This year sees British games firm Revolution Software celebrate their 25th anniversary. If you aren’t aware of the name, you will be aware of some of the games they’ve been responsible for, chiefly the Broken Sword series. I write for and edit a video games website and we’re currently working on a series of content to celebrate the work of Charles Cecil’s company. I recently reviewed the original Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars and more content is on the way so if Broken Sword and point and click adventure games are your bag then you should definitely check it out and join in the conversation.
Point and click games mean an awful lot to me; I got into gaming because of them. My earliest memories of playing digital media are of me sat on my Grandfather’s knee being a mighty pirate in The Secret of Monkey Island or being with my Mother and Father as we tried to defeat the evil Jester Malcolm in The Legend of Kyrandia.
What I loved about these games was the quality of the story. With an emphasis on plot and character development they felt more akin to books or films than some of the more disposable video game experiences that were available at the time. To play these games was an investment.
I loved having new worlds to explore, people to interact with, and puzzles to solve – even if some of the puzzles are the most frustrating things you’ll ever have to face (I’m looking at you, Lochmarne Goat!).
The attention to detail with gorgeous visuals – often hand drawn – and strong voice acting combined with impressive musical scores gave these games a very glossy finish and made sure you wouldn’t forget them any time soon.
In the early 2000s these games all but vanished but a resurgence of interest in the genre has seen HD re-releases of beloved classics, Kickstarter campaigns to bring sequels to childhood favourites, and new IPs developed entirely.
The biggest criticism of point and click games was that they were pretty lonely affairs and didn’t transfer especially well to consoles, but with the release of the Steam Controller and Steam Link and the success of the Wii/Wii U it seems like playing these games with others in the comfort of the living room is now a viable option. I’m excited for the future and can’t wait to play more!