Journey Composer Signs Up for Leisure Suit Larry

[Andy Chalk]

Journey Composer Signs Up for Leisure Suit Larry

Grammy-nominated composer Austin Wintory is going for some sexy time.

The indie hit Journey is a bit of a highbrow experience. As Grammy nomination [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Journey_(2012_video_game)] for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media.

But for his next act, Wintory will be doing something a little different: the Leisure Suit Larry remake that was successfully Kickstarted [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/117075-Leisure-Suit-Larry-Kickstarter-Has-a-Happy-Ending] in May. Yes, that Leisure Suit Larry, the "sleazy piece of nonsense" that made a late-80s hit out of toilet jokes, pixelated boobs and a sexually-stunted cheeseball with a 100-percent polyester wardrobe.

Wintory himself sounded surprised by the news. "Al Lowe, the original creator, reached out to me a little while ago," he told Polygon. "The team that's remaking it, Replay Games, they had been fans of Journey. It's actually shocking that they would think to call me because they couldn't be more opposite of each other."

Replay made sure he was comfortable writing "seedy, back alley kind of stuff" before it made the offer, but Wintory said he grew up in the era of Leisure Suit Larry and that working on a game like that "was like a fantasy" for him. He added that he's actually composed "sexy music" before, although for movies, not games.

The Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards remake is now in the Steam Greenlight [http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=111450196] mix and currently expected to come out in early 2013.

Source: Polygon [http://www.polygon.com/2012/12/10/3752782/journey-composer-austin-wintory-to-score-leisure-suit-larry-remake]


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[DustyDrB]

He's also working on The Banner Saga. So I guess he's a fan of Kickstarter.

 

[Jorec]

I expect some deliciously funky tunes.

 

[Proverbial Jon]

Well this is unexpected news. The snooty/stuck up part of my brain says Austin Wintory is better than this... but if it's his fantasy to compose for a Leisure Suit Larry game then who am I to scoff?

 

[uchytjes]

Well thats a jump... I hope its good enough of a game to go with the sure to be amazing music!

 

[Andy of Comix Inc]

I wonder how many people understand that the original Leisure Suit Larry was a barely-offensive, mildly-tantalizing adventure game that is held up as a classic alongside the likes of Hit the Road? I know, the brand was whored out (ahem) and as time went on it became excessively more raunchy and filthy, but it didn't start like that. It's like Ren & Stimpy. When it started, it was a mildly adult, wacky cartoon that became well-known for pushing the envelope with increasingly insanity. ...then it was bought back as Ren & Stimpy Adults Party Cartoon, and BARE TITS AND NIPS COS THAT'S WHAT REN & STIMPY WAS REMEMBERED FOR, RIIIIIIGGGGHHHT???!!

So yes. Chances are this guy jumped on this game because he is a fan of classic adventure games. Because he's a fan of the original cut of this series' gib.

 

[Lvl 64 Klutz]

I can't be the only one who read that headline and thought, "...Steve Perry?"

 

[SonicWaffle]

I wonder how many people understand that the original Leisure Suit Larry was a barely-offensive, mildly-tantalizing adventure game that is held up as a classic alongside the likes of Hit the Road?

Some things we remember as classics should perhaps not be. Have you played Hit the Road lately? I have.

Still funny, sure, but as a game it's a horrible mess that requires either constant reference to a walkthrough or a dump truck full of drugs to solve. One of those things that's so much better when it stays in the memory.

 

[Auron]

I don't get what's wrong with Leisure Suit Larry either, the first games were pretty funny and it's the original creator doing it.

 

[Andy of Comix Inc]

I wonder how many people understand that the original Leisure Suit Larry was a barely-offensive, mildly-tantalizing adventure game that is held up as a classic alongside the likes of Hit the Road?

Some things we remember as classics should perhaps not be. Have you played Hit the Road lately? I have.

Still funny, sure, but as a game it's a horrible mess that requires either constant reference to a walkthrough or a dump truck full of drugs to solve. One of those things that's so much better when it stays in the memory.

Oh yeah, dude, that's a thing that almost all classic adventure games share. It's why we call them "classics," man. There is definitely baggage that comes with the term, it's why we use it. At least it regards to videogames, anyway. ...at any rate, my point was that Leisure Suit Larry WAS well-revered and that original entry is worthy of a comeback/remake/reboot, what have you, even though the subsequent iterations were somewhat vile. There's a reason everyone was excited when Telltale started making more Sam & Max, eh?

Though certainly many classic games belong in the past, no doubt about that. I think adventure games are perfect fodder for updates and iteration, though - almost exclusively because they need it so badly.

 

[SonicWaffle]

I wonder how many people understand that the original Leisure Suit Larry was a barely-offensive, mildly-tantalizing adventure game that is held up as a classic alongside the likes of Hit the Road?

Some things we remember as classics should perhaps not be. Have you played Hit the Road lately? I have.

Still funny, sure, but as a game it's a horrible mess that requires either constant reference to a walkthrough or a dump truck full of drugs to solve. One of those things that's so much better when it stays in the memory.

Oh yeah, dude, that's a thing that almost all classic adventure games share. It's why we call them "classics," man.

For me at least, the term "classic" has connotations of excellence (I adhere somewhat to the first definition [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/classic]), which most of the old adventure games lack. I loved and loathed them in equal measure as I was growing up, since when they were fun - insult sword-fights, anyone? - they were really fun, but the fun was interspersed with long periods of monitor-smashing frustration.

They have a high nostalgia factor, but attempting to re-play them makes you realise that the memory is the best place for them, even those (early Monkey Island, DoTT, basically all the old LucasArts output) which are considered great.

There's a reason everyone was excited when Telltale started making more Sam & Max, eh?

Not I - I'm primarily a console gamer these days, and adventure games just don't work with a gamepad the same way most other games just don't work with WASD and mouse. I also, as mentioned above, remembered how idiotic the old-school games often became and I just didn't want to put myself through that again.

 

[Mister K]

I played a larry game a few years back (the one where he was on a love cruise). It was nice game. For a single playthrough, but still.

 

[Andy of Comix Inc]

They have a high nostalgia factor, but attempting to re-play them makes you realise that the memory is the best place for them, even those (early Monkey Island, DoTT, basically all the old LucasArts output) which are considered great.

Well, that's why I think they merit going back and updating. Taking out those frustrating elements and making the puzzles more logical, adding 3D avatar support and such so you can walk around the world... what modern adventure games have done, is to take what those old adventure games did right - take the story, the fun, the exploration, the dialogue - and throw away the garbage. The clumsy inventory management, the stupid-ass "puzzles," the logic leaps, the pacing issues. I recommend playing Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse, even if just a demo. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with the series' evolution. And hell, The Walking Dead is an adventure game - probably the peak of the entire genre at this point. Definitely worth a try.

There's a reason everyone was excited when Telltale started making more Sam & Max, eh?

Not I - I'm primarily a console gamer these days, and adventure games just don't work with a gamepad the same way most other games just don't work with WASD and mouse. I also, as mentioned above, remembered how idiotic the old-school games often became and I just didn't want to put myself through that again.

I don't think that's true. I mean, I don't know about you, but I consider Heavy Rain to be an adventure game. Y'know? The "adventure game" genre has seen significant improvements, and a lot of the trappings of it have been removed - or, added into to other genres, like platformers. Adventure games are classics in that they deserve preservation, but only the elements that work - no modern adventure game would blindly adhere to the standards of the old days, as revered as those days may be. Walking Dead is built for gamepads, games like Heavy Rain and Mass Effect have elements of adventure games - dialogue trees, exploration, character interactions and what have you. The genre was crusty and stale but I definitely think devs have learned now how best to give it a spit-shine.

 

[SonicWaffle]

They have a high nostalgia factor, but attempting to re-play them makes you realise that the memory is the best place for them, even those (early Monkey Island, DoTT, basically all the old LucasArts output) which are considered great.

Well, that's why I think they merit going back and updating. Taking out those frustrating elements and making the puzzles more logical, adding 3D avatar support and such so you can walk around the world... what modern adventure games have done, is to take what those old adventure games did right - take the story, the fun, the exploration, the dialogue - and throw away the garbage. The clumsy inventory management, the stupid-ass "puzzles," the logic leaps, the pacing issues. I recommend playing Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse, even if just a demo. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with the series' evolution. And hell, The Walking Dead is an adventure game - probably the peak of the entire genre at this point. Definitely worth a try.

I've only watched a few episodes of the TV show and never read the comics - will I actually understand anything about the game?

There's a reason everyone was excited when Telltale started making more Sam & Max, eh?

Not I - I'm primarily a console gamer these days, and adventure games just don't work with a gamepad the same way most other games just don't work with WASD and mouse. I also, as mentioned above, remembered how idiotic the old-school games often became and I just didn't want to put myself through that again.

I don't think that's true. I mean, I don't know about you, but I consider Heavy Rain to be an adventure game. Y'know?

I wouldn't know, I'm a 360 owner so I've never played Heavy Rain. I did play LA Noire, which was considered by many to be a descendent of the adventure game, but the point-and-click sections honestly just bored me (though not as much as the horrible driving and shooting bits). Despite being modernised, it had a strong sense of the old adventure game problems to it - you'd get several bits of evidence to confront a suspect, get the one that made the most logical sense, only to find out you were totally wrong and you needed to use some other bit of random junk.

The "adventure game" genre has seen significant improvements, and a lot of the trappings of it have been removed - or, added into to other genres, like platformers. Adventure games are classics in that they deserve preservation, but only the elements that work - no modern adventure game would blindly adhere to the standards of the old days, as revered as those days may be. Walking Dead is built for gamepads, games like Heavy Rain and Mass Effect have elements of adventure games - dialogue trees, exploration, character interactions and what have you. The genre was crusty and stale but I definitely think devs have learned now how best to give it a spit-shine.

I don't really object to the genre being cannibalized for useful mechanics, I'm just not entirely sure the old-school games could make a comeback because they lack action and so developers will feel a need to make them more exciting. From what I've heard about Walking Dead, it mixes action sequences in with the pointery-and-clickering, which I couldn't really get on with. For me the point of those games was being able to slow down and take as long as I like, because my reactions are generally pretty awful. In fact I think the only time I ever died was in the first Monkey Island game, because I left Guybrush underwater too long

 

[EmperorSubcutaneous]

They have a high nostalgia factor, but attempting to re-play them makes you realise that the memory is the best place for them, even those (early Monkey Island, DoTT, basically all the old LucasArts output) which are considered great.

Well, that's why I think they merit going back and updating. Taking out those frustrating elements and making the puzzles more logical, adding 3D avatar support and such so you can walk around the world... what modern adventure games have done, is to take what those old adventure games did right - take the story, the fun, the exploration, the dialogue - and throw away the garbage. The clumsy inventory management, the stupid-ass "puzzles," the logic leaps, the pacing issues. I recommend playing Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse, even if just a demo. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with the series' evolution. And hell, The Walking Dead is an adventure game - probably the peak of the entire genre at this point. Definitely worth a try.

I've only watched a few episodes of the TV show and never read the comics - will I actually understand anything about the game?

Yes. I'm in the same boat as you (except that I haven't seen any of the show at all) and I loved the game. It has different characters from the show and comics, and otherwise it's your standard zombie setting--don't need to do any research to understand what's going on there.

 

[Andy of Comix Inc]

ssssssssssnip

Hey, I like those games too. I especially love anything by Amanita Design.

What I was trying to say is that the adventure game genre is constantly expanding to reach corners in which those who might once have considered themselves tepid to the genre reside. That's all. I mean, even in "proper" adventure games, the fat is constantly being trimmed (instead of making compromises to stay true to all the trappings of the genre). Sorry if I came across like "ALL OLD ADVENTURE GAMES SUCK AND WE SHOULD MAKE THEM 'MODERN.'" The genre needs a spit-shine and a bit of a polish.

I was just noting that adventure game elements are further finding themselves in different styles of game. I think it's true that L.A. Noire and Heavy Rain are "adventure games" in the sense that they hold up the core tenants of adventure gaming, while more traditionally-playing adventure games are being made, also. ...what I wrote was kind of in the context of trying to convince someone adventure games are alright, anyway. I think it's natural to start with "WELL THEY'RE MORE ACCESSIBLE AND HAVE QUICK-TIME EVENTS SO YOU CAN ENJOY THEM WITH ONLY HALF A BRAIN CELL"

P.S. Don't read this if you're the one who I was trying to convince adventure games were alright