Adventure games from the past couple years

[Azhag]

Hey guys, I was wondering your thoughts on the best pure adventure (not action adventure) games from the last couple years.  The last group I played was Longest Journey and Siberia.  I know there haven't really been that many options, but I'm in the mood for one and I was wondering what are most worth my time (e.g. I've heard mixed things on the sequel to Longest Journey).

[Knightshade Dragon]

Sam & Max. 

[Azhag]

Well, I might get that when it is done, but I don't really want it in episodic form.  Even all together it doesn't sound like it will be that long ... but I did like the original so I'm interested.

[Ralph-Wiggum]

The Return to Mysterious Island wasn't a bad, especially since it originally cost just 20 bucks.

[EngineNo9]

I haven't played many traditional adventure games other than Sam & Max lately, but I agree that one is highly recommended and it should be available in complete form soon.  

I remember Indigo Prophecy getting some good response, though I haven't played it myself.

Checking out the lists of Adventure game reviews at places like IGN or GameSpot shows that there were quite a few released last year, some of which got decent marks.  It might be worth scanning those lists for ones that appeal to you.  

[EddieA]

"Even all together it doesn't sound like it will be that long"
Reviews put the length of each Sam & Max episode at 2-4 hours, so that's over 20 hours if you do everything.  Indigo Prophecy is an excellent game, but pretty different from the traditional adventure game.  There are some inventory puzzles, but most of the gameplay revolves around talking to people and playing mini-games.  I just started playing The Moment of Silence, and it seems good so far.  It looks and plays a lot like The Longest Journey, and garnered some good (and some mediocre) reviews.  I got it for $6 at Big Lots.

[CeeKay]

I've heard good things about Sherlock Holmes- The Awakened.

[Kevin Grey]

I loved the Longest Journey sequel, Dreamfall.

And I found the fourth Broken Sword game (can't recall it's US title offhand) very enjoyable. 

[Clay]

I really enjoyed Runaway: A Road Adventure and I'm currently playing the sequel that I bought on Steam, called Runaway: The Dream of the Turtle.  For the most part, they are old-school adventure goodness, with fantastic graphics.

[Azhag]

Hmm, thanks guys.  I'm thinking I'll still hold on Sam and Max until it is done.  I might grab Dreamfall or one of the Runaway games though. Do you need to haved played the first Runaway for the second to make sense?

[Moatman]

Just played through the first Sam and Max episode and found it very fun, probably was about 2-2.5 hours or so.  The Broken Sword series 3 and 4 are both newish, seeing as 1 and 2 came out probably 10 years ago or more, and are in full 3d(though do have a few actiony sequences)

Indigo Prophecy is good, though I recommend getting the European version(Fahrenheit) because it's a bit longer and uncensored(a little sex and language more than over here)  There have been two Agatha Christie games, And Then There Were None and Murder on the Orient Express that have gotten decent reviews.

A few of the "Adventure Company" games that have gotten decent reviews have been both Syberia games, Nibiru, and Scratches(I think those are all adventure company...)  They put out such a ton of junk/generic adventure games, it's hard to keep up.

[D.A.Lewis]

You named the best of the Adventure games from the past couple of years. Siberia 2 is pretty good, but just a tad below Siberia 1. But if you are willing to stretch just a bit I can give you a few over the past decade.

1) Mission Critical - A sci fi point and click that will amaze. A story so well told that after you finish it won't feel like you just compelted an adventure game

2) Grim Fandango - Just as good as Sam and Max but far more polished. It takes place in the land of the dead. Fantastic voice acting, superior art direction and great story.

3) Morpheus - An old school point and click with a unique plot that takes place on a deserted cruise ship. The four on board mysteries take place in other times and places. They all culminate in the final mystery that wraps up a great adventure game.

4) Drowned God - One of those really hard adventure puzzle games that has puzzles that really don't fit the story. But what a story. Sort of like an X-files episode with 3 ways to end the game

BTW, All the Sam & Max episodes will be released sometime in Aug 2007.

Two new games adventure games in my library that are waiting to be installed: Runaway 2 and Ankh. My reliable sources have told me both are good and funny.

[Clay]

Hmm, thanks guys.  I'm thinking I'll still hold on Sam and Max until it is done.  I might grab Dreamfall or one of the Runaway games though. Do you need to haved played the first Runaway for the second to make sense?

No, but if you can find it for cheap, it's fun.  There are a few references in the second to the first, but they are not crucial to the story.

[whiteboyskim]

Grim Fandango and Curse of Monkey Island are the best you'll find. True, they're both older games but they remain gems nonetheless.

[Gratch]

I absolutely loved Dreamfall as well and would highly, highly recommend it.  It's got some not-so-good bits (the combat mechanics are truly atrocious), but the story and characters are incredible.  If you liked The Longest Journey, this one's a no-brainer.

I've also played through all the Sam & Max games so far (first 5 episodes).  They can each be completed in about 2-3 hours, and are great fun. Not terribly difficult, mind you, but the humor is spot on and I'm having a blast with them.  The last episode (Reality 2.0) is far and away the best of the bunch.

[lex]

I've heard good things about Sherlock Holmes- The Awakened.

Maybe I'm just not very good at adventure games anymore, but I borrowed this from a friend and its not really clicking.  The FPS system and some of the detective work is cool and reminds me of the old Tex Murphy games, but some of the parts just doesn't make sense.  There's one part where an object is staring in my face, yet, I can't click on it until I've talked to some other guy and then go visit this other place.  BUT ITS RIGHT THERE!!!!!

The atmosphere and the story seems cool enough, but its the fact that I have to look through every pixel before the game lets me go on that kills it for me.  Give me a game with a point system like the old Sierra games where I can miss stuff and I'll be happy.

This makes me want to go play the old Tex Murphy and Sierra games again.  (Do they work on DosBox??)

[Kratz]

I thought Fahrenheit/Indigo Prophecy was absolutely fantastic... and I'm not really an adventure gamer... I think the last one I played before that was Full Throttle in 95.

[Clay]

Hmm, thanks guys.  I'm thinking I'll still hold on Sam and Max until it is done.  I might grab Dreamfall or one of the Runaway games though. Do you need to haved played the first Runaway for the second to make sense?

Here's a review that suggests playing the first:
http://www.justadventure.com/reviews/Runaway2/Runaway2.shtm

No, but if you can find it for cheap, it's fun.  There are a few references in the second to the first, but they are not crucial to the story.

Hmm... I swear I just posted something here...  Anyhow, here's a review that suggests playing the first:
http://www.justadventure.com/reviews/Runaway2/Runaway2.shtm