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.

The short and overly surreal Undying Flower shows signs of what a talented group of designers can come up with artistically, but don’t go in expecting much in terms of gameplay, clear-cut storytelling or lasting emotional connection.

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.

Wormventures: Barrier 51 is a funny point-and-click comedic adventure with challenging puzzles that will surely charm players but can also frustrate with some tedious pacing and lack of polish.

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.

Wasting a promising idea, Blood on the Thames is so bug-riddled and poorly executed that the actors working on it were clearly having more fun than you ever will.

The magical world it sets up begs to be explored more deeply than it is here, but while it lasts, the hour-long Arcane Investigations largely succeeds in its promise of being a Phoenix Wright-inspired fantasy mystery.

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.

As a bite-sized new dive into the world of Still Wakes the Deep, Siren’s Rest doesn’t quite measure up and will likely leave you hungering for the meatier, more fulfilling experience of the base game.

Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo is a gently paced, vividly colorful paper adventure filled with memorable afterlife inhabitants and a simple but fun time-looping premise. It’s a shame, then, that the character arcs often fail to reach the same satisfying conclusion for the player as they do for these wayward souls themselves.

The Alex Hill series debut Whispers at White Oak Inn nicely captures the lo-fi charm of early Nancy Drew mysteries with clear affection for its inspiration, but stumbles somewhat when trying to stand on its own.

Lara’s last three adventures from Core Design play differently enough from the first trilogy that serious fans will want to check them out. However, with inconsistent visual and mechanical upgrades, and a higher overall difficulty, Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered is not a good jumping-in point for newcomers.

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.

CollectorVision’s dedication to recreating an authentic nostalgic experience is clearly evident on every screen, but whenever Dead Tomb goes out of its way to make the experience as cumbersome as possible, this jaunt to Ancient Egypt will leave you parched for a more robust experience.

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.

Its short length prevents Neon Hearts City from shining as brightly as it could, but slick production values, solid writing and simple but entertaining gameplay make for an intriguing enough tour while it lasts.

Don’t let the bright cartoon world and cute animals fool you: Magret & FaceDeBouc, with its poop jokes, blood and snarky characters, is definitely not for children. But if you’re okay with that, and the occasional bug, it packs a twisty tale and some satisfyingly old-school puzzles into its brief runtime.

There are no grand mysteries for Sherlock Holmes to solve in The Beekeeper’s Picnic, but rather a cozy, charming, easy little adventure about the world’s most famous retired detective dusting off his deduction skills for worthwhile personal reasons.

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.

Don’t Nod spins a thoughtful yarn about friendship and trauma, but Lost Records can’t find the right tonal balance to guarantee a hit.

The Extrication is still far from a masterclass in horror, but this better sophomore effort in the Bridge Curse franchise has shown it’s learned a few lessons along the way.

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.

Urban Myth Dissolution Center’s bold art and an even bolder concept isn’t quite enough to spice up this slow-burning mystery visual novel with limited detective elements.

It’s nice to finally have ASYLUM in our hands after so long, but while it has the makings of an interesting story at its center, the vast size and emptiness of its namesake hospital overwhelm everything else about it, and it never gets a handle on how to balance narrative and gameplay or to deliver the horror it promises.

A bewildering story is content to leave players floundering in the dark, but KARMA’s commitment to nonstop weirdness provides some gloriously unhinged nightmare fuel.

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.

Its obstacles may not put up much of a fight, but Rosewater’s sharpshooting lies with its wonderful production value and freedom of choice in this character-driven Western, earning itself a big “Yeehaw!” for fun and replayability.

With only two of five planned Backrooms-inspired liminal spaces to explore, Dreamcore tries so hard to avoid stimulating the player that playing it feels less like an experience and more like a chore to navigate its endlessly maze-like environments.

The beautifully atmospheric Tales from Candleforth is a fairly solid occult puzzle mystery with plenty to enjoy while it lasts, though it’s missing some polish and depth as the final key ingredients.

Cabernet is a captivating character-driven narrative RPG that sinks in its fangs and doesn’t let go. The best story veins are reserved for the individuals you meet rather than the world at large, but with characters as well-written as these, you’ll want to drink in every last drop.

The strong visual aesthetic and tranquil atmosphere help elevate Pine: A Story of Loss, but the slow, repetitive pacing and simplistic gameplay limit the game’s appeal primarily to those who can draw from their own experiences to reflect more deeply on the emotional themes of moving on from heartbreak.

Expelled! excels at transferring its spiritual predecessor Overboard!’s charm, replayability and depth of choice to a boarding school setting, though its report card says it must try harder at putting its new morality mechanic into practice.

Of the Devil: Episode 1 is an impressive expansion of the dark cyberpunk mystery first envisioned in its free debut installment. It’s sometimes held back by the devil in the details, but these are mostly minor annoyances when compared to the incredible characters and world that will draw you into its high-tech dystopia.

1000xRESIST is a brilliantly conceived and written piece of dystopian fiction that delves into difficult topics with layers of nuance and introspection. What it lacks in gameplay is more than made up for by the storytelling, the visuals, the soundtrack, the characters, the music… just, everything. Play this game.

Other than a few minor rough cuts, THE BRiLLiANT COUP is a fun, old-school opportunity to see if you have the makings of a master burglar to steal the largest diamond in the world.

Designed for ease of play, what the culturally distinctive EQQO lacks in depth, it makes up for with its charming, multilayered allegorical story.

Tourist Trap is a brief but enjoyable vacation from more difficult games, with a colorful cartoon aesthetic and great sense of humor but still able to surprise you with some darker layers to uncover.

Despite a puzzling choice to include some timed dexterity-based sequences, if you enjoy moderate lateral thinking challenges and dying often in creative and gruesome ways, Is This Game Trying to Kill Me? surely fits the bill.

There isn’t much in the way of brain teasers, but Spiral is a heartwarming story with a heartbreaking premise that follows its mentally deteriorating protagonist on his last trip down memory lane.

Filling in a family tree may not sound all that compelling, but digging up the sordid secrets of a prominent family of celebs is such voyeuristic fun that it’s hard to tear yourself away from The Roottrees Are Dead until not one but two sets of mysteries are solved in this polished and expanded commercial remake.

The nightmarish journey in Slender Threads isn’t for the faint of heart, but those with a morbid sense of humor will love the fun of unraveling the delightfully quirky goings-on in the strange town of Villa Ventana.

Take our word for it: Great God Grove takes a fresh dialogue-based puzzle concept and places it in an imaginative world filled with unforgettable characters. It may not be particularly challenging, but the strong writing and gorgeous presentation make this a heavenly game of Telephone well worth picking up.

Full of intriguing setups and wickedly good payoffs, The Rise of the Golden Idol is more of the same winning deduction formula but with a fresh spin that shakes up the foundation enough to feel strikingly original once again.

Exploring the magnificent mythological world of The End of the Sun rivals any vacation you could ever take deep into Central Europe yourself, especially when travelling through time to uncover the Slavic valley dwellers’ intimate personal stories.

10 Dead Doves is a fascinating horror adventure with janky PSX-era controls that takes too long to start unfolding, but once you start diving down the rabbit hole you’ll find a wonderfully weird journey that gets more and more compelling the longer you play.

NoseBound starts off as a graphically intriguing, gritty detective noir investigation, but quickly leads you by the hand on a linear and (currently) unpolished path towards a bewilderingly strange conclusion.

As the final installment of the Immortal John Triptych, Death of the Reprobate provides more of the same fun Monty Python-esque humor, signature Renaissance-era aesthetic, and enjoyable puzzles that Joe Richardson fans have come to expect, even if some aspects are starting to wear thin the third time around.

While its colourful graphics and lure of a good mystery may be enticing, Arthur & Susan: Almost Detectives falls short of its promise in most important ways.

The Last Shot is a brilliant and wickedly funny war critique that immerses players in a fascinating dieselpunk world filled with engaging platforming challenges and continually creative puzzles, effectively communicating its message without uttering a single word.

Officially localized three decades after the original release, Clock Tower: Rewind is a perfectly passable way to experience what was once officially a Japan-exclusive piece of horror history. This is the real, first Clock Tower experience warts and all, along with a smattering of goodies that will delight longtime fans – even if it feels like an inconsistent package throughout.

Using multiple personalities to examine everything can be entertaining until it becomes tiresome, so you’ll need to take your time if you hope to succeed in the Spanish point-and-click comic adventure Ramas’ Call: Twisted Timing.

Three Minutes to Eight is a fun game to look at with all kinds of style, though the inherent repetition of time loops is not helped by unfortunate design choices that make it likely this cool experience will wear out its welcome long before you uncover all its mysteries.

Looking and sounding perhaps better than ever, Murder Malady is everything players expect from a Carol Reed mystery, refined to focus on what the series does best. For a 20th anniversary release, it's not a grand and unforgettable outing, but certainly a welcome and enjoyable one.

Full to bursting with cover-ups, conspiracies, pranks, and wisecracks, 3 Minutes to Midnight is set in a gorgeous cartoon world packed with childishly entertaining puzzles. Like its heroine, it’s a little unfocused and easily distracted at times, but it’s still a rocking good time.

It’s not always the smoothest ride, but at its best, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a cracking good time that arguably ranks as the second best game in franchise history.

Copycat’s linear cozy feline simulator is a far too tame to measure up to its own in-game wildlife ambitions, though its playful yet emotional story might purr its way into an animal lover’s.

Open Roads is a short but emotionally stirring character drama that is, fittingly, more about the journey than the destination, without so much as a speed bump challenge to slow you down in the latest narrative adventure from the creators of Gone Home.

The Abandoned Planet sends you on a not-too-strenuous journey through a visually enticing world full of mystery and menace, even if the protagonist’s hint-laden narration and surface-level characterization mean you shouldn’t expect too much more than that.

Shines Over: The Damned is immersive, and even a bit scary, for the very brief time it lasts. However, its underdeveloped gameplay and narrative will leave players with more a sense of bewilderment than awe.

Skunkape’s remaster of Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse completes the entire Telltale trilogy, and its technical improvements make it sparkle that much more while retaining its classic comedy content.

Move over, Phoenix Wright! Murders on the Yangtze River takes us on a compelling trip to late-nineteenth-century China, where tradition and progress clash in almost every facet of life and an embattled detective chases down the ghosts of his brother’s enigmatic murder in this satisfying courtroom drama.

There’s plenty of art and craft folded into Paper Trail’s perspective-shifting gameplay. Those seeking narrative or a world to explore may find the thin story and linear level-by-level progression a bit underwhelming, but there’s more than enough satisfaction to be found in manipulating the vivid, whimsical environments and solving the intricate mazes that anyone who loves a well-tuned puzzle will likely find it a page-turner.

Loco Motive is the full package. Grab a ticket, put on your thinking cap, and hop on the Reuss Express, as this is one of the finest cartoon point-and-click adventures ever created.

George and Nico are back and looking better than ever in Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars – Reforged, the excellent remastering of their classic first adventure.

Bugs and translation issues stop this adventure from reaching the stars, but with its wonderful hand-painted graphics, quirky characters and delightful puzzles, it is difficult not to have a good time with The Journey of AutUmn.

Not for those who seek challenge above all, but anyone who enjoys relaxing, contemplative experiences should feel over the moon about Europa.

Arsene Lupin: Once a Thief doesn’t pose much challenge or risk, but the chance to play both as the criminal AND the police in this fun cat-and-mouse-style detective game makes it quite a catch.

Mouthwashing is an incredibly visceral sci-fi horror experience that delves into the dark abyss of the human condition, and the few short hours you spend with its stranded space crew will chill you to your core.

Bigger but not necessarily better, the unapologetically old-school Beyond Shadowgate plays virtually the same as the original, and fans should enjoy it just as much as its iconic predecessor from way back when.

It’s an okay survival horror game that doesn’t do enough to capitalize on the franchise’s appeal, so if you haven’t seen A Quiet Place and only played The Road Ahead, you’ll probably wonder what all the hoopla’s about.

It’s come a long way since its schlocky early days, as Midnight Scenes’ fifth and best installment so far invites players to find a safe place to curl up and experience an absorbing dive into the human psyche’s darkest depths.

PRIM delves into the underworld and brings back the soul of classic point-and-click adventure games with an endearing creepy-cute story, loveable characters, fantastic production values and plenty of fun puzzling.

The Holy Gosh Darn is the biblical time-travel comedy adventure game you never knew you needed in your life. This thoroughly charming journey through Heaven and Hell is a genuine treat that excels as much in its hilarious writing as it does with its unique brain teasers.

Murder on Space Station 52 combines a fun but fairly traditional detective noir story with an intriguing sci-fi setting that’s totally out of this world.

Sailing through the Slavic- and Icelandic-influenced world of Selfloss is often a breathtaking sensory experience, but unengaging puzzles, buggy features and an ill-conceived final twist mean its pleasures are largely limited.

Shapik: The Quest is a short but delightfully cozy fantasy forest odyssey. What it lacks in challenge and story depth, it more than makes up in its charming presentation and varied, well-choreographed gameplay.