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.