Review Fix chats with “Quest for Infamy†co-creator Steven Alexander, who discusses the sense of humor and creative influences behind the nifty new PC dungeon crawler. A fan of dungeon crawling classics the likes of “King’s Quest†and “Quest for Glory,†“Quest for Infamy†is drenched in nostalgia while maintaining enough modern humor and gameplay innovation to attract new gamers.
For more information on the game, head to the “Quest For Infamy” official site, here.
Review Fix: What was the inspiration for the game?
Steven Alexander: Well, obviously the game was inspired by our love of Sierra and LucasArts adventure games of the 80s and 90s. We were very much influenced by our love of Quest For Glory, but Space Quest, King’s Quest, The Secret of Monkey Island and Sam and Max Hit The Road were also very big influences, game wise. We were also influenced by a lot of films and literature we loved as kids – films like Krull, The Beastmaster, Conan The Barbarian and Dragonslayer really influenced me. Literature like The Lord of The Rings and The Dragonlance Series always kept my imagination keen; I’m also a very big fan of The Dark Tower by Stephen King.
Review Fix: What games did you play growing up?
Alexander: As mentioned above, King’s Quest, Space Quest, Hero’s Quest (Quest For Glory), The Colonel’s Bequest, Maniac Mansion, Day of The Tentacle, Monkey Island 1 & 2, The Dig, Sam and Max Hit The Road and Full Throttle were all favorites of mine. I also loved The Final Fantasy games on NES and SNES, though I never played beyond those systems. Chrono Trigger. Atari Adventure was an early, early favorite of mine. I could name an absolute ton of games.
Review Fix: How did they influence this game in any way?
Alexander: Well, I think anything that imprints on your mind affects the way you think and the way you create, and I think one could easily see the stamp of my influences and heroes on my work.
Review Fix: Why do you think Dungeon Crawlers have endured for so long?
Alexander: Because people love to explore. The thrill of not knowing what’s out there is what keeps people into it.
Review Fix: How long do you expect this game to keep the average gamer busy?
Alexander: Just about as long enough as it takes them to complete the game… and then do it again, and then do it again, and again until they find all the secrets.
Review Fix: How do the characters play differently from one another?
Alexander: Well, they all have different tasks and quests, plus different ways of solving problems in the game. Each class provides a unique twist on the main story.
Review Fix:Where do you guys get your sense of humor from?
Alexander: I think from my family, mostly. They’re a funny bunch of people. And from healthy doses of Monty Python, Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg, Douglas Adams, Terry Pratchett, Mark Twain, Saturday Night Live, SCTV, UCB, Tom Robbins, Patrick F. McManus, and so many others. Humor is what ties the galaxy together, trust me.
Review Fix: What do you think stands out the most about this game?
Alexander: The care and attention to detail that the whole team put in. Everyone wanted to make this game an experience, and I think they all did it in spades. I work with the most amazingly talented crew on Earth.
Review Fix: Who do you think will enjoy this game the most?
Alexander: I think people that grew up playing adventure games will get the most out of it. It’s almost like the game we all wanted in 1995 but never got, hah!
Review Fix: How do you want it to be remembered?
Alexander: If it’s remembered as being fun and entertaining, then I’ve done my job as a game creator.
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