For as long as PC games have existed, the point and click genre has always had a welcome home. Taking advantage of the mouse, these games often relied on great stories to fuel the action, with gamers forced to search every nook on cranny on the screen to find clues to advance in the often-epic adventure.

Created by Deep silver, the same company that made the super cool “Secret Files: Tunguska” a few months back, “Lost Horizon” continues the brand’s budding legacy of making exceptional games in this almost forgotten genre. Even though the preview only allows a few hours of gameplay, “Lost Horizon” looks to pick up right where Secret Files left off and in the process, delivers the goods.

Simply put, the face of “Lost Horizon,” Fenton Paddock, has the potential to be one of the coolest new characters in the video game world. Part Dr. Who, James Bond and Indiana Jones, Paddock’s antics are essential to enjoying the game and a blast to watch. Feeling like a great movie that you can control, Paddock gets himself into a ton of trouble over the course of the game and it’s up to you to help him through it.

If dealing with Nazi’s and Chinese gangs wasn’t enough, Paddock is a bit of a ladies man as well. A nice spin on the genre, “Lost Horizon” separates itself from Secret Files by making Paddock’s conversations and the outcome of them, pivotal to advancing the game. One instance of this is found early on, as Paddock bets a club owner friend of his that he can get a sexy singer’s room key after just one conversation. Taking a page from the great movies of yesteryear, “Lost Horizons” has a noir feel to it, with Paddock playing the role of the good-looking and intelligent detective, hell-bent on adventure.

Speaking of good-looking, the backgrounds and character models here are full of life and color, making it perhaps the prettiest point and click adventure to date. Improving the cinemas from Secret Files, Deep Silver has proven that they are dedicated to not only keeping this genre alive, but making it a viable one in today’s gaming landscape. Regardless of if you’re a huge fan of the genre or not, after a few hours with this title, it’s almost impossible to put down, as you end up caring for the characters the same way you would an RPG.

Because of that, “Lost Horizon” is an eye-opening experience.

Set for a mid-September release date on PC, this title looks like it can and will surprise.

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