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Adventure Games of the 2002 E3 |
Pull up a chair. Take your shoes off and sit a spell while I tell you about the pure adventure games at the E3 this year. Don't get too comfortable though as the list is short. You may have already digested Ray Ivey's starry-eyed, optimistic report, but keep in mind that Ray resides in sunny Hollywood, while I languish in dark and gloomy Pittsburgh. And Ray, after successful surgery, now has the body of a twenty-year old. I also had the body of a twenty-year old, but the police made me give it back.
Anyhow, while the quantity may have been low, the quality was certainly high. Probably most disenchanting was that Cryo, a company that could usually be counted on for five or six adventure games per year, was absent from the E3. Also, Arxel Tribe had only one adventure game - Ring 2 - for public viewing. It would be a great loss to the genre if these two French stalwarts were to abandon the adventure genre.
Let's begin with the best and that would be Syberia. In our time-honored tradition, Syberia has been awarded Just Adventure's "Best Adventure Game of E3 2002" award. While this award is readily available for public viewing at rest rooms across the land, it can also be seen here. We've discussed Syberia at length at JA and won't bore you with more information if only you promise to read our preview. Now I hear some of you murmuring "Well, last year Just Adventure gave their best game award to Hitchcock and look what a piece of dreck that turned out to be," and you would be right. What we saw of Hitchcock last year was great but we only viewed a partially completed product and remember the E3 is meant to showcase the positives of a company's game. This year, we have played the award-winner to completion and it rocks!
Also developed by Microids was a nifty noir nail-biter named Post Mortem. Scheduled for a late 2002 release, Post Mortem is currently about 20% complete. It is a murder-mystery set in Paris during the 1920's. You play as an American in Paris who dances his way across the landscape. Oops, wrong medium. Actually, let's just read the press release, shall we:
A pure thriller in which nothing is like it seems! A string of mysterious murders, pretences, betrayals, rip-offs… Prepare to play a leading part in an astonishing investigation. Do not trust anyone! You play as an American private detective, Gustave MacPherson, who has been hired to look into a double murder in 1920's Paris.
- A dark, moody and paranoid atmosphere faithfully reproducing the film noir setting of Paris in the 1920's.
- 3D real-time characters in wonderfully detailed graphical environments.
- An advanced conversation engine takes into account each character's emotions and motives providing unmatched intensity and interaction.
- Take control of two individual characters as the plot twists and turns.
Well it certainly sounds interesting! And since I'm feeling particularly lazy today, I'll now ask you to click on this link for some screenshots from Post Mortem. If those pictures weren't enough to whet your appetite, then check out this trailer.
Probably the most pleasant surprise at the E3 was discovering that Dreamcatcher had just purchased the North American publishing rights to Syberia. But Dreamcatcher also had a host of other goodies in their newly christened 'Adventure Company' booth. Foremost on a giant plasma screen was a trailer for The Crystal Key 2. Other than an ambiguous 'coming soon', no other information was provided for this sequel.
Also
showcased was The Omega Stone: Riddle of the Sphinx 2. It was
indeed my pleasure to meet the famed Sphinx developers, Jeff and Karen
Tobler. Jeff provided me with a hands-on demonstration of ROTS 2 (as
we industry insiders call it!) and then was kind enough to give JA
these exclusive screenshots
from his new game. If those aren't enough to get yer dusty old bones
crackling, then have a look at this trailer
and press release:
Decipher cryptic Mayan codices as you search through the ruins of Chichen Itza, discovering lost chambers, tombs, and passageways overlooked for centuries deep within the exotic Yucatan jungle. Explore the mysterious megaliths of Stonehenge and other sacred Celtic stone circles, uncovering a secret sect of Celtic Priests and Guardians...Examine the Moi of Easter Island and adventure into the eerie caves and underground dwellings on this remote island. Excavate additional chambers under the Sphinx, and discover the recorded histories and technologies of a forgotten past. Untangle the myths of Devil's Triangle and decode the source of volatility in these fabled waters. Search for the Lost City of Atlantis and discover ancient technology designed by a forgotten people. Discover the secret linking all of these ancient civilizations... the ultimate adventure ... The Omega Stone.
*Stunningly realistic 3D replications of the world's most mysterious sites:
Chichen Itza, Stonehenge, Easter Island, Devil's Triangle (including Bimini), and the ruins of Atlantis
* Unrestricted access and exploration of archaeological sites currently off limits to tourists
* Real-time environmental effects (rain, sun, water, etc.), with full 360° environment exploration
You want more you say? Well then, let's take a look-see at The Pharaoh's Curse: The Cameron Files. This game is a sequel to the wildly successful Secrets of Loch Ness: The Cameron Files. No, I do not know why the sequel is not titled Cameron Files 2 and yes, we have already received numerous letters asking us the same question. But I do know that the trailer and the screenshots are very impressive. I also know that the press release reads as follows:
An Ancient Evil Awakes... and the Pharaoh no longer slumbers. Investigate the disappearance of the Pharaoh. An ancient ritual revisited awakens a Pharaoh long dead and entombed. You must piece together the clues to discover the real reason why the mummy is missing. Investigate the kidnapping of one of the members of an archeological team, travel the Nile on a steamboat, explore the Cairo Museum of Antiquities, and meet a cast of interesting characters... and solve the mystery behind the empty tomb. Exotic locations, danger and intrigue await you in the mysterious sands of Egypt.
* Explore the beautifully detailed environments: from a Nile steamboat to the secret temple of Mâat
* A complex mystery and a progressive investigation, with a touch of the supernatural, combined for a rich storyline
* A gripping graphical adventure certain to capture the imagination * Original score and wonderfully immersive ambient sounds
Finally
in the Dreamcatcher booth was Curse of Atlantis Thorgal's Quest.
Now I don't know about the rest of you, but I can't get enough of
these Atlantis-titled games so I have some suggestions for future
products. Sure to be a best seller would be Atlantis: Attack of
the Clones, and of course, who could pass on Spider-Man vs.
Atlantis or of course, The Riddle of the Atlantis Stone: Cameron
Files? But enough of my giving away these wonderful suggestions
for free! Thorgal was the only Cryo adventure product at the
E3 and it appears to have been developed on the same engine as the
Arthur's Knights games as evidenced by these screenshots. As
to what the game is about, well let's ask our friend, Mr. Press Release:
Set off-course by a terrible storm, Thorgal Aegirsson, a mighty Viking warrior, meets a mysterious old man who shows him a mirror in which he can see his own future. The vision he sees is horrific: Thorgal is about to kill his own son... In the face of all elements, men and Gods, and at all costs, Thorgal must return home immediately to dispel the evil upon his family. He will confront every danger and travel through time and space to protect his loved ones and solve the mystery surrounding this vision.
An adventure beyond compare, with an original storyline and universe with well-known characters and locations from Viking mythology.
* A perfect blend of adventure and action with unequaled 3D graphics and fluid animation
* Many graphically immersive environments to explore
* Multiple paths are integrated into the captivating storyline
* Engaging and challenging quests to complete and numerous intriguing
characters to interact with.
Hey, there's no mention of Atlantis in that press release! How do we know that Thorgal isn't traveling through Egypt, or even worse, Pittsburgh?
Nancy Drew was also lurking about the shadows of the convention center showing off screenshots from her newest adventure The Scarlet Hand. We hear that not only is this Nancy's most complex mystery to date, but there is also a huge surprise included in the game for fans of Just Adventure! You are on your own to uncover this wonderful Easter Egg. We just got our hands on the final version of this game and so far it seems to be the best in the series.
Arxel Tribe had a host of new screens and gameplay from Ring 2. Benoit Rullier detailed the changes that have been made to this sequel in response to criticisms about the first installment. If only all companies were so receptive to the wants of adventure gamers, we would have more adventure games that were not so wanting. Ring 2 will be a must-have for lovers of classical music and also for those who are intrigued by the following press release:
RING II - Twilight of Gods
THE LEGEND OF SIEGFRIED…
Out of the darkest forests at the top of the world comes the legend of a lost child who knows no fear...
Of a broken sword in need of reforging.
Of the boy's fight with a dragon, the guardian of a ring whose power he will wield.
Discover the Golden Age of Siegfried, as he slays giants, defies the great powers, wins the love of the Walkyrie, and brings about her downfall in the Twilight of the Gods.… AND THE RING OF POWER
Two years after the award-winning "Ring - The Legend of the Nibelungen," graphic artist Philippe Druillet and Arxel Tribe team up again to bring to life the legend of Siegfried, thus ending the interactive cycle based on Wagner's masterpiece.
"The Ring of the Nibelungen" which has its roots in the Scandinavian Mythology was first compiled by the brothers Grimm to serve later as libretto for Wagner's monumental opera. This legend was also one of the main sources for Tolkien's Lord of the Rings (especially for the central problem of the cursed ring of power).
The visual identity of the game coupled with Wagner's magnificent score gives the game a real creative touch.
A GRAND ADVENTURE GAME
CINERGY™ engine: Real-time 3D Characters & SFX on high definition pre-rendered backgrounds.
ARXEL's Adventure know-how and experience at its best.
Fluid gameplay aimed at a real cinematographic feel reinforced by 30 minutes of spectacular cut scenes.
The focus is on contextual enigmas vs. hard puzzles. Ring 2 is a very rich interactive experience that underlines the range of enigmas and the way they are slotted into the developing story.
Richly-detailed characters (gods, heroes, dwarves, villains, wild beasts, dragons, ogres...) and more than 25 main settings (dark forests, castles, harbors, etc) have been designed by Druillet in his flamboyant style.
RING 2 is a door to another world that offers players a spectacular journey and a fresh look at an eternal tale.
Jazz & Faust from 1C made an appearance in the hall-that-no-one-can-pronounce-the-name-of and I find it baffling that no one has had the courage to purchase the North American publishing rights to this inventive and beautiful game. We have just received the gold master for this game and so far it looks to be a winner.
Sharing space in this same hall was the long-awaited Zelenghorm. It looks as though it has been worth the wait as the gaming universe has been enriched with even more characters and better full-motion video. A series of books is also being written that will be released simultaneously with each episode of the game. It is this type of creative thinking that is responsible for long-running franchises.
Finally, Konami was showing screenshots from their pc conversion of Shadow Of Destiny. This mysterious time-traveling game is pure adventure and if you hurry you can still read our review of the PS2 version. I applaud Konami for having the courage to port this console game to pc and hopefully other console companies will follow their lead.
Next week we'll take a look at some of the more innovative action/adventure games at the E3 including: Jack the Ripper, Mistmare, P.O.W., Curse of Isis, Full Throttle 2, The Collector, Inquisition, Shenmue 2, Project Ego and Psychonauts.
(for E3 2002 floor pictures click here)