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"Enchanting Adventures"

With games like Luigi's Mansion and Ico, are we seeing the return of the quaint adventure? That is to say, third-person explore-em-ups which do not rely on that all to familiar save-the-world epicness. I for one certainly hope so.

In recent years the games' industry has appeared to be obsessed with making adventures which are overly epic. It seems we are forever placed in the boots of a lone hero whose sole purpose is to single-handedly fight and destroy a doom-bringing evil force and return peace to a previously harmonious land.

Even Ecco The Dolphin's latest outing is like this. All I can say is why? What would be wrong with Ecco having a quaint, fun-based underwater adventure? Surely there's no need for these relentless epic storylines?

Adventure game ideas that are fundamentally non-epic is an area which needs more exploration and exploitation. More developers should start with a simple and captivating concept and then concentrate fully on making the gameplay as diverse, clever and entertaining as possible.

* * * *

Visualize a game entitled "Finders Keepers" set in a naturally beautiful landscape full of all kinds of exotic creatures and breathtaking scenery with the gameplay based around finding crocks of gold at the end of rainbows.

* * * *

Just how simple and refreshing would a game like this be? There is definately more room in the adventure genre for games that are less epic in ambition which have a more quaint, peculiar and enchanting approach. I am fairly sure that thinking along less grandiose lines would produce more originality.

Adventures which are truly inspiring; which feed the imagination; which have delightful touches; which generate in the player a deep feeling of involvement and immersion; which are hauntingly beautiful - these kinds of games are sadly few and far between.

So to developers of adventure games I say this: ditch the over-obsession with pretentious save-the-world plots, and instead re-focus your sights to more quaint, dream-inspired and enchanting ideas.

With games like Luigi's Mansion and Ico, are we seeing the return of the quaint adventure? That is to say, third-person explore-em-ups which do not rely on that all to familiar save-the-world epicness. I for one certainly hope so.

In recent years the games' industry has appeared to be obsessed with making adventures which are overly epic. It seems we are forever placed in the boots of a lone hero whose sole purpose is to single-handedly fight and destroy a doom-bringing evil force and return peace to a previously harmonious land.

Even Ecco The Dolphin's latest outing is like this. All I can say is why? What would be wrong with Ecco having a quaint, fun-based underwater adventure? Surely there's no need for these relentless epic storylines?

Adventure game ideas that are fundamentally non-epic is an area which needs more exploration and exploitation. More developers should start with a simple and captivating concept and then concentrate fully on making the gameplay as diverse, clever and entertaining as possible.

* * * *

Visualize a game entitled "Finders Keepers" set in a naturally beautiful landscape full of all kinds of exotic creatures and breathtaking scenery with the gameplay based around finding crocks of gold at the end of rainbows.

* * * *

Just how simple and refreshing would a game like this be? There is definately more room in the adventure genre for games that are less epic in ambition which have a more quaint, peculiar and enchanting approach. I am fairly sure that thinking along less grandiose lines would produce more originality.

Adventures which are truly inspiring; which feed the imagination; which have delightful touches; which generate in the player a deep feeling of involvement and immersion; which are hauntingly beautiful - these kinds of games are sadly few and far between.

So to developers of adventure games I say this: ditch the over-obsession with pretentious save-the-world plots, and instead re-focus your sights to more quaint, dream-inspired and enchanting ideas.

Final Fantasy manages all that you describe, and does it with style. The storyline is admittedly pretty action-packed in some places, but in others is refreshingly calm, collected and different. But there are indeed a lack of these type of games as you say.

RPGs seem to always suffer from the "saving the world from the forces of darkness" cliche.
What would be wrong with a (as you say) a less epic RPG?
But no, we must save the bloody world over and over, and then fight the big ugly bad guy/beast at the end of the game in an offensively pretentious and deeply annoying boss battle.

So, I agree: more "enchanting and quaint adventures" are needed. Definately.

Maybe they keep all RPG's the same because they know it works from all the other games before it??
Games like Zelda always have basically the same objective (stop the evil) and each game is always loved by everyone - never hated. This usually works because all new characters and setting are brough into the game.

Animal crossing has these familiar overtones, you are really just traveling around going about everyday business. As quaint an adventure as can be found.

V-V-V-V-V wrote:
> RPGs seem to always suffer from the "saving the world from the
> forces of darkness" cliche.
> What would be wrong with a (as you say) a less epic RPG?
> But no, we must save the bloody world over and over, and then fight
> the big ugly bad guy/beast at the end of the game in an offensively
> pretentious and deeply annoying boss battle.
> So, I agree: more "enchanting and quaint adventures" are
> needed. Definately.

*

My thoughts exactly. There's nothing wrong with epic storylines, but the vast majority of adventures tend to have them, and as a result the are all becoming a much of a muchness. A few more down-to-earth storylines would make "a refreshing change". - *sips Woodpecker cider*

You guys obviously need to get a copy of Harvest Moon. It's about as far from epic as it's possible to get.

It's a farm'em'up ferchrissakes. About the most epic thing you can do (aside from grow potatos and milk your cows) is pull one of the village birds and marry her.

S'blimmin excellant as well.