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.

Throughout that time I was both pleased and impressed, as Nostradamus: The Last Prophecy is a solid game with an intriguing story and fun, well-integrated puzzles.

Still a solid game, but the venerable series is starting to show its age by recycling many elements.

Despite the criticism that prevent it from realizing its potential, this is by no means a bad game and could serve you well if you're looking for something new to try.

A futuristic digital age has fully bloomed in The Moment of Silence with a relatable lead character, more comfortable dialogue, clear and original puzzles, striking graphical presentation and a full-package sci-fi adventure. One of the most entertaining adventures in years.

Every moment of NUTS is surprising and delightful; its first-time developers have created a world you’ll want to spend even longer in to explore more deeply, full of fantastic design choices and an intriguing story that gets better and better as it goes along.

Été features an unconventional and innovative approach to painting, offering a unique and engaging gameplay experience. However, it eventually falls short in delivering a compelling narrative, which could have further enhanced the overall experience.

Although falling short of its full potential, Tokyo Dark tells an intriguing mystery story and nicely integrates elements of both western and eastern cultures, combining point-and-click adventure-style exploration and simple puzzles with visual novel-length conversations and multiple endings, some more satisfying than others.

Haters of happy endings—or happiness in general—are in luck, because Richard & Alice is a game so bleak and dreary that it’s hard to find any other purpose for seeing it through to the bitter end.

More a psychological thriller than pure horror game until the final stretch, Blair Witch won’t scare you so much as drive you barking mad (in both good ways and bad).

Still, with its clever, elegant puzzles and a light-hearted plot loaded with twists, it is definitely the most enjoyable game I have played in a long time.

Overall, Kaptain Brawe: A Brawe New World is a fun old school adventure game with modern user-friendly conveniences, combining some of the best elements of the genre and delivering them in an attractive sci-fi cartoon package.

All in all, while still providing a dependable Nancy Drew adventure that fans have come to expect, I just couldn’t help but feel that The Phantom of Venice seems tired, or more specifically, that it’s the latest entry in a series that itself is getting tired.

Although thin on tangible story, Pavilion’s first of two planned chapters succeeds as an engaging puzzler with an interesting game mechanic and superb production values that help atone for some troublesome technical issues.

All in all, this is a game for hardcore puzzle enthusiasts. If you like games like Myst for the intellectual challenge, you should be pleased with RHEM 3.

Working together with a partner to overcome obstacles is a great core concept at the heart of We Were Here Too, though as a castle escape game it isn’t particularly noteworthy beyond that.

Eminently playable, cheekily characterised and delectably artistic, The Serpent’s Curse rekindles the romance of the much-loved Broken Sword series.

The lack of puzzles and other challenges lets the gaming experience fall short, but the beautiful graphics, gripping story and wonderful music still make The Shattering a worthwhile experience, even if it’s an emotionally difficult one.

The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince just lands on the right side of average; a bit too easy and a bit too slow, its distinctive aesthetic and several unexpected late-game highlights nevertheless manage to deliver that happily-ever-after feeling every fairy tale deserves.

Rather than treating Mary Shelley’s creation as the monster of so many horror movies, The Wanderer: Frankenstein’s Creature is true to the spirit of the original novel and is a treat for the eyes and ears.

AER creates a beautiful fantasy world with a wonderful flying mechanic to explore it, but ultimately doesn’t give players much to do besides repetitive platforming puzzles.

Hauntii is an impressive debut from Moonloop Games, and it’s challenging to find any major flaws with it. I’m eagerly anticipating the future plans from this talented indie studio.

Its polished presentation and unusual premise make for a promising start to Metamorphosis, but the shallow gameplay and increasingly abstract direction prove to be something of a buzzkill.

Shadows of Doubt is a unique detective sim in its use of procedural generation to guarantee that no two playthroughs are alike. It is not perfect, but overall it is one of the most well-crafted experiences that anyone, even detective game veterans, should play.

Although it doesn’t feel entirely phoned-in, SIMULACRA 2 fails to either build on its predecessor’s style or provide enough worthwhile substance of its own, making for a sequel that isn’t quite transmitting at full strength.

If you're looking for a really great graphic adventure game, give "Circle of Blood" a try, but resist the temptation to pick up its sequel. Like the game's title implies, it’s all smoke and mirrors, and very little substance.

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.

These flaws aside, Jack Keane is a lengthy game, light on difficulty, but never anything less than fun.

Moons of Madness ditches the cold New England setting of Lovecraft’s eldritch tales for the dry, arid wastelands of Mars, and what results is a textbook example of how “cosmic” cosmic horror truly can be.

Many of State of Mind’s ideas sound great on paper, but as an interactive thriller it fails to establish proper stakes, with virtually no challenge, a world with few likeable characters, and a story sparse on purposeful events.

A must-have for puzzle fans and definitely worth a look for anyone who values an intellectual challenge.

My Memory of Us cleverly tackles dark subject matter with a heavy boost from its beautiful production values, but falls short when it comes to offering consistently engaging gameplay.

The production values place Erica in good company as an FMV psychological thriller, but with a near total absence of gameplay and a plot that struggles to consistently thrill, what’s left is an underwhelming choose-your-own-adventure tale that leaves a poor lingering impression.

Zojoi’s Shadowgate remake is everything you loved – and maybe everything you hated – about old-school adventuring. It offers a captivating journey into a fantasy dungeon, but it’s inhabited by puzzles so artificially challenging that this quest is one not everyone will want to undertake.

The inherent weirdness of exploring a person’s memories and an ever-evolving mystery help make up for some obtuse gameplay and a lack of proper resolution in The Signifier.

Night Call is neither a great mystery nor a great cabbie simulator, but if you like dialogue and weird characters, this unique visual novel-style adventure is an interesting distraction.

Fans of the classic cartoon adventures will find their fix with this brilliantly traditional adventure.

Combining a story-based exploration of a mysterious virtual hotel with an interesting colour-based, Portal-esque puzzler, The Spectrum Retreat doesn’t quite add up to the sum of its disparate parts.

Regardless, the gorgeous look and feel of the game is poorly served by bad design decisions and ultimately fails as an enjoyable experience.

To play, or not to play? If you like Shakespeare, definitely. But even if you dozed through high school English, the clever premise and time-loop puzzling make Elsinore a world worth exploring.

Though not as memorable as its acclaimed puzzle-platforming inspirations, Stela manages to carve out an identity of its own and is worth playing for its interesting world, atmosphere and excellent music.

As you wander Firmament’s splendid landscapes, the narrative builds to a heartening finale—but be prepared to strenuously exercise your brain along the way.

It sacrifices too much gameplay for narrative at times, and its missed opportunities keep it from greatness, but it's reasonably fun while it lasts.

Better than "Dracula Resurrection" and worth picking up. However, it falls short of greatness.

It lacks a certain surprise factor that [the best games in the series] have pulled off so well and despite having an interesting premise for a plot, at times it comes off as flat and doesn’t live up to the potential that such an intriguing plot could have had.

Those whose idea of a good adventure involves inventory puzzles and plenty of characters to talk to may be put off by the emphasis on solitary exploration and puzzle solving, particularly given the game's surface resemblance to other quest-style adventures. But the beautiful setting, along with an interesting storyline, clever puzzles, and lots of little magical touches all help to bring the game to life.

A solid diversion for mystery fans, though it’s got too many holes in it to stay afloat in your consciousness for long.

Puzzle fans will find The Guest a solid room-escape adventure, while story and exploration fans will have plenty of reservations.

Inked: A Tale of Love is an excellent adventure game. The compelling story and the concept behind it should appeal to most adventure game fans, and especially to lovers of physics-based puzzles.

The story is charming and witty, the puzzles are a refreshing change from the usual, and the game is appropriate for everyone in the family.

A very well-designed ghost story from a very promising developer, and well worth the purchase for suspense and first-person fans.

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.

The Plane Effect is a well-crafted surreal and atmospheric experience with philosophical undertones. While not perfect (though not too far from it), it is heartily recommended.

The Cave may not turn out to be the genre trailblazer that Maniac Mansion was, but this modern day classic puts a new spin on many of the adventure conventions that have been around since Colossal Cave.

TSIOQUE’s late game story machinations are a bit of a pill to swallow, but they aren’t enough to overshadow what is otherwise an enjoyable, gorgeous fairy tale adventure.

Emotionally resonant and carefully crafted, A Golden Wake mostly succeeds in living up to its ambitious premise and ultimately leaves a memorable impression.

GYLT is an atmospheric, beginner-friendly horror experience that channels classic tropes of the genre, but experienced players might need more to sink their teeth into.

Asking players to delve deeply into its philosophical underpinnings but too easy to make the actual gameplay particularly fun, The Charnel House Trilogy is an uneven yet oddly compelling ride.

With some enhanced animations and cutscenes, this entry is better than the last game but shorter in duration, and continues to rely a little too heavily on chores than actual detective work.

If you can get past all the timed events and repetition from multiple deaths, the slick-looking Deliver Us the Moon will reward you with an an evolving story and interesting characters in an evocative sci-fi setting filled with challenging obstacles to overcome.

The Blind Prophet has an appealing graphic novel aesthetic and an interesting premise, but it’s not enough to compensate for a poor translation and bland, frustrating gameplay.

Proving too slow-paced and repetitive for its own good, Root Letter fails to seal the deal on its promising set-up, though it may yet pave the way for improved Kadokawa mysteries to come.

After surviving the first Chronicle of Innsmouth, Lone Carter returns in Mountains of Madness, which attempts to ambitiously expand its predecessor’s narrative scope but is unable to successfully scale that particular peak. There’s a lot to like and a noticeable graphical improvement, but ultimately this entry will go down as the weaker of the pair.

There’s a fair bit of fun to be had sneaking about the workplace in this first-person fixed-time thriller at first, but The Occupation ends up overstaying its welcome due to some clumsy implementation.

Though he has lost his memory, Tex hasn’t lost any of his charm or humor, and Tesla Effect is a beautifully crafted love letter to a bygone era, made specifically with series fans in mind.

Though the gameplay isn’t particularly inspired, Darkestville Castle is a winner thanks to its prank-prone principal character, delightful cartoon environments, and witty humour.

While Dry Drowning’s conclusion may be overly complicated, the visual novel-styled journey of tracking down a serial killer in a future dystopian city more than makes up for it.

Although it remains a formula with tremendous potential, this is one experiment that needs to go back to the drawing board.

Lake Ridden‘s spookiness is slightly undone by its attempts to appeal to horror, puzzle, and drama fans alike, but the end result is still worth the trip.

An enjoyable murder mystery with many excellent elements, but it is let down by sloppy implementation and inattention to detail.

Argonus and the Gods of Stone takes elements of real Greek mythology and shuffles them about to create a fantastic, engrossing new experience that feels like it fits in antiquity.

Down the Rabbit Hole faithfully and vividly recreates the roller-coaster feeling of bouncing through Wonderland’s zany environments in VR, even solving some engaging puzzles along the way. Unfortunately, it’s let down somewhat by a lackluster narrative and weak character interactions that could have made the whole experience far more memorable.

Dustborn is a captivating narrative adventure that combines a rich, alternate history setting with diverse gameplay mechanics, delivering a memorable experience despite minor technical quirks.

ENCODYA’s occasionally clunky mechanics and obscure puzzles are more than compensated for by its intricately created cyberpunk world, gorgeous aesthetic and array of interesting characters.

This is a solid sequel in the franchise and while it doesn't really break any new ground, it does make some minor but important improvements that make it the best game in the series.

This unique blindness-themed side-scroller may be worth a look for fans of puzzle-platformers, but Another Sight ultimately just can’t stick the landing.

As a game it’s not unpleasant but as an add-on it’s anything but essential.

Though it doesn’t explore its heavy themes as deeply as it could, and the needlessly small environments are overly restrictive, The Almost Gone is an enjoyable isometric puzzle game with an engaging, sensitively explored narrative.

Scratches is a great adventure game that shouldn't be missed by anyone who enjoys a story well told within a scary, gothic presentation.

Although the idea of blending role-playing elements with traditional adventure gaming sounds intriguing, The Council doesn’t do anything particularly interesting with either of them after a very strong introductory episode.

If nothing else, this game is destined to be divisive, and whilst it’s certainly not “Still Life: Part 2”, it does – just barely – do enough good things to deserve to be called Still Life 2.

There is much to be commended about this game for such a small first-time development team, but overall I couldn’t help but be disappointed with Rhiannon: Curse of the Four Branches.

While it takes a few narrative missteps, The Thin Silence oozes raw emotion as it courageously bares the suffocating reality of depression and loneliness, yet still manages to be a fairly entertaining game in its own right.

Rainswept bites off more than it can chew with its ambitious story of love, murder and loneliness, but within the sometimes confusing narrative strands there’s an involving game with a beautiful soundtrack to discover.

Horror fans, heed the Call of Cthulhu and plunge yourself into an expertly produced Lovecraftian mystery in a finely paced, hybridized adventure/RPG package that, while mostly linear, delivers more depth than its contemporary genre rivals.

As it stands, Red Johnson's Chronicles feels more like a showcase of style over substance: a demonstration that more adventure games can be made on the PS3 with QTEs and popular CSI-style investigations.

Secret Files 3 replaces romance with rocket science, but its convoluted premise, simplistic puzzles, and slapdash resolutions make it the weakest link of the trilogy.

Alone in the Dark is a fascinating dive into the sick psyche of a gallery of characters worthy of the most vibrant Call of Cthulhu campaigns while offering a universe rich enough to initiate a new, original and exciting franchise.

Interrogation: You will be deceived ambitiously marries adventure, RPG and strategy elements with a dark edge that will even have you asking questions of yourself.

If you loved or hated the first Runaway, you'll love or hate the sequel for all the same reasons. For newcomers, The Dream of the Turtle is a solid adventure, but one that falls short of its abundant potential.

Okay, so: few improvements over the first game, a convoluted overarching storyline, painfully simplistic gameplay.

Agatha Christie – Hercule Poirot: The London Case is an engrossing mystery brought to life by realistic graphics, well-executed music, and stellar voice acting.

An original and promising concept left unfulfilled by disappointing gameplay, Among the Sleep is recommended only to those who want to experience a unique take on the horror genre.

There are plenty of rough edges, but those who have the patience for the mountains of dialogue and can see past the ropey visuals and gut-wrenching voice acting will find a reasonably engrossing world to explore.

A good game is smudged by some obvious flaws in the gameplay that prevent it from standing with the greats. But fans of classic gaming will get a generally enjoyable game due to the story, inventory puzzling, diverse characters, and good looking graphics.

A highly-polished game, but suffers from an uninspired design. While it remains mostly pleasant to play, it is not as satisfying an experience as it ought to have been.

Although an aesthetically impressive achievement, the surreal Karma. Incarnation 1 is unfortunately let down by a confusingly abstract story that can be completed more by just following available steps than by any extensive thought.

The Shapeshifting Detective is a unique game that provides a solid mystery with a creative twist on the usual means of information gathering.