Non-linear adventure games

[Shagnak]

I've always wondered how many of these actually exist:

I know about Fahrenheit (called something else in some territories, can't remember).

According to MF, A Tale Of Two Kingdoms is another.

How many other notable examples are there?

(apologies if this topic already exists somewhere)

 

[Mayday]

Blade Runner?

 

[Elwro]

Post Mortem has some nonlinearity iirc, resulting sometimes in broken dialogues when your character speaks something he WOULD get to know if he went through the "other" branch :D

 

[Drunken Irishman]

Yeah, A Tale of Two Kingdoms is a great game. Just felt like saying it. It's also very pretty.

Apparently, Moby doesn't approve the way I used one of their screenshots, so I'll just link it instead.

Anyway, Quest for Glory series are non-linear adventure games.

And now I have mention my most favorite adventure game ever: Pandora Directive, it's story is shit, but it has good and evil paths to make Kotor jealous and a fantastic lead character. Also it has Richie Havens doing a song for it.

 

[Psycroptic]

I have no Mouth and I Must Scream.

 

[ecliptic]

Culpa Innata

 

[Humanophage]

Does The Last Express qualify?

 

[Section8]

Does The Last Express qualify?

I'd say yes. Depending on what you do and when you do it, you get different results. Works for me.

 

[ghostdog]

If we're talking about multiple ways to do things and multiple endings, Shadow of Destiny is one of them

 

[Longshanks]

Dark Earth has some non-linearity. It's been a while since I've played it, but I don't remember it being anything extensive.

Someone mentioned Culpa Innata, it does have some limited non-linearity. It's mostly about order of dialogues and missing some minor characters, but you can apparently bypass an important late game area and receive a modified ending.

Blade Runner certainly has a good level of non-linearity.

 

[avatar_58]

Blade Runner?

Surely you jest? Very little of what you do affects the ending, it's only one or two actions that trigger them (mostly in the last 10 minutes too). The rest of game you must do as you are told, and visit the scenes the game asks you to. It's very linear.

 

[Longshanks]

The story is mostly linear, except for the endings just as you say.
Though there are choices during the game which have local affects, which characters are replicants is randomised, some clues are locked out depending on your actions, there are also often multiple ways of triggering the next game event. Not all endings can be reached by choices in the last 10 minutes, you need to let Zuben live (very early in the game) for one of them for example.

It's not massively non-linear, but it does have a good level for an Adventure game.

 

[Jasede]

Blade Runner?

Surely you jest? Very little of what you do affects the ending, it's only one or two actions that trigger them (mostly in the last 10 minutes too). The rest of game you must do as you are told, and visit the scenes the game asks you to. It's very linear.

Surely you jest?

 

[avatar_58]

Don't call me shirley.

 

[Longshanks]

If you want a game which allows you to choose your progression path, rather than having game or end affecting choices, Discworld Noir allows for this as does Culpa Innata (though to a lesser degree).

For me, having multiple solutions, choices affecting the ending, or even more ideally affecting your progression is more satisfying than simply having the ability to choose the order of progression with most elements still being necessary, choice in progression with a good number of non-mandatory elements is also preferred to simple choice of order.

This article talks about plot structure, using Discworld Noir as an example of a threaded plot structure: http://aii.lgrace.com/documents/Scriptwriting for Games_Part_2_Parallel_OO.pdf

 

[Gylfi.Fenriz.Conquests]

Hey all

are in this criteria included those adventures that notwithstanding their linear story-progression, almost every puzzle has more than 2 possible outcomes, which in turn have numberless consequences in the on-going events, not to mention the endings (3 or 4)

In that case the game on my signature is one of those non-linear, and most Sierra games are too.

but the last express is an incredible masterpiece, I agree... way more non-linear.

Edit. If my signature worked, that is... *snort

 

[MetalCraze]

Blade Runner?

Surely you jest? Very little of what you do affects the ending

it was a bad joke

 

[Nameless0ne]

Yes, The Last Express and Shadow of Destiny are some of the best adventure games with non-linearity in it

 

[ghostdog]

Indiana Jones and the fate of Atlantis should also be mentioned. You get three different paths to follow, not long after you start the game. It's probably the only adventure game I've played 3 times.

 

[made]

Not really three different paths, rather three different ways to solve the same puzzle - brute force, brains, teamwork.

By the same token you could also mention Monkey Island 2, because the puzzles are slightly different depending on whether you play on hard or easy.

 

[Virtz]

Titanic: Adventure out of Time features 6 different endings, based on which of 3 objectives you were able to accomplish during the game. Besides that, I recall being able to move relatively freely around the ship and talk to people at will (for the short time I played it, since I don't really like first-person pre-rendered adventure games). It also featured some sub-plots.

 

[nik2008ofs]

I don't think that real-time gameplay in adventure games and non-linearity is the same thing, but if The Last Express qualifies, then so do Cruise for a Corpse and Laura Bow 1: The Colonel's Bequest.

For actual non-linearity, see Orion Burger and of course Discworld 1.

 

[Claw]

Don't call me shirley.

Hehe.

By the same token you could also mention Monkey Island 2, because the puzzles are slightly different depending on whether you play on hard or easy.

Well, what do we mean by non-linearity again? Monkey Island II is non-linear in the sense that especially after you leave Scabb Island you have a great deal of freedom in approaching different puzzles, i.e. you can aquire the map pieces in any order you want as far as I recall.


OMG Maniac Mansion! Didn't anyone mention that yet? Itt certainly belong here: Different ways to win the game with different characters, different outcomes etc.

 

[Midwinter]

While Gabriel Knight 3 has a very linear storyline, there are quite a few subplots and events that can only be explored when you're at at the right time at the right place. It's not exactly non-linear, but it definitely makes the game replayable.

Dark Earth has some non-linearity. It's been a while since I've played it, but I don't remember it being anything extensive.

Yes, Dark Earth has some basic non-linearity. You decide whether to kill certain characters or not, which has an impact on the story later on. Interaction with NPC's also depends on your level of poisoning. Underrated game, in my opinion.

 

[JarlFrank]

Yeah, A Tale of Two Kingdoms is a great game. Just felt like saying it. It's also very pretty.

Yeah, I wonder why nobody replied to the thread I made about the game way back. Very great adventure game, I'd even have paid for it if it weren't free.