Adventure Gamers - Forums

Pleurghburg: Dark Ages

2001 is often viewed as part of the “dark ages” of adventure games, after all, we all know that the genre “died” the year before! However, where the “commercial” sector seemed to die off, the “freeware” sector began to come to life, as fans of the genre decided that if publishers weren’t going to give them the games they wanted, they’d just have to make them themselves.

The creation of free game engines, such as Adventure Game Studio (with which Pleurghburg was made) and this internet thing with all its wondrous Geocities sites and lightning quick 56k modems were big factors in making this possible.

For me, Pleurghburg (a game I have never been able to pronounce), has a place in adventure gaming history. Most of the freeware games made with AGS had been a bit, well, rubbish up to this point, but suddenly here was a game that stood out as a grown up game, longer than some commercial titles with a story and feel somewhere between Police Quest and Die Hard. I think it took everyone by surprise and was probably the first game to put AGS on the map as a tool to make games that were actually good. In a way, it seemed like adventure games had a future again.

The main thing I remember about this game is the attention to detail. Random NPC’s walk past you on the street, there are multiple endings, loads of characters, puzzles and inventory items and a serious story to boot. A real breath of fresh air at the time, although I’m not sure it stands up that well today - especially in the graphics department!

Anyway, enough of my opinions and the boring rose-tinted history lecture. (Please feel free to disagree as vehemently as you like below! ) Do you remember Pleurghburg?

By the way - if you’re wondering why I’m posting this and what happened to those much better ones that Karlok and Chrissie were doing, please see here for an explanation and/or to offer your services: http://www.adventuregamers.com/forums/viewthread/5434/

hey intense, are you there?

well, that is supposedly gonna be a promising year, with this intense start and commitment.

On-topic, I came across images of this game many times before, glad to know what it really is. I don’t think there is an available link for it stands still?

Yeah I’m still here, you know me Advie, ol’ reliable!

You can still find the game here. Definitely dated but still playable.

Cthulhu may be a sneeze, but Pleueuarghaghburg is a dry wretch! I know which I find easier!   

Intense Degree - 01 June 2015 12:06 PM

Yeah I’m still here, you know me Advie, ol’ reliable!

3 time winner of the “Really Annoying Caption Contest Saboteur” Award!

Interesting history for the game, given its importance to AGS.

I don’t see what’s so hard about the pronunciation, though.

Thanks for the kind words everyone, especially given my preachy lecture of a post.

@Timo - hey, at least i’m consistent! You can always rely on me to be unreliable!