as seen in PC Gamer's review of The DaVinci Code

In the September issue, Kristen Salvatore writes about the adventure game adaptation of the film:

I confess that I'm something of a literature snob, so it isn't easy for me to admit I enjoyed a mainstream book like The Da Vinci Code - I love that it's rooted in factual historical mysteries unlocked with factual historical information.

Except that it isn't. I guess it was wrong to assume that Brown's detractors had actively slagged both the book and the film enough over the past three months to get people to start thinking clearly, pointing out that the basis for most of his novel was either entirely fiction or a pseudo-historical text that had been written simply to support some religious crackpot theory. But factual? Come on, a literature snob would have at least done a little casual research before making a statement like that.

GameSetWatch: Remembering The Fate of Atlantis

Today my first column for "Keyboard Bashing" went live, which is a new regular feature at GameSetWatch. I decided to add to their existing collection of retro features by examining my favorite game of all time.

From this point forward I'll be contributing there every two weeks or so, covering topics related to PC games both old and new.

rediscovering Atlantis

In preparation for an article I'm writing, I played through Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis again over the weekend. I make a point of replaying this game at least once a year anyway, because I consider it the best game I've ever played and I want to make sure I'm not just deluding myself with foggy memories and nostalgia. There are a few things I picked up on this time around, because I was looking at it from a more critical perspective as opposed to someone setting out to simply enjoy the game. If you've never played Fate of Atlantis but plan on doing so, stop reading. I consider the following list spoiler-heavy.

the spice must flow

It was a hard task to pull myself away from the development of my dwarven paladin, but I managed to do it long enough for a viewing of the Director's Cut of the Dune TV miniseries this past weekend. The special effects are probably the only faults I have with this adapation of Frank Herbert's science fiction epic, because there are way too many times where it was clear the cast was running around a closed studio piled with sand. The computer generated ships and planet locations were passable, but also looked as if they were created under a tight budget. The acting was generally good, and unlike the Lynch version that required a working knowledge of the entire Dune universe before viewing it, the story was carefully assembled into three highly watchable episodes. This isn't to say that Lynch's film is completely terrible, because I think it suffered from being released at the wrong time - audiences weren't ready for such a complicated plot in a movie that was expected to be a typical big-budget popcorn movie.

All of this got me thinking about how ripe the Dune universe is for video gaming. Yet it remains ignored, except for the occasional lackluster release. Looking back, it's not like the subject was completely overlooked; there's a prototype for the Atari 2600 floating around for a game inspired by the 1984 film. However, the first official Dune game was released for the PC in 1992, and was a kind of action/adventure hybrid that doesn't make a whole lot of sense based on the screens. Though what most of us would remember is Westwood's Dune II: The Building of a Dynasty that came out the same year, considered to be the inspiration for every RTS game you've ever played. There were three separate campaigns based on three major royal houses: Atreides (good), Harkonnen (evil), and Ordos (more or less neutral) all vying for control of Arrakis. The base and troop building that most of us learned playing Command and Conquer had already been established in this game.

It wasn't until 1998 that I actually got my hands on a Dune game, and this was Dune 2000, a desperate Command and Conquer clone also published by Westwood. It was a little ironic when considering the game's pedigree; after all, this was just an update of the game that inspired the genre in the first place. The graphics and strategies were uncomfortably familiar, and as such resulted in a forgettable experience. Then again, John Rhys-Davies did appear as the Atreides mentat in one of the game's many live-action cutscenes.

The release of the TV miniseries in 2001 renewed interest in the setting, and spawned two games: Frank Herbert's Dune and Emperor: The Battle for Dune. Frank Herbert's Dune was intended as a direct tie-in with the miniseries, but resulted in a dismal failure both in its disregard for the source material and lack of attention to actual gameplay. Emperor was apparently a pretty good RTS game, and probably marked EA's entrance into 3D strategy before the release of C&C Generals the following year. After these games, development on anything Dune related basically stopped.

The sequel to the TV miniseries, Children of Dune, originally aired in 2003 but I never watched it, because frankly I had no idea it was even being made. The first miniseries I considered only a moderate success, because interest in Dune seemed to wane rather quickly and I figured that would be the end of this renaissance. I haven't read the recently started series of books co-authored by Brian Herbert (Frank Herbert's son) and Kevin J. Anderson (who has also penned his share of Star Wars novels). They don't seem well received, and feel more like novels written to simply pacify fans eager to see the series continue. In other words, very much like the Star Wars novels. I have even seen the likes of a limited run tabletop RPG, Chronicles of the Imperium, and another one rumored to have been in development by Wizards of the Coast that was later cancelled. The Dune series is largely regarded as one of the pillars of modern science fiction writing, and yet it's consistently pushed into the background as if to disregard its influence on the genre.

The Dune universe is one full of political intrigue and a more spiritual view of a possible future when compared with conventional science fiction that obsesses over technology. Though Dune may lend itself well to strategy titles, what's stopping the creation of a roleplaying game? Ascending through the ranks of a royal house, plotting and scheming; a smuggler in the quest for spice; or a Fremen footsoldier simply braving the unforgiving desert could all be adapted to this type of gameplay. The world of Dune is more complex than previous games have given it credit for. I'd like to see a developer take advantage of this, and not simply use the Dune name to sell an action or strategy game in an established formula. It obviously comes down to a financial return, but I think fans would appreciate more dignified treatment of the material, and would be more than happy to answer with their wallets. Most importantly, it would open up the market for science fiction games without the prefix of Star Wars or Star Trek.

Indiana Jones and the return to games

A portion of an interview with Jim Ward, president of LucasArts and LucasFilm advertising alludes to revisiting the Indiana Jones brand for some new games. This should come as no surprise for Indy fans, knowing that development on Indy 4 is well underway. I find it a little amusing that Ward would comment on the quality of recent Star Wars games, basically admitting that the company's reliance on one franchise to make money has severely damaged the overall reputation of LucasArts as a brand.

Remember when the name "LucasArts" used to mean something in the adventure game genre? By canceling two adventure projects in the last few years with recognizable IP that were almost certain to do well, they've essentially severed all ties with that heritage. I have my doubts that the company will be able to restore faith in adventure gamers, because issuing another Tomb Raider clone is not the solution. LucasArts needs to look farther than that. Back to when they were making games with the same engine, but still presenting highly unique adventures that actually told a story, and had an excellent sense of humour.

On most days I can easily call Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis the greatest game of all time. In fact, for the same reasons I re-installed Sim City 4 I began to play Fate of Atlantis again with the help of SCUMMVM. I know the puzzles like the back of my hand, and the dialogue trees are no surprise. But as I said about Half Life 2, playing a favorite game again is a lot like watching a favorite movie. If you leave it on the shelf long enough, it seems the magic is always there waiting when you return.

with a name like guybrush...

As a genre that the gaming press loves to declare dead on the PC, Adventure games have definitely seen better days. When the last bastion of Adventure gaming decides to cancel the development of Sam and Max: Freelance Police, an almost guaranteed success, solely because "the current market is unsuitable" makes me wonder where their allegiances lie. Lucasarts did the same thing last year with Full Throttle 2, another sequel to a much loved property that Adventure gamers were looking forward to - myself included. I suppose Lucasarts are content to continue spraying down the Star Wars license with a fire hose of money - Republic Commando and Star Wars Battlefront - two completely uninspired games that would have been better served as mods.

Interestingly enough, I caught a rumour last week about another possible installment in the Monkey Island saga. I would almost assume that this rumour could be classified as false at this time, unless LucasArts are following the disturbing example set by most traditionally PC-only developers; that is, getting into the console-porting business. Escape from Monkey Island (aka. Monkey Island 4) did fairly well, but it was also a console port. Full Throttle 2 and Sam and Max: Freelance Police were to be developed specifically for PC.

Some of my favorite PC gaming memories are of the SCUMM-powered Lucasarts adventures: Maniac Mansion, Day of the Tentacle, Sam and Max Hit the Road, and my personal favourite adventure of all time: Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis, something I still pick up and play today thanks to SCUMMVM. I still firmly believe that a movie could be based on this game; the story and dialogue are absolutely incredible.

Sierra was the other heavy hitter back in those days: sporting such well-known franchises like King's Quest, Space Quest, and of course the later Gabriel Knight series. You might also remember Infogrames' groundbreaking Alone in the Dark (1992), probably my first experience with polygon-based characters and true 3D environments. In 1998, Sierra figured they would bring their classic King's Quest up to current graphical standards with Mask of Eternity, which was widely agreed to be a funeral pyre for series. Numerous bugs and the complete disregard for the franchise's history in favour of a more action-oriented experience left a lot of players disappointed.

Adventure gaming also seems to get a bit of a bad rap from those not familiar with the genre, mostly due to some developers morbid fascination with full motion video sequences. Myst was the game that made people buy a CD-ROM drive, but watching a series of movies is not necessarily the best way to present a game. They usually end up as pixel hunts and allow only limited interaction with the environment. Dark Side of the Moon may have gotten this right, however, as the engrossing story and high production values made it a favourite amongst adventure gamers.

LucasArts' Grim Fandago won numerous awards and continues to be the flagship Adventure Game of recent years, followed closely by The Longest Journey (1999) and Syberia (2002), both of which are recieving the sequel treatment. Syberia II should be available shortly, and the long kept secret follow-up to TLJ, Dreamfall, will be out in 2005. Both games were praised for their character development, something that many adventure games tend to lack, eclipsed the developer's constant obsession with creating obscure puzzles to outdo players. Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon, released in late 2003, has also been favoured well amongst genre affectionados.

For those that still foster the adventure gamer within, Adventure Gamers has a great multi-part article that tries to pinpoint where the genre is going, and what the discerning fan can do so that it may survive. There is no talk of the genre's halcyon days and how the best games are behind us. I think the biggest point you can take from it is that advancements in graphics are just a means to an end; it doesn't signify an engaging story and real, likable characters will not exist in these worlds as well.

I didn't plan for this to be a State of the Adventure Gamers Union or anything, but there you have it. It's nice to see independent developers and publishers like The Adventure Company trying to carry on the traditions started by Sierra and LucasArts back in my early days of PC gaming, but to see a complete lack of interest by the major studios - and even the gamers themselves - is hard for me to accept. Have we turned into a bunch of twitch gamers, only able to withstand bite-sized sessions of gaming requiring minimal brain function? Are adventure games too much of a mental investment for the possible return? With the advent of online play, I think some gamers may consider adventure gaming a lonely experience. But ground can be made in this genre - just look at URU. An attempt at multiplay in a previously accepted "single-player only" environment is commendable, even though I have not played the game myself. Giving Sam and Max a graphical overhaul like LucasArts did with Monkey Island 4 was a fine idea, and would have probably done well in today's gaming climate, regardless of what their marketing goons may have us believe. I just hope this recent cancellation does not mark the beginning of a larger, more devastating trend - that major game releases will be developed for all platforms as a rule, and PC gamers will have to settle for ports.

the universe will have its way