The once popular Adventure genre is in Europe.
By Karen Zierler
Once the most popular form of computer
game, the Adventure genre has waned
to near non-existence. People new to com
puter gaming will never know just how
prevalent adventure titles were, like: the
Zork series, Sherlock Holmes, the
Blackstone Chronicles, the Broken Sword
series, the Gabriel Knight series and many
more. These games were the staple of every
early gamer, taking them through the story
dook lives or neroes
and antiheroes. The
stories were well writ
ten, and the games
themselves involved
puzzle solving in
order to unlock more
of the story.
Hardcore adventure fans have tried
everything under their power to keep the
genre alive. However, one by one publishers
killed off any projects for new adventure
games: Speculation over what brought
about the demise of the genre has raged
online. Folks have blamed just about every
thing—from the popularity of Myst, con
sidered not a true adventure, to lack of
good marketing.
Whatever the case, it is hard to find a
good adventure in the works in the U.S.
Only one, Escape from Monkey Island
(lucasarts.com/products/monkey4/), the
fourth in the humorous Monkey Island
series, is expected out later this year. But
the genre is still alive in Europe, especially
in the Paris offices of a small developer
called Arxel Tribe (arxel.com). Arxel is pro
ducing adventure titles with a European
flare, and is even publishing their own titles.
Their games are not for the faint-heart
ed. The two most recent are The Ring: The
Legend of the Nibelungen. and Faust. For
The adventure genre is still alive
in Europe, where a small develop
er call Arxel Tribe is turning out
great games.
■ any literature and
music majors out
there, you'll get the
idea. However, both
titles are modern and
full of interest for even
the novice.
Another title expected out soon takes
things to epic proportions. The first install
ment of The Legend of the Prophet and
the Assassin is a tale of the Templar Knight
Tancrede, who is betrayed by his religion
and country. To exact revenge he begins to
track down the false prophet, Simon de
Lancrois, and in his journey becomes a leg
endary bandit in the wilds of the Arabian
deserts. If adventures are your thing, keep
an eye out for it sometime next month. For
the first time Arxel Tribe will release The
Legend of the Prophet and the Assassin
simultaneously in the U.S. and Europe. •
Monkey Island
Legend of the, Prophet and the Assassin
The Ring: The Legend of the Nibelungen
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