by Beltan

Created on: October 02, 2010   Last Updated: October 03, 2010

Adventure games hold their appeal forever. The first and most important ingredient that contributes to adventure games' infinite replayability is the story and the characters who shape it. It isn't an adventure without that special main character, the adventurer, who single-handedly turns the gears of the story by taking the initiative! The supporting cast is very important because these are the characters who's reactions to the main character provide the friction necessary to keep the momentum of the adventure moving. In an adventure, every supporting character has one or two quirks that provide entertainment or fuel to keep the story moving- or both. It's always the same story, and that's why we keep coming back- we form a bond with the characters and enjoy seeing the story play out.

Though the story is the same and the faces are familiar, an adventure always nestles itself inside a big world where the main character will have lots of places to explore. When an adventurer is given the option of leaving an 'unusual-looking tree' alone or trying to find out why it is so unusual, we all know the character just won't be able to control their curiosity. That's what makes an adventurer, they poke their nose where it doesn't belong!

An adventure always has some action! After all, a person can't just travel all over the place getting involved in things without consequences! In many adventures, the main character gains and loses travelling companions as the story progresses. While they might want to come along, these characters sometimes find a place where they would rather stay, or an area that their talents can be trained or benefit a larger number of people. The adventurer, however, is either on an important long-term quest that carries them across the world (or sometimes across many worlds!) or is naturally just a wanderer. Whatever the case, a traveller could find their valuables have been stolen, face wild animals, or be forced to endure the elements. Whether it's "Hey, give me that back!", "Uhh good doggy...sit.....SIT... uh oh..." or "-S ...O -S", the adventurer will often be in situations requiring a guile, an umbrella, or a big stick. It's those situations that are put to good use in a video game since they require timing, problem solving, quick thinking, and a bit of skill.

Sometimes we will wait years before returning to an adventure we enjoyed, but sooner or later we always want to experience that story again, and take comfort in the fact that no matter how much exploring we do, our adventurer will still have to check out that weird-looking tree, setting off a chain of events that we follow to their conclusion. All the while, laughing at the silliness, cringing at the mistakes, being awed (even if it's just a little awed) at the vastness of the realm, and out of curiosity- at least the first time- poking our noses where they don't belong.

Recommended Adventures:

• Zelda 3: a link to the past.

• Chrono Trigger

• Illusion Of Gaia

• Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee

• Heart Of Darkness

• Breath Of Fire

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