The Drifter

The Drifter is a messy first attempt at the point-and-click genre from Powerhoof. The story can be frustrating at times, which can extend to the puzzles that leave you confused when returning after a long break. However, the story comes together beautifully, making the mess seem intentional and worth your time.

The Drifter is brimming with potential. It’s clear that a lot of love and care went into making this game. It’s especially evident in the voice performances and beautiful 2D environments, but it’s ultimately held back by weird design decisions and some unintuitive puzzles.

The Drifter is a gorgeous and moody point 'n' click adventure with impeccable art, but its pulp leanings undermine its best qualities.

Clever bits of streamlining aside, then, The Drifter still falls victim to the adventure genre’s usual hang-ups. There are still a few moments where you’ll be at a complete loss for what to do, hoping to blunder into some inscrutable use for an item by selecting anything and everything in the environment. These moments of stalled progress are particularly noticeable whenever Mick is in peril; The Drifter may turn his heat-of-the-moment failures into a central plot point, but they bog down the pacing just the same whenever you don’t know how to proceed...What stumbles there are, though, do little to loosen The Drifter’s sturdy grasp of the genre. With a steady stream of plot twists and storytelling intrigue, the game is a propulsive and polished example of the form, every bit the satisfying pulp adventure it sets out to be.

An inspired new point ‘n’ click adventure that proves impressively daring with its dark storytelling and retro style presentation.

Despite my irritations with flat writing and stereotypes in The Drifter, I was deeply impressed by its puzzle design, look, and deliciously eerie atmosphere. That’s why I’m disappointed I can’t recommend it whole-heartedly, because there’s a lot in here that’s truly special. But for a group of designers who claim to be heavily influenced by Stephen King, The Drifter is surprisingly superficial when it comes to the core traits of its ensemble cast. King doesn’t always manage to avoid stereotypes himself, but his best works are celebrated for including fully-realized characters who don’t fall neatly into expected roles. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on what the creators of The Drifter do next; I imagine that, much like Stephen King, they’ll continue to grow and make even more creative games in the future. But until then, I’ll be wishing that The Drifter had gotten just one more draft.