Call of the Elder Gods is an arguably even better follow-up to Call of the Sea, continuing the saga with plenty more puzzles and a tighter story that fleshes out its Lovecraftian tale of eldritch horror and destiny.

Immersive, trippy, and nicely varied in its gameplay, Mindcop is a well-paced non-linear whodunit that strikes just the right balance between emotional and hilarious in its gritty murder mystery.

A worthy detective game in the vein of Sherlock Holmes or Hercule Poirot (but with animals), Last Train to Clawville is a compelling murder mystery visual novel that is easy to grasp and will keep you wanting to know more.

With only a little interference to enjoyment, Radiolight‘s one-man production offers a supernatural 1980s mystery well worth exploring in a gorgeously detailed yet solidly creepy woodland setting.

No frustrating time-loop antics in the wonderfully designed The Posthumous Investigation, just a deep but fast-paced unraveling of who might have killed Rio de Janeiro’s most influential resident.

With an engaging array of suspects, fun trial mechanics, and some surprisingly emotional moments, The Real Face of a VTuber is worthy of that other famous visual novel courtroom series that inspired it.

Once Upon a Puppet is an often delightful, sometimes frustrating, digital puzzle-platforming puppet show that engages with its premise in smart ways. The world built here is truly something to behold, and with just a little more rehearsal, this would have been a must-see performance.

Its puzzles may leave something to be desired, but Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss legitimately feels like one of Lovecraft’s dark stories experienced first-hand.

D3AD HAND gives a satirical twist to the Cold War, presenting players with the chance to save the world from nuclear annihilation through a fun mix of point-and-click puzzling and crafty feline wiles.

The Lightkeeper’s great visuals and sound design are the strongest points of this short, tightly paced experience, making up in eerie atmosphere what it lacks in actual gameplay.

Life Is Strange: Reunion is a fitting capstone to the story of Max and Chloe started years ago, providing a welcome feeling of closure and satisfaction that this tale was worth the wait.

Out of Sight is a brilliant, and at times touching, take on classic survival horror, mixing stealth, environmental puzzling, and even the occasional chase sequence into its thrilling escape mission. It’s short and maybe a bit on the easy side, but the excellent pacing and terrific storytelling will keep players gripping their teddy bears with delight.

Shuten Order breaks up the traditional visual novel experience with a gameplay conceit or two you’ll love, plus a few you’ll likely just need to deal with, to tell a compelling sci-fi mystery with a unique take on the genre.

Its emphasis on mini-games over traditional puzzles may not appeal to everyone, but Apopia: Sugar Coated Tale is a delightful and surprisingly poignant journey of self-discovery that isn’t always as sweet as it looks.

Escape Simulator 2 is another winning set of fun rooms with a promising future for much, much more, bolstered by major improvements. It’s a great time experienced solo, but especially some of the best multiplayer puzzling around.

The Berlin Apartment feels less like a traditional game and more like an interactive story, but it’s the everyday personal moments that make experiencing its shared place and the lives shaped by history more powerful.

The equally stunning sequel to Planet of Lana takes the series a few steps forward, a few steps back, finishing largely where it started.

Labyrinth of the Forsaken is a highly successful blend of classic point-and-click adventure and survival horror, expanding on the Deep Sleep freeware trilogy with interesting new mechanics, immersive environments, and a compelling mystery at the heart of it all.

With the look of a Pixar film and the wit of Monkey Island, SOPA: Tale of the Stolen Potato is a creative combination of heart, charm, and genuine laughs that is sure to satisfy the whole family.

Run TavernQuest smartly turns the text adventure conceit on its head with its choice-based selections and removal of players from the starring role to explore free will and existentialism with a comedic backdrop, leaving one contemplating what it means to be alive.

You’ll certainly speed through the experience with no real gameplay slowing you down, but it's more than just a compelling survival tale. The live-action presentation is highly immersive and the game’s killers provide a tense creep factor without going full-on slasher flick frightening. While the instant do-or-die decisions could provide more clues as to what the right option is, it’s in the choices about who Zanna is as a person that the game finds its most meaningful moments, culminating in a heartfelt outcome that is both surprising and satisfying. It’s not much of a gaming workout, but The Run is at times poignant, at times metaphorical, and at times an experience sure to get the blood pumping.

Among the Whispers: Provocation took the issues of its predecessor and improved on all of them to deliver a lengthy, scary and highly realistic ghost-hunting simulator with more active gameplay in solving puzzles and figuring out the spirits’ identities.

If you can get on its distinctively weird, oppressive wavelength and stay there, you’ll find Mateusz Skutnik’s Daymare Town second to none in terms of atmosphere, aesthetics, and ability to keep you clicking just to find out what the impossibly imaginative setting will show you next.

The Curse of the Last Reaper is a triumphant finale to the acclaimed Golden Idol saga as we know it. Beyond being the best expansion chapter of the series, this is one of the best pieces of DLC out there, period.

Wednesdays is a short, beautifully designed, thoughtful treatment of a heart-wrenching subject that is anything but a simple walk in the park.

The Jester and the Madman is a wonderful homage to 1990s-era slideshow adventure games. The script can be a little stilted and the plot a bit too convenient, but the overarching story and breadth of clever puzzles and challenges make it engaging from start to finish.

Tarsier’s REANIMAL isn’t just Little Nightmares reskinned, with a new start, a new name, and a few welcome surprises added to an already winning horror adventure formula.

In every sense of the word, Shadows of the Afterland is a spirited point-and-click adventure that weaves together a gripping post-mortem mystery into an ironically lively setting with a lot of heart.

There’s nothing dishonest about Penelope Pendrick and the Art of Deceit. As advertised, it’s an homage to the classic Nancy Drew series, both a masterful emulation and an exciting evolution. Featuring challenging puzzles and a gripping mystery, you won’t need a magnifying glass to see that the era of a new girl detective has begun.

While it teeters on the brink of succumbing to genre pitfalls at times, Riddlewood Manor is a delightful series of ghostly escape rooms tied together with a playfully macabre tale about spirits and dark magic.

The Dark Rites of Arkham is another compelling thriller from Postmodern Adventures, blending Lovecraftian influence, retro-styled production and classic adventure gameplay into a beautifully eerie, wonderfully written murder mystery.

Earth Must Die revels in its comedic, over-the-top adult sci-fi insanity while delivering a genuinely great adventure game experience starring a power-hungry megalomaniac. Never before has it been so much fun to be the arbiter of your own species’ destruction!

Station to Station is as worthy a follow-up to the brilliant original Perfect Tides as anyone could have hoped, continuing Mara’s story with the same insight, compassion and immersive writing while deepening and expanding its narrative through interesting new mechanics.

Its unrelenting vagueness surely won’t be for everyone, but with TR-49 inkle expands on the growing investigative deduction subgenre with another polished and rewarding title, its added audio component providing a particularly compelling extra layer of intrigue.

Helping a little stop-motion mouse escape its hand-crafted maze prison in Éalú will warm your heart like a cheese fondue on a cold winter evening.

The House of Tesla’s biographical elements are very well integrated into the numerous puzzles in this beautifully designed mechanical puzzle lover's bonanza.

It will likely leave you praying for more, as Scholar Adventure: Mystery of Silence takes you on a very short and simple but intriguingly eerie mission in a mysterious abbey teeming with secrets.

Thank Goodness You're Here! is an absolute triumph of comedy. It’s not a classic point-and-click adventure game, but every single aspect of this self-described “slapformer” combines to make it a genuinely funny game that will have you in stiches with its absurdity and cartoon-like atmosphere.

Everything works effectively to build tension over the course of s.p.l.i.t’s grim hour-long campaign, though the learning curve in the role of a rogue hacker may be a bit much to ask for some gamers.

Scott Whiskers: The Search for the Golden Cat takes you on an entertaining point-and-click jungle adventure that improves significantly on its predecessor in a number of important ways.

Draped in darkness and gothic Irish trappings, The Séance of Blake Manor makes the most of its eerie atmosphere and mysterious cast of characters in this detective's race against the clock with satisfyingly smart gameplay.

A dreamy Italian getaway packed with charm, mystery, and minigames, On Your Tail is the cozy escape you didn’t know you needed.

Sips and Sonnets is an engaging, melancholy visual novel about an elderly woman with an impressive past career, operating a tea shop in her dotage and providing useful advice to her customers.

Splittown’s retro spy adventure charms you with its pixel art presentation, humor and puzzles, though uncovering all of its optional content and background information requires quite the deep infiltration.

More of a cinematic, highly polished visual novel than a full-fledged adventure game or even a strategic superhero simulator, Dispatch makes being the proverbial “guy in the chair” a delightful experience well worth hopping into.

No, I’m not a Human is a masterclass in suspense that revels in the paranoia it creates. Some of the magic is lost when trying to unearth specific outcomes for this tale of cosmic horror, but for a single playthrough it’s a deeply disturbing experience where everyday traits of average people are twisted into a mine field.

An upgrade in some ways and a step back in others, the remastered Syberia doesn’t quite measure up to the classic work of art that was the original, but its melancholic trip through an entropic Europe filled with automatons is still splendid enough to delight new players to the franchise.

Simple but short, stylish, and surprisingly comfy, The Blackinton Curse turns a traditional whodunnit into a bite-sized mystery adventure with the feel of a visual novel and a hint of old-school JRPG flair.

Foolish Mortals is an absolute triumph. The love and respect for what makes an adventure game great is on full display in every expertly crafted scene, puzzle, piece of dialogue and quality-of-life user option throughout. If you consider yourself a fan of the genre, this is one ghostly journey that cannot be missed.

The methodical gameplay and occasional difficulty spikes of Bye Sweet Carole won’t be for everyone, but for those who crave an old-school stalker horror with a remarkably poignant story tying everything together, there is nothing else out there quite like this incredibly gorgeous, genre-defying gem.

Ghost on the Shore guides you on a beautiful island hike with a spectral companion while hunting for long-forgotten family secrets that continue to live on.

With a supremely old-school gameplay format, Neyyah evokes the best aspects of Myst and Riven in a way we rarely see anymore. While it’s somewhat bound by its faithfulness to what's come before, the heart and soul behind this game shines a bright, cyan-tinged glow.

The Biggleboss Incident swerves past snark and satire and charges headlong into farce, tackling everything from office supply shortages to Big Brother. Light on plot and puzzles, it's a breath of fresh air in these cynical times.

More of a narrative-driven game than a traditional adventure, Two Falls (Nishu Takuatshina) offers a uniquely immersive, emotional and compelling experience, exploring a culturally intriguing historical time and place.

Bold, beautiful, brilliant. Lee Petty and Double Fine have done it again. It’s a keeper, all right.

Mutants Ate My Carrots suffers from an unfortunate lack of polish, but the fun factor of running around a raunchy cartoon fantasy world as a butt-kicking angry rabbit makes up for its (easily fixable) shortcomings.

A wonderfully surreal and heartfelt narrative adventure, to a T delightfully reinforces the important message that regardless of our perceived personal limitations, we are all “the perfect shape.”

Combining a slick presentation, unsettling vibes, and an impressive list of talented actors, Dead Take is a solid FMV thriller with a unique Hollywood spin that would benefit most from an alternate ending.

The expanded world of Agatha Christie – Death on the Nile might feel a bit TOO big at times, but the new playable character does add to the story and nothing gives a greater sense of accomplishment than solving a mystery as Hercule Poirot.

Herald is light on gameplay but tells a complex, well-written adventure story that takes players on a journey both literal and emotional, through themes which, though based on historical events, are still incredibly resonant today.

While Tiny Terry’s Turbo Trip could’ve given players a bit more to do, its uniquely whimsical style and wacky sensibilities make it a memorable and fun cartoon platforming adventure.

One of the best free games you’re ever likely to play, Poco is a short but beautiful adventure that will pull you in with its undeniable charm while keeping you guessing with its surprisingly deep mysteries.

For better or worse, depending on your perspective, Vlad Circus: Curse of Asmodeus trades in the survival horror gameplay for more straightforward adventure game puzzling. But even toned down, it’s another creepy-fun installment in the lives of these twisted, tragic carnies.

With a little light puzzling and lots of dialogue, the retro-styled Carnival will give you goosebumps when the masks begin to come off of Venice’s seemingly charming, tradition-loving citizens.

Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical is a dazzlingly executed take on familiar stories that breathes new life into old legends. There’s very little gameplay to speak of, but it’s an emotional story and a must-play for musical theater fans and those who are invested in Greek mythology.

Wanderstop is a cozy game of tea-making, featuring quirky customers and a protagonist who, amusingly, would rather be sword fighting than stuck here, making tea. In general, if you enjoy farming/crafting games and admire a bit of a narrative kick, you’ll enjoy it.

You’ll be tempted to stay home to finish Mindlock: The Apartment in one go, as it’s a funny-creepy story packed with great gameplay and wrapped up in impressive production values.

Like a beloved storybook, Miniatures is a sentimental journey through four melancholy childhood memories that will stick with you long after the final page is turned.

Wildwood Down is like an entertaining boardwalk attraction in its own right, combining mystery and humor in a clever point-and-click puzzle adventure starring a memorable lead character.

With its wonderfully drawn black-and-white world, a delightful animal cast, a story that goes from classic noir murder mystery to a plot of sci-fi proportions, and a genuinely funny script throughout, Cat Detective Albert Wilde delivers in spades.

It gets more repetitive with each new playthrough, but the fun presentation, delightful characters, and significant freedom of choice give Quantum Witch enough replay value to want to find everything you can in this magical fantasy universe.

Though the story of No Sleep For Kaname Date is pared down and the psync segments are still as frustrating as ever, the first Somnium Files game not written by Uchikoshi is still an enjoyable romp thanks to its added escape room gameplay and sense of humor.

Although it doesn’t break new ground and isn’t always as user friendly as it should be, Amenti is a well-crafted exploratory horror experience that delivers solid thrills and enjoyable gameplay.

Leila is not a conventional graphic adventure but is quite polished in its narrative approach, as well as in its diverse puzzles, fostering real emotion and connection to its character.

Belying its leisurely point-and-click gameplay, The Drifter is an incredible action-packed thrill ride with a riveting storyline that unfolds hard and fast.

The charming Mythwrecked: Ambrosia Island is a low-challenge but extremely addictive fetch quest and collectible-gathering Elysium filled with fun cartoony Greek gods to make friends with along the way.

Paper Perjury doesn’t fall far from the Phoenix Wright tree, but that’s absolutely part of its appeal. Content to give a familiar formula its own distinctly breezy atmosphere, the game’s occasional nebulous solutions are ultimately made up for by a charming presentation and endearing cast of characters.

Phoenix Springs will land well with anyone looking for a complex, experimental mystery with striking art and a surreal atmosphere, so long as they don’t mind wrestling with a strange, disjointed narrative and a few obtuse puzzles in an increasingly bizarre second half.

Boxville 2 builds on what was good about its predecessor, with even more square-shaped fun, can-do attitude and immensely big heart.

The unapologetically strange Exit: A Biodelic Adventure drops you into a hallucinatory dystopia and challenges you to find your way through. It’s a heartfelt and often hilarious journey through a living, breathing world that may overwhelm the senses but certainly never bores.

A slower-paced, foreboding near-future tale of one man’s obsession to save his family won’t be for everyone, but if you’re prepared for an excellent immersive narrative experience heaped in authenticity, you won’t want to miss The Gap.

If you are an animal lover who doesn’t mind a little jumping, climbing and lighthearted cat fighting, you will surely fall in love with the Disney-esque short but beautiful Stars in the Trash.

With its eerie tone, abstract logic, and distinctive aesthetic, Discolored 2 is another atmospherically rich puzzle game that builds meaningfully on the foundation of its predecessor.

The Midnight Walk is a stunning achievement in visual, audio, and narrative design. It may not present much challenge in overcoming its trials and tribulations, but the touching journey of The Burnt One and Potboy through a dark, disturbing hand-sculpted world of clay will surely light a spark that warms your soul.

Clicking through the short, experimental visual horror story Without a Dawn is so chilling that you’ll probably be willing to overlook the complete lack of gameplay usually found in a Jesse Makkonen adventure.

With a whole new setting and loaded to the gills with royal subterfuge, The Lemurian Phoenix is a fun prequel that gives us something very different from The Rise of the Golden Idol while still delivering what returning players are after. Slightly outshone by the base games and prior series DLC, it’s unlikely to be remembered as a high point in this stellar franchise, but series fans would be seriously missing out if they skip it.

Near-Mage will cast a powerful spell on fans of narrative-driven adventures. While it may not challenge puzzle wizards, it will enchant players with its beautifully vibrant locales and heartfelt tale of finding one’s place in the world.

While player choice is largely illusory and the gameplay elements feel a bit underused, The Operator is a short but great cyberthriller that makes it fun to be the “person in the chair.”

It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but for those looking something unlike anything else out there, Promise Mascot Agency offers a bizarre flavor of storytelling that feels inventive and fresh. It doesn’t have the staying power to keep its repetitive gameplay interesting throughout, but the richness of the world and unapologetic insanity more than make up for its excesses.

Our hopes for a wonderful sequel have come true, as Kathy Rain 2: Soothsayer balances a great dialogue-based serial killer mystery with entertaining puzzles in another sublime point-and-click pixel art adventure game.

With Your House, Patrones & Escondites return to their unique style of interactive storytelling with a prequel to Unmemory, offering another intriguing combination of book-style text and visuals in a thoughtful tale of drama and mystery.

If a bedtime story and a classic point-and-click adventure game had a child, it would be Stories of Blossom. If you have kids you can play together with, or even to give them to play on their own, it is well worthwhile. It’s highly accessible for all, and even with a few noticeable cost-cutting measures, it’s a heart-warming and simple trio of fairy tales that any young child (and parents) should enjoy.

The updated Amerzone: The Explorer’s Legacy is a beautiful experience through a fantasized rainforest on a quest to save a dying race of birds that will leave you thinking about it long after the credits have rolled.

Thrilling, darkly funny, and full to the brim with brainteasing goodness, The Sins of New Wells DLC gives players more of the same outstanding gameplay loop that made the Golden Idol series so addictive in the first place... and sets the stage for a promising future with the three upcoming chapters.

Beneath some technical flaws and a few design shortcuts, Brassheart contains an adventure game heart of gold, offering a globetrotting point-and-click battle between good and evil in glorious dieselpunk style.

Old Skies takes the well-worn concept of time travel and shoots it back through history to make it fresh again. It’s a beautiful, wonderfully written and acted tale both epic and personal, with enough time-bending conundrums to keep even the most jaded adventure gamer guessing.

Blue Prince took my breath away more times than I could count. Its brilliant mix of genres, intricate puzzles, addictive loop, emotional story, and fascinating setting all work together in harmony to create an absolute classic.

Don’t let its delightfully cartoonish appearance fool you: Elroy and the Aliens is a wonderfully heartfelt point-and-click journey across time and space, about family connections and the lengths we’ll go to reunite with our loved ones.