There is nothing like a good old interactive adventure to get swept up in a parallel universe begging to be explored. While many adventure games focus on exploration, others include puzzle-solving elements evocative of the early days of point-and-click classics.
As the genre saw a revival in the past decade with commercially successful titles like Life Is Strange or Stray, many more story-driven adventures flew under the radar. So, from flamboyant period capers to spine-chilling tales, let’s dive into some underrated PC gems in the adventure genre.
The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood
The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood is a rewardingly rich adventure game, which tells the story of a witch in exile called Fortuna. Banished to a lonely asteroid for a millennium, this immortal sorceress strikes a deal with an otherworldly creature after 200 years to regain her freedom. The bargain allows her to channel her fortune-telling abilities by crafting her own Tarot-like cards to divine the future and delve into the past.
The more she uses her power, the more Fortuna gets embroiled in a complex web of conflicting interests. The fate of her Witch friends hangs in the balance as she uncovers a political plot that could threaten her very Coven. A thought-provoking journey into the Cosmic Witch society, this visual novel weaves a gripping story about the power of choice and its consequences. Charismatic characters only add to the game’s engrossing atmosphere, enhanced by spellbinding visuals.
Foretales
Foretales is as much an adventure title as a strategy game combining exploration with resource management. This story-driven card game enfolds in a fantasy world on the verge of the apocalypse. With the clock ticking on impending catastrophes, it is up to a petty thief named Volepain to reverse the curse that damaged the land and lift the dark prophecy that doomed every one of its inhabitants.
To achieve these high-stakes goals throughout a series of missions, this anthropomorphic stork must join forces with companions boasting powerful abilities. What makes this swashbuckling adventure stand out is that it plays out on a digital tabletop. As such, Foretales builds upon classics like Hand of Fate to great effect. That said, this hybrid puzzle game remains accessible to even non-deckbuilding enthusiasts.
The Last Door
The Last Door takes players back to Victorian England, only with a distinctive occult spin. The story of this chilling graphic adventure centres around Jeremiah Devitt, an ordinary teacher of classic philosophy whose life turns upside down after he receives a cryptic letter from an old childhood friend, prompting him to investigate his mysterious death. As Jeremiah searches for answers in a spooky old manor, armed with only a lamp and a magnifying glass, long-buried secrets come back to haunt him. And his foray into the darkest corners of his past is just beginning.
If a bit lacklustre in the visuals department, this atmospheric point-and-click adventure tells a captivating enough story to hook players in its Lovecraftian world teeming with great puzzles, surprising twists, and more than a few jumpscares along the journey. Long story short, The Last Door will leave fans of psychological horror on edge throughout its eight intriguing episodes.
Card Shark
Card Shark follows a mute tavern boy and his fateful encounter with an enigmatic nobleman, who enrols him to embezzle the upper echelons of 18th-century French society. Unaware of the true intentions of his shadowy patron, this con artist in the making ascends from humble gambling parlours to the King’s very table through his mere wits and cunning. Mastering several card tricks is of the essence, therefore, to cheat without getting caught in the act.
These ingenious stunts may even get gamers craving some real card-playing action. To try their luck online, players can claim juicy rewards like no deposit bonus casino. Such free credits allow users to sample a platform’s offerings without any financial risk. These promotions are usually available to newcomers upon registering on a website. Hence, players may use this bonus money to enjoy card games like blackjack and poker – as long as there’s no foul play involved, unlike in Card Shark.
Adventure games date as far back as the 1970s. Over the years, they have evolved into ever-so-immersive graphic novels. While niche, the genre has many gems to offer gamers with a knack for ambient stories and engaging puzzles. Apart from the games listed above, lesser-known titles like Rocwood Academy, Signs of the Sojourner, and Day of the Tentacle Remastered are also worth mentioning.
