point-and-click
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Hulu is reportedly making a TV series based on 'Myst'
It's a good day for point-and-click fans. After the news that you can now play Grim Fandango Remastered on your morning commute, it seems like the '90s classic Myst is getting its own TV series. According to Deadline, a drama series that explores the origin of the game's eponymous island is coming to streaming service Hulu. For those that don't know, Myst was a huge hit in its day; its innovative storytelling methods and stunning graphics made it the best-selling PC game of the decade.
Blackwell publisher introduces cyberpunk thriller, Technobabylon
Point-and-click adventure game publisher Wadjet Eye Games announced a partnership to bring a new futuristic game into its catalog today, Technobabylon. Originally developed by James Dearden of Technocrat Games, the cyberpunk game is set in a dystopian future (in 2087, specifically) where an AI named Central powers the game's city and "genetic engineering is the norm." Dearden envisioned Technobabylon as an eight-part episodic series, and created the first three games in 2010. The developer revealed on its blog in October that the game is already "playable from start to finish," and Dearden is working with Wadjet Eye Games to record voices for its characters. The publisher provided a teaser trailer that introduces Charlie Regis, one of the secret police for the futuristic city. Technobabylon is expected to launch this coming spring for PC with Mac and Linux versions planned to arrive later. [Image: Wadjet Eye Games]
Lumino City is a handmade puzzler launching this month
Plenty of work goes into building intricately-designed characters and environments, but few of those crafted universes are comprised of real-world materials. Developer State of Play Games has spent three years building a 10-foot high, hand-and-laser-made cluster of architecture, complete with tiny lights and motors, to host Lumino City, its puzzling adventure game due to launch on Steam for PC and Mac later this month. Lumino City continues the narrative of 2011's Lume, following protagonist Lumi's search for her freshly-kidnapped Grandad. Lumi will solve puzzles to help the world's inhabitants and venture beyond the city gates, learning more about her Grandad's past in the process. [Image: State of Play]
Secret Files Sam Peters: A reporter's dilemma
Players solve puzzles in a point and click style adventure following the story of a reporter searching for an interesting scoop in Secret Files Sam Peters. The story takes players on a journey through intriguing locales on the hunt for a solution to a mystery that combines African folklore with science. Secret Files Sam Peters is compatible with iOS devices running iOS 7.0 or later. The puzzles in Secret Files Sam Peters have a nice range in difficulty. Some puzzles are easier to solve than others and for players who are having trouble solving them, there is a walkthrough built into the game. This sometimes comes in handy, especially when players have no idea what to do for a particular puzzle. Occasionally, the walkthrough is a bit vague, such as in the swamp level where players have to figure out how to scare away the warthog. This can be annoying as players have to solve this puzzle to progress into the next area. Sometimes puzzles require players to venture back through an area they previously visited, which can take some time. This happens often in the jungle levels, where players find themselves spending a lot of time going back and forth to solve puzzles. Secret Files Sam Peters, is originally a game meant for PCs and as this is a port of the game to iOS. The smaller screen size and different input functions cause some problems for players. One of these problems is that sometimes tapping on a location doesn't work very well. This can cause the character tries to go through pathways that are not open. This is especially troublesome when players are trying to get their character to a cave entrance. Since the map of the area is much smaller on these devices, it is hard to find the character to direct them. Another problem in Secret Files Sam Peters is using items from the briefcase with objects in the game world is difficult. Players will likely have trouble identifying where to tap on the object. This is mainly due to the areas for players to interact with are too small. Secret Files Sam Peters does a great job of capturing the feel of a point and click adventure, and making that accessible on iOS. Even the sound effects in Secret Files Sam Peters compliment the gameplay rather well. This is really nice to see. Last, the overall story is quite interesting and enjoyable. The only problems with the story are that players don't always feel as though they are a part of the story and that the dialogue feels unnatural. Players don't feel as though they are the main character, but rather are merely directing them. This creates some distance between the player and the game. This is a little disappointing given the beautiful backgrounds, interesting story line, and the fascinating puzzles. Sometimes the dialogue for the character gets in the way of the overall story and takes away from the strong points of the gameplay. Secret Files Sam Peters is US$2.99 on the App Store and while there are two endings, the overall game is rather short. Sadly, there isn't much in the way of replay value for players to make it worth the money.
The 1920s are roaring in A Golden Wake next week
A Golden Wake, the 1920s-themed adventure game published by Blackwell series studio Wadjet Eye Games, will launch next Thursday, October 9. The publisher wants to give players a chance to check the game out in advance, so it is offering a demo, which players can download for PC, Mac or Linux through the game's website or via Steam. Developed by Grundislav Games, the studio behind the episodic Ben Jordan: Paranormal Investigator, A Golden Wake was first announced in late June. It stars real estate agent Alfie Banks, whose financial goals in the pre-Depression era land him in a compromising position with the mob. Those that purchase the point-and-click adventure game prior to its October 9 launch will receive a free digital version of its jazzy official soundtrack. [Image: Wadjet Eye Games]
The Journey Down: Chapter Two is a must have
The Journey Down: Chapter Two is a paid game (US$4.99) for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. It requires iOS 6.0 or later, and is optimized for iPhone 5. It is a third person, point and click adventure game that is well thought out and executed. This is the sequel to The Journey Down: Chapter One that was released in 2012. The lead character, Bwana, along with companions Kito and Lina, head to Port Artue. Bwana explores the city, and he encounters some colorful characters on the second leg of his quest for Underland. The user interface is intuitive and allows you to create folders to save profiles. Make sure to keep a sharp eye peeled for random items in each scene. As Bwana collects items along the way, he gets to use them to help proceed to the next episode. You can drag and drop an item from the user interface screen to the active scene in order to use it. I appreciated the fleshed out characters, which made it easier to relate to them. I also found them humorous at times. Kudos to the casting as the voice acting talents were amazing. The voices matched their character, so it made the scenes and story that much more believable. There were three characters that stood out. Bwana befriends Andiswa, who works for the mayor in Port Artue. Andiswa assists Bwana because he gave her a calendar of St. Armando where she wants to eventually live. Another character, the bartender is an intriguing fellow that Bwana has some important conversations with. Finally, ride Reynolds is by far the coolest cab driver in all of Port Artue. Ride's personality is funny, amusing, and flashy. When Bwana encounters Ride Reynolds, he offers to barter for his services due to an urgent need for his ride. The graphics are absolutely beautiful and detailed. Port Artue is jaw dropping when you see it for the first time. The rain looks so realistic, along with the flickering firelight, and the wet cobblestone streets are just a few of the beautiful things you'll see along Bwana's new journey. The graphics help to immerse you in the world so you're completely hooked. I enjoyed the jazz fusion music soundtrack because it's pleasing and not obtrusive. I liked it so much that I decided to checkout music further on the Band Camp site I discovered. My favorite track is "Bwana, On The Run." I'll be honest, sometimes game music can be quite repetitive and annoying, but Simon D'souza does an excellent job of mixing it up so that does not happen. The visuals, gameplay, music, and story makes this game a must have for your iOS devices. If you loved The Journey Down: Chapter One, then you will definitely love the follow-up. I highly recommend you purchase The Journey Down: Chapter Two for US$4.99 because you will not regret it.
The lighter side of murder with Jenny LeClue
Young detective Jenny LeClue is the star of a fictional choose-your-own-adventure book series written by Arthur K. Finklestein, and her latest story is her most important yet – her mother is accused of murder, and it's up to Jenny to figure out who did it and why. As a game, Jenny LeClue is an investigative point-and-click adventure where each player's unique decisions impact not only the lives of Jenny and her family, but also the life of the author, Finklestein himself. Jenny LeClue is as lighthearted as a game about murder can be, with a hand-painted art style, a rich world in the town of Arthurton and an incisive dialogue mechanic that allows players to inspect suspects for physical clues while they talk. Developer Mografi sees Jenny LeClue as a trilogy of games, with the first one as a coming-of-age story: "This is a game about your choices and how they permanently affect the story. We want to deliver a rich narrative experience about relationships with delightful surprises and interactions. The story also deals with mature themes, complex characters and an epic tangled mystery." Mografi is looking for $65,000 on Kickstarter to fund the first episode of Jenny LeClue, due out first for PC, Mac and Linux, with iOS and other platforms to follow. With 25 days to go, the campaign has raised more than $27,000. [Images: Mografi]
First three Blackwell games get adventurous on iOS
The first three entries in the Blackwell series of point-and-click adventure games are now available for iOS. Blackwell: Legacy, which originally launched in December 2006 for PC, costs $1.99 for iPhone and iPad owners. The next two games in the series, Blackwell: Unbound and Blackwell: Convergence, cost $2.99 each. Developed by Wadjet Eye Games, the Blackwell series stars Rosa Blackwell and her ghostly friend Joey Mallone, who helps Rosa assist other ghosts in moving on to the afterlife. The adventure series was confirmed for iOS in December following the developer's first successful attempt at porting one of its point-and-click games based on the Adventure Game Studio engine to iOS, Gemini Rue. The final chapter in the five-game series, Blackwell: Epiphany, launched on PC in April. The series will arrive on Android, Mac and Linux "very soon." [Image: Wadjet Eye Games]
Grim Fandango remake also coming to PC, Mac and Linux
The remake of LucasArts' cult favorite adventure game Grim Fandango will also arrive on PC, Mac and Linux in addition to PS4 and Vita. Grim Fandango's resurgence was first revealed during Sony's E3 2014 press conference in June; the game is a console exclusive for the PlayStation platforms. Double Fine's remake came about thanks to some snooping on the behalf of Adam Boyes, PlayStation's VP of Publisher Relations. Boyes told Joystiq at E3 that Double Fine head Tim Schafer caught him nosing around the studio's older intellectual properties, which sparked a conversation between the two about bringing Grim Fandango back from the dead. [Image: Double Fine]
Dodge the mob, try to get rich in the '20s with A Golden Wake
Even the everyday man stood a chance at getting filthy rich in The Roaring Twenties, but Alfie Banks has more to worry about than earning a pile of money: namely, the mob that's after him. Point-and-click adventurers can watch Alfie's back this fall in A Golden Wake, a tale developed for PC by Grundislav Games and published by Wadjet Eye Games. Alfie's story plays out in Coral Gables, a housing development near Miami that's benefiting from the soaring real estate market. Alfie might have a chance of getting in on that housing boom, but the related press release notes the ever-present threat of hurricanes reducing waterfront properties to oceanic rubble, as well as the looming Great Depression. Between mobsters, Mother Nature and the course of history, Alfie's financial goals don't exactly seem like a cakewalk. On the bright side, at least there's swanky music to back his potential demise! [Image: Wadjet Eye Games]
Blackwell Epiphany adventure clicks for closure on PC
The final chapter in Wadjet Eye Games' Blackwell point-and-click adventure series, Blackwell Epiphany, launched this week on PC. Available now through Steam, GOG.com and the developer's site, the fifth installment in the series costs $14.99. Blackwell Epiphany closes out the series, which began in December 2006 with Blackwell Legacy, with a lengthy adventure that stars Rosa Blackwell and her ghostly companion Joey Mallone. Players switch between the two characters (much like Gemini Rue, another excellent point-and-clicker courtesy of Wadjet Eye Games) to face off against a "malevolent force that literally tears souls apart." Wadjet Eye Games announced plans in December to bring the series along with the rest of its catalog to iOS, with the first three Blackwell games scheduled to arrive on the App Store in June. It will also port the series to Android, Mac and Linux. Those looking to try out the game can download the demo directly from Wadjet Eye Games, which is also offering a bundle of the first four Blackwell games on its store for $14.99 and via Steam for $19.99. [Image: Wadjet Eye Games]
Kickstarter Simulator 2015 is a brief adventure from Frog Fractions dev
Those that follow crowdfunded gaming projects know the drill: As most developers' Kickstarter deadlines draw near, they like to remind you to pledge your monetary support so their visions can come to life, enticing you to do so by offering concept art or videos. In the case of Frog Fractions developer Twinbeard, with a week left to go in its Frog Fractions 2 campaign, it opted to launch a brief adventure game called Kickstarter Simulator 2015. Kickstarter Simulator 2015 is a browser-based "autobiographical game about running Kickstarters" that features videos of real-life friends of Frog Fractions creator Jim Crawford. Players click on the actors to keep them on track with the zany crowdfunding project so that it sees success a week from today. The point-and-click game is as quirky and hilarious as one might expect from Twinbeard, so it's worth checking out on the developer's site. The Frog Fractions 2 campaign is just under $9,000 away from its goal and ends on Wednesday, April 9. [Image: Twinbeard]
Moebius: Empire Rising out April 15 from Phoenix Online Publishing
Pinkerton Road's crowdfunded point-and-click adventure game Moebius: Empire Rising will make its debut on April 15 for WIndows and Mac platforms via newly formed publisher Phoenix Online Publishing. Phoenix Online Publishing is the indie-focused publishing arm of Phoenix Online Studios, developer of Cognition and The Silver Lining. Moebius, indie RPG Quest for Infamy, horror adventure game The Last Door: Collector's Edition, and mobile puzzler Lost Civilization are the first games slated for release under Phoenix Online's new label, as additional projects for PC, mobile platforms, and consoles loom on the horizon. Revealed in 2012, Moebius was one of many point-and-click adventure games that turned to Kickstarter for funding, surpassing its goal of $300,000 and earning more than $435,000 in backer pledges. Developer Pinkerton Road also plans to produce a remake of designer Jane Jensen's Gabriel Knight later this year. [Image: Pinkerton Road]
Humble Weekly Sale gets adventurous with Jack Keane, Edna and Harvey
Humble Bundle's latest Humble Weekly Sale is aimed squarely at fans of point-and-click adventure games, offering up a bounty of twelve genre favorites from The Adventure Company and Daedalic Entertainment. All buyers receive downloadable copies of The Adventure Company's Dead Reefs, A Vampire's Tale, Safecracker, and Aura: Fate of the Ages. Pay more than $6 and you'll also get Dark Fall, Dark Fall 2, The Book of Unwritten Tales, The Critter Chronicles, and Jack Keane 2, along with Daedalic Entertainment's Deponia and Edna and Harvey. Big-spenders may opt for the $15-and-above purchase tier, which includes all featured games and a bonus Deluxe Digital Edition copy of The Adventure Company's recently released The Raven: Legacy of a Master Thief. This week's bundle offerings will remain available through February 27. [Image: Humble Bundle]
San Francisco beatnik crime hits Steam on March 11 in 1954: Alcatraz
1954: Alcatraz is a gritty, San Francisco-based point-and-click adventure about crime, doing time and the dark side of mid-century American perfection. It's due out for PC on March 11 for $20 on Steam and GOG, published by adventure game veteran Daedalic Entertainment and developed by Irresponsible Games. The game includes two playable characters, Joe and Christine, husband and wife – Joe is behind bars and Christine can help him escape, but she doesn't have to. 1954: Alcatraz incorporates beatnik culture, jazz, high-stakes crime and loads of cash, all in a 3D, comic book art style. Player decisions "extensively influence the plot and lead to various endings," Irresponsible promises. Irresponsible was founded by Gene Mocsy, the designer and artist of Quake 3's engine levels, course artist for Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003 and 2005, and the world modeler for James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing, among other feats.
Book of Unwritten Tales 2 Kickstarter adding features to for-sure release
The Book of Unwritten Tales 2 is going to happen. Whether you've finished the tale's first portion or not, the point-and-click adventure will continue in the beginning of 2015 on PC, Mac and Linux. However, KING Art Games has launched a Kickstarter for fans interested in making the project a bigger, more expansive venture than it already is, and this campaign has surpassed its first two funding goals. At the time of this writing, the $108,011 that KING Art has gathered will allow the studio to implement projection-mapping in Unwritten Tales 2. The Kickstarter page explains that the result will be better-looking environments and dynamic camera movements, neither of which will crank up the system requirements. Side quests will also be added, rewarding players that take on optional puzzles with equippable garments. KING Art will also produce "Kickstarter-Edition" copies of Unwritten Tales 2, which will come with an artbook, soundtrack and plushies or sock puppets. With 34 days to go, KING Art is still aiming for additional funding tiers, with extra animations, facial expressions and an orchestra-recorded soundtrack included in the $235,000 Director's Cut goal. If you need more of an incentive beyond extra game features, pledging $25 or more will reward you with a chapter-by-chapter Steam Early Access release of Unwritten Tales 2 in the fall of 2014. [Image: KING Art Games]
The Last Door season finale now available, first episodes free to play
"Ancient Shadows," the last chapter in the first season of horror point-and-clicker The Last Door, is now available to play in your browser on PC, Mac and Linux. This installment follows Jeremiah Devitt to Pevensey county in East Sussex, on a trip to find the answers to questions raised in previous chapters. If you've yet to even start The Last Door however, that's alright - the first three chapters are available to play for free online in a variety of languages, thanks to both official translations and efforts from the game's community. If you're ready for "Ancient Shadows" right this moment, pledging a minimum of €1 (about $1.37) will unlock the chapter. Contributing above the average donation, which is €3.57 at the time of this writing, will also get you a copy of the The Last Door's soundtrack, composed by Carlos Viola. The press release notes that The Last Door's second season will premiere in the summer of 2014, with a funding campaign to cover The Game Kitchen's development costs kicking off sometime before that. [Image: The Game Kitchen]
Daedalic schedules Randal's Monday to right its wrongs in Q3 2014
When someone wakes up with a hangover, you'd expect them to hydrate, take aspirin or rest up to get through the day, right? We don't consider selling a friend's engagement ring par for the Regretting Booze course, but apparently Randal does. In Randal's Monday, this choice results in his friend Matt killing himself, leaving Randal cursed to live through the same Monday until he finds a way to fix his mistake. Randal's Monday is a point-and-click adventure game from Daedalic Games and Nexus Game Studios, layered with geek and pop culture references from the past two decades. More than 50 characters will cross paths with Randal in his quest for decency, which is scheduled for a digital release on PCs in Q3 of 2014. [Image: Randal's Monday YouTube channel]
Broken Sword 5: The Serpent's Curse submitted to Apple
The first episode of two-parter Broken Sword 5: The Serpent's Curse should be available soon on iOS. Developer Revolution Software says it has submitted the final build to Apple and is awaiting approval. Broken Sword 5: The Serpent's Curse made its debut on Steam back in December. The game is available on PC, Mac OSX and Linux; a PS Vita port is also available. The second and final part of Broken Sword 5 will be available in Q1 2014 as a free update to the base game. Broken Sword 5: The Serpent's Curse, the latest in the iconic point-and-click adventure series started in 1996, was financed through Kickstarter, where Revolution managed to secure $771,561 to make the game. Broken Sword 5 follows lawyer George Stobbart and journalist Nico Collard, both of whom find themselves caught up in the theft of a mysterious painting – an art piece that has ties to Spanish fascists in the second World War. Image: Revolution Software
GOG.com points at, clicks the deals button on Telltale, Daedalic adventure games
GOG.com is offering 16 adventure games or bundles on sale, with discounts up to 85 percent off until Tuesday, January 14. Each PC or Mac game in the sale is published by either Daedalic Entertainment or Telltale Games, including games in the Sam and Max series, Deponia series and Tales of Monkey Island. Among the more noteworthy deals is a combo pack for two games in the Edna and Harvey series: The Breakout and Harvey's New Eyes for $2.99, which amounts to $17 in savings. Additionally, players can pick up the Wallace and Gromit's Grand Adventures pack for $2.99, which saves an additional $17 on four episodes: Fright of the Bumblebees, The Last Resort, Muzzled, and The Bogey Man. Head past the break to see the full list of discounted games and their respective prices.
