Adam’s Venture follows forbidden path to release this summer

Written by Jack Allin — June 13, 2009 at 13:04

It's been a long time since mankind was cast out of Eden, but if indie Dutch developer Vertigo Games has anything to say about it, there might finally be a way back in when Adam's Venture: The Search for the Lost Garden is released this summer.

As the debut standalone "episode" of an original franchise, The Search for the Lost Garden follows the pursuit of the titular protagonist in his quest for Eden some time in the 1920s. The fabled garden is said to be located at the intersection of four rivers, and Adam discovers a scroll that seems to pinpoint the location of these rivers during an excavation in an old Templar church in France. According to the official website, "soon after his discovery, Adam is approached by a large company, called Clairvaux Inc. They are willing to fund an expedition to search for Eden, mainly because they believe there are large amounts of gold located there. And so it comes to pass that they set out on a journey of a lifetime."

As seen in the game's trailer, Adam's Venture is not a traditional point-and-click offering, but a 3D adventure controlled with the keyboard. The game does feature some physical elements, such as shimmying across crumbling ledges, but according to the developer, such physical challenges are minimal, assuring concerned players that "Adam’s Venture has much more in common with the hardcore adventure genre than with games such as Tomb Raider." As Adam explores a large series of caverns, he will uncover many puzzles to solve and "find out more about the real reason behind the expedition, the caverns, and last but not least: himself."

Eden may be the first, but Vertigo hopes that it won't be the last recognizable destination for Adam Venture. The developer plans to continue the series with new installments every seven or eight months, each telling its own self-contained story that is "respectfully but loosely based upon bibilical backgrounds".

There are no firm release details yet for Adam's Venture: Episode 1 - The Search for the Lost Garden, but Vertigo expects to launch the game worldwide this summer, pursuing both online and retail distribution opportunities.