Dreamcatcher, as has come to be expected of them, had the largest amount of adventure games of any company on display at E3. I must commend them for being the only company over the last few years to consistently release titles for us depraved adventurers. Although from now on, their adventure titles will be released under a separate label called The Adventure Company while Dreamcatcher branches out to releasing non-adventure games.

Most of Dreamcatcher's 2002 lineup was on display at E3 and I have put together a preview of all of the titles that will appeal to the adventure gamer. First up is the widely anticipated Syberia.

Syberia

You play as Kate Walker, a young lawyer sent to a small alpine village in France to settle the acquisition of a toy company. Seems simple enough but you are soon thrown into an intriguing mystery filled with interesting characters and puzzles.

This third person perspective adventure game shares a lot in common with The Longest Journey as far as style and gameplay are concerned. The graphics are all richly detailed and beautiful. Combining those elements with a highly involving and immersive storyline makes this the most promising adventure game of 2002. It was certainly the best adventure game on display at E3 and every fan of the genre owes it to themselves to pick it up.

Syberia has already hit store shelves in certain European countries and Canada. It is slated for a US release this September.

Nancy Drew: The Secret of the Scarlet Hand

In this new installment of the popular game series, Nancy is working as an intern at the Beech Hill Museum in Washington, D.C. Nancy's learning experience soon turns into a case to solve when a series of thefts take place and the only clue left behind is a mysterious scarlet hand print. As Nancy digs deeper into the thefts, the knowledge she gains makes her realize that she may have unearthed a larger plot.

I've always thoroughly enjoyed these games and this looks to be the best one yet with it's major graphical improvement over the past installments.

Available Summer 2002



Next: Atlantis and Auryn Quest