A while back I installed The Dig, the classic Lucasarts adventure game from the mid-90s. I was astounded at the grace of its storytelling. As someone who is used to the flashy, hyper games that you’d find on a home console, I remember thinking that The Dig was telling a better story than any AAA title, despite its dated graphics and interface. Adventure games — those old school, Lucasarts titles in particular — are almost an art form unto themselves. They’re still very much games, but their gameplay is a means to an end. That end is to tell a story.
A while back I installed The Dig, the classic Lucasarts adventure game from the mid-90s. I was astounded at the grace of its storytelling. As someone who is used to the flashy, hyper games that you’d find on a home console, I remember thinking that The Dig was telling a better story than any AAA title, despite its dated graphics and interface. Adventure games — those old school, Lucasarts titles in particular — are almost an art form unto themselves. They’re still very much games, but their gameplay is a means to an end. That end is to tell a story.
It seems developers have been feeling nostalgic for that era of adventure gaming. Last year, a game called Gemini Rue was released. It landed a number four spot on our Games of the Year list. Gemini Rue, at first glance, is indistinguishable from a 90s 2D adventure game. Primordia looks to be following suit… and who knows, maybe it’ll end up on 2012’s Games of the Year list.
If we were to judge by graphics and style alone, I’d say it has a good chance. This game is gorgeous. Primordia has both the pixelated feel of old school adventure games, but is also graced by lush, hand-drawn backgrounds — apparently more than 50 rooms of them. This is a game I want to play, if only to see it all.
As for how it plays, I can’t say for sure. Like any adventure game, it will only be as good as the puzzles and the story. I don’t think we have to worry too much about the story though. Primordia is set in a cyberpunk world where man has been replaced by machine. You play a robot, and it seems your role in this world is to summon “Man” to “reformat” your planet. Sounds good to me.
Primordia should be out by the end of the year. Keep your eyes peeled.
