Help me remember the name to this adventure

[big brother]

Hi all,

I was thinking of an adventure game I played about 6 years ago (although it came out around the same time as Full Throttle did). It featured a hard-boiled private eye who narrated the story in a deadpan style characteristic of film noir. The game itself was first person and revolved around visiting places at the specific times (I don't remember being able to explore much, though you did have a few instances where you could find clues). The game had several endings. In your office, you could take a drink from the bottle in the desk drawer, and the detective narrator would recap the case (sometimes leading to a revelation).

Also, it was not FMV.

Any idea what game I'm talking about?

[Rui 'Trovatore' Pires]

Philip Marlowe: Private Eye. Rather unique graphical style, featured two plots: the original "The Little Sister" plot, derived from the Chandler book, and the alternate plot, where the motives and murderer were different - not as interesting.

Interesting game, but not for the casual gamer. It's one of those games that require you to actually "put something" into the gaming experience in order to get it back.

XP and such computers require the "Turbo" app, though, otherwise there's just not enough time before the police comes when you break into someone's house.

Also, DAMN it was frustrating not to know what you could take. Take too much evidence and the cops were onto you.

EDIT - And M0ds, using your moderating powers to delete your message is no fair!

EDIT 2 - http://www.the-underdogs.info/game.php?name=Private+Eye

[big brother]

Bingo! I should've just PMed you instead out posting.

Despite its flaws, I really enjoyed this one.

[DrewCCU]

that reminds me of a great game i used to love - i can't find my cd anymore but i wish i could find a place to download it:

Day of the Tentacle

[lo_res_man]

I remember reading that you can legaly downlaod emulaters, if you own the game for real. I think the same MIGHT apply to computer games

[Rui 'Trovatore' Pires]

How would that benefit you? If you have the game, what does it matter whether you can legally download it?

At any rate, that's just a spin-off of the whole Abandonware discussion, which has pretty much been done to death.

[lo_res_man]

I was typing to DrewCCU

[Rui 'Trovatore' Pires]

Ahhhh. Sorry, then.

[lo_res_man]

No harm, no foul

[DrewCCU]

yeah - i don't know how much truth there is to that but i have heard it before - of course it doesn't really matter if you owned the game or not really - the Illegal Downloading Police arent' gonna come bust through your door when you "illegally" download a game or something.

But the problem i'm having is i can't find anywhere to download an english version of the game (Day of the Tentacle) for free.

[LimpingFish]

And you probably won't. There was a site that "catalogued" every LucasArts and Sierra adventure, but it got a cease and desist recently.

LucasArts can come down heavy on any site, really, but it can be particulary heavy with sites that carry post-MI2 games.

And rightly so.

Seedy warez torrents are probably the only places you could get it.

[Linda]

Just a thought,

If we don't want the adventure genre to die out completely, shouldn't we start BUYING these games..?
(Day of the Tentacle is my all time favorite, so don't mess with it )
I know there's a 'retro game store' in Amsterdam (although to be honoust, it mainly has Nintendo and Atari games and consoles)... There will probably be one in most capitle cities.

Or try Ebay
Or one of those computer fairs, where you can buy games in packs (so you end up buying an 'adventure pack' with 3 terribly boring games and 5 of the greatest games you've ever played)

[LimpingFish]

Indeed, Linda, we should. And a lot of us do.

But getting games for nothing is a tempting offer, and when some games aren't readily available in stores (although, as I've stated in a previous thread, every LucasArts adventure, from Sam and Max onwards, is readily available) then downloading it from an abandonware site is what people generally do. It's their call, I guess.

And since we're on the topic, I'll do what I always do and pimp Abandonia.

A good, fair source of abandonware that complies with the ESA and monitors the status of games that can qualify as "honest" abandonware.

EDIT: And with the Sierra collections now in stores, a good portion of their games are readily available as well.

[lo_res_man]

I'll "pimp" abandonia too, they have a well put together, and well run, abandonware site. They also do well done reviews and all in all it feels quite pro. plus the disscussions are well moderated. as well  some nice litttle "extras" are often available. long live abandonia!

[DrewCCU]

i love adventrue games and i have no problem buying them - but my situation is i bought the game once already and since i'm slack lazy and keep up with it over the course of 11-12 years I need to find someone who will allow me to download MY game again ... for free. 

[MrColossal]

Well it's not going to happen here so stop asking, Drew.

[Helm]

If we don't want the adventure genre to die out completely, shouldn't we start BUYING these games..?

The adventure genre is alive and well. Lots of commercial games are being made by niche enthusiasts, for niche enthusiasts, and they largely suck. Buying the old good games will not help new good games exist.  It will just fuel this niche market with the substandard product we've been seeing since 1997 or so. The lack of vision and ability by today's studios is something that cannot be helped.

[Max]

While this thread is alive, I've got my own game who's name I'm struggling to remember..
I'm pretty sure it was a free game in which you play a blonde guy who's in a hurry to drive somewhere but runs out of gas/breaks down on a rural desert road at a quiet gas station.
You've then got to basically get his car working again.
Does this ring any bells?

[GarageGothic]

You're probably thinking of The Breakdown.

[Max]

Yes, that would be it! 
Thankee very much.