Our friends over at the The International House of Mojo are awesome, aren’t they? I mean, they give us news and articles about our favorite adventure games that are quite informative and make you feel all squeeshy inside. Well, they’re doing something else that’s pretty awesome. It’s a new type of article they’re doing called LucasArt’s Secret History and as you can imagine, we might get to read about some of the secrets to our favorite LucasArts adventure games.

This month, The International House of Mojo is going to be doing a super secret review, ninja style even, of that great cult classic Maniac Mansion. In the article we’ll expect to find “brand-spanking new review for the game, as well as some hopefully time-wasting bonus material we were able to scrounge up”. I love time-wasting bonus material!

If you’re at all interested in the review, check it out here. It’s a time waster and it IS Friday. That’s what everyone needs on a Friday, isn’t it? This page may be of a lot of use to those people who like trivia on their favorite games. I was entertained by it anyways.

[img found at the international house of mojo and was painted by dan "jayel" lee. sweet!]

Post from: EveryJoe

The International House of Mojo is doing their part to document history!

Many exciting things are happening in the world of adventure gaming. Once, not so long ago, adventure games were almost a forgotten genre, having only captured the imaginations of a limited amount of people. Lets face it, my friends… adventure gaming was almost dead. DEAD. But lately, many brave and proud souls have taken adventure gaming to the next level, despite what big publishers say will be the death of their company.

I don’t know why I’m posting this picture. It makes me laugh. LAUGH WITH ME.

Because of the ingenuity that has developed in recent years, adventure gaming has come back into the hearts of the many people who love a good story and a good puzzle, with a bit of humor and/or drama thrown in.

Adventure Europe has taken it upon themselves to host a conference of sorts, to take place on their forums. This conference is called the Adventure Developer Online Conference and consists a number of people attending between November 27th and November 30th. There will be many different people from all walks of life attending this event. These include developers, publishers and all sorts of adventure fans will be attending this lovely conference. They shall be talking about current adventure games, future adventure games and what’s in store for adventure gaming WORLD DOMINATION … so if you’d like to be apart of it, check it out. You can see what the what is on Adventure Europe’s forums.

Some of the developers/publishers may include one of the following:

• 4Reign Studios
• Anaconda Games
• Anima PPD
• Autumn Moon Entertainment
• Deck 13
• Faraway Studios
• Focus Home Interactive
• Frogwares
• Fusionsphere Systems / Animation Arts
• Herculean Effort
• Himalaya Studios
• Kheops Studio
• Legacy Interactive
• Lullaby Studios
• Micro Application
• Nucleosys
• Pendulo Studios
• Phoenix Online Studios
• Revistronic
• Step Creative Group
• Telltale Games
• Totem Games
• White Birds Production
• Wicked Studios

There are actually a lot of famous names among that list. If you want to know some specific times that each of the conferences will take place, make sure you check out the forum.

It sounds fun… I like adventure games… they’re good for the sole. And the soul. And the soal. Wait, soal isn’t a word.

And don’t forget to dookie butter.

Post from: EveryJoe

Adventure Developer Online Conference

And I’d say to you… well. I’ll cry. And then just put up the rest of my article, because I DON’T NEED TO TELL YOU MY REASONS.

FINE, I’m lazy! Is that what you wanted to hear?! You’ve heard it.

Anyways. The game looks really cool, actually. The story is about a girl named Nina who wants to find her dad. You know what, just read the dang story for yourself:

Nina is torn from her day-to-day routine when she discovers that her father has disappeared without a trace. As the police seem reluctant to help her, Nina sets off to look for clues relating to her father’s whereabouts. She joins efforts with Max Gruber, a young colleague of her father who impulsively offers to help the attractive young lady.

Together, they quickly determine that Nina’s father was involved with a research expedition to Siberia in an attempt to reveal the causes of the mysterious Tunguska (look, I Wikied it for you!) catastrophe of 1908. In that mysterious event, a mighty explosion triggered an inferno that decimated the land of Tunguska. Nina and Max soon realize that her father’s disappearance is related to the Tunguska event and the search for answers leads Nina and Max to the most remote corners of the world – Berlin, Moscow, Cuba, China, and the Antarctic. Powerful adversaries are also interested in Nina’s father’s secret. In the end, much more is at stake than just the disappearance of an old man.

Sounds pretty cool, huh? What’s even better are the graphics. But… according to a review from Adventure Gamers, the story is a bit… unoriginal and has already been done before.

You know what I always say? I say it’s always better to create something tried and true than create something original… NOT. Haha, I crack myself up. Then again, I can’t say half my blog posts are entirely original, so LOOK WHO’S CALLING THE KETTLE BLACK!

If you’re a bit wary of buying the game, check out the demo first (crap… it might be in German)… it may make the difference for you. The pictures alone make me want to play the game, as they look mysterious and cool.

[pictures borrowed from the adventure company]

Post from: EveryJoe

Secret Files: Tunguska

Months ago, I wrote about the revival of an old classic game, King’s Quest – The Silver Lining, created by none other than Phoenix Online Studios.

It looks like they have finally put out a demo for their upcoming game.

According to Adventure Gamers, this demo may have a few bugs in it, but the developers plan on having these problems under control by the release.

Here’s a quick rundown of what the game is about:

Returning the player to control of King Graham – last played in King’s Quest V – The Silver Lining charges him with the task of saving the lands from an evil enchantment.

If you’re a King’s Quest fan, you should definitely check this out. Looks like it’ll be a winner!

Check out the trailer!

Ohhh… Sweet.

Post from: EveryJoe

Haha! News!

Oh, that was a slip on the finger… I meant LucasARTS. Not LucasFarts. It seems like I’ve been saying that a lot lately. They DO stink. But, I would be doing farts an injustice if I compared them to LucasArts.

MUAHAH. I am evil.

Anyways, according to an article at Game Informer Online, TellTale Games MAY be in contact with LucasF… I mean, LucasArts to pick up some more games that LucasArts holds the rights to. So, much like Sam and Max, we may see a Day of the Tentacle part II, or a monthly episodic installment of Monkey Island. I think my wishes may have just come true. Just maybe we’ll be able to see our favorite Grim Reaper every month taking new lives into his vast underworld of doom. And then they will all talk with a Mexcian accent. Would that be SWEET.

What other games could we get from this joint partnership?! Any ideas?

Post from: EveryJoe

TellTale and LucasFarts Team Up?

Hail, my minions! How art thou? I amith finith!

Yes! I am stalling!

I did not play a game over the weekend.

Well, that’s not true. I watched my brother play Kingdom Hearts II in my living room that was about 2,000 degrees. I hate living in the desert… with an air conditioner that doesn’t work. How am I expected to play the awesome adventure games when I can’t see through my sweat?! TELL ME PLEASE!!!

So, for today’s Treasure Trove, I will reach the DARK RECESSES OF MY MIND and try to remember a game I haven’t played for YEARS.

Now, to do this, I will have to do 10 back flips in a row and then run around in circles.

Excuse me for a minute.

……. (20 minutes pass) …….

AHHH!! My brain has been rejuvenated!

TODAY! I will review The Curse of Monkey Island by the EVIL Satan like developers from HELL, LucasArts. As you may recall, I am not a fan of the LucasFarts. They used to be awesome back in their hey day, with all their awesome adventure titles. Then they went to the dark side and now all they do is try to use “The Force” and they’ve come up with a bunch of POO! That’s right! I said it! POO!

Here is what I say to you, LucasFarts!

MUAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAH!

I feel long winded today, so if you haven’t ever play The Curse of Monkey Island or don’t want to be spoiled, do not proceed, my friends. Do not proceed.

Alright, so I’m going to get on with my entry for the day. Like I said, I shall speak of The Curse of Monkey Island.

In the Curse of Monkey Island, we start out with our hapless hero, Guybrush Threepwood. He is drifting along forlornly in a carnie’s bumper car in the middle of the ocean without any hope in the world. He writes his last words in his good ol’ journal as he feels he is soon going to perish. He’s so hungry, but there’s nothing to eat. He’s so thirsty, but there’s nothing to drink. If only he had some fruit to clear up the scurvy he knew he would acquire.

Poor lonely Guybrush.

But, as this nincompoop drifts along the currents of the open seas, a battle is ensuing close to him and he doesn’t even realize it. If only knew there was safety only a few hundred feet away. But wait! A shot from a skeleton’s lucky cannon and Guybrush is ripped out of his revere and thrown cruelly into the icy cold waters of the Caribbean (yes, I know they’re not ICY COLD. It’s TROPICAL. I’m trying to set up a story here!).

Alas, for poor Guybrush, he is picked up by a ghost pirate ship where he is then interrogated by the only other living being on the ship, Willy. Willy is all of 4 feet, but he packs a mean whollop! He carries a gun and a hook and no one shall cross the evil Willy.

But Guybrush remembers Willy from his past. A dark past, filled with acid and ropes and a monocle! You see, Willy was in another adventure from Guybrush’s past, in which LeChuck was seeking his revenge for stealing the only woman LeChuck had ever known, Elaine.

Willy is an angry bastard.

Guybrush couldn’t believe that Willy had sunk so low as to become a dirty pirate on the decks of LeChuck’s dirty ghost pirate ship.

Guybrush knows he can save Willy before he, too, becomes an evil dead pirate. After much poking and proding of Willy’s character, Guybrush finds that Willy doesn’t really want to be a pirate. He’s unhappy at his current post, but LeChuck made it sound so good. Willy weeps his heart out onto the deck of the ghost ship and is no longer useful to the Ghost Pirate LeChuck.

With Willy out of the way, now Guybrush can get back at those dirty rotten skeletons. He looks out a porthole, which also happens to house a cannon. While peeking out into the vastness of the sea, he spots skeletons on the horizon, floating in life boats. These skeletons are attacking an island in the distance. An island that holds Guybrush’s love, Elaine. Guybrush now knows what he must do. He must save Elaine.

With that in mind, Guybrush takes to the cannons and starts annihilating the skeleton horde in their ships. One by one, Guybrush takes the skeletons out. He must remember, however, that the skeletons are undead beings and cannot be killed. As Guybrush sticks his head out the porthole once again to take view of the carnage he has inflicted upon the undead crew, he finds a skeletal head floating amongst the rubble.

He comes to find out that this floating head is Murray, an evil undead overlord who will destroy you if you so much as lay a finger on him. After a brief conversation with Murray, you decide enough if enough of his lipless head and you push him into the depths of the sea with a good ol’ stick.

Goodbye good Murray. You will be missed.

Eventually, Guybrush’s arch nemesis, LeChuck, pulls out a voodoo cannon ball with the intent of making Elaine his undead bride once again. Unfortunately for LeChuck, the cannon ball falls to the deck of the ship and an explosion sounds.

With the explosion, the ship has gone belly up and now Guybrush is in quite the predicament. He is in the hull of the ship with no way out. He does, however, find the riches of LeChuck’s boat, such as a diamond ring that he feels will be perfect for Elaine. He will ask her hand in marriage.

He loves the voodoo that you do…

But how will he get out? He looks amongst the rubble of the ship and finds a porthole. He believes he can fit through the porthole, but with the water pressing against it, he is unable to open the blasted thing. He realizes he has just the thing to cut through porthole glass, however, and takes his newly found diamond ring, presses against the glass firmly and cuts out a wide circle.

He did not realize, however, that water would come rushing in after the integrity of the glass was compromised.

When Guybrush wakes up next, he is on the shore of the island his love, Elaine, was on. He finds her and asks for her hand in marriage. As he puts the ring he found upon the ship onto Elaine’s finger, Willy, your good ol’ pal recognizes the ring as a Voodoo pirate ring that turns anyone who wears it into gold. Elaine, in her rage, starts to pull a fist back to pulverize Guybrush and turns into stone.

Now Guybrush must find a way to save his love from the cold grasps of the golden princess that she has become. Guybrush is on his way to another adventure, once again.

Guybrush comes across a familiar voodoo lady who seems to follow him from island to island. Strange, yes, but in a way, Guybrush is thankful for she has given him a clue as to what he needs to do to save Elaine. He must find Blood Island, for it holds an uncursed ring that will bring Elaine out of her voodoo coffin of doom.

She is a wise voodoo lady.

With a new mission in life, Guybrush must find a crew, a boat and of course, a map to Blood Island.

After speaking with the voodoo lady, it comes to pass that Elaine is STOLEN! She is, after all made of pure gold.

Now, Guybrush must find his lady love AND a ship, map and crew.

As Guybrush wanders this new island oasis of Puerto Pollo, or The Port of Chickens in English, he meets new people. He must put a crew together, all of whom he must recruit from the local barber. Each of the barbers, however, have a different task that you must accomplish.

The barbers three

The Port of Chickens.

After accomplishing these tasks, he now has a crew.

He also gets a ship from a mischievous bunch of monkeys and must also get a map, which just happens to be located on someone’s back.

I wish my Captain was an ape. OH THE POWER I WOULD HOLD.

Mr. Threepwood then sets sail after collecting all items needed, but how can you be a pirate without the use of insults in a close combat fight? Guybrush also must acquire a sharp tongue, or he will perish on the seven seas.

I know! I shall continue tomorrow!!!

Post from: EveryJoe

Tuesday Treasure Trove: Numero IX

I haven’t read too much into the new Nintendo Wii until today… and only because I’m not the most gigantic fan of console gaming. I much prefer computer gaming over console gaming, because it’s faster, what with the super long load times of the PS2 or the xBox. I also like PC over consoles, because you can get the extention packs for your favorite games, such as The Sims or the old Star Craft/War Craft games and who can forget all the extention packs for Age of Empires?

But, I read an article over at Adventure Europe about the new Nintendo Wii that’s coming out and I think I may be buying it when it comes out, just because of all the cool new things they’re introducing to the world of gaming.

Now, I know that this post doesn’t have much to do with adventure gaming. But it could in the future, because with the introduction of the new Wii Controller, there are a lot of awesome possibilities for the adventure gaming genre. There hasn’t been any mention of adventure games coming out to the new Wii, but seeing that there are a bunch on the Nintendo DS, it kind of sounds like Nintendo may be the new endorser of adventure games.

Svelt and Sexy. Much like The Adventuress… HAHAHAH… right.

This article peeked my interests, because it goes into depth about the Wii controller. I heard that it was going to look different and feel different, but I just didn’t know how different it would be.

This awesome little controller is actually motion sensitive and it knows exactly what you’re doing with it at all times. Because of this feature, you can now use your controller as a baseball bat, or a golf club or a tennis racket, instead of the normal button bashing you usually have to do on a console game… or even a computer game for that matter. You can also do things like conduct a musical orchestra and if you suck at it, an actual hook will come out of the T.V. screen and pull you off the stage.

Okay, I was lying about the last bit, but wouldn’t that be awesome?!

Another feature of the new Wii controller is that there’s a freakin’ built in speaker on the actual controller. What does this mean? Well, now you can be a gangsta, pick up your boombox off the ground in the game, put it up on your shoulder and hear music coming out of your controller instead of out of your speakers on your t.v. Or, you can pick up the phone in game and have a conversation with someone on the other end and actually hear the person talk to you through the controller. Not a bad little invention if you ask me.

I’m sure there are millions of different things developers can do with this little controller. Let’s say we’re adventure gaming and need to push a puzzle piece into place on a gigantic floor puzzle. The controller will sense what you’re trying to do and instead of more button bashing, you can actually feel the thing being pushed into place.

I wonder if they hired a hand model for that…

Pretty cool if you ask me.

Once again, Nintendo is stepping up and changing the face of gaming. They’re freakin’ geniuses!

Have I babbled enough?

Here are some shots of the Wii in action:

Hopefully it’s as cool as they’re claiming it shall be, because I will be mightly impressed if it is.

Post from: EveryJoe

Adventures in Wii??

What’s great about this new company is that according to the Game Info, it is created by a staff made entirely by former LucasArts employees! THEY LEFT THE DARK SIDE! Good for you, Autumn Moon, staff!

The game sounds pretty darn cool, too. Apparently, you take on the roll of Mona, who happens to be an opera starlett. She was kidnapped by Baron Shrowdy Von Kiefer, who I’m guessing is a vampire, because after he kidnaps her, she slowly turns into a vampire herself. As she tries to get away from her captor, she’ll have to learn how to deal with such things as turning into a bat, drinking human blood and turning into vapor.

Now, I wouldn’t think turning into a bat or vapor would be particularly bad. I mean… You can get into ANYTHING if you’re vapor. That’d be so awesome.

With the help of her sidekick bat, Froderick, she’ll conquer the vampyric world.

Using both 2d and 3d aspects to create the game, you get awesome screenshots like this:

According to Adventure Gamers, Autumn Moon has finally found a publisher, a German company Crimson Cow, to publish the game to PC. This is great news, because… Umm… I like PC adventure games. They RULE.

It sounds like the game will be published late next year. It so far away! Ahhh well. At least we have something to look forward to IN A YEAR AND A HALF. Cripe.

Keep checking back here for updates.

Post from: EveryJoe

A Vampyre Story

Actually, it’s more like 9 pages… but that’s still a lot, dangit!

Now, this is the first big and gigantic press that the new season of Sam and Max has gotten, so it sounds like TellTale is pretty stoked about how things went with Computer Gaming World. The more people that are interested, the better, I think.

With the way the Adventure Gaming genre is going, any press is good press, quite frankly.

But the magazine, people!

Computer Gaming World just happens to be owned by 1Up who will also be hosting a pod cast on the Sam and Max subject. Check it out on the 1Up Show!

Post from: EveryJoe

Sam and Max… coming to a magazine near you…