action!) is because adventure game players who are expressing their concern are once more being chastised for simply looking backwards and resisting change. The second reason I'm stirred into action (oops. Of course I'm referring to LucasArts with Grim Fandango and the soon to be released Escape from Monkey Island and to AdventureSoft/Headfirst Productions with the next Simon the Sorcerer release. At least a couple of well known adventure game companies that have produced much loved point and click, third-person 2D adventures in the past are now moving into 3D and sidestepping the mouse. The first is because 3D is beginning to be heralded as the single way forward for all games, including adventures. Now I wouldn't be too worried except for two reasons. Their present ally is the emergence of 3D graphics that apparently demand the elimination of the mouse. I've always conveniently ignored these tormentors but my fear now is that they might be going some way towards getting their heart's desire. Sadly, there's a never-ending queue of wannabe executioners crowding around the latest mouse driven game, licking their lips with glee whilst honing their hatchets and snarling: 'Another standard point and click adventure'. To my mind it seems that our mildly mannered mouse has forever been in the firing line. So I'd like to speak some words in defence of pointing and clicking (or in defence of the mouse) on behalf of adventure game players everywhere. Of course, if pointing and clicking is inferior, it has to be inferior to something! Well its two or three 'rivals' in this particular 'contest' are button pressing, key tapping and joystick wiggling! How anyone can possibly put a value judgement on these actions in themselves is beyond me but it happens purely because the term pointing and clicking has gathered so much negativity in the comparison.
It's a phrase that's been endlessly used to summarily insult and dismiss adventure games. Do these words sound familiar? Like me you've probably read them hundreds of times in reviews and received the underlying message loud and clear that the particular game they are describing is essentially inferior. However, for practically as long as I can remember there's been an element of the game playing community that has demeaned pointing and clicking and angled for the silent execution of the mouse. It's seen us through many, many great adventure games, far too many for me to mention. I don't have to tell any ardent graphic adventurer that pointing and clicking is a lot of fun.