We shouldn't fear a definition that excludes games such as Quest for Glory , Alone in the Dark , and System Shock. Story Story is an important aspect of an adventure. This prerequisite allows us to exclude purely puzzle based games, such as Sokoban, Sherlock, or the daily crossword. However, story must not be the sole defining characteristic. Books and movies are not adventure games, since they have no game aspect and no problem solving.
Problem solving Maybe an adventure is simply problem solving in the context of a story.
This is a good first approximation, but we can quickly see boundary problems. Similarly, there are many run and dodge games where the problems are solved by nimble jumping or ducking at the right time and place. These types of games can also include varying amount of story. Clearly, a meaningful definition of adventure must exclude Doom and Mario. We must therefore restrict our problem solving to the intellectual realm.