Longest Journey and Gypsy Punk
Many thanks for all the wonderful cards, novelties, calls, serenades and general enspoilment on my birthday! Had a great lunch with Brighteyes, Sonic and Mew the day before and a sumptuous breakfast out with just Brighteyes this morning. I am truly blessed.
About every birthday, in particular, I like to explore something new. Mew turned me on to a new music genre called gypsy punk, lol. And I must admit it's pretty catchy. I'm listening to Gogol Bordello at the moment. Have to add this category to The Cardigans as a new find.
I also decided to explore yet another genre that I'd been thinking about for a while: the adventure game. These are an interesting hybrid of storytelling and puzzle solving. They unfold like a movie, but one which you play a part in to discover what is going on. The one I picked for my first exploration is called "The Longest Journey." (Actually, I picked the sequel, Dreamfall, but reading reviews said that you'd really have more fun if you were familiar with the characters and scenes in the prequel.)
The reviews, even for the prequel, were impressive...
Yada, yada.
I've just gotten into "Chapter 1", but so far it seems to be living up to the hype. An art student has dreams that give her the ability to pass into another world. Her "real" world is like ours, a bit in the future, and the other is a dimension of magic that split from this world and is now back on a collision course. She plays a key role but it is something you gradually uncover.
So far I did manage to save a tree spirit that talked to me (and didn't think much of humans) using a twig and a scale in an imaginative way. And then I woke up and now have to figure out what's going on in her "real" world. I do have a bank card, so things are looking good :-) The art/video work, soundtrack and dialog so far are excellent, even though this prequel is some 5 years old now. Seems like a fun cross between watching a movie, exploring, reading a book and figuring out puzzles.
Sonic has threatened to loan me Grim Fandango if I get hooked on this genre, so it may be risky to continue.
About every birthday, in particular, I like to explore something new. Mew turned me on to a new music genre called gypsy punk, lol. And I must admit it's pretty catchy. I'm listening to Gogol Bordello at the moment. Have to add this category to The Cardigans as a new find.
I also decided to explore yet another genre that I'd been thinking about for a while: the adventure game. These are an interesting hybrid of storytelling and puzzle solving. They unfold like a movie, but one which you play a part in to discover what is going on. The one I picked for my first exploration is called "The Longest Journey." (Actually, I picked the sequel, Dreamfall, but reading reviews said that you'd really have more fun if you were familiar with the characters and scenes in the prequel.)
The reviews, even for the prequel, were impressive...
- "Adventure game of the year --- it's just plain fantastic" -PC Gamer
- "There could be one hundred incredible adventure games, and The Longest Journey would still be one of the best ever made." -IGN.com
- "Intuitive puzzles and superb dialog further cement The Longest Journey's place as the best adventure game of 2000" -gamers.com
Yada, yada.
I've just gotten into "Chapter 1", but so far it seems to be living up to the hype. An art student has dreams that give her the ability to pass into another world. Her "real" world is like ours, a bit in the future, and the other is a dimension of magic that split from this world and is now back on a collision course. She plays a key role but it is something you gradually uncover.
So far I did manage to save a tree spirit that talked to me (and didn't think much of humans) using a twig and a scale in an imaginative way. And then I woke up and now have to figure out what's going on in her "real" world. I do have a bank card, so things are looking good :-) The art/video work, soundtrack and dialog so far are excellent, even though this prequel is some 5 years old now. Seems like a fun cross between watching a movie, exploring, reading a book and figuring out puzzles.
Sonic has threatened to loan me Grim Fandango if I get hooked on this genre, so it may be risky to continue.
sounds like a great day. Is that a computer game i suppose? I'm hoping by the time I'm as old as you are I'll have time to enjoy such, if I still have my faculties at that age....and if they still have computers.
ReplyDelete:)
Yeah, yer just asking for it aren't ya ger beans? And I think when yer 28 they'll still have computers :-/
ReplyDeleteGrim Fandango is allegedly one of the best adventure games around. Lucas Arts used to make tons of those back in the olden days of windows 95/98. Unfortunately, they're being forgotten for things like Quake and Unreal.
ReplyDeleteAfter Dreamfall I may rachet up my courage to assault the land of the dead in that one.
ReplyDeleteSo how are you enjoying your journey? I finished the demo a time or two (Which is chapter 6...). I saw this game when it came out in stores but the reviews at the time said it was made artificially hard.
ReplyDeleteWell, ya can't believe all of the reviews ;-) Others say the puzzles are intuitive, the design superb and it's one of the best games of this genre ever made. Kind of like book reviews, reality depends on the observer...or so some guy with weird hair once said.
ReplyDeleteSo far, I like it. I'll post a more in depth review in another entry when I've finished the adventure.