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Adventures for Newcomers

We have all had this happen to us. Imagine the scene, if you will. You are sitting around with a group of friends. For the past few minutes you have been excitedly espousing the merits and fun of adventure games to your non-playing friends. Then one of them stops you and says, “You’ve convinced me to play, so what do you recommend?” Or on the other side of the coin, you have stumbled across a great game in the bargain bin, as birthday gift, or on loan from a friend. After the ups and downs, the back tracking, the copious collection of notes next to your computer you finish and you realize you have to get another game... right now! Through some sleuthing on the Internet you discover that what you just played was an adventure game, and you need to find another one, fast!

As any adventure purist knows, there are tons of fantastic games out there to play. However, there is a difference between what an experienced gamer might like and what is appropriate for a first-time or newer player. I can’t think of a better way to poison a newbie to adventure games then to recommend something that is way too hard or has a confusing interface. Games like Myst (for many their first playing experience) or Black Dahlia are very lengthy and have extremely hard puzzles. These games would be fine for a seasoned player, but are not the best thing for a new or newer player to start off with. You don’t want a friend’s first experience to send them screaming for a walkthrough. It should be a pleasurable experience that gets their feet wet.

This is why Adventure Gamers has put together a list of recommended games. This is by no means a definitive list. In fact, we will be often editing this page and would love to hear your feedback on what you would recommend. It is a place to start, and we hope that it will help to initiate newer players into our hallowed halls and create life-long fans.

Most of these games can be purchased from your local electronic super store. If you can’t find them there, try on of the online distributors listed under the games. Many publishers also sell their own games from their websites. Good luck and happy gaming!

Amber: Journey’s Beyond

Developer:

Hue Forest Entertainment

Publisher:

Changeling

Amber is a first-person perspective game that takes place in a haunted house. Amber is not a lengthy game, but it offers newcomers an easy-to-use interface, interesting storyline, and simple to moderate puzzles. For seasoned gamers, Amber, might be considered too easy, but for a newbie, this game is an enjoyable and satisfying introduction to the genre.

Where to buy it: Hue Forest Website or CD Access.

Where to trade for it: Game Trading Zone.

Curse of Monkey Island

Developer:

LucasArts

Publisher:

LucasArts

The Curse of Monkey Island is the third game in the piratey Monkey Island saga. This installment has our hero, Guybrush Threepwood, trying to break a curse that has turned his ladylove into a gold statue. A traditional point-and-click adventure, CMI allows players to choose the level of difficulty and offers an interesting story with a great deal of humor.

Where to buy it: LucasArts or Chips & Bits.

Where to trade for it: Game Trading Zone.

Sam and Max Hit the Road

Developer:

LucasArts

Publisher:

LucasArts

Although an older game, Sam and Max Hit the Road is considered one of the best games on the market. The detective duo Sam and Max must rescue a Bigfoot and their quest offers some of the best comic moments ever in a game. The puzzles are nicely integrated into the story and none are extremely difficult. One note for non-english speaking players: the humor in Sam and Max is very verbal and some of the dialogue may seem long and drawn-out.

Where to buy it: LucasArts or CD Access.

Where to trade for it: Game Trading Zone.

Full Throttle

Developer:

LucasArts

Publisher:

LucasArts

Corporate intrigue, murder, and bikers. What more could you ask for in a game? Full Throttle offers an interesting plot and moderately hard puzzles. Though not a long game, it is a ride that most will enjoy. It is also short on conversation for gamers who want to play more and talk less.

Where to buy it: LucasArts or Chips & Bits.

Where to trade for it: Game Trading Zone.

Broken Sword (US title: Circle of Blood)

Developer:

Revolution Software

Publisher:

Virgin Interactive

Broken Sword is a third person perspective game where the goal is to uncover a historical mystery. Broken Sword is all about the story, so all of its puzzles blend nicely into the plot and are completely logical. Known for its in-depth characterizations, this game also offers newbies a very easy to use interface.

Where to buy it: Chips & Bits.

Where to trade for it: Game Trading Zone.

Zork: Grand Inquisitor

Developer:

Activision

Publisher:

Activision

In the 13th installment of this 20-year-old franchise, the player is tasked with bringing magic back to the Great Underground Empire. Zork: Grand Inquisitor combines easy puzzles, inventory gathering, and with a lot of comical humor making it a good choice for first-timers.

Where to buy it: Chips & Bits, CD Access, or Xplosiv (UK).

Where to trade for it: Game Trading Zone.

The Last Express

Developer:

Smoking Car Productions

Publisher:

Broderbund

Political intrigue on the last run of the Orient Express before the outbreak of the First World War gives this game a deep and twisted plot. An easy to use point-and-click interface enables players to rewind to different parts of the game for fast backtracking when sleuthing. Logical puzzles are nicely integrated into the story line so that players can easily advance, this combined with beautiful animation, make The Last Express a must-try.

Where to buy it: Chips & Bits.

Where to trade for it: Game Trading Zone.

Gabriel Knight 1: Sins of the Father

Developer:

Sierra

Publisher:

Sierra

The first game in the famous Gabriel Knight trilogy, has our title character writing about a rash of Voodoo murders in New Orleans. Gabriel Knight 1 has a complex story that creates an intriguing and in-depth gaming experience. The puzzles, which are quite easy, advance the story line so that each time one is solved another detail is revealed. As an older game, GK1’s graphics aren’t as stellar as current games, but the multifaceted story line more than makes up for this deficiency.

Where to buy it: Sierra or CD Access.

Where to trade for it: Game Trading Zone.

For more game recommendations, visit">https://forums.adventuregamers.com/showthread.php?threadid=2141">visit the forums. Links to Chips & Bits are sponsored.

 

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