Are there any current adventure games...
Merkaba
Digital Harmony Join Date: 2002-01-24 Member: 22Members, Retired Developer, NS1 Playtester
Digital Harmony Join Date: 2002-01-24 Member: 22Members, Retired Developer, NS1 Playtester
in Off-Topic
...that don't involve excessive levels of violence?
I've been playing Doom3 on my new PC (runs hella smoothly) and honestly, whilst it's generally an OK game with great graphics, its so very, very, depressing. There is no Joy in Doom3, none whatsoever.
So I played Half-life 2 instead, which is a huge improvement...but still, as I'm driving around in the buggy section of the game, looking out over these wonderfully rendered landscapes, I start feeling somewhat depressed again. I know, that to make any kind of achievement in the game, I must continue along this road and kill more people. The events, characters and their interactions, might be quite touching and heart warming frequently in Half-Life 2, but ultimately *I* will just drive/run/jump around shooting things.
So....are there any gorgeous looking games that are just very...<i>pleasant</i> to play? No saving the world with crowbars, no jumping in surprise every time I walk down a new damn corridor and a panel happens to shoot off (I hate iD)...I'm looking for a game that you can just experience and revel in the beauty of the environments, without any pressure to move in any particular direction.
An example would be Monkey Island but in 3D. Something light hearted, or just fun, or beautiful. Shadow of the Collossus is an acceptable example, but the lack of any character interaction in that game is somewhat lonely feeling.
We have all this wonderful technology available to us and I wish it were being used for something emotionally lifting rather than taking us on roller-coaster rides all the time. The difference between walking through a park and going to a wild adventure park.
Ho hum, Half-life 2 will do for the time being.
I've been playing Doom3 on my new PC (runs hella smoothly) and honestly, whilst it's generally an OK game with great graphics, its so very, very, depressing. There is no Joy in Doom3, none whatsoever.
So I played Half-life 2 instead, which is a huge improvement...but still, as I'm driving around in the buggy section of the game, looking out over these wonderfully rendered landscapes, I start feeling somewhat depressed again. I know, that to make any kind of achievement in the game, I must continue along this road and kill more people. The events, characters and their interactions, might be quite touching and heart warming frequently in Half-Life 2, but ultimately *I* will just drive/run/jump around shooting things.
So....are there any gorgeous looking games that are just very...<i>pleasant</i> to play? No saving the world with crowbars, no jumping in surprise every time I walk down a new damn corridor and a panel happens to shoot off (I hate iD)...I'm looking for a game that you can just experience and revel in the beauty of the environments, without any pressure to move in any particular direction.
An example would be Monkey Island but in 3D. Something light hearted, or just fun, or beautiful. Shadow of the Collossus is an acceptable example, but the lack of any character interaction in that game is somewhat lonely feeling.
We have all this wonderful technology available to us and I wish it were being used for something emotionally lifting rather than taking us on roller-coaster rides all the time. The difference between walking through a park and going to a wild adventure park.
Ho hum, Half-life 2 will do for the time being.
Comments
It is a bit violent, I guess, but it's light hearted violence.
You mentioned Monkey Island, have you tried the fourth? That's in 3D.
But you really have just made me realise that every (or most) of the games that I own do actually involve violence in some way, shape or form. That's really depressing.
An example would be Monkey Island but in 3D. Something light hearted, or just fun, or beautiful.
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You'd be wanting Monkey Island 4: Escape from Monkey Island. Its 3D, and very nice looking, with lots of humor.
Another great 3D adventure game that I love more than any game in the world is Grim Fandango. Its a bit less light-hearted, but there is still lots of that trademark LucasArts adventure game humor, and great character interaction, along with a beautiful setting that fuses art deco with ancient mayan art, and an awesome soundtrack to go along with it.
Take Ravenholm as an example. Without Father Grigori, that section of the game could have been as spiritually void as Doom3. The first time I saw The Father (heh) as he cracks that door open up high and <i>the light</i> pours out, I felt a feeling of relief and joy. I really believe that Valve know what they're doing...I hope their next CG endeavour is less actiony and more...well, human. I suspect that they will do something special, and at the moment Half-Life is a handy medium with which to advance their technology and hone their skills. And earn money, of course - but I would be surprised to learn that Valve were strapped for cash <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
A first-person 'point&click' game would be a treat, if the characters were as believable as those in Half-Life 2. First person isn't even necessary, but I would like control over the camera and be able to feel the world move dynamically around me. Guybrush Threepwood in the Source engine...that would make my Xmas list any year!
Monkey Island 3D...it doesn't much interest me. I liked the semi-realistic style of the first two Monkey Islands...I didn't so much enjoy the cartoony 3rd installment, so I don't expect to enjoy the 3D one.
Anyone remember Simon the Sorcorer? That was a cool game! Again, the 3D one looked crap...
...Another great 3D adventure game that I love more than any game in the world is Grim Fandango. Its a bit less light-hearted, but there is still lots of that trademark LucasArts adventure game humor, and great character interaction, along with a beautiful setting that fuses art deco with ancient mayan art, and an awesome soundtrack to go along with it....
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Oh yes.
There is always family games, Sims (:S) or Viva Pinata to 360. May sound like crappy suggestions but those are games you can just relax and watch what you have created in peace.
The Neverhood, clay violence tho.
Well uh, dont you really mean peaceful fps games? (doesn't exist?) As neither HL2 or Doom 3 is known as adventure games.
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Actually, the beginning of HL Episode 1 is really so very awesome with HDR! There's not much action, lots of interaction with Alyx, and some utterly gorgeous looking scenes. I never thought HDR would make it look -this- good <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
[/amendment]
Fahrenheit (a.k.a. Indigo Prophecy) is a really great adventure game. No graphical masterpiece, but a very engrossing story.
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As long as you stop playing as soon as Lucas jumps the <strike>shark</strike> train.
Merk, not sure what your take is on more platform-y types, but Psychonauts or Beyond Good and Evil would be excellent choices. BG&E is a bit darker (well, they both have their dark moments) but the style and themes throughout make for a pair of absolute joys to play.
Might be worth your interest.
--Scythe--
Man, I <i>hated</i> Indigo Prophecy. Like, I buy games and never throw them out or even so much as think about dumping so much as a piece of them. And halfway through the damn tutorial I wanted to set this game on fire and toss the remnants to the wind. I've never touched it since. Only other game close to that reaction was Battlefield 2. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />
Merk, not sure what your take is on more platform-y types, but Psychonauts or Beyond Good and Evil would be excellent choices. BG&E is a bit darker (well, they both have their dark moments) but the style and themes throughout make for a pair of absolute joys to play.
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I agree with Psychonauts and Beyond Good & Evil. I've beaten both and enjoyed them very much.
I also agree Indigo Prophecy suffers from a case of "The dog ate the last 10 pages of our manuscript." I'll try to write the following in a way that avoids spoilers:
Let's say you're reading a book, or watching a movie. The writer decides to throw in one or more characters who seem insignificant at first.
Then later in the story, their significance becomes revealed.
Such a character reveal can be good writing.
Let's say instead you're reading a book that's going great for the first 9 out of 12 hours or so...but then all of a sudden, in the 11th hour, the writers decide to throw in a character of *paramount* significance not only to the plot, but to the entire atmosphere & feel of the written work.
That's Indigo Prophecy. The very *existence* of a certain "one or more characters" does two things:
1. Allows about 1/3 more endings than would have been possible to write for the game otherwise.
2. Dilutes the believability & entertainment value of ALL of the endings that are reachable ingame.
Back to Merkaba's question: the Dreamfall series looks like it'd be perfect for you.
I always find zelda is good for some adventure; there's few games these days that reward exploration quite as much as it and the latest has an interesting cast of characters plus a few twists on the whole old zelda series.
Like the others say, Farenheit was good until the plot suddenly went to hell in a handbasket sadly. I honestly can't help but wonder why they did that... it half feels like the end was rushed or something.
there's plenty of Zelda games out there, which are pretty much the definition of adventure, and they're not depressing (for the most part).
I liked indigo prophecy. The first half was awesome, the second half did kinda fall apart though =/ I don't know if it's because the developers rushed it just like so many games are rushed (KotOR2, anyone?), or if they just didn't know how to keep up the open-ended feel at the end...