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.

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.

A rare sequel that fully capitalizes on the potential of where its predecessor left off, The Talos Principle 2 elegantly makes space for genius puzzle design and captivating characterization to tell an extraordinarily unique, gripping, moving, and surprisingly funny story. A masterpiece for the ages.

Riven is not a game, it is an experience. It’s a demanding, puzzle-intensive experience that isn’t for everyone, but with its gorgeous setting and a web of interconnectedness never seen before in free-roaming 3D, be prepared to make this remastered edition your world for a long time before you come out the other side, even if you’ve played the original.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Duck Detective: The Secret Salami is just a ton of fun. It’s a perfect replacement for a family movie night, with two funny and endearing hours of lightly challenging mystery and engaging story.

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.

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.

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.

Cranking up the difficulty and empathy in equal doses, Road to Elysium threads a needle that most DLC expansions can only hope for. While a few of the challenges edge a bit into overly difficult territory, it’s an extraordinarily well-crafted and generous helping of brilliant puzzles and lovely emotional payoffs. One of the best puzzle games ever just got one of the best expansions around.

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.

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.

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.

While Slay the Princess comes in a deceptively simple package, it contains what feels like a whole universe of horror, humor and humanity; it takes the visual novel format and pushes it as far as it will go, with a story that changes and adapts to every decision you make without ever forsaking its central themes of identity, eternity, and the nature of life and death.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

Farewell North’s beautiful Scottish setting pulls you in with its canine star and cozy gameplay, then immerses you in a touching story about loss and letting go that’s well worth seeing through to the end.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

With its loveable cast of characters, just-right level of challenge, and compelling plot, Lucy Dreaming is a complete win for Tall Story Games and adventure game players alike. The puzzle difficulty ramps up beautifully, just as the plot becomes progressively more compelling until it reaches its incredibly satisfying payoff. I would encourage seeing this one through to the end, but I don’t think I have to: you’ll be hooked from the moment you press Play until the moment the credits roll.

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.

With a new storyline and new tweaks to the series’ co-op gameplay, We Were Here Expeditions: The FriendShip is an excellent start to this multi-part franchise installment.

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.

With a sharp narrative focus, engaging gameplay, and a fresh take on its characters as younger men, Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened functions as both a stellar remake and a compelling sequel to Chapter One.

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.”

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.

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.

It might feel bewildering at first, but deciphering glyphs to discover more about the vibrant and mysterious tower with its culturally divided people makes Chants of Sennaar a highly engaging and ultimately rewarding framing for the inventive language-based puzzles.

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.

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.

With The Bunker, Frictional has boiled the series’ gameplay formula down to its most salient and effective horror elements while trimming any excessive fat. For fans of horror, only three words are necessary: go play it!

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 its beautiful scenery, heartfelt characters, and the weirdest wolves you’ve ever seen, The Night Is Grey is as close to a psychological thriller as an adventure game can get, worthy to be called an interactive cinematic experience.

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.

Move aside, Laura Bow. Nancy Maple is the reigning queen of retro-styled murder mysteries in The Crimson Diamond, a clever, engaging, and satisfying tale that is sure to entertain fans of Sierra’s text-driven EGA classics while being accessible to adventurers new to this style of game.

Like a Sherlock Holmes investigation at the bottom of the sea, there are many compelling secrets to be unveiled in the gorgeous underwater scenery of Thalassa’s titular sunken ship.

A charming atmosphere, puzzles that are just right, and bonus secrets are all waiting to be unlocked in the fantastic escape room adventure Escape from Mystwood Mansion.

Although quite different from its predecessor, Another Fisherman’s Tale is another brilliant game from InnerspaceVR that combines a vibrant world, moving story, and reality-bending mechanics. An instant classic for both fans of virtual reality and narrative games.

Punctuated by a few big scares, Paper Ghost Stories: 7PM is captivating in its quieter moments, too, with an understated slice-of-life narrative, cultural authenticity, an underrepresented setting, and just the right amount of foreboding. The experience is heightened by a sensible sound design, an effectively eerie score, and an infinitely appealing paper cut-out visual style pulled off to near perfection. A few decisions that lead to unique content make it worth playing again as you fully absorb the detail and charm on offer, especially when a single playthrough is so short. Overall, this unassuming little ghost story adventure does just about everything right. It’s bite-sized indeed, but I truly enjoyed my brief introduction, and I can’t wait to see how this style of game plays out in long-form in the upcoming, full-length Third Eye Open sequel.

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.

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

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.

It certainly doesn’t take a great detective to solve this rather easy adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express, but there’s just something about stepping into the shoes of Hercule Poirot to snoop around the most beautiful and famous train in history in an intricately plotted whodunit that makes it immensely satisfying. If you like playing detective, this interactive version of the most famous case in literary fiction will certainly tickle your own little grey cells.

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.

Vlad Circus is fun and scary in all the right ways. With locked doors, monsters, a mysterious circus director and a hallucinating main character, it may not be the greatest show on earth but has plenty to entertain unsuspecting visitors.

Torn Away is a beautifully produced narrative adventure with various gameplay elements that hits you hard in the feels as you guide a ten-year-old child back home to her family across a continent ravaged by war.

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.

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.

It may have a few minor malfunctions, but Between Horizons launches players on an exciting and branching interstellar detective journey, looking for clues, questioning suspects, and maybe saving the remnants of humanity in the process.

The Chinese Room’s Still Wakes the Deep sees man’s greed and hubris bring an unknowable disaster down upon an offshore oil rig in a tense, highly effective horror outing.

It’s much the same as fans will remember, but the Brothers remake pairs an already wonderful game with a stunning graphic overhaul and co-op multiplayer option.

Roadwarden is a highly compelling, vividly realized text-based expedition into a dynamic fantasy setting, with a deep and layered story that allows players to experience as much or as little as they choose while deciding what kind of role they want to play in its deceptively vast world.

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.

Laughs are at the forefront of Repella Fella, a crude, gory, and yet occasionally earnest adventure. Ease of play allows the jokes to come fast and furious, and despite some issues with the pace of storytelling, this game is sure to provide hours of delight to its intended audience.

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.

INDIKA is an eclectic mix of graphic styles and gameplay about a young nineteenth-century Russian nun that will keep you glued to your seat with its challenging but mature reflection on faith and human morality.

Viewfinder’s shining achievement is its brilliantly executed set of reality-bending mechanics that are such fun to play with that its tenuous story and relatively simple puzzles are easy to overlook.

Gameplay and player agency may be limited, but as an interactive storybook, Beacon Pines is a charming, intriguing mystery with a great cast, gorgeous art, and a fun branching path mechanic.

Perhaps the next closest thing to a real-world ghost-hunting expedition, Incubus offers plenty of paranormal phenomena to keep you busy and satisfy your fears and fantasies.

Submachine: Legacy asks a lot of the player: a lot of attention, a lot of time, a lot of thought, and a lot of travel. In return, though, it has an incredible amount to offer. The narrative is both intriguing and unobtrusive, allowing you to take or leave as much as you want while you get down to puzzle-solving. The puzzles themselves are almost uniformly excellent, while the art and music are perfectly suited to the aura of mysterious foreboding that infuses each chapter. This is not a game to be approached casually or without the full complement of one’s faculties, but the subnet contains such an embarrassment of adventuring riches that it’s no surprise people have spent so many years jumping at the chance to vanish there.

Puzzles for Clef endearingly blends plentiful puzzles with an intricate fairytale world and quirky characters. Like its teenage heroine, it's a little gawky and awkward in places, but it's also charming and full of heart.

Golden Idol Mysteries: The Lemurian Vampire serves up a fitting conclusion to the elaborate and electrifying mystery started in The Spider of Lanka, making that game’s satisfying story feel even more complete. Rarely do mystery games make observational deduction this much fun.

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.

Live the life of a starving student or investigate dark occult secrets. It’s your choice in Dreams in the Witch House, a roleplaying/resource management/point-and-click adventure hybrid that makes for a very challenging, occasionally frustrating but often fun balancing act.

With its unique presentation and hybrid role-playing elements, Midnight Margo maintains the perfect balancing act between serious themes like depression and social acceptance and self-deprecating humor that makes it so much fun to play.

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

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.

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.

Big Loop Studios’ pedigree in the puzzle box space shows through in Boxes: Lost Fragments, a brief but fun foray into a world of creativity and sheer imagination.

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.

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.

Killer Frequency is a compelling choice-driven, non-action-oriented survival horror game that demands you keep your wits about you. If you really want to become the hero, you’ll enjoy every tense minute of it. Fail or consciously turn to the dark side, however, and you’re awarded with funny deaths and dark humor. Either way, it’s well worth giving it a spin.

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.

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.

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.

A Highland Song is a beautifully frustrating journey into the Highlands, Scottish history, and the life of a troubled teenager. Showcasing both the marvels and the menace of that rugged land, it offers a powerful sense of place, memorable tales, and a big heart.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Dordogne takes you on a stunning watercolor journey through the past and present of rural southern France. There isn’t anything much in the way of challenge, but it’s a charming interactive storybook that will remind you of the really important things in life.

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

The Phantom Fellows marches to the beat of its own ghostly drum. Its zany yet fair puzzles may require a little too much pixel hunting, but it grounds its surreal world in quirkily relatable stories packed with wildly creative dialogue and comically empathetic characters.