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.

Very similar to its predecessor with a few improvements in pacing and story, Chaos on Deponia is a solid adventure that fans of LucasArts-style comedies will likely enjoy.

Despite the vagueness of its larger mystery, for players who love disaster thrillers, especially those with maniacal killers in them, The Long Reach offers plenty of twists and scares.

The Mooseman is a beautiful and moving art game that tells the story of a shaman’s journey to bring light to the world. It’s short but well worth playing for the atmosphere and creativity on display.

DARQ’s rich atmosphere and clever central gameplay mechanic should overshadow any misgivings about its short length and narrative abstraction.

Don’t be fooled by the glitter and sparkles: Little Misfortune is a surprisingly dark but very engaging grown-up tale about a little girl trying to find beauty in life’s ugliness.

Although rough around the edges in the story department, The Last Cube hits where it counts: fun powers used to solve clever logic puzzles in intriguing sci-fi environments.

Message Quest is great for a lite adventure breather in between heavier games, offering an hour or two of fun without too much thinking involved.

The large number of puzzles and colourful range of environments make Lucid Dream a worthwhile experience for those who care more for problem-solving and exploration than narrative.

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.

Though flawed, the first episode of Cognition leaves a great final impression and sets up a series that could become a major achievement for episodic adventure gaming.

While not supplying any complex game play design or innovation, one thing I appreciated about PC is its polish.

The best game so far in the Nancy Drew series.

This game is wildly implausible and absurdly melodramatic—you already know if that appeals to you or not, and if so, Fire Escape is a very fun way to spend an hour or more of voyeuristic spying.

Puzzle-hungry adventurers look no further: Aura provides an endless number of puzzles, pretty static backgrounds, well-crafted cutscenes and mood music, at the expense of developing any real storyline.

Anyone looking for the next Sam & Max or Monkey Island won't find anything like that here, but with Puzzle Agent Telltale took an intriguing step in a new direction towards puzzle-based adventuring, and the result has proven to be well worthwhile.

Sea of Darkness is a fine entry in the Nancy Drew pantheon, relying on the series’ strengths of character development, exploration, and writing.

Iris.Fall emerges from the shadows with challenging puzzles and beautiful art direction. Its streamlined gameplay may not always match the impeccable quality of its presentation, but this is unquestionably an adventure that deserves to be undertaken by puzzle fanatics.

The complexity and weighty subject matter of the complete seven-part Pendula Swing threaten to get the better of it at times, but the end result is unique and uplifting, offering a timely social history lesson wrapped up in jazzy fantasy flair.

Ultimately, Sandra and Woo in the Cursed Adventure is a game of heart and rough edges. It brings the web comic to life with some style, and tries to fill the protagonists’ world with chewy puzzles and meaty minigames, but manages to try a little too hard and winds up falling over the line from fun but tricky to hair-tearing and occasionally obtuse. The appeal is all about character, and sending the heroes to a fantasy world really helps to bring that out; just don't hope for too much of a tight storyline. If you're already a fan of the comic, it's easy to recommend this game. And even if you’re not, so long as you're patient (or like to think outside the box), you'll likely find Sandra and Woo to be entertaining companions for an unexpected journey.

The end result of The White Wolf of Icicle Creek, then, is another solid and safe, if certainly predictable, Nancy Drew adventure.

Overall, I think this game will be good for newcomers due to the large number of standalone obstacles.

Some may find Demetrios‘s outlook offputting, but if you like your humour on the snarky side you’ll find a surprisingly substantial adventure here.

Although the titular character is disappointingly all but absent from the affair, fans of Petronella Osgood and the Weeping Angels should enjoy this voyeuristic journey through the misplaced phone of a series extra in Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins.

The thoroughly unique Paper Beast can be a real monster to get through with its whip-like controls and occasional difficulty spike, but those who welcome unique gameplay experiences and value memorable moments over a detailed narrative are encouraged to give it a try.

Shady Part of Me offers an interesting and entertaining take on the light/shadow dichotomy used as a puzzle mechanic, though the lack of a strong narrative to bind it all together (when one is clearly hinted at throughout) does raise a single but important warning flag.

Once you have mastered the interface and worked your way through some design issues, Cutish will treat you to a fun if challenging experience that will definitely scratch your Myst-style game itch.

Other than falling fowl of having too many unnecessary mini-games, Chicken Police intrigues with its eye-catching visuals, superb voice acting and peck-uliar film noir-style story.

The frustration of one or two ambiguous puzzles can’t dampen one’s spirits for The Hand of Glory, a love letter to traditional point-and-click adventure games with its own sense of fun and wit.

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.

A series of small issues prevent it from shining as brightly as it could have, but its fun puzzles in a cool setting make Ghost Pirates of Vooju Island an entertaining adventure.

Press Lex to Metaverx features a memorable plot, classic-style puzzle challenges, well-written comedic dialogs, and lively, diverse music.

A difficult game, like a classic can be a "difficult book". Its lack of polish and some appalling design choices definitely reduce the enjoyment. Its decision to keep the best of both plot and gameplay for the latter stages demands that the player have some faith in the developers to keep going on.

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.

Investi-Gator and the Case of the Big Crime is a short but sweetly entertaining romp that lightly pokes fun at the tropes associated with classic mystery stories. While it doesn’t require any critical thinking and there is a distinct lack of puzzles, it’ll be a welcome diversion for those wishing to take a break from more serious fare and have a few laughs at the same time.

Although the quality of immersion is excellent, it is somewhat transient, no doubt leaving many feeling short-changed. In the end, though, the intrigue and originality of the story make it a very important adventure game for all fans of the genre.

Haunted is a fun and well-balanced adventure that's highly enjoyable on the surface, but lacks the depth to be truly great.

There are clearly some areas that needed more polish in this first effort, but it’s a solid debut that the developers can surely build on.

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.

The Unfinished Swan is a creative experiment that’s worth a play, even if some aspects feel incomplete.

Despite some notable interface limitations, the unique LOVE: A Puzzle Box Filled with Stories succeeds in delivering an interwoven anthology of heartwarming personal tales in the style of an apartment-sized Rubik’s Cube.

The Trace is a brief and easy but fun exploration-filled murder mystery that will have you engaged from beginning to end.

It’s a short and simple point-and-click adventure, but Clam Man is so packed full of grin-inducing jokes that it’s bound to brighten up your day.

Remade as a modern text adventure, Lifestream is a clever supernatural mystery that is not without its flaws but manages to be better than the sum of its parts.

The story behind Conspiracies is incredibly well executed, with enough twists and turns to satisfy just about any mystery enthusiast out there.

By its very nature, OneShot‘s persistent world experience is incredibly difficult to distill into words accurately, but those who dig quirky or emotional tales and don’t shy away from something completely different should seriously consider taking this particular plunge.

A little more story and gameplay variety would have filled out its generous play time better, but there is plenty of reason for both puzzle and platforming fans to enjoy RiME.

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.

Though it muddies the waters by needlessly cramming in a boatload of gameplay mechanics that drown out some of the fun, The Sinking City delivers a believable turn-of-the-century Lovecraftian setting and infuses it with fittingly macabre story beats that would do the author proud.

While it falls a little short of wowing with its story or conclusion, Blind brings a compelling atmosphere and enough interesting ideas to the table to make it an intriguing proposition among VR puzzle thrillers.

These few rough edges aside, overall The Next BIG Thing is a lovingly crafted production – its sights and sounds are exquisite, the oddball characters are fascinating, and the whimsical script is epic – the nutty conversations are certain to amuse even the most dour cynic.

A short game. A very short game. It wouldn’t be at all difficult to complete it within one sitting, and experienced adventure gamers may zip through within an hour or two. As a comparison, it gives Full Throttle a run for its money for World’s Shortest Adventure Game.

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.

No Going Back struggles to build anticipation for a conclusion that is clear from the outset, but once past the point of no return, the final episode ramps up to an exciting choice-driven conclusion with five different endings.

While it’s bogged down by repetitive gameplay and an uninteresting narrative, Incubus puts you in the shoes of a real-life ghost hunter with a chilling environment and compelling puzzles in its second half.

Though definitely not aimed at impatient or directionally challenged gamers, Woven’s splendidly fashioned locales, likeable heroes and amusing transformations are tailor-made for a unique experience.

Chains of Satinav boasts incredible artwork and atmosphere, though it's populated by weak characters that spoil some of the appeal.

The Samaritan Paradox is a fun retro mystery that almost reaches the heights to which it aspires, but a few minor issues prevent it from achieving true greatness.

A charming old school comic adventure that's definitely worth a play through if you can get past the graphic weaknesses and the main character's voice.

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.

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.

The Hardy Boys are reliable protagonists, the slightly but steadily increasing challenge of the puzzles will be an excellent primer for more difficult adventures, and who knows, they might even learn something in the process.

Though still an enjoyable adventure with high production values, The Last Wind Monk marks something of a tonal shift in the series. Part of what made The Inner World so appealing was its charm, and the sequel ends up leaving a little of that behind in favor of a darker story full of challenging puzzles.

In anticipation of that potential, every adventure fan should consider this an essential play, and go into it with the understanding that this is a very good and very fun game-just not the best Telltale has to offer.

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.

Charming, beautiful and often satisfying, Amphora’s vague goals and finicky physics can be frustrating at times, but if you have the patience you’re in for a unique experience.

Situation: Comedy is a very fun way to spend a couple hours for a very reasonable price. It will be up to Episode 3 to really start building more momentum, though.

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.

The Land of Lamia is a quiet yet intriguing little project featuring a fantastical world and satisfying puzzles, but it doesn’t feel like a full game and will ultimately leave you wanting more.

ECHO is polished and technically well done. The prehistoric setting is new in adventure games, and although the game's educational slant may not appeal to everyone, most of the background reading is optional. If you like your games puzzle-heavy and story-light, ECHO is for you.

After wading through the technical problems, a solid murder mystery that's fun to play and worth the money.

Conspirocracy offers some meaty puzzles and more than a few chuckles that make it well worth playing, but it runs out of steam somewhat and lacks the ambition for true greatness.

It’s a little rougher around the edges than Michalski’s previous masterpiece, but if you’re looking for a coming-of-age story with an edge that laces the banalities of a troubled life with pure elements of horror, then don’t be afraid to enter Lorelai’s nightmare.

Voodoo Detective is a heartfelt homage to the classics that fuses a little of everything you loved about its inspirations. While it doesn’t quite reach those heights, it’s still a fun and engaging title that’s worth checking out and a promising debut from Short Sleeve Studio.

Captain Morgane and the Golden Turtle is a beautiful looking game with an adventurous story about growing up and dealing with grief, though a few odd design decisions spoil some of the fun.

Whilst a lack of gameplay variety and a slightly lacklustre ending limit its appeal, Contradiction manages to provide solid FMV production values and an interesting mystery to solve.

Pushing the envelope in several key ways that will appeal to those who are adequately equipped, else Heart.Break() is that rare game that’s enjoyable and yet can’t be outright recommended for all to play.

Detroit: Become Human looks and sounds great, and includes key player choices throughout, though it could have benefited greatly from a tighter script. While it’s commendable that Quantic Dream tried to cover hot-button issues in a big-budget video game, it works better when focused on the personal character moments than the bigger themes that don’t dig deep enough to make a meaningful impact.

If you’re into style over substance and looking for a fun, low-key adventure, Growbot is the one for you.

Ultimately, it’s the setting of The Lost Crown, between the brilliant sound design and the superb art direction, that will give you the most pleasure, and a great deal of praise for these elements is due the game’s creator, Jonathan Boakes.

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

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.

So far Season One is not particularly epic or memorable, but still a very good-looking and extremely fun diversion, and faithful to its franchise. But we're all hoping for a bit longer game next time.

Telltale’s second Batman season packs a punch with its action, audio and morally questionable main villain, but falters when it comes to making the most of its plot or detective gameplay potential.

A Space for the Unbound is an example of an adventure story that will have the surprising and far-reaching power to move most people, whether or not they enjoy the ride the gameplay presents. It will particularly appeal to those players who have a fondness for the 16-bit console era, and those who like cats!

While the drastically different artwork and settings of this debut make a puzzle of the ghostly theme at times, its diverse gameplay, eerie soundscape, and a wide range of imaginative imagery make Age of Enigma: The Secret Of The Sixth Ghost one conundrum you'll really want to try to solve.

The mystery takes a while to catch up to the intrigue of its captivating Swedish locales, but once The Fall of April rises to the occasion it provides another highly entertaining entry in the Carol Reed series.

As its title suggests, Yet Another Hero Story is a very by-the-numbers point-and-click fantasy adventure, but it’s generally a good one with great characters, a funny story and a compelling visual design.

NoseBound is an intriguing, noir detective adventure – an unusual narrative brought to life by well-executed writing, greyscale graphics with vividly tinted accents, and a sinister soundscape.

After two freeware warm-ups, Nick Bounty returns for his first commercial outing, this time picking up a sidekick to help him solve a baffling murder. Don’t expect much in the way of challenge, but the comedy and production values make for an entertaining couple of hours.

A grander take on Her Story‘s FMV database search idea, Telling Lies proves Sam Barlow is still the master of the carefully crafted reveal, even if at times this particular web of deceit unravels a little too slowly.

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.

As you play through a wide range of well-integrated puzzles and discover a variety of fun facets of Nancy's life and the not-so-humdrum town of River Heights, you'll have a great alibi for at least ten-plus hours of sleuthing fun.

Not many adventures have as much dark storytelling ambition as Cognition-endure the awkward conversations to get to the puzzles and story developments, and you'll be glad you stuck with it.

Thank Goodness You’re Here! is a quirky British adventure with a Benny Hill flair—its simple mechanics, offbeat puzzles, and charming dialogue make for a fun, if occasionally frustrating, romp.

Overall, Mystery Case Files: 13th Skull is an impressive mélange of solid storytelling, interesting gameplay and superlative production quality, and strives proactively to blur the line even more between casual and traditional adventure games.

Although scouring Dark Fall: Ghost Vigil’s haunted Harwood House for supernatural signs can be tedious at times, the puzzles that lurk within its genuinely dark and spooky walls are anything but.

While The Grimsworth Reports: Woodfall lacks refinement and is clearly limited by its budget, it is a solid mystery adventure with a strong atmosphere and true repercussions for the choices you make.