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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Pentiment is a captivating Renaissance adventure that challenges players to unravel both a murder mystery and the many enigmas of history.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

If you can withstand a slow and meandering beginning, A Space for the Unbound will reward you with one of the more emotionally earnest and moving stories to be found in an adventure game.

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.

Though cracks are visible in its impressive facade by the time the credits roll, Stasis: Bone Totem is a wildly ambitious follow-up that builds effectively on the macabre promise of its predecessors.

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.

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.

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.