Quintin Smith @ Gamasutra: "There's been a lot of chatter over the last few years about the death of the adventure game, and that's never sat right with me. It seems a sentiment spread mainly by Schafer-ites who have an unhealthy amount of nostalgia for the point'n'clicks of their youth, folk who'd rather wax sentimental than look forward. I say: The adventure game is enjoying a new lease of life in Irem's Steambot Chronicles for the PS2, and this year the sequel comes out on PS3.
Steambot's lack of recognition as an adventure game can probably be blamed on it getting categorised (correctly) as a mech RPG set in the 1920s. It takes place in a Japanese re-imagining of the past where the rise of the automobile happens side-by-side with the rise of the 'trotmobile'. Imagine the penny farthing of the mech world and you're there. Your rakish, shipwrecked, amnesiac (!!) protagonist owns a trotmobile, and a big chunk of the game is in piloting, upgrading and customizing your little machine."
From Katamari to Yakuza 2, a look back at the most relaxing games released on the PlayStation 2.
Out back of the Hardcore Gamer office you’ll find our Graveyard, where countless long-dead classics lie. We come here to pay our respects, to reminisce, and to wonder aloud what a passing mad doctor might be able do with all these corpses and some high-definition lightning.
GDiNews:"When Triscy has something scratching at his head, he'll occasionally just vent it out. Triscy rants about various subjects, and this time he talks about why he wants more linear games and original concepts in games."
Spoiled brat making rants, he wants linearity and games to be like books, to hell with him, go read a book and dont play videogames then, the player must ALWAYS have control on how the story developes even if little.
FFXIII, tried this and failed misseraby and it showed you must never take control from the player.
Loved Steambot Chronicles. It really was one of the best, least-recognized PS2 titles. Personally, I don't think the stock market was as good of a thing as this article makes out... but the focus on the journey--on the daily life--I absolutely loved. It's the kind of experience you really can't get anywhere else.
I really, really hope the sequel is localized. And, failing that, I'd settle for english subs on the JPN version.