Dreamfall: The Longest Journey review

Imagine a majestic bald eagle soaring through the sky, not a care in the world except for where its next furry meat-snack is coming from. Now imagine that same eagle trying to flap its wings with a brick tied to its talons. That's pretty much how we'd sum up Dreamfall: The Longest Journey - a high-flying, classically-styledadventure that's been weighed down with several unnecessary and awkward fighting sequences.

Dreamfall is a sequel to The Longest Journey, a highly regarded PC adventure game from 2000 that was big with the "point-and-click" crowd of adventure purists. However, that genre continues to struggle for mainstream acceptance. So, to make Dreamfall more accessible (and probably more Xbox-friendly), the sequel travelsa more accessibleaction/adventure route in this follow-up.

Well, kinda. Heroine Zoe Castillo can wander her environments freely, guidedaround by your movement ofthe Xbox pad's leftanalog stick (no pointing required). Then,any interactions with the environment - climbing, chatting, picking up items, even walking up stairs - are triggered by pressing a single action button only when an on-screen icon says you can do so.

Dreamfall's adventure roots are also apparent in your character's "Focus Field", afeature that pops up once in awhile andchannels your attention onto a particular object or person in the form of a big blue beam of light. Its use is only required a few times during the entire game, though; you may forget the mode even exists until you get stuck.