And you thought adventures were dead…
Year after year, the game industry is buzzing with theories about why the adventure
genre has faded in popularity. The one I personally agree with is that the genre
hasn’t actually died at all, but rather has been integrated into others genres.
Ever since Tomb Raider broke open the Action/Adventure category, most games
have attempted to include elements of both gameplay styles.
However,
classic adventure games still hold a warm place in many a jaded gamer’s heart.
When a preview build of Jazz and Faust appeared at GR, I was more than
happy to take a peek at this little-known title.
Jazz and Faust is an upcoming graphical adventure game from Russian
game developer 1C. You have your choice of two playable characters: the crafty
smuggler Jazz or the good ship captain Faust. Man, these poor guys must have
hippie parents to be branded
with such wacky names.
Both characters will have separate adventures, but their stories will criss
and cross (perhaps even making you jump, jump). It’s still a little early to
tell how strong the literary side of the game will be, but the Middle Age universe
holds a great deal of promise. The two-pronged character choices should lay
the tracks for some welcome replay. With an impressive 86 scenes to explore
and a ton of characters to interact with, there’s sure to be a great deal of
adventure in this title.
The game recalls point and click adventure games of yore – particularly the
classic King’s Quest series – with expansive, picturesque backgrounds.
Use your trusty little cursor to search for the hot zones, and inventory puzzles
and clever item usage rule the day.
What I’ve liked most about Jazz and Faust so far is that despite the
lack of cutting edge technology, the artwork is very smart. The backgrounds
are epic and seem to reference the scenic backdrops of old Europe. There’s a
full day and night cycle and the lighting effects are nicely done. It might
not be on an engine to rival Unreal, but Jazz and Faust is no
slouch.
The voices are still Russian in the preview build, plus it seems Jazz and Faust
have been mystically imbued with the power to walk through everything. Chalk
that up to beta status. Heh.
Still, I’m interested in what these hippie children on opposite sides of the
law will find in their journeys, and if you’re a fan of the genre just waiting
for another adventure, this might be your ticket as well. Expect it on shelves
in May 2002.
