Lil’ Guardsman is a superb game that excels in just about every area, held back only by a couple of notable flaws that prevent it from earning full marks.

Scott Whiskers in: the Search for Mr. Fumbleclaw is an entertaining mystery in which comedic, well-voiced dialogs, enlivening music, and alluring visuals work together to create a memorable experience. This game deserves to stand alongside the classics of the adventure genre.

American Arcadia features a refreshing tale that shows how to “subvert expectations,” making the plot a standout hit when compared to more mainstream narratives. On top of that, the variance in gameplay and the exceptional presentation act as extensions and support for an already excellent narrative.

Ghost In The Mirror: Episode I — Here Be Dragons is a decent game that showcases good writing, haunting pixel-art graphics, and energetic sound. It would benefit from a more standardized menu and clearer instructions for its mini-games.

A Twisted Tale is an imaginative and enjoyable homage to classic adventure games, offering clever puzzles and a charming aesthetic.

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.

Chronique des Silencieux features striking story beats, characters, visuals, and music. However, the gameplay frustrations and technical issues become tremendously irritating, so players may question whether they want to push through to the end.

The Adventures of The Black Hawk uses charmingly detailed pixel art, buoyant music, and inventory-based conundrums to immerse the player in an entertaining tale. The combat system is challenging but fair. Together, these elements offer players an almost irresistible invitation to experience this classic-style adventure.

Fears to Fathom – Ironbark Lookout offers an intriguing, amusing and tense experience, although sacrificing challenge and puzzle-solving in the process.

Twilight Oracle is aimed at those who cherish the point-and-click classics from adventure gaming’s past. It features vividly surreal pixel-art graphics, a fantasy-based story, challenging puzzles and surprisingly delightful writing.

Detective Hayseed – The Cloning Madness features an engrossing, often comical story brought to life by vibrant, well-executed graphics, lively music, and comedic voice acting.

A Night at the Watermill is an enticing, concise interactive fiction game that blends enigmas, moral choices, and multiple narratives into a rewarding one-hour adventure.

An engrossing tale rooted in superb writing, The Night is Grey brings thrills and chills to life with plausible, well-integrated puzzles, evocative music and ominously compelling visuals.

DREDGE is a one-of-a-kind fishing game with an interesting premise that keeps players engaged throughout. Though its ending leaves something to be desired, DREDGE shines in its ability to create an enveloping atmosphere through its appealing art, well-composed music, and entertaining gameplay.

The Invincible is a successful experiment in bringing a novel to life via the medium of gaming. With compelling dialogue and meaningful narrative, it’s an adventure in every sense of the word, as you trek across a beautiful planet to uncover its mysteries.

The Talos Principle 2 is a complex puzzle game with an equally multifaceted but engaging narrative featuring rational and religious undertones. There are a couple of control issues, and the unorthodoxy of certain puzzles may be too challenging for some players. This point may also be compounded by the game’s length, which can take 35 hours if only dealing with the main content, with side content adding several additional hours. Still, this is a gorgeous game well worth experiencing and an invigorating treat for puzzle game enthusiasts or philosophy majors.

Enypnion Redreamed, a brainteasing adventure, uses creative, surreal visuals and sound to bring dreams to life.

A masterfully crafted adventure, Murder Is Game Over: Streaming Death offers a rich narrative and engaging gameplay that immerses players in a suspenseful, ghostly mystery without the gore.

Hollow Cocoon takes inspiration from other horror stealth games in all the right ways, with an effectively scary monster and beautiful environments that encourage roaming and lingering.

Baker Street Breakouts: A Sherlockian Escape Adventure is logically invigorating, where every escape room provides unique challenges and subtly tells the game’s story alongside the text boxes. There could have been more focus on characters outside of Holmes and Moriarty, and the visual presentation is somewhat standard, yet each room is strikingly varied. The developer’s creative energies are readily apparent, and any Sherlock Holmes fan or puzzle gamer will enthusiastically savor this title.

For a story told out of order, Universe for Sale is easy to follow and even easier to love.

Woodhill Interactive’s Orten Was The Case is a good game, but has a few noticeable flaws. On the one hand, the narrative itself is incredible, and the deeper you dive, the more enticing it becomes. There are evident issues with the gameplay and presentation, but patient players can push through or adapt to them. Those looking for an absorbing tale will find much to admire in this game.

The Will of Arthur Flabbington features vivid pixel-art graphics, skillful voice acting, and a witty tale that players will love.

This Bed We Made is an enthralling mystery with an unusual protagonist, brought to life by convincingly detailed graphics and excellent voice acting.

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.

The gripping science-fiction narrative in Three Minutes To Eight features an ingenious use of random elements that, combined with well-executed pixel art graphics and accomplished voice acting, ensure that each experience is unique.

Agatha Christie – Murder on the Orient Express is a shockingly superb reimagining of a beloved book, with a few twists that even veteran Poirot fans will want to stick to by the end of the 15 hours of play. The experience gets somewhat bogged down by challenging puzzles at the end, and the mind map and profiling would have benefited from a few additions and clarifications. Still, this is an easy recommendation if you are a mystery enthusiast or an Agatha Christie fan.

Jusant is a thoughtful climbing puzzler with exceptional storytelling that makes for an understated triumph in a year full of high-profile game releases.