Adventure Gamers' Scores

  • Games
For 1,432 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 39% higher than the average critic
  • 20% same as the average critic
  • 41% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 6.7 points lower than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average Game review score: 68
Highest review score: 100 L.A. Noire
Lowest review score: 20 Druuna: Morbus Gravis
Score distribution:
1455 game reviews
    • tbd Metascore
    • 30 Critic Score
    Siblings aren’t the only thing missing in Lost Brothers, as this buggy trip through a hidden cave is bereft of either acceptable storytelling or anything to do.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Although quite short and the RPG and adventure elements don’t mesh particularly well, Phoenix Tales is a solid game with a light but fun story, brought to life by a charming presentation.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Waiting for a minute to pass has never been such whimsical fun as in the gorgeously serene Until 9:15 a.m..
    • tbd Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Keyword: A Spider’s Thread is an ambitious light hacking game that is rough around the edges and highly implausible, but should still provide several hours of entertainment for fans of the genre.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Like a David Lynch-inspired fever dream, Who’s Lila? refuses to be fit into a box, its bold graphics, creepy story, and peculiar facial expression mechanic making it one of the most unusual adventure games in recent history.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    It’s a simple game that everyone should be able to relate to, but some of the design choices and a number of production limitations make playing Alexey’s Winter feel too much like trudging through a cold winter blizzard yourself.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    The side-scrolling SAMUDRA has an admirably strong environmental message and some lovely deep-sea art, but that’s not enough to overcome the unimaginative gameplay and vague storytelling.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Despite some shaky puzzle mechanics, Hermitage: Strange Case Files is a compelling Lovecraftian visual novel horror anthology that’s well worth your time if you have even a passing interest in creepy creatures or cosmic terrors.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Pants Quest is a cute and cozy micro-adventure about dealing with stressors and being an adult. The comedy doesn’t always land, but otherwise the hour or so it will take you to get your pants on is highly enjoyable.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    The acting is good and the central mystery is intriguing enough to want to see it through, but Who Pressed Mute on Uncle Marcus? isn’t able to rise above its repetitive nature and lack of any real gameplay to maintain interest all the way to the final unveiling.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Syberia: The World Before is a wonderful return to form for Benoît Sokal’s venerable series. Beautiful, engaging, and moving, it’s the strongest chapter in Kate Walker’s journey yet.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Letters – a written adventure is a delightful word manipulation game, chronicling one young woman’s life and how language can change it. While it isn’t always as engrossing as it could be, it has charm in spades and should—at least the first time around—engage those interested in story-driven experiences.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    With its surreal atmosphere and a deliberately ambiguous story that leaves many questions unanswered, Magnus Imago may reward those willing to delve deeper with plenty to think about, but it doesn’t provide much challenge or narrative resolution as a reward for your efforts.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Feeling more like an expansion than a complete game, Nelson and the Magic Cauldron: The Journey refines the series’ technical aspects and continues the comically absurd adventures of its eponymous hero for those already initiated to his world.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    SCARF is a lovely 3D puzzle-platformer with a pleasing blend of genre elements, though the further you get, the more it starts to fray at the seams.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    It may be a little dense and awkward on occasion, but Warp Frontier boldly flies into some deep, dark places, mostly managing to balance challenging puzzles with personal choices and big ideas.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    The storytelling is a little vague and lacks emotional punch, but if you’re looking for some innovative mechanics and visual artistry, Moncage’s perspective-based puzzles set in colorful cube vignettes are a marvel to experience.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Side-scrolling through a suburban household as a tiny robot in Time Loader provides an immensely satisfying environmental puzzle-platforming experience that more than makes up for the weak endings.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Chasing Static offers a brief and intriguing foray through a foreboding retro-horror landscape, but its barebones story and under-explored ideas make it feel like a warm-up instead of a main event.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Its heavy focus on puzzle-solving frequently overshadows the story, but Another Tomorrow is a well-designed game with interesting isometric graphics and a great variety of puzzles of varying difficulties.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Don’t Escape: 4 Days to Survive combines traditional point-and-click gameplay with an intriguing day-night survival mechanic and randomized events for repeat playthroughs to provide a fresh take on the adventure genre that’s easy to recommend.
    • 45 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    She Sees Red is a highly atmospheric, well-acted (but poorly dubbed) interactive movie that will keep you engaged for about the same length as a film before faltering a bit under its limited choice format.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Zof
    Even though a disjointed visual style and overly no-frills approach holds Zof back from greatness, fans of Myst-like puzzle adventures will find much to enjoy about the wide variety of surreal environments and enigmatic machinery that make up its difficult but fair puzzles.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    While Chapter One can be a little too cumbersome and lacking in logic at times, young Sherlock’s investigation into the many mysteries on Cordona Island provides more than ample breadth and depth for any armchair detective.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    As an extremely short prologue to a bigger upcoming game, The Whisperer shows a strong proficiency in building fear, but less so for resolving a satisfying mystery.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    It could use more polish and it’s not as expansive as it deserves to be, but KAPIA is a charming, well-paced, nicely designed adventure in a unique postapocalyptic world that just about any point-and-click fan can enjoy.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Though its gameplay strains a bit under the weight of some cumbersome design decisions, Spike Chunsoft’s AI: The Somnium Files nonetheless succeeds in crafting a worthy spiritual successor to the Nonary Games, putting its own compelling spin on the visual novel-styled mystery thriller.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Though it’s over far too soon, Milo and the Magpies is a lovely, fun backyard adventure with a charmingly curious protagonist that’s worth playing to marvel at the gorgeous artistry alone.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Slice of Sea sets you loose in a gorgeously illustrated dreamscape and trusts you to figure out what needs doing along the way. Its lack of direction won’t be to everyone’s taste, but if you long to get lost in beautiful otherworldly surroundings, you won’t want to miss it.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    An unusually thought-provoking mystery adventure, Amos Green’s Final Repose is a knockout entry in the long-running Carol Reed series that will appeal to both series fans and newcomers alike.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    With its lack of puzzles, unapologetically bleak atmosphere and ungraceful presentation, Saint Kotar, will not be for everyone, but embrace it for what it is and you may just find it endearingly janky every step of the way.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Whilst its exciting plot twists are sure to have you dizzy with surprise, Vertigo ultimately fails to stand up against the weight of expectation brought about by its own name.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Life Is Strange: True Colors paints a pretty picture, creating a story you’ll really want to invest in, with only a slow plot point or two distracting from what is otherwise a great work of art.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    The Sundew is very nice to look at and attempts to use its cyberpunk setting to cover intriguing thematic ground, but its story, gameplay and presentation come up short in just about every other way that matters.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Though not entirely successful as a broad narrative experience, Road 96 presents a series of compelling individual character studies whose offbeat sense of humor and heart make for a rewarding road trip.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    Lone McLonegan has all the throwback trappings of a Golden Age point-and-click adventure with a welcome Wild West setting, but lacks an understanding of what made those classics work, resulting in a pointless, tedious outing.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Imaginaria offers an intriguing glimpse into the unremarkable lives of those who remarkably choose to reside in extreme isolation. Gameplay boils down to little more than an interactive educational tour, but as long as you’re fine with a narrative micro-experience rather than a brain-teasing survival adventure, this trip to remote Antarctica is one worth taking.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    While its story never really soars, Unbound: Worlds Apart presents a brilliant and elegant Metroidvania type of gameplay that challenges both the mind and the reflexes. It’s perhaps a bit too twitchy for your diehard adventure gamer, but anyone who can handle a little action with their puzzles will fall in love with the beautiful art style and fun, finely tuned gameplay here.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Though Fate of Kai features a clever gameplay concept and enjoyable comic book aesthetic, its simple puzzles, slight story, and a few notable moments of frustration keep the game from reaching its potential.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Lake is, like the waves that break on its rural American Northwest shore, soothing and peacefully regular in its routine, making it ideal for those seeking a break from a hectic life.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    House of Ashes proves that even an annual anthology release that’s so iterative in its gameplay mechanics can still evolve in significant ways. The changes evident here, and perhaps the developer’s maturation in storytelling, result in what may be the series’ strongest entry yet.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    My Beautiful Paper Smile drops players into a dark, captivating world of masks, monsters, and malice seemingly torn straight from a mad poet’s notebook, though its many memorable shocks can’t entirely distract from its frustrating gameplay elements and deceptively simplistic narrative.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Looking better than ever but reducing the gameplay elements even further, Impostor Factory manages to weave a supernatural time travel murder mystery starring a whole new character into the series’ existing tapestry, giving the game a unique-yet-familiar flavor.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    It could use a stronger pairing of story and gameplay, but Tandem: A Tale of Shadows is a cleverly conceived puzzle-platformer stuffed full of dual-character, double-dimension obstacles to overcome.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Its over-reliance on tedious shooting creates an uneven balance of storytelling and gameplay, stymying Liberated’s otherwise thoughtful interpretation of the interactive comic.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Murder Mystery Machine provides a compellingly intricate web of crime and treachery to investigate for those not afraid to miss a few of its less obvious strands.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    A few mechanical issues prevent it from being as user-friendly as it could be, but The Office Quest has a unique fantasy setting, interesting puzzles, funny characters and a beautiful art style that combine to guarantee a pretty enjoyable time.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Half Past Fate: Romantic Distancing is shorter and less ambitious than its predecessor, but its limitations result in a tighter, more intimate character-driven experience, with all the realistic challenges you’d expect from a burgeoning relationship in the middle of a pandemic.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Happy Game sends players on a shrieking, blood-soaked odyssey through the candy-colored hell within a young boy’s subconscious. Though it’s weakened somewhat by a less-cohesive third act, overall it’s a vivid interactive nightmare with a striking aesthetic and powerful narrative conceit.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Kraken Academy!!’s strengths are largely skin deep, let down by the lack of focus and care put into its gameplay and story. Amusing, quirky characters may keep you going for a while, but this isn’t a game you really want to be stuck in as time loops repeatedly.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    A Juggler’s Tale lasts only a precious few hours, but it manages to pack in an inspired, captivating puzzle-platforming experience with engaging gameplay, a smart and poignant story, and a jaw-droppingly beautiful aesthetic.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    If you are a Myst fan who has played one or all the previous iterations, this is by far the best version yet and deserves your attention with or without the supported VR hardware. If you are one of the few adventure game fans new to the series, you are in for a real treat, though be forewarned that all the same divisively esoteric design elements remain from the original.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Sable is a visually interesting game with a unique concept and setting, but uninspired gameplay, sparse characterization and a staggering number of technical issues prevent it from realizing most of its lofty goals.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    By emphasizing the connections between suspects, Hercule Poirot: The First Cases’ focus on deduction board gameplay nicely suits Agatha Christie’s famed Belgian detective and challenges your own little grey cells.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    What Happened is an abstract first-person acid trip through a troubled teenaged mind that is impressive both visually and aurally, but it has very little gameplay and fumbles the delivery of its narrative with barely anything new to say through the entire second half.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Far more action-oriented than a traditional point-and-click, Omno feels like a true “adventure” in the literal sense, offering a jaw-dropping journey of enlightenment that is sure to brighten any gamer’s day.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles is two deduction-based adventure games in one, set over a hundred years prior to the original Phoenix Wright trilogy. With improved graphics, fun new characters and enthralling cases to solve, it more than lives up to the legacy of its classic predecessors.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    The frustrating issues in Westmark Manor’s design aren’t game-breaking, but they take too much focus away from its better aspects and place the spotlight squarely on areas that should be afterthoughts at best.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    More a series of escape rooms than a full-fledged adventure, Vile Matter is a short, simple and uninspired psychological horror game that is nevertheless perfectly playable and offers a few brief moments of suspense.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    There isn’t much in the way of actual gameplay or player agency, but anyone who enjoys a highly interactive story will certainly want to add Last Stop to their gaming library.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Though some technical and uncompromising design issues occasionally hinder the experience, Døm Rusalok captures the delight of aimless teenage wanderings set against the creepy backdrop of urban legend, and its oblique Russian charm ultimately makes it worthy of a look from horror fans.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Down in Bermuda is a delightful adventure to play, especially if you want to just relax and enjoy some fun, clever puzzles in a charming isometric island setting.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    In cramming a time-looping murder mystery into the confines of a small inner-city studio apartment, Twelve Minutes offers much to appreciate, though the execution suffers somewhat from the limitations such a premise inevitably brings with it.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Critters for Sale is a captivating and almost unspeakably bizarre journey into black-and-white hell that you’ll have to play to comprehend. It won’t be for everyone, but those willing to take the plunge will find themselves mesmerized by an experience like none they’ve had before.
    • 90 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Chicory: A Colorful Tale is like a warm hug from a wise old aunt, simultaneously bursting with creativity and offering an unblinking but hopeful look at humanity.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Fire Tonight’s story of two lovers separated by a city going up in flames is charming enough while it lasts. Unfortunately, the attempt to reunite them isn’t nearly as exciting as it sounds, and the whole adventure is only marginally longer than the song on which it’s based.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    With its sheer volume of ever-evolving challenges, it’d be easy to credit Filament with being just an excellent puzzle game, but its equally impressive ability to build an emotional connection to the cast and central mystery is a feat that few puzzle games are able to achieve.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The Corruption Within is an entertaining exercise in gothic spookiness that understands what makes its particular subgenre tick, but its setting and characters are ill-served by the story’s hurried pace.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    TOEM is a delightfully Zen experience, perfect for anyone looking to spend a few hours in some entertaining locales with a cute protagonist and a variety of photo quests that aren’t too taxing.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Rudimentary puzzles somewhat undermine Distraint 2’s otherwise compelling, evocatively presented tale of one man’s fraught, nightmarish journey towards redemption.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    It won’t deliver enough puzzle challenge or story depth to fully satisfy adventure game purists, but for fans of 3D platformers, the beautifully surreal Onirike serves up a pleasant helping of running, jumping, and exploring through dreamlike, Burton-esque worlds.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    Nemezis: Mysterious Journey III nails the beauty and atmosphere of a Myst game but misses the mark in just about every other respect.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    It’s short and may rely a little too much on satirizing the genre for its humor, but Death Off the Cuff is an enjoyably playful text adventure nod to the classic Christie-style detective stories that should appeal to any fan of whodunits.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    It’s got an interesting gameplay construct and some gorgeously animated locations to explore, but some clumsy moments with controls and unclear leaps of puzzle logic mean that Maquette’s tale of whirlwind romance only flutters rather than flies.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Though it lacks much in the way of interesting gameplay, An Airport for Aliens Currently Run by Dogs boasts hilarious dialogue and dark mysteries to uncover from its wonderfully diverse canine cast, and its ambiguous undertones are proof that not all dogs see things in black and white.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Though the fun is over far too soon, VR adventure gamers owe it to themselves to play The Secret of Retropolis as it perfectly captures the atmosphere of film noir in an unexpectedly comedic all-robot futuristic setting.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    It’s not particularly challenging, but Not Another Weekend offers solid gameplay, a zany plot loaded with humor, loads of 80s nostalgia, a few welcome surprises, and an expansive cast of memorable characters.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Favouring style over substance, Detective from the Crypt certainly looks pretty but an unengaging story and pedestrian gameplay leave little impression otherwise.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Root Film addresses some of its predecessor’s narrative shortcomings while accentuating its impressive production values. It may not offer much player agency or any challenge at all, but as a light-hearted murder mystery romp it is well worth a second (or first) trip to Shimane Prefecture.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Operation: Tango provides such a fun series of asymmetric spy action to share with a friend that it’s a shame it ends way too soon.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Creepy Tale 2 successfully carves out a visual identity of its own without its predecessor’s troubling reliance on external influences, but it takes giant steps backward with regard to its story, puzzles, and atmosphere.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Hadr’s literal disappearing act is intriguing for the mellow hour or so it takes to complete, though the lack of puzzle complexity makes the game’s great concept seem somewhat underutilized.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Uniformly excellent writing, acting, and audio-visual presentation of an ancient Roman city and its imminently doomed citizens make The Forgotten City a mystery well worth solving—and the clever time-looping mechanics make your investigation a lot of fun.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    If you have the patience to fully explore the narrative of Where Wind Becomes Quiet, you can’t help but feel emotionally invested in the life of a tormented writer who is trying desperately to remember his past. Just be sure to have a box of tissues handy, as you will certainly need them.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Almost My Floor tells an interesting two-pronged horror/detective story with bold comic-book-style artwork and a mix of point-and-click puzzle solving, investigation, and timed action sequences that all work together extremely well.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    While the Freelance Police are just as funny and sound as good as ever, a reliance on VR gimmicks and underwhelming gameplay prevent This Time It’s Virtual! from being a notable entry in the beloved Sam & Max franchise.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    While it presents a much rosier version of its central characters than the historical record suggests, Dr Livingstone, I Presume? features a well-structured series of escape room puzzles that’s hindered somewhat by a repetitive soundtrack and use of color.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Hampered only by some clumsy storytelling and awkward mechanical problems, Maskmaker is an immersive VR experience and an inventive adventure game with enough fun gimmicks to feel like a fresh take on the genre.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    The Wild Case seems to have begun life as yet another hidden object adventure before mutating into a beautiful but thoroughly domesticated point-and-click adventure that underwhelms in all respects but one.
    • 47 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    The Fabled Woods delivers an intriguing trio of interconnected tales with a nice coat of production polish, but the game’s brevity and lack of interaction result in a power hike through the heart of the wilderness instead of a more compelling, slow-paced stroll.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    What The Last Show of Mr. Chardish lacks in particularly engaging gameplay, it makes up for with a beautiful art style, a variety of settings, and some interesting ideas about art and identity.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    The Magnificent Trufflepigs offers a gorgeous stroll through the English countryside which sadly gets muddied by some weak story choices and repetitive gameplay.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    There Was the Moon succeeds at transporting players to a hauntingly surreal yet beautiful landscape, where menacingly unfamiliar sights and unsettling sound design combine to present an alien experience that won’t soon be forgotten.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Minute of Islands is a beautiful, unflinching game about the power to save what you hold dear and the responsibility that comes with it. Its breathtaking visual style, moving story and intensely affecting presentation add up to a one-of-a-kind puzzle-platforming experience.
    • 62 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Supposedly Wonderful Future feels a bit like a cross between a heady sci-fi visual novel and a social experiment, focused on recording players’ choices when faced with moral dilemmas. Unfortunately, none of these are implemented in a way that serves the story in a meaningful way, making the experience, while unique, ultimately flat and unfulfilling.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    While the storytelling is not as tight as in the base Cloudpunk game, the dual narrative, new characters, and quality-of-life improvements make City of Ghosts a worthy DLC expansion that is substantial enough to be a full-fledged sequel.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Lacuna is a wonderfully tense hard-boiled story set in a gorgeous jazzpunk future. Its mysteries will make you work for the answers, and will even let you fail, but either way the payoff is a sense of accomplishment that few other narrative puzzlers provide.
    • 48 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Despite an innovative approach to an escape room-style adventure, with actions in one realm affecting another, the extensive hard-to-follow dialog, finicky controls and “to be continued” ending makes it difficult to recommend Flow Weaver as a worthwhile standalone VR experience.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    I Saw Black Clouds is an entertaining psychological FMV thriller where player choice actually makes a significant difference in how the story plays out. While its production values are modest and puzzles are non-existent, the solid acting, short playthrough length, intriguing mystery, and high replayability will likely keep players coming back for more.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Lust from Beyond tells a thoughtful, albeit unapologetically disturbing, story. Its puzzles won’t leave you stumped for long, its action and stealth aren’t particularly engaging, and a number of technical issues are sure to cause frustration, but if you have a strong stomach for this particular brand of erotic horror, the excellent world-building and grotesque imagery will reward those who see it through.

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