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2D or Not 2D: That Is the Question

By Sean Siberio

Adventure games are a story-driven product. The adventure game (unbeknownst to most Myst clone makers) is not just a bunch of pretty pictures with puzzles. It has to have something behind it, some underlying purpose. Ask any adventure fan what's the most important factor in an adventure game, and you're guaranteed to be told that it's all about story.

Graphics, too, have played an important role in adventure games since the advent of King's Quest and Maniac Mansion. They help immerse us in the game world. But from looking at discussions between most adventure gamers, you would think graphics have top billing in the genre, not story. This is especially true now, with 3D graphics finally finding their way into the adventure genre.

3D graphics have become the hot topic of discussion of adventure gamers everywhere. Battle lines have already been drawn, and already people do not approve of the format, even though they haven't even seen more than one or two games that use the new technology. People complain of adventure games becoming action fests with jumping puzzles and (gasp!) fighting sequences.

But are 3D graphics really that bad? Are they really the harbinger of doom for tried-and-true adventure games that people accuse them of being? Of course not! 3D graphics are nothing but another medium in which to deliver adventure games.

If anything, 3D graphics can finally combine the atmosphere of 2D graphic adventures with the interaction of good old text adventures. No longer would adventure games be limited to canned animations, nor would they be limited to full interaction that can only be presented through text. With the advent of 3D graphics and "smart" animation, we can do things that even the developers didn't think their own games could do.

So before you jump on the anti-3D bandwagon, look at what 3D can bring to the table for the adventure genre. The benefits are enormous. Fully interactive worlds are the future of adventure games, and 3D is going to take us there.