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.

Loretta is a pleasingly chaotic and entertaining romp through the best tropes of film noir – but it’s the player who decides just how dark things get.

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.

Based on the 1964 hard sci-fi novel of the same name, The Invincible tells a mature, thought-provoking story about a research team’s discoveries on a distant planet. While the gameplay isn’t much to write home about, the smartly presented experience is nevertheless out of this world.

This Bed We Made sacrifices some snooping freedom and player challenge for a more linear narrative, but there are plenty of thrilling discoveries to unpack in this compelling Hitchcockian mystery.

Time loop mysteries require a delicate balance of challenge while rewarding players for both their successes and mistakes. In Orten Was the Case, the play control and action elements can upset that balance at times, but the twelve-minute puzzle itself hits all the right beats and proves to be quite satisfying.

Even without this small wish list of things I would have preferred to see implemented, Botany Manor packs a powerful punch as an exploration of its protagonist’s life, coupled with some engaging and well-designed puzzles along the way that even the most gardening-averse in real life can master. Best of all, it manages to deliver all of this with a gentle, light touch, with beautiful sights and sounds you can relax to even as you solve its conundrums. It’s not the most aggressively difficult puzzler out there, nor is it the longest, but it certainly makes a great case for quality over quantity. It seems like a true passion project that reminds us that, sometimes, it’s important to slow down in our busy lives to stop and smell the roses.

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.

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.

Cosmic Void succeeds in delivering another compelling mystery, as the frights in Devil’s Hideout challenge your courage and puzzle-solving skills in this short but spooky point-and-click occult adventure.

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.

With a gorgeous setting full of incredible architecture and nicely varied puzzles, Firmament is another confident and cerebral showcase from the legendary artists at Cyan.

Bramble's action elements might prove challenging for those used to relaxed adventuring gameplay, but with its main focus on platforming, stealth and boss battles, this stunning and terrifying survival horror game artfully weaves Scandinavian folklore into its dark but gripping narrative.

OU deserves enormous credit for its superb art and its distinct, ambitious style of storytelling, providing a memorable high-concept experience only slightly hampered by questionable design choices.

It’s not about seeing the story through to the end or solving complicated puzzles—version 2.0 of Colossal Cave in VR faithfully retains the flaws of the original groundbreaking game but is otherwise a delightful interactive experience that feels like an actual genuine adventure.

Those who fondly remember cracking conundrums in The 7th Guest’s Stauf Mansion or feel nostalgic for the early 3D graphics of Resident Evil’s Spencer Mansion will feel right at home in The Tartarus Key, with its plethora of engaging puzzles and well-written cast that’ll welcome you in and make your stay a memorable one.

Snowman Story isn’t your typical Christmas tale and the singular puzzle type does it no favours, but it tells a gripping and emotional tale, in a delightfully vivid pixel art style, of a snowman trying to escape his inevitable springtime thaw.

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.

You can’t help but feel like a true conspiracy theorist exploring the beautifully eerie pixel art world of Mythargia with all its mysterious supernatural elements. As a journalist in search of clues about secret human experiments, a bit more control over how to compile the evidence into your article would’ve been welcome, but collecting it all feels very rewarding along the way.

While not as deep as it could be, Return to Grace’s discussion of the role of AI in people’s lives – with those very AIs themselves – is a pleasant accompaniment to the wonderful sites discovered aboard an abandoned space base of the future.

Backfirewall_ is a unique and interesting look at the anthropomorphized inner workings of a phone, with fun gameplay, humorous dialogue and bright, colorful environments.

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.

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.

Full of gorgeous art, delightful jazz, and a very light amount of challenge, The Forest Quartet turns a story about death and grief into a fun, lively, cathartic memorial romp.

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.

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.

SEASON is a beautiful and thoughtful art piece of a game whose only challenge may stem from being overly ponderous at times, but it shines with its gorgeous landscapes, interesting characters, and imaginative worldbuilding and will reward those who come into it ready for some creative introspection.

Wavetale’s forgiving platforming and trivial combat arguably make the game a bit too easy, but its thoughtful narrative and gorgeous world will keep you happily glued to the screen throughout the entirety of its brief duration.