The adventure game has had to endure many setbacks over recent years, with new titles failing to evoke the days when games such as Sam and Max, Monkey Island and Day of the Tentacle ruled supreme.
Even recent versions of older franchises such as the Indiana Jones games and the Gabriel Knight detective series have not quite lived up to expectations.
However, one name that has managed to retain its pedigree during this period of stagnation is Revolution's Broken Sword series. Its third title, Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon, is on the way.
The game is set for an October release on PC, PS2 and Xbox, and looks like being both a wake-up call to adventure games in general and a shake-up of the series itself.
As with the previous games, the title revolves around historical mysteries, and features heroes George and Nico, who traverse the world, from the depths of the Congo to the ancient isle of Avalon in Glastonbury.
But it is a departure from its predecessors, not least because it is now in full 3D. Revolution chief Charles Cecil told a press conference: "The point-and-click adventure is dead. Long live the adventure!"
"We're not writing point-and-click adventures any more," Mr Cecil told computerandvideogames.com. "Our replacement for it is an adventure with action elements. It's not an action adventure like, say, Tomb Raider.
"The Sleeping Dragon is still primarily cerebral in its gameplay. Our way to achieve this is that, as you walk towards an object, the icon map on the bottom right-hand corner gives you your various elements, such as 'examine', that translate to buttons on a joypad or keyboard.
"We've always despised adventure gameplay that involves using every object with every background object until you find the solution.
"We really wanted to get away from that and feel that what we're doing now is what other people will follow and that we're overtaking the people we used to admire."
With enhanced lighting and facial animation systems, not to mention players being able to interact more freely with the world around them, Broken Sword 3: The Sleeping Dragon could well resuscitate the adventure game genre.
Microsoft has announced further plans to upgrade its Xbox Live service with a new 'Live Web' feature.
This will allow players to find out what their friends are currently playing, download content from a special website and enter voice chat without needing to be in the game.
The service will run in tandem with the previously announced XSN Sports, which will give players the ability to view stats, rankings and scoreboards.
It is due for US release in September, but UK gamers will have to wait until at least October.
Official UK Leisure Software Charts (c) ELSPA, compiled by Chart-Track
1) Pokemon Ruby (GBA) Nintendo - £29.99
2) Pokemon Sapphire (GBA) Nintendo - £29.99
3) Eyetoy: Play (PS2) Sony - £39.99
4) Tomb Raider: the Angel of Darkness (PS2, PC) Eidos Interactive - £34.99
5) Enter the Matrix (PS2, GC, XB, PC) Atari - £39.99
6) Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (PC, PS2) Take 2 - £29.99
7) The Sims (PC, PS2, Xbox, GM) Electronic Arts - £32.99
8) SOCOM: US Navy Seals (PS2) Sony - £49.99
9) The Sims: Superstar (PC) Electronic Arts - £17.99
10) Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003 (PS2, Xbox, PC, GC) Electronic Arts £37.99
