Funcom recently announced a new title for their The Longest Journey sequel -- now called "Dreamfall" -- as well as a fall 2005 release date. Funcom also announced that Dreamfall became the first game to receive a grant from the Norwegian Film Fund, although the details of the grant were not disclosed. But as you may have heard already, do expect some of those "action elements" in this sequel to the previously action-free adventure.

Here are all of the details from Funcom's press release:

Oslo, Norway - February 18, 2004 - Funcom was recently awarded a grant from the Norwegian Film Fund to partially finance the development of Dreamfall, the long-awaited follow-up to The Longest Journey. The Norwegian government has, for the first time, actively endorsed game development, marking a welcome shift in the cultural acceptance of computer games as a medium comparable to film and television.

Scheduled for release in the fall of 2005, Dreamfall continues the story of one of the most critically acclaimed adventure games ever made, and will bring adventure gaming into a new era. Focusing on story and characters, Dreamfall features unparalleled 3D visuals, advanced character animations, stunning audio, and innovative gameplay - wrapped in a unique and magical ambience.

Dreamfall is set in the 23rd Century, where a young woman accidentally uncovers a conspiracy related to dreams; a conspiracy that may herald the destruction of the twin worlds of science and magic. Confronted by mysteries that she cannot resolve on her own, she must seek assistance from the one person who might have the answers: April Ryan, the heroine of The Longest Journey.

"We're making a game that can be enjoyed equally by fans of the first game and new players," says game director and writer Ragnar Tørnquist. "In Dreamfall, we are expanding the scope of the adventure genre to include action elements that will allow us to tell an even more involving, exciting, and surprising story."

-- Jason Strautman