Action-adventure game
From Free net encyclopedia
Action-adventure games (British English: arcade adventure) are video games that combine elements of the adventure game genre with various action game elements. The first known game in this genre is the Atari 2600 game Adventure (1978), still Nintendo is often cited as creating the genre with The Legend of Zelda (1986). Because of their prevalence on video game consoles (and the absence of typical adventure games), action-adventure games are often simply called "adventure games" by console gamers.
In action-adventure games, while reflex-based actions are required (often revolving around combat or the avoidance thereof), the gameplay still follows a number of adventure game genre tropes (gathering items, exploration of and interaction with one's environment, and puzzle-solving). While the controls are arcade-style (character movement, few action commands) there is an ultimate goal beyond a high score. This type of game is often quite similar to computer role-playing games; many consider the Legend of Zelda series to be hybridized role-playing games ("adventure-RPGs" or "action-RPGs"). They are distinct from graphic adventures, which sometimes have free-moving central characters, but also wider variety of commands and fewer or no arcade game elements and are distinct too from text adventures, characterized by many different commands introduced by the user via a complex text parser and no free-moving character.
The term "action adventure" itself has become more generalised since its introduction, and can now be used to refer to virtually any game which combines elements of reflex-based play with some element of problem-solving. Subsequently popular action-adventure franchises include Tomb Raider, Metal Gear, Metroid, and more recent entries in the Castlevania series. Additionally, the survival horror genre, which includes popular series such as Resident Evil and Silent Hill, emerged as a sub-genre out of action-adventure games.
While they share general gameplay dynamics, action-adventures vary widely in the design of their viewpoints, including bird's eye, sidescrolling, first-person, third person, over the shoulder, or even 3/4 view.