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.

Cat’s Request is a lovely, imaginative science fiction fever dream that spreads itself a bit too thin but is nevertheless an enjoyable gaming experience over the course of its too-brief two-hour runtime.

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.

Though it would have benefited from more restraint, Hyperdrive Inn is a wild, multidimensional journey through a kaleidoscope of the possible and the impossible alike, with so much to see that you’ll need multiple playthroughs to experience the fullness of it.

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.