Like a vampire out in the midday sun, Dracula 4 is a short-lived and painfully weak episodic prelude that should be consigned back to its coffin until the series develops some real bite.

While the first episode is a little uneven in its story and puzzle pacing at times, Jacob Jones and the Bigfoot Mystery is a delightfully stylish debut that makes me want to come back for more.

The Starship Damrey is a short but enjoyable space mystery that could have been so much better if it allowed you to puzzle through the enigma yourself.

It may not be very spooky or offer any new ideas, but Ghost of Thornton Hall is quite entertaining if you’re up for sleuthing your way through a haunted southern manor.

Buoyed by the endearing performance of young Jerry Hazelnut, the beautiful, fantastical Night of the Rabbit rises above its shortcomings to celebrate camaraderie, courage and hope in the face of overwhelming odds.

Hypnosis HD offers quite a few hours of mild entertainment, but its shallow story and awkward mixture of classic adventure and casual gaming mechanics make this lite adventure a disappointment.

The third Cognition episode dramatically raises the intensity bar, and ends on a stellar cliffhanger that should leave everyone excited for the conclusion.

The Extended Edition of Anna is a definite improvement over the original, though there’s still nothing that really jumps out for horror fans (except for the now-dangerous poltergeists).

Astroloco is a short but hilarious sci-fi comic adventure that will strain your sides if not your brain.

Year Walk is beautiful meditation on darkness, love, time, and space that goes beyond traditional point-and-click and into a more immersive iOS interface.

An ethereal, innovative, emotional cooperative experience, thatgamecompany’s Journey is one that any PlayStation 3 owner should take.

The first commercial adventure in the Reversion series expands the storyline slightly but continues to feel insubstantial instead of ramping up either the action or the tension.

Though it clings a little too tightly to its classic retro roots, the first episode of Fester Mudd is a short but decent comedy western.

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.

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.

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.

As much a poem as it is a game, Kentucky Route Zero: Act I is the bizarre, lovely first leg of a road trip into the sad, strange heart of America.

Reperfection is unlike anything you've played before and Volume 1 shows promise, but its highly streamlined gameplay and short length will make it too shallow for some.

It leaves you with more questions than answers, but keep an open mind and Kairo will prove be one of the more enticing and captivating worlds you'll ever explore.

CYPHER's attempt to modernize the classic text adventure has a lot of interesting ideas, but the lack of polish on the text itself keeps the game from living up to its potential.

An uncompromisingly methodical and detailed survival adventure, Miasmata is a tense, slow-burning gem.

The Critter Chronicles adopts enough of the positive qualities of its predecessor to deliver another enjoyable adventure, but skids on some crucial issues to land somewhat short of true excellence.

Feeling more like Layton-lite than heavy-duty Holmes, Mystery of the Frozen City is for those who enjoy casual puzzling enough to overlook a nonsensical story.

If you like seeing stories from various personal angles, Virtue's Last Reward offers many hours of value, but you might feel betrayed by the storytelling grind of this longwinded horror adventure.

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

Falling just a little short of instant classic status, Primordia is still a gorgeous, clever, and melancholy science-fiction parable.

Though it doesn't chart new territory with its premise, Lost Chronicles of Zerzura combines all the right elements to create a thoroughly enjoyable old-school adventure.

Despite its slow start and limited exploration, The Deadly Device provides a good jolt to the franchise with its compelling story and fun puzzles.