Adventure Gamers Top 100 Adventures of All Time

[Collector]

It does not matter how big adventure games are in popular culture, the mechanics are the same. Perhaps artists are best analogous to a development company and a pop song is more like an individual game. The point is what is currently in the public's view will be rated higher than older ones. Just look at the ratings on IMDB. Popular new movies almost always rate higher than they will later on and new releases are always in the list and many of these will eventually fall off the list, all together.

If we want to be fair about this, these games should be compared based on time period or technology involved. How do you objectively compare KQ4 and Dreamfall? You can't.

That may be a good way to do it when you consider that the shortfall of many games has often been due to the technological limitations at the time of their development.

[Tawmis]

It does not matter how big adventure games are in popular culture, the mechanics are the same. Perhaps artists are best analogous to a development company and a pop song is more like an individual game. The point is what is currently in the public's view will be rated higher than older ones.

Not true, either though. Most older people don't like the newer music, if you want to use that as an example. It's the much younger people who keep Lady Gaga and Justien Beiber and their songs popular. I can't stand 99% of the new music. There are so far and few exceptions. Which goes back to me, thinking older games may have an advantage over new games, because of the nostalgia there. (Since I am pretty sure Adventure Gamers is not composed of a bunch of 12 year old teenie boppers!)

[Collector]

The demographics almost don't matter. Most new movies may be made for kids, but not all. Adult movies still are are subject to popularity by newness, too. I will grant you that older people do have a wider reference to compare new works against, but that does not mean that an adult's view of something won't fade with time.

[AndreaDraco]

In the meantime, 70-61 are out!

This time I contributed Amber: Journeys Beyond write-up. A wonderful, little game that I wholeheartedly recommend!

[Collector]

I am a little surprised that Pepper made the list. A fun little game, but one of the best?

This time I contributed Amber: Journeys Beyond write-up. A wonderful, little game that I wholeheartedly recommend!

Don't forget that there is the StC installer for this, imperfect as it is, it still allows the game to run on modern Windows.

[Tawmis]

In the meantime, 70-61 are out!

This time I contributed Amber: Journeys Beyond write-up. A wonderful, little game that I wholeheartedly recommend!

Thus far, this list only serves to remind me, I was pretty picky about what "Adventure" games I played...
(Admittedly, other than Sierra, most of my gaming back in the day was RPG...)

[DeadPoolX]

Most new movies may be made for kids, but not all.

I'm not quite sure how you got that. The majority of movies made aren't really for kids. Of course, I guess it depends how you define the word "kid."

Do you mean someone who's under ten years old or anyone significantly younger than you, regardless of age? My Dad will be 60 next year and to him, I'll always be a kid, even though I'll be 33 next year as well. I don't think very many people would normally classify someone who's in their 30s as a child without context.

Adult movies still are are subject to popularity by newness, too. I will grant you that older people do have a wider reference to compare new works against, but that does not mean that an adult's view of something won't fade with time.

If something -- be it a book, movie, song, video game or whatever -- makes an impression, it'll stick.

Sometimes interests wane or change, not due to popularity (or lack thereof) but because people change themselves. We're not always in the mood for one particular genre or concept -- or at least I'm not. I can play Call of Duty 2 and then immediately switch to Bookworm Adventures, so my tastes are pretty eclectic.

I am a little surprised that Pepper made the list. A fun little game, but one of the best?

Like we've already established, the term "best" is subjective. In many cases, I think this list might be primarily comprised of Adventure games that don't suck, given that so many of them for so many years did.

[Collector]

Contrary to be contrary, I see. Of course I meant kid broadly. Teenage boys are still kids and even some 20 somethings. Don't tell me that you have not met any 20 somethings that didn't act like kids or have somewhat childish tastes. That is not to insinuate anything about anyone here.

Of course it is subjective, but few ever cite Pepper as being that good.

[Rath Darkblade]

How did I miss this? So here's my take on what's going on so far...

Firstly, I have to say this: Rudy and BBP, I know you haven't played the QfG series yet. I am a Sierra gamer, and I have played all the major Sierra quest games (LSL, PQ, SQ, KQ, and QfG) from the very beginning (i.e. from the first game) - so may I make a heartfelt plea: Rudy, BBP, please reconsider; please, do yourselves a favour and play through the QfG series from the very beginning. You will be so very glad you did.

QfG was the second adventure game I'd ever played - this was back in 1991 (20 years ago! How time flies) - and I was instantly hooked. I am glad that QfG2 made the list - it is one of my favourite games of all time - but I am surprised that it ranked so low. I hope QfG4 makes the list too; it is one of the darker and more grown-up parts of the QfG series, yet still full of the same fun (or should I say pun?) of the QfG series as a whole.

It's no wonder that the QfG series inspired so many people around the world to start writing - I have written my own QfG saga, leading a would-be hero (whose drunkenness frequently gets in the way of his heroics) through the QfG world from beginning to end. I also wrote many, many, many songs based on QfG; a few short stories; many haikus. It's been heaps of fun. Try it - you may like it! In fact, I'm sure you will.

Phew! *gets off his soapbox* Sorry to bore you all. I'm sure you all know that QfG is lots of fun. Anyway, my comments on Andrea's list...
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Re: #97 (Runaway: A Twist of Fate) - Yes! I played the first Runaway and enjoyed it very much. The second one was... meh... very uneven and somewhat ridiculous - I felt like I was alternating between a surf flick and a mix of Indiana Jones and James Bond. The strange and, at times, pixel-hunting puzzles were sometimes very frustrating. But the strong characters, slick graphics and good music made up for the very uneven plot and frustrating puzzles.

The third game, however, has a much stronger plot than the second, with returning strong characters and the same great graphics and music I'd come to expect. The puzzles, while still unusual, were now slightly easier, thanks to the built-in hint system.

Overall? The first game is definitely worth playing. The second is weaker; the third is stronger than the second, but not as strong as the first. Respectively I would give them 4.5/5, 3/5 and 3.5/5.
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LOL! #78 manages a nod to Freddy Pharkas. I'd always had a soft spot to FPFP, even if the timer-puzzles (and horse flatulence???) were greatly over-the-top. Thank goodness that when this game came out, there was no scratch-and-sniff (like LSL7!)
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#73 (Discworld II) is lots of fun. I played it again the other day - thank you, ScummVM! Still, I believe that the third game - Discworld Noir is far superior in every respect, barring two: it is very difficult to find, and even if you do, it is very difficult to play on any OS above Windows 98. If a solution can be found, however, I would LOVE to be able to replay it. The plot and characters are far deeper and far more grown-up, the wit is sharper, the atmosphere darker, the puzzles more challenging, and best of all (at least for a Discworld fan like me), everything - from characterisation to background detail - is spot on for Sir Terry's work. In a phrase, Discworld Noir is Ankh-Morpork true to life - or at least, exactly as it is portrayed in any of the Watch novels (particularly Feet of Clay or Men at Arms). It's like playing through a mystery novel worthy of Agatha Christie herself - and as I am a Pratchett fan and a Christie fan, for me the pleasure is doubled. It's just a pity that the game can't be played without installing Windows 98.
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#72 (Maniac Mansion) - lovely. Spot on! It was the first adventure game I'd ever played, and it's just as addictive today as it was 22 years ago.
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#71 (LSL7) - YES! Yes! Yes! LSL7 is still my favourite of the LSL series. But I can't find it anywhere now! Also, I don't know if it will play on Windows 7 without some sort of special manipulation (e.g. DOSBox or ScummVM) - can it?
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I have always been intrigued by #69 (I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream). However, I don't think I could handle it - I was genuinely scared and/or appalled by some of the scenes in the GK series (e.g. Gabriel's death in GK1 with the mummies, and especially Gabriel's death scream with the pendulum in GK3). Is IHNMAIMS much worse? It sounds like it is - is it?

[Rudy]

Rudy, BBP, please reconsider; please, do yourselves a favour and play through the QfG series from the very beginning. You will be so very glad you did.

It's not that I don't want to, it's just because I haven't been able to make time for it yet. In fact I announced on Facebook and in the SC newsletter that November would be the Quest for Glory month on the Chest. GK3, Hoyle, Larry 6 and Shivers however took the majority of the time, with the remaining time being entirely spent on other work. Busy busy...

On another note: Larry 7 works in DOSBox.

[AndreaDraco]

Anyway, my comments on Andrea's list...

Just to clarify, this is not my list. I contributed, as part of the staff over at Adventure Gamers.

[Collector]

On another note: Larry 7 works in DOSBox.

What do you think the SHP installer does? There are at least a couple of other installers that use the Windows interpreter, but one does not shield you from all compatibility issues and the other (StC) does not allow you to change anything in its configuration.

[QuestCollector]

In the meantime, 70-61 are out!

This time I contributed Amber: Journeys Beyond write-up. A wonderful, little game that I wholeheartedly recommend!

Thus far, this list only serves to remind me, I was pretty picky about what "Adventure" games I played...
(Admittedly, other than Sierra, most of my gaming back in the day was RPG...)

My thoughts exactly. Looking back there are few adventures I played that weren't Sierra. Some I liked, others not so much...

Not very impressed with the recent update to the list #55-51. I played Dreamfall a couple of years ago and thought it was somewhat bland. Also, a Myst game made it, but that was inevitable.

Top 50 after Christmas and I'm looking forward to it!

[AndreaDraco]

As QuestCollector anticipated, 60-51 are out!

This time around... I sat back

Jokes aside, I didn't contribute any write-up, but I want to say that Dreamfall is my favorite non-Sierra adventure of all time

[Maxor127]

I didn't like Zork Nemesis, although I didn't get very far because it would crash like crazy for me. But it makes me hope that Return to Zork is higher on the list because it's one of my favorites. But if you didn't play the Mac version, which had full FMV for the characters instead of what were basically animated gifs, then you might not enjoy it as much. I still need to play Myst III. I bought it a while ago and never opened it. There are some of these I'd like to check out. I need to stop wasting my time with online games.