzle that got me stuck for a while (
chapter 5, where you have to kill shadow Susan to get her blood
). This was also the first adventure game in a long time where I had to use a sheet of paper (
the puzzle with dolls: where one always tells the truth and one always lies
).

I'm glad I picked this game up during Christmas sale based on various recommendations in the previous thread. Otherwise I would probably omit it. As I said earlier, at first I wasn't a fan of the art design and when the game showed up on my Curator list, I only looked at the screenshot and instantly ignored it.

Now the big question: whether to play Downfall now or wait for the remake?
 
I need some good P&C adventures in 2015. Last year made me worried about the genre. I liked Broken Age, look forward to act 2, and Telltales interactive novels entertain in their own way, but other then that, the genre is suffering imho. :\
 
I need some good P&C adventures in 2015. Last year made me worried about the genre. I liked Broken Age, look forward to act 2, and Telltales interactive novels entertain in their own way, but other then that, the genre is suffering imho. :\

Wadjeteye brings out interesting stuff every year. Golden Wake had some interesting mechanics and their self-made Blackwell Epiphany was especially good. I think they're publishing at least Technobabylon and Shardlight this year, and from memory one additional game.

The Book Of Unwritten Tales 2 will hopefully be great as well. The first one was fantastic up till the rushed as hell ending ( I can only assume they ran out of money or something).

That one with the clown who can't speak looks quite good too
 
Wadjeteye brings out interesting stuff every year. Golden Wake had some interesting mechanics and their self-made Blackwell Epiphany was especially good. I think they're publishing at least Technobabylon and Shardlight this year, and from memory one additional game.

Yeah, I need to play more of their games. Have my eyes on Resonance and Primordia. But they're so very traditional. I hope this year brings games that evolves the genre also,
 
Yeah, I need to play more of their games. Have my eyes on Resonance and Primordia. But they're so very traditional. I hope this year brings games that evolves the genre also,

Really, the most traditional part of the games they make/publish is the graphics. Although they all stay true to the classic "style"(in that they feel like P&C games made in the early nineties), most if not all of them try something new or innovative.

Primordia is fantastic by the way, the best non-in-house game wadjeteye published (Blackwell series is as a whole is better, though the very first game in that series is slightly dated - though still great). Resonance loses its way a bit at the end, but the ride is a hell of a lot of fun.
 
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