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Specifically, I am more interested in point and click adventure games, but really, any names would do. Sometimes when I look to find something I haven't played yet, it turns out to be something you literally can't play on a modern system (not even through emulation) and/or it's not on sale anywhere (the latter is much more common than the former).

So, I was wondering if people around here had some favourites or at least some games they think people would enjoy that are currently in limbo, what they are all about and so on.

What got me started this time specifically was checking ScummVM compatibility list, and finding tons of games I had never heard of, and which aren't sold (which surprised me, since it means that these games could be played, in theory). It's wild to think how many worthwhile games are out there, mostly unplayed and undiscovered by many.
so in the end what are the criteria of games you want?
Frogwares 80 Days:)

Have it on disc, but just can't get it to work on Windows 7. For it's time, the animation for an
adventure game was very good.
It is no longer supported.
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osm: so in the end what are the criteria of games you want?
So, I was wondering if people around here had some favourites or at least some games they think people would enjoy that are currently in limbo, what they are all about and so on.
Any game that fits this category, which is quite broad and subjective, I understand (if too many come to mind, you can always limit this to point and click adventures, which is the genre that got me thinking about it). Just curious about games that aren't available for purchase, but which people deem worthwhile.

For example, No One Lives Forever 1 & 2 are rather famous examples nowadays (I am lucky enough to own a physical copy of NOLF 2, and I dread the day the CDs will become unreadable).

The GOG wishlist is similar in places, but often it's dominated by big games, new games and also for requests of games which are sold elsewhere, but not on GOG.
Prince of Persia (1989)
Prince of Persia 2: The Shadow and The Flame (1993)
Adventures
The Last Express*
The Neverhood

Non adventures
Interstate'76
Midwinter
Arctic Baron (aka Transarctica)

I could name a ton more tho

* The Last Express is one hell of a gigantic sleeper hit, but sadly not meant for (or advertised to) large enough audience. A game like no other before or since.
Post edited December 03, 2022 by osm
- Dune 1-2 (DOSBox). First game is a hybrid point & click / strategy, 2nd game is more or less the "Grandfather" of modern RTS's.
- Elite Plus / Frontier Elite 2 - (DOSBox) Early space-trading sim games by David Braben (same guy who made Elite Dangerous).
- Freelancer. Excellent space-sim by Microsoft
- Lemmings 1-2 (DOSBox). Excellent platform puzzlers.
- No One Lives Forever 1-2. Excellent FPS's with a 1960's spy theme.
- Outrun 2006. Just like the arcade game with original soundtrack. Can't buy due to Ferrari license expiring.
- Prey (2006). FPS with some Portal-Lite mechanics. It's the first game to which Prey (2017) was 'sequelled' instead.
- The Neverhood (ScummVM). "Clay-mation" style point & click adventure.

As for NOLF 1-2 lasting beyond the disc failing, the NOLF revival site has pre-patched them with unofficial community NoCD + widescreen patches. You can basically back those up as your "DRM-Free installers", and the games will work fine without the discs.

Really there are thousands of "out of license" games not sold anywhere. Mobygames lists 7,985 DOS + 1,720 Win 3.x + 70,363 Win 32-64 games in total, or nearly 80,000 PC games ever made. For point & click games specifically, the ScummVM Wiki actually lists far more than the usual "compatibility page" on the main site (click on Supported & Unsupported games on the left sidebar) is probably a good start.
Post edited December 03, 2022 by AB2012
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Moonbeam: Frogwares 80 Days:)

Have it on disc, but just can't get it to work on Windows 7. For it's time, the animation for an
adventure game was very good.
It is no longer supported.
From the intro, it seems like a silly good time. How's the gameplay like?
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Ice_Mage: Prince of Persia (1989)
Prince of Persia 2: The Shadow and The Flame (1993)
Oh, wow! I didn't know the original Prince of Persia games aren't sold anywhere, that's kind of shocking.
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osm: Adventures
The Last Express*
The Neverhood

Non adventures
Interstate'76
Midwinter
Arctic Baron (aka Transarctica)

I could name a ton more tho

* The Last Express is one hell of a gigantic sleeper hit, but sadly not meant for (or advertised to) large enough auditory. A game like no other before or since.
Aren't The Last Express and Interstate '76 still available for sale?

I do agree that The Last Express is a great game, I should go through it again one of these years, it's very fun. I wonder if I should try to see all the endings, although that's probably a big task, I seem to remember stumbling upon at least 3 or 4 of them.
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AB2012: - Dune 1-2 (DOSBox). First game is a hybrid point & click / strategy, 2nd game is more or less the "Grandfather" of modern RTS's.
- Elite Plus / Frontier Elite 2 - (DOSBox) Early space-trading sim games by David Braben (same guy who made Elite Dangerous).
- Freelancer. Excellent space-sim by Microsoft
- Lemmings 1-2 (DOSBox). Excellent platform puzzlers.
- No One Lives Forever 1-2. Excellent FPS's with a 1960's spy theme.
- Outrun 2006. Just like the arcade game with original soundtrack. Can't buy due to Ferrari license expiring.
- Prey (2006). FPS with some Portal-Lite mechanics. It's the first game to which Prey (2017) was 'sequelled' instead.
- The Neverhood (ScummVM). "Clay-mation" style point & click adventure.

As for NOLF 1-2 lasting beyond the disc failing, the NOLF revival site has pre-patched them with unofficial community NoCD + widescreen patches. You can basically back those up as your "DRM-Free installers", and the games will work fine without the discs.

Really there are thousands of "out of license" games not sold anywhere. Mobygames lists 7,985 DOS + 1,720 Win 3.x + 70,363 Win 32-64 games in total, or nearly 80,000 PC games ever made. For point & click games specifically, the ScummVM Wiki actually lists far more than the usual "compatibility page" on the main site (click on Supported & Unsupported games on the left sidebar) is probably a good start.
I knew about some of these, but I didn't know Lemmings or Prey (2006) aren't sold anywhere (I like the new Prey quite a bit, actually, but from what I know it's completely different from the original)!

I wonder if the pre-patched NOLF 2 can be easily converted to the italian version (that's the one I have, and the voice acting is quite nice). Usually I got NOLF 2 to work without much of a fuss, but I haven't tried it in a few years.

I'll have to take a look at these lists, thanks. In general, though, I was hoping to get some impression of the best games among these, from those who played them. Sometimes games are forgotten simply because they aren't very good, the real tragedy are the gems.
If you're looking for an adventure, then I propose you Tale of a Hero.
Here are some of my favorite adventure games that are not sold anywhere digitally today.

(1986) The Black Cauldron
(1988) Manhunter: New York
(1989) Manhunter 2: San Francisco
(1992) Dune
(1992) Ringworld: Revenge of the Patriarch
(1992) The Adventures Of Maddog Williams In The Dungeons Of Duridian
(1993) Veil Of Darkness
(1994) Igor: Objective Uikokahonia
(1994) Return To Ringworld
(1995) Discworld
(1995) Star Trek: The Next Generation - A Final Unity
(1995) Touche: The Adventures Of The Fifth Musketeer
(1996) Alien Incident
(1996) Discworld II: Mortality Bytes
(1996) Fable
(1996) Kingdom O' Magic
(1996) Orion Burger
(1997) The City Of Lost Children
(1998) Black Dahlia
(1998) Nightlong: Union City Conspiracy
(1999) Discworld Noir
(2002) Shadow Of Destiny

Most of them are only available as 2nd hand physical copies on eBay/Amazon/etc, but up to you if those prices are worth it. For some of them maybe the console ports/versions might be cheaper - who knows.

I would appreciate anyone that would sign the GOG wishlists for any of these games - I would love to see them sold DRM-free here.
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Ice_Mage: Prince of Persia (1989)
Prince of Persia 2: The Shadow and The Flame (1993)
And Prince of Persia 3D (1999).


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1Byte2Bits: Here are some of my favorite adventure games that are not sold anywhere digitally today.

I would appreciate anyone that would sign the GOG wishlists for any of these games - I would love to see them sold DRM-free here.
Man, that's a good list!

Far from complete, obviously, but every game I was about to mention so far, is on your list.


There are a lot of adventure games which are unavailable due to licensing issues.
Two Beavis & Butthead games, The X-Files adventure game, the largely forgotten Batman Returns point-and-click game, and so on.


Anyway, to the OP, are you familiar with Pagoda (Puzzle and Adventure
Game Online DAtabase)?

https://www.pagodagamedatabase.com

It's a great source, obviously incomplete in many ways, but you can check for certain years and find games you have probably never heard of.
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PixelBoy: Anyway, to the OP, are you familiar with Pagoda (Puzzle and Adventure
Game Online DAtabase)?
Nice website! I was not aware of it. Going to do some digging soon, thanks!

By the way, great thread, OP!
Can't wait to find out about interesting titles that I've never played over the years.
I don't think Molyneux' "The Movies" is available anywhere.
per the title, many of the wishlist entries aren't sold anywhere anymore: https://www.gog.com/wishlist/games#order=votes_total

(check "hide completed" though that includes hiding a few games that have since been removed from GOG)