Indigo Prophecy (2005, PC)

Superb characters help to sell Indigo Prophecy as one of the most absorbing stories ever presented in gaming form.

I had always held high hopes for Indigo Prophecy. Even before its release I identified that Quantic Dream's ambitions would likely elevate the traditional "adventure" genre to new heights and pave the way for a new breed of game. While multiple endings sounded standard fare, I was interested in sampling their envisioning of a new "kind" of game.

And what a game it proves to be. While Simon Says s*tyle action sequences sound childish, they work well. The illusion that your actions really impact on the path of the game are more evident initially, but, to the developer's credit, the illusion doesn't completely diminish at any point.

Towards the end the narrative descends into convoluted madness, but this barely tars the brilliance presented beforehand. The story works better when its kept simple, but the characters remain convincing throughout, and its adult themes (love, sex, murder) are presented maturely and with a great degree of panache.

It might not be a traditional adventure game, but ironically, it works as one of the best I've ever played. The experimental gameplay and action themes meld surprisingly well, and you find yourself identifying with main character, Lucas, despite the seemingly un-identifiable situation he finds himself in.

Solid production values help to make the story that much more convincing, since the visuals are more of a backdrop than the main draw. But the fact that it still looks good today, and the fact that the voice-work and music is of a Hollywood standard hardly hurts matters, either.

Ultimately, Indigo Prophecy was an immensely satisfying ride when I first completed it, and, having gone back to it today, I find it no less absorbing.

Absolutely stellar, this is a worthy number 7.