The Random Adventure Game News Thread

[Anthedon]

Did anyone play this? It's a murder mystery with no hand-holding. It sounds pretty neat.

 

[Boleskine]

 

[abnaxus]

That Boris Vallejo Eric the Unready cover was ace.

 

[ghostdog]

Did anyone play this? It's a murder mystery with no hand-holding. It sounds pretty neat.

I wish for a game like this but with an actual living world with people in it. I can understand the limitation of indie devs both in scope and in graphics, animations etc, but I'm tired of these stale worlds you roam through in these first person adventures.

 

[LESS T_T]

Daedalic opens a new studio in Munich, and it will work on a new game from Jan Müller-Michaelis (Poki), the creator of Deponia: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2018-02-14-daedalic-entertainment-opens-new-munich-office

Wonder if this trademark "A Year of Rain" is the title: https://euipo.europa.eu/eSearch/#details/trademarks/017949829

So what's going on with Daedalic recently?

A German article from August last year, looks like Bastei Lübbe wants to sell Daedalic after successive failures: https://www.gameswirtschaft.de/wirtschaft/bastei-luebbe-ag-daedalic-entertainment-beteiligung/

According to the Annual Report 2017/18, listed Lübbe AG is examining its 51% stake in Hamburg-based game developer Daedalic Entertainment.

"(...) we had to realize that the strategy pursued since the IPO of developing the German publisher Bastei Lübbe into an international media corporation with an integrated recycling chain was not successful."

This is stated in the 2017/18 Annual Report of the Bastei Lübbe AG in Cologne - meanwhile the company is busy closing unprofitable investments and selling subsidiaries. The mission: lower costs, higher margins, focus on the lucrative core business with the novels of Dan Brown, Ken Follett and Andreas Eschbach.

In this way, the new CEO Carel Halff does not shy away from separating from "strategically or economically irrelevant activities". This process is in full swing and may also affect the 51 percent stake in the well-known game developer Daedalic, which has been holding Bastei Lübbe since May 2014.

Literally it says in the report: "With regard to the Daedalic Entertainment GmbH is examined whether this participation in the above formulated business strategy in the medium term fits."

Already at the general meeting in November 2017 Halff had the hamburgers an "impressive company history" certified - but at the same time demanded that Daedalic must continue to prove that this "significant benefits" for Bastei Lübbe can be achieved.

Bastei Lübbe AG examines its stake in Daedalic Entertainment
The Digital division recently contributed 11 million euros to the 95 million euro turnover of the media group - the revenues in this division come almost exclusively from Daedalic Entertainment. In addition to "The Long Journey Home", the tactics game "Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun" published in November 2016 turned out to be a sales runner - in the first eight months, the PC version via Steam has grossed well over 3 million euros.

The EBIT of the Digital division nevertheless shows a loss of almost 8 million euros: in addition to the discontinuation of the Oolipo streaming platform, the company has to make significant write-downs for a "highly developed game at Daedalic" - meaning the Ken-Follett Bestselling implementation "The Pillars of the Earth".

In two weeks - more precisely: on the 15th of August - the next Daedalic novelty will be released with the adventure "State of Mind". In addition, the newly founded Munich branch Daedalic Entertainment Bavaria is working on a game based on an idea of "Deponia" inventor Jan Müller-Michaelis alias "Poki".

Further details on the future strategy of Bastei Lübbe AG are expected at the balance sheet press conference on August 9, 2018 and at the Annual General Meeting on September 19, 2018.

Update from 14.8.18: Bastei Lübbe starts sales process
In an interview with the industry magazine Boersenblatt.net following the annual press conference, CEO Carel Halff confirmed that Bastei Lübbe is examining all options with regard to the Daedalic stake.

Although the game manufacturer has developed "excellent" - but Daedalic is with an external sales of less than ten million "very small," said Halff. "That's why, together with the founders, we thought about how things can go on and want to start an M & A process."

Under this keyword many ways are conceivable - a sale of the shares as well as a merger, a management buy-out or even the whereabouts in the group. According to information from the Kölner Stadtanzeiger, the process should start after the summer break.

In the current quarterly report for the period from April to June 2018, Lübbe becomes even more concrete - it says : "With regard to Daedalic Entertainment GmbH, the Executive Board has decided to launch a sales process in August - starting with the address of potential investors."

With a reduction in personnel costs, savings and sales, the company wants to "shrink healthy" and focus on the core business. There it last ran - also thanks to the bestselling authors Brown and Follett - usually well.

 

[HoboForEternity]

it's dead. it's sad, but it's a release.

RIP daedalic entertainment 2007-2014-zombified in 2014- died again 2019

 

[Boleskine]

 

[CryptRat]

Bohemian Yard got released today.

A voice at the other end said that it's your wealthy uncel's attorney. Your uncle, a noted scientist, has been found dead. He was your only living relative. Something isn't right though. Apparently, he died of a heart attack. But he was only 55, and had never had any history of heart problems. You learn that you have inherited everything your uncle owned - his wealth and his huge mansion in the country. Wearily, you pull up on the gravel drive outside the house. Time to investigate the house for any clues to his death...

The game is a few hour long, there are 5 endings (I got 2 including what is very likely the true ending). There are a lot of, literally, key into keyhole interactions, but also some fun clue interpreting. The story to reveal is a bit too much down-to-earth-dark for my own taste, but that can be the exact reason for someone else to play it.

I took some screeshots :

Spoiler

 

[bertram_tung]

Did anyone play this? It's a murder mystery with no hand-holding. It sounds pretty neat.

I wish for a game like this but with an actual living world with people in it. I can understand the limitation of indie devs both in scope and in graphics, animations etc, but I'm tired of these stale worlds you roam through in these first person adventures.

That's why I find Tex Murphy:Under a Killing Moon and Tex Murphy:The Pandora Directive to be vastly more engaging experiences than Overseer or Tesla Effect. Actually being able to see the other characters within the in-game engine, as opposed to only within cut-scenes, makes the entire experience feel so much more lively, and overall less lonely and cold.

 

[Wapcaplet]

Legend Entertainment's adventure-RPG hybrid (and source of my avatar) Superhero League of Hoboken is now available on GOG.

I'm guessing it will eventually show up on Steam like the other Legend games that have come back from the dead.

 

[V_K]

Legend Entertainment's adventure-RPG hybrid (and source of my avatar) Superhero League of Hoboken is now available on GOG.

 

[Boleskine]

https://adventuregamers.com/articles/view/36891

2018 Aggie Award Nominees



Best Story
11-11: Memories Retold
Detective Pikachu
Forgotton Anne
Unavowed
Unforeseen Incidents

(Note: As an adapted work, Ken Follett’s The Pillars of the Earth is ineligible.)

Best Writing – Comedy
Detective Case and Clown Bot in The Express Killer
Detective Gallo
Hero-U: Rogue to Redemption
Leisure Suit Larry: Wet Dreams Don’t Dry
Snail Trek

Best Writing – Drama
11-11: Memories Retold
Eselmir and the five magical gifts
Lamplight City
The Pillars of the Earth
Unavowed

Best Character
Chuchel (CHUCHEL)
Detective Gallo (Detective Gallo)
Anne (Forgotton Anne)
Nairi (NAIRI: Tower of Shirin)
Eli (Unavowed)
Logan (Unavowed)

Best Gameplay
Beyond the Sky
FAR: Lone Sails
The Gardens Between
Return of the Obra Dinn
Unavowed

Best Concept
Call of Cthulhu
The Council
The Gardens Between
Return of the Obra Dinn
STAY

Best Setting
AntVentor
FAR: Lone Sails
The Gardens Between
Lamplight City
My Memory of Us

Best Graphic Design
Detroit: Become Human
My Brother Rabbit
Repentant
Unavowed
Unforeseen Incidents

Best Animation
CHUCHEL
Detroit: Become Human
Forgotton Anne
The Gardens Between
Illusion: A Tale of the Mind

Best Music
Forgotton Anne
My Memory of Us
The Pillars of the Earth
Return of the Obra Dinn
Unavowed

Best Acting (Voice or Live Action)
Detective Gallo
Detroit: Become Human
The Pillars of the Earth
Unavowed
Unforeseen Incidents

Best Sound Effects
CHUCHEL
Detroit: Become Human
My Brother Rabbit
Return of the Obra Dinn
Shrug Island: The Meeting

Best Non-Traditional Adventure
Detroit: Become Human
FAR: Lone Sails
Forgotton Anne
The Gardens Between
Hero-U: Rogue to Redemption
Return of the Obra Dinn

Best Traditional Adventure
CHUCHEL
Leisure Suit Larry: Wet Dreams Don’t Dry
The Pillars of the Earth
Unavowed
Unforeseen Incidents

Best Adventure of 2018
Sorry, adventurers. The only clue you're getting is that the final group will come from a combination of Best Non-Traditional and Best Traditional games, but we're not saying which! (Possibly because we still haven't decided.) Tune back in February 22nd to find out!

 

[Tom Selleck]

Detroit: Become Human

 

[ghostdog]

Best Story, writing, characters...
...
...
...

Best Gameplay

:none of the above:

 

[LESS T_T]

Dance of Death: Du Lac & Fey, a Jack the Ripper mystery adventure where you play Sir Lancelot, Morgana Le Fey trapped in the body of a dog, and Mary Kelly, the woman known as the final victim of the Reaper:

With London living in the shadow of Jack the Ripper, Arthurian legends take to the streets, in a thrilling quest to stop the killer before he strikes again.

Become the immortal and tormented knight Sir Lancelot Du Lac, sorceress Morgana Le Fey, cursed to live as an elegant Saluki hound and Whitechapel local, Mary Kelly and live through a dark and gripping tale told through each character’s eyes. Join forces to explore the capital’s underbelly, hunt down the Ripper and uncover the shocking truth behind the killer’s bloody rampage.

Explore the sights, sounds and locations of the notorious Jack the Ripper murders, and get to know the local rascals, journalists, shopkeepers and more along the way.

Key Features:

• A thrilling tale set in a London living in Jack the Ripper’s reign of terror
  
• Three playable characters - immortal knight Sir Lancelot Du Lac, the sorceress trapped in the body of a dog, Morgana Le Fey, and the memorable Mary Kelly - each of which has their own demons to take on.
  
• Explore historical crime scenes based on real reports and accounts from Victorian England.
  
• A multi-branching story where in-game decisions impact on each character’s resolution.
  
• A wide array of characters and the real-life locations of the Whitechapel murders bring 1880’s London to life in all its ghastly glory.
  
• An incredible voice cast with actors from Penny Dreadful, Game of Thrones, Black Mirror and Dragon Age.
  
• Developed by, Salix Games, a brand new team with experience from AAA studios Lionhead and Rocksteady.
  
• Plotted by Batman Arkham Knight and Killzone writer, Philip Huxley and BAFTA Breakthrough Brit winner Jessica Saunders.

Crafted by Salix Games, Du Lac & Fey: Dance of Death has been forensically researched to deliver a whole new take on the Jack The Ripper story. The stellar line up of voice talent breathes life into every character and includes ‘Penny Dreadful’ and ‘The Tudors’ star Perdita Weeks, ‘Utopia’ and ‘Black Mirror’s’ Alexandra Roach and Gareth David-Lloyd, star of ‘Dragon Age: Inquisition’ and ‘Torchwood’. With beautifully rendered graphics that blend 2D and 3D and lovingly composed music and soundscapes, Du Lac & Fey: Dance of Death is a landmark in adventure games.

 

[Boleskine]

https://www.facebook.com/140421155974371/photos/a.1814459805237156/2548624445154018/

 

[LESS T_T]

Return of Spanish publisher Erbe Software as a re-release label? The website says this new company is founded at the end of 2018, as a subsidiary of some financial company. (And their Twitter account is suspended?)

Director's Cut release (2010) of The Abbey:





There's a (supposedly) non-DC version on Steam released by Strategy First.


And comics based adventure games also made by Alcachofa Soft, only one of them is available in English.

And La Fuga (Fugitive), an obscure isometric adventure game about prison breaking, Spanish only:

 

[Anthedon]

I remember The Abbey, it was a broken mess when it was released way back when. Hopefully it is fixed now.

 

[Tramboi]

Kickstarter for a Maupiti Island remake :
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cupofgames/maupiti-island

 

[Tom Selleck]

I have the Strategy First version of The Abbey and it's unplayable.

 

[lightbane]

Ancient Spanish games

Goddamn, I played nearly all of these games so long ago... The Mortadelo y Filemon games were hilarious, while La Fuga was a classic shareware title that I never managed to finish. I have no idea how did this arrive to Steam.

 

[Shadenuat]

I played what's there of FoxTail and now waiting for them to finish it (I hope they will). Yeah it's pretty simplistic but the cozy kyrandia-like feeling and extra lore scattered around the game makes up for it. And I feel game is going to step from light into shadow with its themes the further it would go on.

 

[Boleskine]

New free to play point-and-click:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/915720/Session_Seven/

 

[Boleskine]

BLACKWELL SERIES 3D REMASTERS ARE IN PRODUCTION!?!?!?!??!?!

 

[Life of the Party]