Review - Dreamfall: The Longest Journey 3D adventure game

Keen gamers may or may not remember the original Longest Journey title, released to generally high praise from critics and fans of the adventure genre back in 2000. Dreamfall is a direct sequel, which means it has rather a lot to live up to.

After a brief prologue inspired by HP Lovecraft, the action switches to Zoe, a seemingly apathetic young woman who is suddenly thrust into the middle of a dangerous and fantastical intrigue.

In fact, as the game progresses, you'll end up playing as several characters across different worlds, both futuristic and medieval.

Production values are high and the overall presentation is very sleek. The storyline is probably the game's real highlight, since it goes way beyond the flimsy fight-off-an-evil-alien-force-type excuse for plot that most games appear to be based upon.

The script and voice acting, too, are a cut above the average game - although that's not saying very much. Zoe's teenage drone, for example, soon becomes mildly irritating.

Gameplay occasionally feels clunky and even a little dated. An attempt has been made to modernise the old point-and-click 2D approach to adventure gaming with the inclusion of third-person, action-type character controls.

By and large this works reasonably well, but it also includes rudimentary combat and stealth systems, neither of which are particularly well executed or, indeed, fun.

The biggest letdown is that the puzzling aspect has been greatly simplified, often reduced to little more than collecting a few items in order to progress.

Dreamfall looks quite pretty and has a great soundtrack. Fans of adventure games will undoubtedly gobble it up, given the genre's slim pickings these days.

The game certainly weaves a good yarn, but poses little in the way of a challenge and is occasionally a little frustrating to play.