Papers, Please is anything but a standard adventure, but beneath the seemingly unappealing premise of bureaucratic drudgery and human misery lies a fascinating game of choices, surprises, and intrigue.

Lilly Looking Through is an easy-to-love game with a top-notch presentation that unfortunately comes to an end all too soon.

J.U.L.I.A. is a unique and thoroughly enjoyable mission of remote planetary exploration and puzzle-solving.

For the most part, Senseless Acts of Justice is more of the same great material we saw in the first episode.

A worthy ending for a long-standing series that doesn't quite reach greatness, but will likely please more than disappoint.

The thought-provoking Ossuary is a game that exercises your brain in more ways than one, with a multitude of diversions to find.

My only real complaint with Fright of the Bumblebees is how slight it all feels. There’s maybe three hours of playtime here at best, and even for a single episode, it doesn’t feel like enough.

So while Overture was a promising first endeavour, Black Plague is a Penumbra brought sharply into focus.

The Deponia trilogy turns out to be very good at goodbyes. If you enjoy LucasArts-style comedic games, this series – and especially the final game – will provide hours of tongue-in-cheek unconventionality.

Though the inclusion of repetitive mini-games is anything but evolutionary, this game is well worth a look for those who can handle some reflex action in their adventures.

An unparalleled sucess at storytelling, and even the most stupefying crate puzzle can't overcome the ability to tell a great story.

Blackwood Crossing demonstrates a trend that’s taking a subset of adventure games in a new direction: edgy, succinct writing, excellent production values, puzzles that further the story without slowing the pace, and tight, detailed locales. Adventure gamers who favor an emphasis on robust story and inventive character development will be delighted. Those who like to wander for hours through extensive terrain or unravel mind-boggling puzzles should stay away. This game wrapped me up in its piquant enigmas, made me care deeply about the characters, and kept me on the edge of my seat right up until the end. Crossing over from light to dark, from strife to acceptance seldom happens without a misstep, but this game handles it all with aplomb. Reaching the destination left me longing for more, yet the path is so creative and emotionally riveting that it’s well worth the journey.

The Last Door opens up another suspenseful, extremely retro-styled exploration of Victorian England and the occult with a second season even better than the first.

It's been a whole two years without a new adventure for the Freelance Police, but the wait has been worth it, at least for one episode

The latest Carol Reed detective escapade fires on all cylinders, as Geospots crafts a compelling tale and fascinating quest through awesomely eye-catching vistas.

It’s a bit too straightforward to offer much challenge with its puzzles, and not spooky enough to sustain a haunted house thriller, but Torn will win players over on its own terms, providing a highly-polished, scavenge-heavy VR mystery.

Even with a few rough edges, Dead Synchronicity stands as a modern adventure classic, telling a dark, sad and brutal tale that will leave you wanting more, but equally satisfied.

It’s been a crazy up-and-down season, but the conclusion of The Wolf Among Us is a visceral, stylishly violent adventure in Bill Willingham’s brilliant Fabletown at heart, with some great storytelling aptitude to close things out.

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.

STAY is a game that requires dedication, both to its digital protagonist and its puzzle solving, and features the kind of narrative that’s best digested via discussion with others who’ve played it. Eccentricities aside, it provides the kind of fodder that transcends the superficial and is recommended for anybody willing to face a slice of real-world drama.

Dungeons of Dreadrock is a great puzzle adventure game with solid gameplay mechanics, well-balanced difficulty levels, an exciting narrative, and a beautiful art style.

While not as good as the original, Phoenix Wright and his comrades still manage to entertain and deliver with a fantastic script and engaging courtroom drama.

An adventure out of time, Thaumistry‘s a lighthearted text romp that casts its entertaining puzzle magic on the modern era.

Though more action-oriented than adventure gamers might be used to, Moss is that rare game that delivers exactly what it promised, delivering a lovely bonding experience with an adorable companion while solving puzzles and having a great time exploring a magical fairy tale kingdom.

Puzzle mavens, avid gardeners and admirers of sumptuous scenery will find much that is entertaining in Botany Manor’s unusual horticultural tableaus.

A love letter to gamers who prefer first-person, devilishly difficult, puzzle-heavy adventures, Catyph offers tasty dollops of sci-fi and a hint of Myst.

Another quality addition to the stable of games in the Black Watchmen universe, NITE Team 4 puts players on the hot seat of an elite hacker of a clandestine organization. Although some elements could have been executed better, the main game’s 25-plus hours of cyberwarfare goodness alone make this a must-have for existing Alice & Smith fans, and a great way for genre newbies to try their hand at some pretend hacking.

A variety of engrossing “choose-your-own” quests based on real-life travel memoirs, Wanderlust Travel Stories’ vividly written text will have you longing to start your own exotic adventure.