Adventure Games Are Dead
So Get Over It!
Cheers friends. If you're an adventure enthusiast (and if you're not, why are you reading this?), then you already know everything I'm going to say. In fact, you could say it yourself and you could say it better. But you ought to read this anyway, because when you join with me in this little reflection, together our adventure spirits are strengthened! I think that I must be just like every other adventure game player. Yes, I too am a twenty-something adventure game lover, who grew up with those Sierra and Lucasarts classics that we call treasures of our youth. And beyond simply playing a game, I relish the characters, the stories, and still love to sit down and have a good go at reliving the adventures of King Graham or Sam n' Max. And yes, I do hold my issue of Popular Janitronics among my most treasured possessions. So, I too am frustrated like you that the gaming interests of both Sierra and Lucasarts have collapsed away into an oblivion of modern commercialized violence. I despair, I wish for the days gone by. So, now what?
Time to get on with life then I reckon. Complain all you want but the fact is there will never be another Sierra or Lucasarts. Get over it. Accept the fall of the two most creative forces that there will ever be in computer gaming. However, don't give up your hope and optimistic child-like spirit. There was something about rushing home every day from school to adventure with Roger Wilco and Guybrush Threepwood, wasn't there? In other words, don't ever give up on the timeless ideas of these classics. Keep them alive on your personal computers, and play them as often as possible. Let them inspire you to the greater things in life. And of course, ardently seek those who share your passion.
It doesn't matter whether or not the genre is dead or not, I couldn't care less. What does matter though is the fact that you're here reading this, and that furthermore, yes, people are still making adventure games! Thanks to great programs (shameless plug: such as Chris Jones' Adventure Game Studio) anyone can now make games of the high quality that Sierra and Lucasarts made. And let me quickly say this too: if you haven't played Chrille B.'s Pleurghburg: Dark Ages or Tierra's King Quest VGA remake, you're wasting your time reading this when you should be playing two great games.
Yes, in the recent months amateur adventure gaming has suffered some losses, but don't worry - as long as we can still meet on message boards, and wow - send out this blessed newsletter publication, there is still hope! So, if you're feeling blue about the lack of great games nowadays, just follow my handy dandy 2 step plan to recovery: 1) GET OVER IT, 2) GET BACK INTO IT!
Luke S Arts
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