Strange,
and Sometimes True, Tales from the E3
Following
in the footsteps of Jen, Darcy, and Ray makes me feel like the fellow who tags
along behind the parade animals with a shovel, but, hey, no one ever promised
that adventure gaming would smell like a rose garden.
Besides the wonderful
give-and-take with the JA staff–and believe me, when we are all together, it’s
like a gathering of Chippendale dancers and Victoria’s Secret models–probably
my biggest thrill was being stopped on Hollywood Boulevard by a woman who mistook
me for Harrison Ford. All right, that didn’t really happen, but–and make of this
what you will–I did cruise Hollywood Boulevard with Al McDonald of Playing Games
Interactive, and, believe me, this is one guy you just know has seen the inside
of a Mexican prison.
This was the fifth E3 I have attended and, as concerns
adventure games, it was the most disappointing in terms of quantity. The dire
predictions we have been making the past two years have come true as the constant
negative bleating from magazines and webzines about the death of the genre had
their desired effect. Most games have a 12- to 24-month development cycle, and,
as we all know, many adventure games have either been cancelled or placed on hiatus
in the past year alone.
The most disturbing trend at the show, though, had
to be the number of companies that are forsaking the PC in favor of the new console
systems. This seemed especially true for the action/adventure genre, but, folks,
the handwriting is on the wall and it is only a matter of time.
On a more
positive note, we do know that there are numerous unannounced adventure games
in various stages of development, as the combined voices of Just Adventure and
our readers have been heard loud and clear. There also seems to be a tremendous
groundswell of support for the adventure genre on the new Gameboy Advance, as
Darcy will be discussing in a future article. It was an honor that companies like
LucasArts, Microids, and Presto chose Just Adventure as their source to provide
exclusives, and it is proof of the measure of respect we have earned not only
in the adventure community but industrywide. In the weeks to follow, we will have
trailers and demos that you will not find anywhere else on the Internet. Next
year will be the return of the adventure genre in a big way, but as for now, I
spent three days investigating every nook and cranny of the E3 and I saw games
that even the JA staff doesn’t yet know about …
Arxel Tribe
Our
first appointment was with Arxel
Tribe’s Guillaume de Fondaumiere. (Guillaume did ask me to inform Just Adventure
readers that all orders from Arxel’s online store have been filled.) Guillaume
is a rising star in the industry, and he will be dragging the adventure genre
along on his coattails. Secrets of the Alamut (which I am currently playing)
and Casanova both looked fantastic, but as you have already heard, Hitchcock:
The Final Cut was the game of the show. It actually incorporates 15
minutes of expository scenes from six Hitchcock movies (Psycho, Frenzy, Topaz,
Torn Curtain, Saboteur, and Shadow of a Doubt) directly into the gameplay.
We watched in awe as the main character entered a bathroom and, as he drew back
the shower curtain, animation smoothly segued to the infamous shower scene from
Psycho. If you are still not convinced of the potential of this game, then
consider that this October, Universal Studios will conduct an intensive media
campaign blanketing television, press, and radio with promotions for The Final
Cut, and there will also be a press party that will be the talk of the industry.
We will soon offer exclusive trailers of Hitchcock and Casanova for
our readers.
(click
images to enlarge)
Wanadoo
Sitting quietly across
from the Arxel booth was Wanadoo (after visiting the Electronic Arts booth, though,
Armageddon would sound quiet in comparison). Inquisition is an amazing
graphic adventure set during the … well, you guess for yourself, and Arabian
Nights is a beautiful rendition of Persian culture. (A little-known fact is
that Wanadoo has also been involved in the development of Hitchcock and
Casanova.) Wanadoo churns out more top-notch adventure games than anyone
in the industry, and it is only a matter of time before they receive the recognition
they so highly deserve.
Dreamcatcher/Cryo
Dreamcatcher joined
the big boys this year and had a booth in the main hall with the Disneys, Konamis,
and Electronic Arts of the gaming world. Their staff, as usual, was extremely
gracious, and as always it was my pleasure to meet with CEO Rich Wah Kan and VP
Marshall Zwicker. Lots of new games here.
- Jekyll & Hyde–More
action than adventure, the demented, surrealistic graphics and ingenious plot
twists are so visually appealing that adventure gamers will find this game hard
to resist. - Schizm–Who knew such beauty could come from Poland?
We have been providing exclusive screenshots of Schizm since its inception,
but it was a real treat to watch the faces of E3 attendees who were seeing the
game for the first time. Look for this one in late September or early October,
shipping on five CDs.
- Beyond
Atlantis 2–This sequel follows a female Egyptologist who is attempting to
uncover the secrets of fabled Atlantis. The absolutely stunning graphics alone
make this a must-have purchase. - From Dusk to Dawn–What more do
you need to know than the fact that this game is based on the cult horror film
and is being developed by the master of computer horror–Hubert Chardot (Alone
in the Dark)? - Dune–Of the three Dune games currently
in production, this one looks to be the best. Mission-based with many adventure
elements, this action/adventure should recruit many new fans to the Dune universe. - Zorro–Exotic
action/adventure based on the legendary, romantic sword-fighting hero. The Zorro
character at Dreamcatcher’s E3 booth was bragging how the women were all checking
out his nice butt, but I think they were really laughing at the big letter Z that
someone had carved into the seat of his pants. - Nancy Drew–The
eternally young Nancy Drew will return not once but twice in Treasure in the
Royal Tower and The Final Scene. Megan Gaiser, President and CEO of
Her Interactive, also confided to Just Adventure that Nancy Drew will soon appear
on Nintendo’s new Game Boy Advance!
Cryonetworks
Cryonetworks
had a strong line of online adventure games on display, and once they are up and
running in the United States, I think American gamers are in for a real treat.
- The
Fog features a new episode every month and is set in 1888 England. You
will investigate a series of gruesome murders culminating in a showdown with the
infamous Jack the Ripper. The Fog has the potential to be a huge hit in
North America. - The
4th Prophecy is a massive, medieval RPG/adventure offering hundreds
of quests in the tradition of Diablo and Ultima. - Prison
781253645 was a pleasant surprise. You are a prisoner in a maximum-security
prison who must survive by all means necessary until you can escape. This novel
idea has a gritty, realistic approach that will appeal to players bloated by the
glut of similar online fantasy worlds.
Microids
Talk
about a special treat; Olivier Fontenay, Executive Producer of Microids,
honored me with a first-in-the-world demonstration of Amerzone 2. But the
name has now been changed to Syberia. Syberia is not a true sequel to Amerzone,
but it does employ the same graphics engine, plot devices, and development
team. The projected release date is during the second quarter of 2002.
So
what did I see? How about over 150 screenshots and animations of the most beautiful
graphics ever created for an adventure game: a futuristic world colored by tinges
of nostalgia. For those already drooling, and since we cannot yet post screenshots,
how about a plot synopsis?
A company seeks the services of an eccentric
Swedish toymaker. A visit to the toymaker’s quaint village finds a community devoid
of humans but populated by automated mechanical men whose attire consists of top
hats and coattails. As in Amerzone, you will discover schematics of strange
creatures and machines and again you must travel, this time to France, Germany,
and Russia. But let’s not give away too much of the plot this early in the game’s
progress!
Microids was also showcasing Road to India (which I have
just finished playing). You play as a college student whose fiancée has
been kidnaped by Kali worshipers. You must now travel India to find your future
wife before she is devoured as the main entrée of a sacrificial course.
A must-have for adventure gamers who love exotic locales.
Last but not
least was the strange and mystical Druuna–another point-and-clicker that
we will be discussing in future months.
LucasArts
As everyone
in the world knows by now, JA scooped the world with news of two new (as yet unnamed)
adventure games. What you don’t know is that PR Director Tom Sarris also promised
to provide JA with the results of an adventure gamer survey recently conducted
on the LucasArts website.
As for the Playstation 2 version of Escape
from Monkey Island, I spoke with one of the developers and was promised that
we can expect a higher pixel count (better graphics), a removal of bugs that plagued
the PC version (her words, not mine), better player control, and easier Monkey
Kombat. I will go out on a limb here and predict that if the PS2 version of EFMI
sells well (and LucasArts admits that they do not know what reaction to expect
from the console crowd), then this time next year we will see both new adventure
releases announced for multiple platforms and not just for the PC.
CDV
CDV
is a German developer little-known in North America, but that will soon change.
Mystery of the
Druids (which I am currently playing) is a surefire hit that should
be popular with fans of the Gabriel Knight series. Neo-Druids are sacrificing
human beings in an attempt to invoke the powers of darkness. Now Scotland Yard
Detective Brent Halligan and his female companion must investigate these gruesome
murders.
Grom
is set in 1942 Nazi Germany, and special units are searching for the remains of
an ancient Tibetan civilization that possesses a weapon capable of eliminating
entire nations. Now Colonel Grom must find this legendary civilization first and
protect it from Nazi exploitation.
CDV also has a line-up of adult-oriented
adventure games like Lula 3D, which we will be discussing in a future column.
Interplay
Interplay
had some nice surprises in store for adventure gamers, namely, Galleon, RLH,
and Rubu Tribe. The good news is that Interplay easily had the strongest
line-up of games at the E3, but the bad news is that many of them are currently
for console only.
Rubu Tribe is pure puzzle-solving adventure in
which the survival of your prehistoric tribe rests upon your ability to overcome
environmental obstacles and life-threatening situations. The cooperative aspects
of Rubu Tribe reminded me of an updated 3D version of the classic Lemmings.
RLH (a.k.a. Run Like Hell) is an action/adventure with the
emphasis on action, but this game rocked. As professionally produced as any Hollywood
science-fiction movie, RLH features the voice of Lance Henriksen (Aliens,
Millennium) and is nonstop excitement and suspense. I had to RLH to keep from
being pried away from this game.
The real treat, though, was Galleon,
a pirate-themed action/adventure with the emphasis on adventure. Join Captain
Rhama in a race against time to locate an ancient artifact. Galleon is
a cross between Redguard and Tomb Raider and will be a must-have
for fans of those two games.
Here, There, and Everywhere
Charles
Cecil and Tony Warriner of Revolution
Software shared some exclusive information on Broken Sword 3 (more
on this in the future) and also asked Just Adventure if we would conduct some
surveys of their fan base. Need we tell you our response?
For years I have
been preaching that adventure gamers would love to purchase collectible figures
from their favorite games and finally someone has listened. Myst and Riven
fans should be ecstatic with the picture below. These collectibles will be
available at a local hobby shop, or you can stop by Diamond
Comic Distributors for more information (let’s hope they correct the spelling
of Ribbon).
A
quick stop to THQ and a clandestine meeting with Asam Ahmad, who showed me a sneak
preview of Zanzarah: The
Hidden Portal, an adventure game that is very reminiscent of The
Longest Journey. We will have much more on this game as it progresses toward
its expected release in the first quarter of 2002.
Empire
Interactive had a closed-door preview of Ghost Master, but I have a
knack for sniffing out these hidden adventure games! This paranormal project is
centered around B-grade movie themes and seems to be strongly influenced by Ghostbusters
movies. Empire has promised JA readers some exclusive information on this
adventure/strategy title.
Sega
was showcasing Shenmue 2 and Sonic Adventure 2. The first Shenmue
is easily the best adventure game ever created specifically for a console
system and was responsible for introducing thousands of younger gamers to the
adventure genre for the first time. Sonic Adventure 2 mixes puzzle-solving
with the fun and frolic of the blue mascot and his friends. Who says all adventure
games have to be plodding, laborious affairs?
Shoebox
has purchased the European rights to The
Real Neverending Story and is aiming for a fourth quarter 2001
release. Developer Siggi Kogl’s opus looks to have taken on a decidedly darker
tone as opposed to the sprightly, humorous version we first previewed two years
ago. Shoebox was also previewing two adventure games aimed at teenage girls based
on the heroine of a popular series of books named Wendy, who, along with her horse,
seems to be the German equivalent of Nancy Drew. It is doubtful that either The
Soren Mystery or Sarah’s Big Dream will find distributors in North
America. Troll Tales is based on a popular German cartoon series and is
a humorous puzzle/adventure game reminiscent of the Smurfs.
From Korea,
Wizard Soft had an interesting
horror/adventure game titled Whiteday in which a young boy must escape
from a haunted school. Sofnet was spotlighting Zaphie 2, another horror/adventure
sequel. Zaphie 2 occurs ten years after the events of the original as a
teenage boy has just been declared sane and released from an asylum. Don’t expect
to see either of these games available soon in North America.
Nate Wells
(System Shock 2, Thief) of Crave
was kind enough to give me a private screening of The Lost. This survival
horror/adventure game is based on Dantes’ Divine Comedia (honest!), and the player
must descend through the nine circles of Hell to save the soul of a daughter who
has committed suicide. The Lost has a claustrophobically spooky atmosphere,
haunting music, and characters that would do Clive Barker proud. The demo alone
was so intense that I was secretly glad Nate had left the lights on. Bad news:
console only. Good news: The Lost is a game worth buying a console system
to play.
Simon & Schuster gave me a sneak peek at Darkened Skye,
a gorgeous action/adventure that is quickly becoming known as “the Skittles
game” as the different scenarios are extensions of the Skittles commercials
seen on television. The game’s heroine, Skye, receives her mysterious powers from
different-colored Skittles she finds distributed about the land. It all sounds
ludicrous until you see this wonderful game in person.
TDK
had a nice selection of action/adventures on display. In Pryzm: The Dark Unicorn
(PS2), a unicorn (Pryzm) and troll must form a reluctant alliance to rid their
mythical land of a curse. Pryzm is guaranteed to be a huge hit as it follows
in the afterglow of Shrek and precedes the film release of Lord of the
Rings. In Casper Spirit Dimensions (PS2), the player guides the friendly
ghost through phantom dimensions and portals while using Casper’s ghostly powers
to defeat the wicked Kibosh. Anyone who has played any of the previous Casper
games is well aware that they lean toward puzzle-solving. Shrek (Xbox exclusive)
is a must-have that every adventurer will want to find in his or her Christmas
stocking. Following the events of the movie, Shrek’s misadventures now send him
to four new worlds and 36 missions with his famous fairy tale friends. Expect
Shrek to be released around the same time as the home video version of
the blockbuster film.
A quick prayer meeting with Mike Wilson of G.O.D.
(Gathering of Developers), and over communal wine he dropped a hint that Nocturne
2 is in development! (This one’s for you, Linda Shaw!) After prying that scoop
from Mike, I felt obliged to stay and watch the Boxing Nuns and Karaoke Catholic
School Girls.
Remember Point
of View from May’s State
of Adventure Gaming? Digital Leisure is negotiating for the distribution rights,
so we may see this adult adventure game on store shelves soon. Digital Leisure
experienced minor success with Tender Loving Care, and it is nice to see
that at least one publisher has the guts to distribute adult games in a world
of Mario and Sonic clones.
Jacqueline Collard of Disney made
my day on Friday when she slipped me the prequel to the upcoming Atlantis and
promised to provide JA with information on upcoming Disney titles. Disney surely
had the most unlikely product at the E3: they are working on a game that will
see famous Disney characters like Mickey, Donald, and Goofy team up with characters
from Squaresoft’s Final Fantasy series.
More children’s adventures:
Compedia was showing the teenage-themed Julia, Eclectica
had The Emperor’s Seal, an action/adventure set in ancient Rome, and Humongous
had new installments of Spy Fox and Freddie Fish.
Unknown:
Journey of Resurrection by Cyberscape Graphics is an interesting game
that allows you to reexperience your past lives in order to succeed in your current
life. A unique premise and puzzle-solving should appeal to the adventure gamer.
At
Infogrames, I conversed with the gentleman who tested the new Alone in the
Dark for all of the different systems. We will soon be contacting him for
his inside thoughts on the resurrection of this honored classic. He did vow that
it has stayed true to the spirit of Hubert Chardot’s original vision.
Konami
was showing Silent Hill 2, and while the on-floor demo looked and played
too much like the original, Konami has an excellent reputation for producing quality
products. This sequel has the player assume the role of a grieving husband who
receives a letter from his deceased wife beckoning him to meet her in the small
town of Silent Hill. No word yet on a sequel to the exceptional Shadow of Destiny.
At
Fishtank, I spoke with a member of the Call of Ctuthlu development team.
COC seems to have evolved into much more of an adventure game than was
originally intended, and while it has a wildly evocative atmosphere, it still
seems more action-oriented. Of course, enquiring minds needed to know about Simon
3D, and while I was told that the bugs have been removed and a search for
a publisher continues, the answers seemed strangely evasive.
In the very
early planning stages is Wallace and Gromit from Marjacq,
an adventure game based on the hugely popular award-winning claymation shorts.
Let’s hope some astute publisher grabs these playful characters before they run
afoul of Mr. Sluggo.
Ray and I were treated to a private showing of Electronic
Arts’s Majestic. While the premise is interesting, this full-motion-video
online game will need to evolve beyond the gimmicky phone calls and fax messages
if it hopes to attract a captive paying audience.
Last and certainly least
was Ubi Soft’s shameful display for Myst 3. Tucked away from the main foot
traffic were two small monitors manned by the pleasant Presto staff, while overhead
a 10-foot high screen blared a trailer for Ubi Soft’s new Rayman game.
Can’t get enough of that Rayman. Does anyone in the United States actually
own a Rayman game?
Off to the side was a small door that beckoned
one forth to discover the Myst Experience. Inside the room were the books from
the Ages of Myst seated on four podiums. A light mist swirled about the floor.
Get it? The Myst (mist) Experience. Maybe my harsh laughter was why I was asked
to not take a picture. And if you think I’m exaggerating, then be here in a few
weeks for an article blowing the whistle on Ubi Soft’s attempts to shut down Myst-related
fan sites on the World Wide Web.
While the adventure pickings were slim
this year, there is much to say for quality over quantity. Next year, though,
let’s hope that this column is twice as long.
