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| | Title:
Dreamfall: The Longest Journey
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System:
Xbox
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Genre:
Adventure
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Publisher:
Funcom Dublin, Ltd.
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Developer:
Funcom
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Release:
4/17/2006
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Online:
No
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ESRB:
Rating Pending (RP)
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If there is one general consensus about the Xbox library, it is the apparent lack of adventure games. Hardly any titles of the point-and-click genre have found their way onto Microsoft’s console. Those that have though have actually been quite good with the latest being the thriller Indigo Prophecy. But can we expect to have anymore adventure titles before all game developers jump ship to the more powerful Xbox 360? Thankfully, the answer is yes and it seems the last adventure game on the Xbox will also be the best.
Back in 2000 a company known as Fun Com released the incredibly popular PC adventure title The Longest Dream. Its story was epic involving two very different worlds (one of technology and one of magic) and the struggle to keep evil from destroying both of these planets. At the center of this conflict was struggling art student known as April Ryan. As the worlds of technology and magic began to merge April quickly became the hero of the game. The game was massive requiring five CDs to cover the entire story but anyone who saw the game through to the end can say it was worth it. The Longest Journey won numerous awards and was touted as one of the best adventure games ever made. Well Fun Com is at it again. Almost immediately after finishing The Longest Dream they began on the second installment Dreamfall. With better graphics, better technology to work with, and experience under their belt Fun Com is setting out to once again wow gamers with another epic story. Best of all it is coming to the Xbox.
Dreamfall takes place several years after the events of The Longest Journey. Veterans of the game will notice right away that you are not taking the role of April Ryan right away but instead a bioengineering major known as Zoe Castillo who trailers have fondly called “The Dreamer.” Zoe becomes involved in the plot of Dreamfall when her boyfriend goes missing and it quickly becomes apparent that a much larger evil is present in the world of Dreamfall. But Zoe will not be the only character players will get their hands on in Dreamfall. The aging hero, April Ryan, as well as a mysterious warrior known as Kian, will also be available during certain portions of the game. April is not in the good of shape. She’s been trapped in the magic world for ten years and this has made her slightly crazy. Kian is by far the most mysterious of characters. All we know is that he serves his “mistress.” Whoever this “mistress” is Fun Com isn’t saying.
Since this is an adventure game the story is the most important component. Based on Fun Com’s previous work gamers need not worry about the narrative. It is sure to be amazing. One cool aspect that Fun Com has revealed on their website is how much the technology work of Stark has changed since the events in The Longest Journey. It seems that the ability to travel great distances was lost, and space travel was also no longer an option. A new form of transportation known as Vactrax is how human society is coping. Also a new corporation has reared its head. Known only as WATIcorp this company is one of the premiere spots for robotic creation. How they fit into the story of Dreamfall is unknown. Overall, Dreamfall now involves three worlds; the technology world of Stark, the magic realm and a new world known only as Winter. Winter is the most abstract of the three and seems to have something to do with dreams.
Fun Com is making a number of improvements in the adventure genre that is sure to attract both newcomers and veterans of the game type. Fun Com is making it so puzzles can be solved in numerous ways so that the player is no longer constricted down a certain path of thinking. Also in a nod to KOTOR and Jade Empire, NPCs will react differently based on the player’s actions. If Dreamfall takes this to the extent that KOTOR and Jade Empire is won’t be known until the game is played. Fun Com is also adding more action oriented portions of the game in the form of stealth sections as well as simple combat. With a character like Kian being one of the main characters this is no surprise.
The soundtrack as well as the voice acting will be top notch for Dreamfall. The Longest Journey had over 50 professional voice actors and Dreamfall will obviously fall right in line with this number if not succeed it. The graphics of Dreamfall are also a thing to behold. While no Xbox game ever looks as good as its PC counterpart, Dreamfall is doing an awfully good job at making some people question that assumption. Environments are gorgeous and the overall design for each world is unique which draws players in like few games have before.
Adventure genre lovers finally have something to be excited about. Dreamfall the sequel to one of the best adventure games ever to grace PCs is also coming to the Xbox. While the graphics won’t be as sharp of the PC’s, everything else will fall right in line. Get ready for one heck of an adventure game.
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Cloud890
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