Point-and-click adventure fans will be a bit dismayed to hear that the Windows detective adventure Dead Mountaineer’s Hotel has been delayed. Originally, the title was expected to squeak out before the end of 2008, but now Lighthouse Interactive has announced that Akella’s game won’t be out until early 2009. If Amazon is any indication, Dead Mountaineer’s Hotel will be out March 31, 2009 and cost $19.99.

Dead Mountaineer’s Hotel is designed to be a classic point-and-click adventure game. You play a detective who happens upon the Dead Mountaineer’s Hotel. Suddenly, an avalanche traps everyone in the hotel, and then someone dies. As the detective, you have to explore the hotel and interview the 15 other guests and residents to determine what really happened. Depending on how you play, you’ll unlock one of five possible endings.

Dead Mountaineer’s Hotel actually has quite a long history. The story originally stems from Arkady and Boris Strugatsky’s 1970 Russian novel, Отель “У Погибшего Альпиниста.” The story was also made into a movie called Hukkunud Alpinsti Hotell in 1979.