I dug out my copy after quite a few years. Despite its age, it stands out as perhaps THE masterpiece of the genre.
I popped it in, and immediately was happy once more. My only problem was that Manny was running around too danged fast on my screen, so I had to move carefully.
I had long forgotten what a wonderful experience that GF really was. Beautiful writing, an excellent score, original and deep characters with excellent voice acting. Art direction better than some movies. Ah, yes--perhaps the greatest adventure game ever made.
And it stands up well against games released even in the past six months. It is easier, I suppose for adventure games, since the technology hasn't changed much over the last--wow, could it really be?--eight years since GF was released. Dreamfall has probably changed that. What hasn't changed is the power of a good story, and that's what most contemporary adventure games really lack.
GF's humor is understated but very powerful. Yet it never detracts from what is ultimately a moving story. Strange and foreign one moment, and yet oddly personal the next, GF really does what so few games do these days--lets you into the characters' lives and emotions.
The game was challenging, too. I had forgotten some of the puzzle solutions, but forced myself to play through without looking for assistance. Very difficult at points, but never frustrating in the way some games can be.
Some games get that nostalgic golden glow after so many years, and when you go back you wonder why the game meant so much to you, and why you liked it so much. GF didn't have that problem. I immediately remembered why I loved the game, and it hasn't lost a bit of its beauty and charm. I suspect I'll pull the game out and play every few years until, inevitably, my computer fails to run it due to age.
Ten years is coming up, LucasArts--how about a 10 year anniversary edition, with updated graphics? I'd pay through the nose for it. Better yet, how about a sequel? Or a prequel? Unlikely. Oh well...