Hi all,
Well its all over for another year.
Numbers were a little down on last year, and the gap at the top closed, but numbers 1 and 2 remain the same for about the fifth year in a row.
Number 3 changed, and quite a few recent releases did well - The Lost Crown in particular.
Secrets of Da Vinci was a notable drop from last year, and Keepsake did well despite that annoying voice
And Isabelle just keeps on keeping on
As usual a numeric and an alphabetical list follow. I have taken some liberties with names in the alphabetical list to try and get series together, but have tried to use actual titles in the numeric list. Alternate titles are listed where I know them.
Thanks to Chief who verified the count, and errors are all mine.
Finally, I now have a better idea which games to play next from my shelf - which is the whole point after all.
bye

55 Syberia
51 The Longest Journey
36 Grim Fandango
36 Syberia 2
32 Riven
30 Gabriel Knight: The Beast Within
29 The Lost Crown
28 Black Mirror
27 Keepsake
26 Dark Fall: The Journal
26 Sanitarium
26 Dreamfall
25 Still Life
24 Myst/RealMyst
22 Myst 3: Exile
21 Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers
20 Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars/Circle of Blood
20 Secret Files: Tunguska
19 AmerZone: The Explorer’s Legacy
19 Culpa Innata
19 Moment of Silence
19 Zork Nemesis
18 Runaway: A Road Adventure
18 Scratches
18 Tex Murphy: Pandora Directive
16 Nibiru
16 Zork Grand Inquisitor
15 Barrow Hill
15 The Secret of Monkey Island
15 Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened
14 Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned
14 Jack Keane
14 Uru Chronicles
14 Return to Mysterious Island
14 Shivers
13 Amber: Journeys Beyond
13 Aura: Fate of the Ages
13 Blackstone Chronicles
13 Darkness Within: In Pursuit of Loath Nolder
13 Day of the Tentacle
13 The Curse of Monkey Island
13 The Neverhood
13 Sherlock Holmes: Nemesis/vs Arsene Lupin
12 Black Dahlia
12 Broken Sword 2: The Smoking Mirror
12 Obsidian
12 Tex Murphy: Under a Killing Moon
11 80 Days
11 Riddle of the Sphinx: An Egyptian Adventure
11 Timelapse
10 Broken Sword 3: The Sleeping Dragon
10 Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis
10 Kings Quest 6: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow
10 Morpheus
10 Myst 4: Revelation
10 Mysterious Journey: Schizm
9 Atlantis 2: Beyond Atlantis
9 Dead Reefs
9 The Dig
9 Discworld
9 Discworld Noir
9 Dracula: Origin
9 Journeyman Project 3: Legacy of Time
9 Lighthouse: The Dark Being
9 Secrets of Da Vinci: The Forbidden Manuscript
9 Sentinel: Descendants in Time
8 Aura 2: The Sacred Rings
8 Runway 2: The Dream of the Turtle
8 Torin’s Passage
7 Alida: The Enigmatic Giant
7 Dracula Resurrection
7 Last Half of Darkness: Shadows of the Servants
7 Monkey Island 2: Le Chuck’s Revenge
7 Rhem
7 Sherlock Holmes: Case of the Rose Tattoo
6 Art of Murder: FBI Confidential
6 Discworld 2: Missing Presumed..?/Mortality Bytes
6 Echo: Secrets of the Lost Cavern
6 Journeyman Project 2: Buried in Time
6 Last Express, The
6 Mysterious Journey 2: Chameleon
6 Mystery of the Druids
6 Overclocked: A History of Violence
6 Phantasmagoria
6 Post Mortem
6 Riddle of Master Liu
6 Sherlock Holmes: Case of the Silver Earing
6 Simon the Sorcerer
5 Agatha Christie: And Then There Were None
5 Agatha Christe: Murder on the Orient Express
5 Agatha Christie: Evil Under the Sun
5 Ankh: Reverse the Curse
5 Bad Mojo/Bad Mojo Redux
5 Broken Sword 4: The Angel of Death/Secrets of the Ark
5 Byzantine: The Betrayal
5 East Side Story
5 Destination: Treasure Island
5 Faust: Seven Games of the Soul
5 Journey to the Centre of the Earth
5 Kings Quest 7: The Princeless Bride
5 Last Half of Darkness: Beyond the Spirit’s Eye
5 Legend of Kyrandia Book 1: Fables and Fiends
5 Paradise
5 Rhem 2: The Cave
5 Sam and Max Hit the Road
5 Secrets of Atlantis
5 Tex Murphy: Overseer
5 Zork: Return to Zork
4 7th Guest
4 AGON: The Lost Sword of Toledo
4 Anacapri: The Dream
4 Blade Runner
4 Daemonica
4 Dark Fall 2: Lights Out
4 Full Throttle
4 Nancy Drew: Curse of Blackmoor Manor
4 Nancy Drew: Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake
4 Nancy Drew: The Secret of Shadow Ranch
4 Nightlong: Union City Conspiracy
4 Perry Rhodan: Myth of the Illochim/ Immortals of Terra
4 Rama
4 Riddle of the Sphinx 2: The Omega Stone
4 Safecracker
4 Sam and Max: Season 1
4 Undercover: Operation Wintersun
3 Atlantis 3: The New World
3 AGON: The Mysterious Codex
3 Ankh 2: The Heart of Osiris
3 Azreal’s Tear
3 Belief and Betrayal
3 Cameron Files: Secret at Loch Ness
3 Conspiracies
3 Dark Eye, The
3 Diamonds in the Rough
3 Dracula: The Last Sanctuary
3 Flight of the Amazon Queen
3 Indigo Prophecy/Fahrenheit
3 Jack the Ripper
3 Laura Bow: The Dagger of Amon Ra
3 Loom
3 Lost in Time
3 Myst 5: End of Ages
3 Nancy Drew: Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon
3 Nancy Drew: Secret of the Old Clock
3 Rhem 3: The Secret Library
3 Safecracker 2006
3 Sam and Max: Season 2
3 Shadow of Destiny/Shadow of Memories
3 Shivers 2: Harvest of Souls
3 Tony Tough and the Night of the Roasted Moths
3 Traitors Gate
3 Twinsun’s Odyssey

2 A Quiet Weekend in Capri, Arthurs Knights: Tales of Chivalry, Beneath a Steel Sky, Cleopatra: Riddle of the Tomb/A Queen’s Destiny, Crystal Key 2: The Far Realm/Evany, CSI: 3 Dimensions of Murder, Deathgate, Eric the Unready, Frankenstein: Through the Eyes of a Monster, Ghost in the Sheet, Journeyman Project, Kings Quest 2: Romancing the Stone, Kings Quest 4: The Perils of Rosella, Kings Quest 5: Absence Makes the Heart Go Yonder, Legend of Kyrandia Book 2: The Hand of Fate, Limbo of the Lost, Martin Mystere: Operation Dorian Grey/Crime Stories, Messenger/Louvre: The Final Curse, Nancy Drew: Danger on Deception Island, Nancy Drew: Legend of the Crystal Skull, Nancy Drew: The White Wolf of Icicle Creek, Noir: A Shadowy Thriller, Nostrodamus: The Last Prophecy, Quest for Glory: So You Want to be a Hero, Quest for Glory 4: Shadows of Darkness, Quest for Glory 5: Dragon Fire, Shady Brook, Sherlock Holmes: Mystery of the Mummy, Simon the Sorcerer 2: The Lion, the Wizard and the Wardrobe, Temujin, Titanic: Adventure out of Time, Toonstruck, Touche: The Adventures of the Fifth Musketeer, Voyage/Journey to the Centre of the Moon, The Watchmaker,

1 3 Skulls of the Toltecs, 11th Hour, Adventure/Colossal Caves, Al Emmo and the Lost Dutchman’s Mine, Alfred Hitchcock: The Final Cut, Armed and Delerious/ Dementia, Aztec/The Sacred Amulet, Beyond Time, Biosys, Blue Ice, Call of Cthulu: Shadow of the Comet, Time Stand Still, Ceremony of Innocence, Chewy: Escape from F5, Chronomaster, Conquest of the Longbow, Cracking the Conspiracy, CSI: Miami, CSI: Dark Motives, Curse: The Eye of Isis, The Dame Was Loaded, Dark Side of the Moon, Déjà Vu, Delaware St John: Curse of Midnight Manor, Delaware St John: Town With No Name, Delaware St John: The Seacliff Tragedy, Dragon Riders of Pern, Dragonsphere, Dracula 3: Path of the Dragon, Duckman, Dust: A Tale of the Wired West. Eco Quest: The Search for Cetus, Ecstatica, Egypt 2: The Heliopolis Prophecy, The Egyptian Prophecy/The Fate of Ramses, Feeble Files, Freddy Pharkas: Frontier Pharmacist, Gilbert Goodmate and the Mushroom of Phungoria, Hitchcock: The Final Cut, Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy, Hotel Dusk: Room 215, I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream, Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine, Inherent Evil: The Haunted Hotel, Isabelle, Jessica Plunkenstein and the Düsseldorf Conspiracy, Kings Quest 3: To Heir is Human, Law and Order: Dead on the Money, Law and Order: Justice is Served, Leisure Suit Larry: Land of the Lounge Lizards, Leisure Suit Larry 6: Shape Up or Slip Out, Leisure Suit Larry 7: Love for Sail, Maniac Mansion, Missing: Since January/In Memoriam, Mummy: Tomb of the Pharoah, Uru live, Nancy Drew: Danger by Design, Nancy Drew: The Haunted Carousel, Nancy Drew: The Secret of the Scarlet Hand, Necronomicon: The Dawning of Darkness, Noctropolis, Out of Order, Pepper’s Adventure in Time, Phantasmagoria 2: A Puzzle of Flesh, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, Police Quest: Pursuit of the Death Angel, Portal, Quest for Glory 2: Trial by Fire, Quest for Glory 3: Wages of War, Rent a Hero, Ripper, Road to India: Between Hell and Nirvana, Salammbo: Battle for Carthage, Sam and Max: Freelance Police, Shannara, Shivah, Sinking Island, Starship Titanic, Space Bar, Stupid Invaders, System Shock, Tears of Betrayal, Timeline, Timescape: Journey to Pompeii/Pompeii: The Legend of Vesuvius, Traitors Gate 2: Cypher, Wrath of the Gods, Yoomurjak's Ring, Zak McKracken and the Alien Mind Benders

1 3 Skulls of the Toltecs
4 7th Guest
1 11th Hour
11 80 Days
2 A Quiet Weekend in Capri
1 Adventure/Colossal Caves
5 Agatha Christie: And Then There Were None
5 Agatha Christe: Murder on the Orient Express
5 Agatha Christie: Evil Under the Sun
3 AGON: The Mysterious Codex
4 AGON: The Lost Sword of Toledo
1 Al Emmo and the Lost Dutchman’s Mine
1 Alfred Hitchcock: The Final Cut
7 Alida: The Enigmatic Giant
13 Amber: Journeys Beyond
19 AmerZone: The Explorer’s Legacy
4 Anacapri: The Dream
5 Ankh: Reverse the Curse
3 Ankh 2: The Heart of Osiris
1 Armed and Delerious/ Dementia
6 Art of Murder: FBI Confidential
2 Arthurs Knights: Tales of Chivalry
9 Atlantis 2: Beyond Atlantis
3 Atlantis 3: The New World
13 Aura: Fate of the Ages
8 Aura 2: The Sacred Rings
3 Azreal’s Tear
1 Aztec/The Sacred Amulet
5 Bad Mojo/Bad Mojo Redux
15 Barrow Hill
3 Belief and Betrayal
2 Beneath a Steel Sky
1 Beyond Time
1 Biosys
12 Black Dahlia
28 Black Mirror
13 Blackstone Chronicles
4 Blade Runner
1 Blue Ice
20 Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars/Circle of Blood
12 Broken Sword 2: The Smoking Mirror
10 Broken Sword 3: The Sleeping Dragon
5 Broken Sword 4: The Angel of Death/Secrets of the Ark
5 Byzantine: The Betrayal
1 Call of Cthulu: Shadow of the Comet
3 Cameron Files: Secret at Loch Ness
1 Carol Reed: Time Stand Still
5 Carol Reed: East Side Story
1 Ceremony of Innocence
1 Chewy: Escape from F5
1 Chronomaster
2 Cleopatra: Riddle of the Tomb/A Queen’s Destiny
3 Conspiracies
1 Conquest of the Longbow
1 Cracking the Conspiracy
2 Crystal Key 2: The Far Realm/Evany
1 CSI: Miami
2 CSI: 3 Dimensions of Murder
1 CSI: Dark Motives
19 Culpa Innata
1 Curse: The Eye of Isis
4 Daemonica
1 Dame Was Loaded, The
3 Dark Eye, The
26 Dark Fall: The Journal
4 Dark Fall 2: Lights Out
13 Darkness Within: In Pursuit of Loath Nolder
1 Dark Side of the Moon
13 Day of the Tentacle
9 Dead Reefs
2 Deathgate
1 Déjà Vu
1 Delaware St John: Curse of Midnight Manor
1 Delaware St John: Town With No Name
1 Delaware St John: The Seacliff Tragedy
5 Destination: Treasure Island
3 Diamonds in the Rough
9 Dig, The
9 Discworld
6 Discworld 2: Missing Presumed..?/Mortality Bytes
9 Discworld Noir
1 Dragon Riders of Pern
1 Dragonsphere
7 Dracula Resurrection
3 Dracula 2: The Last Sanctuary
1 Dracula 3: Path of the Dragon
9 Dracula: Origin
1 Duckman
1 Dust: A Tale of the Wired West
6 Echo: Secrets of the Lost Cavern
1 Eco Quest: The Search for Cetus
1 Ecstatica
1 Egypt 2: The Heliopolis Prophecy
1 Egypt 3: The Egyptian Prophecy/The Fate of Ramses
2 Eric the Unready
5 Faust: Seven Games of the Soul
1 Feeble Files
3 Flight of the Amazon Queen
2 Frankenstein: Through the Eyes of a Monster
1 Freddy Pharkas: Frontier Pharmacist
4 Full Throttle
21 Gabriel Knight 1: Sins of the Fathers
30 Gabriel Knight 2: The Beast Within
14 Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned
2 Ghost in the Sheet
1 Gilbert Goodmate and the Mushroom of Phungoria
36 Grim Fandango
1 Hitchcock: The Final Cut
1 Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy
1 Hotel Dusk: Room 215
1 I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream
10 Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis
1 Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine
3 Indigo Prophecy/Fahrenheit
1 Inherent Evil: The Haunted Hotel
1 Isabelle
14 Jack Keane
3 Jack the Ripper
1 Jessica Plunkenstein and the Düsseldorf Conspiracy
2 Journeyman Project
6 Journeyman Project 2: Buried in Time
9 Journeyman Project 3: Legacy of Time
5 Journey to the Centre of the Earth
27 Keepsake
2 Kings Quest 2: Romancing the Stone
1 Kings Quest 3: To Heir is Human
2 Kings Quest 4: The Perils of Rosella
2 Kings Quest 5: Absence Makes the Heart Go Yonder
10 Kings Quest 6: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow
5 Kings Quest 7: The Princeless Bride
6 Last Express, The
7 Last Half of Darkness: Shadows of the Servants
5 Last Half of Darkness: Beyond the Spirit’s Eye
3 Laura Bow: The Dagger of Amon Ra
1 Law and Order: Dead on the Money
1 Law and Order: Justice is Served
5 Legend of Kyrandia Book 1: Fables and Fiends
2 Legend of Kyrandia Book 2: The Hand of Fate
1 Leisure Suit Larry: Land of the Lounge Lizards
1 Leisure Suit Larry 6: Shape Up or Slip Out
1 Leisure Suit Larry 7: Love for Sail
9 Lighthouse: The Dark Being
2 Limbo of the Lost
51 Longest Journey, The
26 Longest Journey 2: Dreamfall
3 Loom
29 Lost Crown, The
3 Lost in Time
1 Maniac Mansion
2 Martin Mystere: Operation Dorian Grey/Crime Stories
2 Messenger/Louvre: The Final Curse
1 Missing: Since January/In Memoriam
15 Monkey Island 1: The Secret of Monkey Island
7 Monkey Island 2: Le Chuck’s Revenge
13 Monkey Island 3: Curse of Monkey Island
19 Moment of Silence
10 Morpheus
1 Mummy: Tomb of the Pharoah
24 Myst/RealMyst
32 Myst 2: Riven
22 Myst 3: Exile
10 Myst 4: Revelation
3 Myst 5: End of Ages
14 Myst: Uru Chronicles
1 Myst: Uru live
10 Mysterious Journey: Schizm
6 Mysterious Journey 2: Chameleon
6 Mystery of the Druids
4 Nancy Drew: Curse of Blackmoor Manor
2 Nancy Drew: Danger on Deception Island
1 Nancy Drew: Danger by Design
1 Nancy Drew: The Haunted Carousel
3 Nancy Drew: Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon
2 Nancy Drew: Legend of the Crystal Skull
4 Nancy Drew: Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake
1 Nancy Drew: The Secret of the Scarlet Hand
4 Nancy Drew: The Secret of Shadow Ranch
3 Nancy Drew: Secret of the Old Clock
2 Nancy Drew: The White Wolf of Icicle Creek
1 Necronomicon: The Dawning of Darkness
13 Neverhood
16 Nibiru
4 Nightlong: Union City Conspiracy
1 Noctropolis
2 Noir: A Shadowy Thriller
2 Nostrodamus: The Last Prophecy
12 Obsidian
1 Out of Order
6 Overclocked: A History of Violence
5 Paradise
1 Pepper’s Adventure in Time
4 Perry Rhodan: Myth of the Illochim/ Immortals of Terra
6 Phantasmagoria
1 Phantasmagoria 2: A Puzzle of Flesh
1 Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
1 Police Quest: Pursuit of the Death Angel
1 Portal
6 Post Mortem
2 Quest for Glory: So You Want to be a Hero
1 Quest for Glory 2: Trial by Fire
1 Quest for Glory 3: Wages oif War
2 Quest for Glory 4: Shadows of Darkness
2 Quest for Glory 5: Dragon Fire
4 Rama
1 Rent a Hero
14 Return to Mysterious Island
7 Rhem
5 Rhem 2: The Cave
3 Rhem 3: The Secret Library
6 Riddle of Master Liu
11 Riddle of the Sphinx: An Egyptian Adventure
4 Riddle of the Sphinx 2: The Omega Stone
1 Ripper
1 Road to India: Between Hell and Nirvana
18 Runaway: A Road Adventure
8 Runway 2: The Dream of the Turtle
4 Safecracker
3 Safecracker 2006
1 Salammbo: Battle for Carthage
5 Sam and Max Hit the Road
1 Sam and Max: Freelance Police
4 Sam and Max: Season 1
3 Sam and Max: Season 2
26 Sanitarium
18 Scratches
20 Secret Files: Tunguska
9 Secrets of Da Vinci: The Forbidden Manuscript
5 Secrets of Atlantis
9 Sentinel: Descendants in Time
3 Shadow of Destiny/Shadow of Memories
2 Shady Brook
1 Shannara
7 Sherlock Holmes: Case of the Rose Tattoo
2 Sherlock Holmes: Mystery of the Mummy
6 Sherlock Holmes: Case of the Silver Earing
15 Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened
13 Sherlock Holmes: Nemesis/vs Arsene Lupin
1 Shivah
14 Shivers
3 Shivers 2: Harvest of Souls
6 Simon the Sorcerer
2 Simon the Sorcerer 2: The Lion, the Wizard and the Wardrobe
1 Sinking Island
1 Space Bar
1 Starship Titanic
25 Still Life
1 Stupid Invaders
55 Syberia
36 Syberia 2
1 System Shock
1 Tears of Betrayal
2 Temujin
12 Tex Murphy: Under a Killing Moon
18 Tex Murphy: Pandora Directive
5 Tex Murphy: Overseer
11 Timelapse
1 Timeline
1 Timescape, Journey to Pompeii/Pompeii: The Legend of Vesuvius
2 Titanic: Adventure out of Time
3 Tony Tough and the Night of the Roasted Moths
2 Toonstruck
8 Torin’s Passage
2 Touche: The Adventures of the Fifth Musketeer
3 Traitors Gate
1 Traitors Gate 2: Cypher
3 Twinsun’s Odyssey
4 Undercover: Operation Wintersun
2 Voyage/Journey to the Centre of the Moon
2 Watchmaker, The
1 Wrath of the Gods
1 Yoomurjak's Ring
1 Zak McKracken and the Alien Mind Benders
16 Zork Grand Inquisitor
19 Zork Nemesis
5 Zork: Return to Zork

Thanks Flotsam

Awesome! Thanks flotsam. I was really hoping that more new ones would enter into the top ten, but I am glad that The Lost Crown made it.

Ana

Thank you so much, flotsam!

Fascinating results this year. A real surprise to see Grim Fandango jump so high up in the list. But whatever happened to Tunguska?! It did so well last year.

I think 80 Days climbed a few places this year.

Thank you very much flotsam! I love seeing the list every year and figuring out what to play next.

Thanks for all your hard work, flotsam! I always enjoy reading everyone's favorites!

Thanks flotsam! I'm printing it up now to gaze at it in admiration and analyze it to my heart's content.

Just wanted to add my thanks Flotsam! This was the first time I voted. It was a lot of fun to compile my list and see how my picks did.

flotsom,

Interesting results as always. I see Loom got 1 more vote than it did last year.

Thanks much for all the time and effort you put into this.

A suggestion for next year: If you request an alphabetical list, maybe you could specify how you'd like it done. I noticed there were several different ways people did this.

Again,

Jema

Hi flotsam

Thanks for another great job !!

And very much appreciated

Cheers.

Mad

Thanks everyone - I will keep it up till Isabelle gets more than one vote!!

Ah, but that means we have to find it to play it! But I understand the sentiment, was so glad to see that Touche got another vote besides mine.
Thanks so much for all your work - such a wonderful resource and a lot of fun too.

Well done Flotsum and thanks for all your hard work. I wonder if some of the new games do not get votes because, at this time, they are not avalable in all countries? The Lost Crown will not be released in the UK until 18 July.

Thanks, Flotsam. A huge amount of work and so appreciated. Always interesting to see how the list shifts each year and how some of my REALLY old favorites continue to hang in there.

Thank you flotsam! It was good to see some new games in there! .

Oops, I didn't vote this year, but will next year.
Impressed with all the work and time you've spent doing this Flotsam. Thank you

Thanks, flotsam, for taking the time to do this for Game Boomers.

It is much appreciated...!!!!

We all look forward to the vote every year ....

OH WOW! This is soooo helpful, handy, awesome!
Thanx so much for doing this! Now, I can re-organize
my game shelves.

Thanks so much Flotsam, this list is one of the things that has really enhanced my Game playing, I look at it from time to time over the last few years, to pick games, I have not been disappointed, thanks so much for doing this, I am playing today, yet another recommended Game from some of the GameBoomers, top 20
Favorites and Recommendations..
THANKS AGAIN, and it was fun to add mine also...
Marcia

Thanks Flotsam for the great job

Love Maria

55 Syberia
51 The Longest Journey
36 Grim Fandango
36 Syberia 2
32 Riven
30 Gabriel Knight: The Beast Within
29 The Lost Crown
28 Black Mirror
27 Keepsake
26 Dark Fall: The Journal

I guess these are the top 10 games for this year?

Looking at the ten games I realise at least 5 of the games are no longer readily available on the market and must be bought second hand or exchanged. GK2 and Riven are practically vintage games by now and yet they still rule the top ten. Where does it leave room for newer excellent games like Sherlock Holmes Nemesis? Furthermore, it is a lot of work to do such a collation every year. Perhaps the list could be narrowed down to games within the last 2-3 years. Once in 3 or 4 years then we do a best games of all time list like this one. In this way our lists will be more practical for people who can and will only buy the latest games available on the market.

Hi Benedict --

You can buy the Syberia Collector's Edition, which is a re-release of Syberia I and II at Interact CD. You can also readily purchase Dark Fall: The Journal, Keepsake, Black Mirror (jewel case version), The Lost Crown, and The Longest Journey at Interact (TLJ was re-released and updated for Win XP a couple of years ago). You can purchase the Myst 10th Anniversary DVD Edition, which includes Riven, on Amazon.

I recently purchased Grim Fandango from GoGamer as a gift, though the recipient had a terrible time getting it to run.

Becky,

Many of these games are more than 7-10 years old. GK2 was released in 1995. Some of them like Pandora Directive can no longer be played on a brand new computer system with xp without heavy system tweaking.

On the other hand, almost all old games from before year 2000 will play on any fairly recent computer (4 years old and sometimes even older) if you are determined to play them and get DOSBox or Virtual PC working. That isn't true of newer games, where nothing short of buying new parts or an entire new computer will get some of them running -- which is beyond some peoples' budgets.

Hi

In any case, what has the age of a game got to do with how good it is if many people enjoy playing it and consider it to be worthy ??

I think what is really noticeable about flotsam's finished collation is the absolute variety.

Cheers.

Mad

Hi Mad

Yes we all know that these old games are good, and every year we look at the same old games and they are still good. And it is the same old game that rules the charts. But why do we need to look at the same old games every year? We should give the new games a chance. The old games should step down from the charts and be honoured separate category - the hall of fame. They should not be competing with new games from young developers.

Hi Jenny
I have indeed tried to run many old games -I find that many will still not work properly on XP or Dosbox despite tweaking. The issue here is more than just being able to get old games to work. I have an old PC here that can run the old games, but at the moment I am not playing them, because I already know their stories and I have played them several rounds already. I want to play NEW games, to see how technology has made these games better in terms of graphics and speed, and I want something fresh. i think gamers should have a choice whether they want to play vintage games or new games. By having a separate list for new games it will give a chance for new games to be appreciated and recommended to gamers who want to play new games.

Hi Benedict

But why do we need to look at the same old games every year? We should give the new games a chance ....

Everyone is free to look at whichever games they wish to look at.

I want to play NEW games, to see how technology has made these games better in terms of graphics and speed, and I want
something fresh. i think gamers should have a choice whether they want to play vintage games or new games.

Gamers do have a choice. They make their own choice.
And nobody is stopping you from looking at "something fresh" if that's what you want to do.
You make YOUR own choice.

What the list is doing is recording peoples' preferences. It's not dictating to anyone which game they have to play.

Cheers.

Mad

Pandora Directive and Gabriel Knight don't take more than ten minutes to get running in DOSBox on my new dual-core Windows XP. I find them far less problematic, for example, than trying to get some of the early Windows games running on my computer, some of which won't run at all; that's why Virtual PC is going to be my next step.

Benedict,
The Twisty List is recommended adventure games of all time. If you've already played all the old ones and want something new, how is that different from having played all the new ones and looking for an older one you haven't played? Maybe you've played every single older game on the list, but not everyone has.

If you want a list that is restricted to newer games, it complicates the tallying. Where is the cutoff point for new games? 1 year? 2 years? 3 years? What about a game that was released in one part of the world a year before it was released in another? What about games that are out in Europe but still haven't been released in the US? And even if you can decide that for yourself, how do you explain it to everyone who is voting? People will buy a game they've never seen in the shop before and think it's new, when in fact it was first published over 5 years ago and the shop got it in as an overstock. So then you have the problem with some people following the instructions and other people not because of confusion about the release date. Do you throw out all the votes that don't fit your definition of new? Do you let the people who voted for something too old change their votes to something more recent? If you allow a borderline game for one person, do you allow other people to change their votes once they realize that game is allowed? How many votes do you give people? If you give them 20 votes each, you run the risk of getting a list of all recent games published instead of recent recommended games.

But if you want to start your own recommended recent games thread, and tally the results yourself, feel free. Just be aware that it's a lot of work and the end result won't suit everyone anyway.

Thanks again flotsam! it was a real gas to see where my faves placed, as usual, and to be reminded of games I want to play but haven't got round to yet!

We really appreciate your doing this every year!

WW

Jenny,

It is up to the person running the survey to define the parameters of the survey. With some thought all these issues CAN be dealt with.

In fact I DO appreciate the effort that Flotsam has put in to finalise the List. I'm proposing that we can do the list in another way, that is in my opinion more practical, more selective and possibly less tedious, but requires some careful planning and a change of style of doing things.

Just like most people here in this forum, I am for supporting the adventure game industry. These suggestions are made with the benefit of the AG industry in mind. If the regulars and the moderators here feel that this is not the direction to take, I can respect that.

Hi all,
What I will do is produce a few filtered lists reflecting some of the above.
Jenny is right, but give me a few days and I will have something done.

Hi Flotsam,

Perhaps you should take a break. I think you have already put in a lot of time and effort for this first list. This filtered list could be next year's project.

Poor Flotsam.
Just when you thought you were finished...

Here Here...I Totally agree ...Out with the Old on with the NEW...It's time

I am of the Catagory Jenny mentioned, I have done many recent games, but because I have come back to gaming after being gone almost 12 years, there is a whole section of games, I am going back and picking up, without this list, I would be lost, this list and the GREAT REVIEWS with it.
I have had a blast in the last few years, going back and playing some that are considered old to some, I Loved playing Grim Fandango, for ONE this year...
what I cant find on the store shelf, I usually can find in the Trade forum, I am just GRATEFUL FOR IT , and AM Glad for the oldies but goodies listed...
Marcia

Hi Darleen2003

"Here Here...I Totally agree ...Out with the Old on with the NEW...It's time "

As far as I'm concerned, that's just not what the spirit of flotsam's list was about when it was devised.
It was to give people the opportunity of saying which games (out of all those they had played) they had enjoyed the most and would recommend.
And that information is what flotsam still very kindly collates for us each year.

Perhaps those who wish to restrict such a list to only more recently released games should go about it themselves ??

Cheers.

Mad

Well said Jenny. I would hope the list remains the same. There are so many new players that are informed all the time about newer games, but older games don't have the same coverage. Newer game lists can be found in many places, but the list here has been a wonderful tradition of mixing the new and the old. I sure appreciate that Flotsam has put up with us all this time!

Perhaps you are right Benedict!
So a quick rejig, limiting it to 3 votes and above, gets you the following:


Games 2000-2008

55 Syberia
36 Syberia 2
29 The Lost Crown
28 Black Mirror
27 Keepsake
26 Dark Fall: The Journal
26 Dreamfall
25 Still Life
22 Myst 3: Exile
20 Secret Files: Tunguska
19 Culpa Innata
18 Runaway: A Road Adventure
15 Barrow Hill
15 Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened
19 Moment of Silence
18 Scratches
16 Nibiru
14 Jack Keane
14 Uru Chronicles
14 Return to Mysterious Island
13 Aura: Fate of the Ages
13 Darkness Within: In Pursuit of Loath Nolder
13 Sherlock Holmes: Nemesis/vs Arsene Lupin
11 80 Days
11 Riddle of the Sphinx: An Egyptian Adventure
10 Broken Sword 3: The Sleeping Dragon
10 Myst 4: Revelation
10 Mysterious Journey: Schizm
9 Dead Reefs
9 Dracula: Origin
9 Secrets of Da Vinci: The Forbidden Manuscript
9 Sentinel: Descendants in Time
8 Aura 2: The Sacred Rings
8 Runway 2: The Dream of the Turtle
7 Alida: The Enigmatic Giant
7 Dracula Resurrection
7 Last Half of Darkness: Shadows of the Servants
7 Rhem
6 Art of Murder: FBI Confidential
6 Echo: Secrets of the Lost Cavern
6 Mysterious Journey 2: Chameleon
6 Mystery of the Druids
6 Overclocked: A History of Violence
6 Post Mortem
6 Sherlock Holmes: Case of the Silver Earing
5 Agatha Christie: And Then There Were None
5 Agatha Christe: Murder on the Orient Express
5 Agatha Christie: Evil Under the Sun
5 Ankh: Reverse the Curse
5 Broken Sword 4: The Angel of Death/Secrets of the Ark
5 East Side Story
5 Destination: Treasure Island
5 Journey to the Centre of the Earth
5 Last Half of Darkness: Beyond the Spirit’s Eye
5 Paradise
5 Rhem 2: The Cave
5 Secrets of Atlantis
4 AGON: The Lost Sword of Toledo
4 Anacapri: The Dream
4 Daemonica
4 Dark Fall 2: Lights Out
4 Nancy Drew: Curse of Blackmoor Manor
4 Nancy Drew: Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake
4 Nancy Drew: The Secret of Shadow Ranch
4 Perry Rhodan: Myth of the Illochim/ Immortals of Terra
4 Riddle of the Sphinx 2: The Omega Stone
4 Sam and Max: Season 1
4 Undercover: Operation Wintersun
3 Atlantis 3: The New World
3 AGON: The Mysterious Codex
3 Ankh 2: The Heart of Osiris
3 Belief and Betrayal
3 Cameron Files: Secret at Loch Ness
3 Conspiracies
3 Diamonds in the Rough
3 Dracula: The Last Sanctuary
3 Indigo Prophecy/Fahrenheit
3 Jack the Ripper
3 Myst 5: End of Ages
3 Nancy Drew: Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon
3 Nancy Drew: Secret of the Old Clock
3 Rhem 3: The Secret Library
3 Safecracker 2006
3 Sam and Max: Season 2
3 Shadow of Destiny/Shadow of Memories

Games 2005-2008

29 The Lost Crown
27 Keepsake
26 Dreamfall
25 Still Life
20 Secret Files: Tunguska
19 Culpa Innata
15 Barrow Hill
15 Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened
18 Scratches
16 Nibiru
14 Jack Keane
13 Darkness Within: In Pursuit of Loath Nolder
13 Sherlock Holmes: Nemesis/vs Arsene Lupin
11 80 Days
9 Dead Reefs
9 Dracula: Origin
9 Secrets of Da Vinci: The Forbidden Manuscript
8 Aura 2: The Sacred Rings
8 Runway 2: The Dream of the Turtle
7 Last Half of Darkness: Shadows of the Servants
6 Art of Murder: FBI Confidential
6 Echo: Secrets of the Lost Cavern
6 Overclocked: A History of Violence
5 Agatha Christie: And Then There Were None
5 Agatha Christe: Murder on the Orient Express
5 Agatha Christie: Evil Under the Sun
5 Ankh: Reverse the Curse
5 Broken Sword 4: The Angel of Death/Secrets of the Ark
5 East Side Story
5 Destination: Treasure Island
5 Last Half of Darkness: Beyond the Spirit’s Eye
5 Paradise
5 Rhem 2: The Cave
5 Secrets of Atlantis
4 AGON: The Lost Sword of Toledo
4 Anacapri: The Dream
4 Daemonica
4 Perry Rhodan: Myth of the Illochim/ Immortals of Terra
4 Sam and Max: Season 1
4 Undercover: Operation Wintersun
3 AGON: The Mysterious Codex
3 Ankh 2: The Heart of Osiris
3 Belief and Betrayal
3 Conspiracies
3 Diamonds in the Rough
3 Dracula: The Last Sanctuary
3 Indigo Prophecy/Fahrenheit
3 Myst 5: End of Ages
3 Nancy Drew: Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon
3 Nancy Drew: Secret of the Old Clock
3 Rhem 3: The Secret Library
3 Safecracker 2006
3 Sam and Max: Season 2

I appreciate its imperfect, given that it takes no account of the games that might have received additional recommendations if eg games pre 2000 had been excluded from the initial vote, but if you want to focus on new games in terms of a play list it gives you that to a certain degree.
Plus, as I previously indicated, we have increased the number of votes from 10 to 20 over the years to take account of the growing catalogue of games. If we were going to limit it to, say, 2005 and above, we would likely reduce the votes back down to 15 or even 10, which makes these lists a little less unreal.
If I was an adventure newbie, I reckon I would want a list that included more rather than less, and to which I could apply my own filters, but thats just me.
I am not sure that there are too many games worth playing that aren't on the list at all, and if you apply the reasoning that they must all be worth your attention to some extent given that at least someone thought to recommend every game from all those that they had played, then perhaps you don't need much else.
But we can discuss tweaking the parameters prior to next year, and then proceed in accordance with the consensus.

flotsam,

Thank you for doing all this work. We really appreciate it.
We can keep the way the List is done and leave the interpretations to the members. They have the statistics and can analyze it to their hearts content.
It is next to impossible to please everyone.

Thanks flotsam!

Thanks flotsam. You are a spreadsheet master. I am copying the filtered list for my own buying reference.

We can discuss this again next year and then decide how to do The List 2009. Once possible way to avoid nominations of games outside the release date range is to provide a list of candidates for the members to vote upon. We could ask the addicts with BAAG to help.



I am copying the filtered list for my own reference.

Benedict, didn't you just see what MaG wrote? The list is going to remain the same, and you can continue to interpret as you wish from it in the years to come.

flotsam-- thank you for all your effort in the making of this list. I for one LOVE it-- I am only a few years into the gaming world and have relied on these lists to get me started in picking games I would play. I like knowing how the new ones stack up against the old ones- and have bought most of the old ones to play in the future while keeping up with the newer ones. I am a busy player right now. I think also this gives the makers of the games an idea of what we like--- if it is the older ones- they need to know this. There are some games I am struggling with getting to play- but I consider that when picking them up and feel it is another part of the gaming experience. I have had a lot of fun working with a fellow player learning new ways to tweak the computers I have.
Again--THANK YOU-- I appreciate it.

nickie

I DID see what she wrote. I'm saying we can discuss this again next year. For now, I have said enough.

Benedict,

I think administrative decisions for this forum best be left to the administrators. Thanks.

Many thanks winfrey, and glad that it has helped.

Thanks again flotsam for all your efforts!

I'm glad that there will be no changes to voting parameters next year. (Thanks Mag ) Limiting them, I feel, would lead to a less representational list of best/most recommended AG games.