I have been playing adventure games since the very first, appropriately entitled Adventure, game appeared in the 1970s. The History of the Adventure Video Game describes every adventure game from that first game to current narrative games like What Remains of Edith Finch and the Strange Colors series. I love all three of those games so this is the perfect book for me.
Admittedly, some of the historical games’ chapters read like a Wikipedia page. Dry facts with very little insight are provided. However, as we come closer to the present day, the author’s love for the genre comes through more clearly. The latter chapters provide a great way to find new games in this genre. Even I, as an adventure game addict, found a few new ones to check out like Alfred Hitchcock Vertigo and Blacksad: Under the Skin. The book also convinced me to try a few games that I had mistakenly thought were not for me like Return to Monkey Island and Broken Age. The last game discussed is Simon the Sorcerer Origins, which was released in 2023.
The History of the Adventure Video Game would make an excellent gift for the casual gamer in your life. If you are that gamer, check the book out for new games that you might enjoy. 4 stars!
Thanks to White Owl and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.