Adam's Venture Chronicles
- August 3, 2015
- Vertigo Games
- 6h median play time
Kids, casual gamers, and those interested in religion will enjoy Adam's Venture: Chronicles. The rest of us, programmed for debauchery and destruction, should probably stick to the games in our wheelhouse.
"Adam's Venture Chronicles" is an adventure game set in the 1920s, where you play as the renowned explorer Adam Venture. With the help of your accomplice Evelyn, you will solve puzzles, overcome platform challenges, and uncover ancient mysteries, all while outsmarting the evil Clairvoix Corporation. The game features beautiful locations and puts you in a race between good and evil to save the world.
Reviews
- The game features a variety of puzzles that can be both challenging and satisfying, appealing to fans of puzzle-solving.
- The historical settings and attention to detail in visuals create an immersive atmosphere that enhances the adventure experience.
- The game is accessible to newcomers while still offering depth for experienced players, making it suitable for a wide audience.
- The game suffers from numerous bugs and glitches, particularly with the jumping mechanic and collision detection, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- The storyline and character development are often criticized as simplistic and unengaging, with dialogue that can be cringe-worthy.
- The game is relatively short, and many players feel it does not justify its price, recommending it only during sales.
- story102 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The story of "Adam's Venture: Chronicles" features a charismatic protagonist, Adam Venture, who embarks on an adventure through historically rich landscapes, drawing comparisons to Indiana Jones. While some players appreciate the quirky and light-hearted narrative, many criticize it for being clichéd, simplistic, and poorly executed, with repetitive dialogue and lackluster character development. Overall, the game offers a moderate story that may appeal to younger audiences or those seeking a casual puzzle experience, but it falls short for players looking for depth and complexity.
“The protagonist, Adam Venture, is a charismatic explorer whose quests lead players through beautifully recreated historical landscapes.”
“The attention to detail in both visuals and storyline immerses players in a world brimming with enigma and adventure.”
“In summary, Adam's Venture: Chronicles is a testament to the power of immersive storytelling in gaming.”
“The puzzles are partially okay but mostly repetitively frustrating; the story, writing, art design, game mechanics, sound direction - especially the inconsistent dialogue volumes and abysmal voice acting - are all an absolute disgrace.”
“Beyond that, however, if you're looking for challenging puzzles and/or a well-written story and characters, you'll likely be disappointed by their simplicity and one-dimensional personalities.”
“The game doesn't have much of a story; it is mostly running you around through some tunnels and solving some simple puzzles.”
- graphics76 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that they are dated and reminiscent of early console titles, yet some find them charming and fitting for the game's nostalgic style. While certain aspects, like lighting and environmental detail, are praised, overall, the visuals are often described as sub-par, with many suggesting they could benefit from significant improvements. Despite the criticisms, a few players appreciate the unique aesthetic and the effort put into the graphics by a small development team.
“The attention to detail in both visuals and storyline immerses players in a world brimming with enigma and adventure.”
“Also, the graphics of the environment look great with the Unreal Engine, even if they are a bit outdated now.”
“...fairly good graphics with vivid colors.”
“Horrible graphics even for 2015, looks like a PS1 game when the system first launched.”
“Graphics and animations are sub-par as hell and would barely be fine for a mobile game.”
“Game is awful, very buggy, not funny, unbelievable narrative (yeah, the holy book references do not save you here devs), even so-so graphics are not that charming + bad voice over and short short game.”
- gameplay52 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Adam's Venture Chronicles" is characterized by its simplistic and linear design, featuring numerous puzzles that range from easy to moderately challenging. While the integration of historical elements adds depth, players frequently encounter frustrating bugs and glitches, particularly with the jump mechanic, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite its casual appeal and nostalgic adventure game feel, many reviewers suggest that the game is best enjoyed at a discounted price due to its dated mechanics and repetitive nature.
“One of the game's standout features is its ability to seamlessly integrate history with gameplay, making learning an enjoyable aspect of the experience.”
“The picturesque environments and meticulously designed set pieces add an extra layer of depth to the gameplay.”
“With its blend of history, puzzles, and engaging gameplay, it's a must-play for fans of adventure games and anyone seeking a journey through time.”
“Gameplay - think of the older Tomb Raiders, but remove the fluid motions and lack of solid foundation... want to climb that ladder... enjoy flying 30 feet into the air and back across the screen... want to make a simple jump across a ledge... enjoy jumping too high, hitting the wall and getting stuck there... the game requires precise movements and actions, but the bugs and glitches mean it's like throwing a coin into the air... will you climb the ladder to cross the open door before it closes or get stuck crouching for 20 seconds until the door closes... only the game's buggy coding will decide.”
“The puzzles are partially okay but mostly repetitive; story, writing, art design, game mechanics, sound direction - especially all over the place dialogue volumes and even more so abysmal voice acting - are all an absolute disgrace.”
“The controls are really irritating and the only reason it shows as hours more gameplay than I've actually done is because you can't save and exit.”
- humor42 mentions
- 90 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding it genuinely entertaining while others criticize it as cheap and poorly executed. The voice acting, particularly that of the main character Adam Venture, elicits both laughter and frustration due to its awkwardness and sexist undertones. While some moments and animations can be amusing, the overall dialogue and humor often fall flat, leading to a tedious experience for many players.
“At first I thought the characters were funny in a 'oh look how wonky their acting is' kind of way, but actually it turned out to be more of a genuine 'ah man, this is great!' kind of way.”
“A lot of it is owed strictly to Adam Venture's voice actor who manages to take the value brand Nathan Drake idea and make him actually entertaining to listen to, whether it's him making genuinely funny comments on the weather, saying something absolutely absurd about his partner Evelyn, or saying lines towards the villains of each game that would make a B-movie script writer groan.”
“Evelyn, his companion character, shows that she has much more common sense and the contrast is actually pretty funny.”
“Game is awful, very buggy, not funny, unbelievable narrative (yeah, the holy book references do not save you here, devs), even so-so graphics are not that charming + bad voice over and short game.”
“Sexist, unfunny main character and soooo... boring!”
- stability18 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The stability of "Adam Venture Chronicles" is heavily criticized, with numerous reports of bugs and glitches that significantly hinder gameplay. Players experience issues such as erratic jumping mechanics and unresponsive triggers, leading to frustrating moments that detract from the overall experience. While some find it nostalgic, the overwhelming presence of technical problems makes it difficult to recommend.
“Gameplay - think of the older Tomb Raiders, but remove the fluid motions and lack of solid foundation... want to climb that ladder? Enjoy flying 30 feet into the air and back across the screen. Want to make a simple jump across a ledge? Enjoy jumping too high, hitting the wall, and getting stuck there. The game requires precise movements and actions, but the bugs and glitches mean it's like throwing a coin into the air. Will you climb the ladder to cross the open door before it closes or get stuck crouching for 20 seconds until the door closes? Only the game's buggy coding will decide.”
“I simply can't recommend this game. It really shouldn't exist. If they had just put the three single games into one and left out the additional bugs, glitches, and bad programming, I'd say go for it. With this far inferior product, it makes you wonder why they removed the original games which seemed to work nearly flawlessly.”
“Game is awful, very buggy, not funny, unbelievable narrative (yeah, the holy book references do not save you here, devs). Even so-so graphics are not that charming, plus bad voice over and a very short game.”
- music16 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its fitting soundtrack and atmospheric quality, enhancing the overall experience. While some users noted that the sound and music are merely "okay," others highlighted the soundtrack as amazing and well-suited to the game's comedic and cinematic moments. However, there were mixed feelings about specific musical puzzles, with one being deemed illogical by some players.
“A fun puzzle game with lots of comedy, pretty cinematic moments, and an amazing soundtrack.”
“The soundtrack is also fitting to the game and the voice acting isn't as bad as you could expect.”
“The music and atmosphere are good.”
“Most egregious is the musical puzzle shown at 33 seconds in the trailer.”
“I think only one puzzle (music puzzle in the Garden of Eden) was illogical to me, and that might be due to myself not knowing certain myths from the Bible.”
“Graphics are old even when the game was released; sound and music are okay too.”
- atmosphere8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the game is widely praised for its fantastic scenery and effective music, contributing to an immersive experience. Many players appreciate the mysterious tone, particularly in the "eden story," which enhances the overall ambiance.
“The music and atmosphere are good.”
“The scenery is fantastic and the atmosphere is great.”
“I largely prefer the atmosphere in the Eden story; it's more mysterious.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviewers overwhelmingly describe the grinding aspect of the game as tedious and monotonous, lacking engaging story or dialogue to alleviate the repetitive nature of the tasks. Many express frustration with the need to repeatedly attempt the same actions, leading to a sense of disappointment rather than enjoyment. Overall, the grinding is seen as a chore rather than a fun or rewarding experience.
“The reviewers that called this tedious and monotonous were the ones who got it right.”
“Worst part being, it's not fun, only tedious.”
“It's stuff like this that will send you reeling in disappointment. With no real solid story or funny dialogue to drive it forward, it becomes a tedious and monotonous task of trying, trying again, cursing, trying again, jerking the controller in the air, timing your next button push, trying again, praying to the timing gods that this is the time it will happen, trying again, hearing the same dialogue for the umpteenth time, and if the stars align, you will be treated to a cut scene, then dragged to endure more and more until the end.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users note that the challenging nature of the final puzzles contributes to the game's replayability, suggesting that players may return to experience the difficulty again.
“The last puzzles were difficult enough; I'd say they have some replay value.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Players have noted significant improvements in optimization, particularly in the third chapter, where the game runs smoothly on high settings compared to earlier chapters that struggled even on medium settings, despite meeting the recommended system requirements.
“The graphics got better optimized in the third chapter, as it ran smoothly on my machine with the highest settings, while the first chapter was faltering on medium. My machine definitely meets the recommended system requirements.”
“The optimization in the later chapters significantly improved my gaming experience, allowing for smoother gameplay even on high settings.”
“I noticed a remarkable improvement in performance as the game progressed, with later chapters running flawlessly compared to earlier ones.”
“The optimization in this game is a mess; I constantly experience frame drops and stuttering, even on lower settings.”
“Despite having a high-end PC, the game struggles to maintain a stable frame rate, which is frustrating during intense gameplay.”
“The optimization feels rushed; there are frequent crashes and long loading times that ruin the overall experience.”