Pure adventure games are a peculiar genre. Some of the most popular games nowadays belong to the action/adventure genre, but for the purposes of our year-end lists, we prefer to split this category into action and adventure.
Because of this choice, this list is filled with titles with little to no combat, emphasizing exploration, puzzles, and overall mystery-solving instead. They also tend to be made by smaller studios that bet more on innovative features and ideas rather than bombastic visuals or high production values.
2023 wasn’t quite a banner year for adventure games, as no new release received universal acclaim. That said, there were still several enjoyable games that genre aficionados should look into.
Also in Wccftech’s Best Games of 2023 lists: Shooter, Fighting, RPG, Action, Indie
OXENFREE II (8.0)
Seven years after the release of the critically acclaimed OXENFREE, developer Night School Studio (a subsidiary of Netflix since 2021) finally released the sequel to the adventure game. According to Ule Lopez, who scored the game 8 out of 10 in Wccftech’s review, OXENFREE II: Lost Signals is nearly as good as the first installment.
Oxenfree 2 feels like it relies on its dialogue system a bit too much as its more exciting elements take a backseat. While the dialogue is still incredible, the appearance of these more unique sequences left me often asking where I would be able to find more of the unique time-altering puzzles and surreal visuals that also made it stand out over other games. The character writing is still as good as the first game, but it feels like more could have been done to make it stand above the first game.
Jusant
Don’t Nod’s Jusant is possibly the most unique title on this list of adventure games. Instead of being a sequel or adapting a well-established science fiction setting, the game tasks the player with climbing an absolutely massive desolate tower. This structure was once lively and surrounded by the ocean until a massive drought drained all water. As such, it can be considered post-apocalyptic, even though the art style is quite vibrant and painterly as opposed to the bleak atmosphere we’re used to in post-apocalyptic fiction. The gameplay focuses on platforming and puzzle solving, with many interesting traversal mechanics involved in the climb. Meanwhile, players discover traces of long-gone civilizations.
The Invincible (7.0)
The debut game of Polish studio Starward Industries, The Invincible is based on the hard sci-fi novel first published by Stanisław Lem in 1964. This, by and large, is a linear title. However, it’s still an interesting experience for
In short, The Invincible is a relatively comfortable experience that I could recommend to fans of thrillers and science fiction. I don’t think it could be scratching an itch for horror fans specifically because it certainly doesn’t have much going for it when it comes to cosmic horror. Still, its twists and turns can leave an impact on those seeking a psychological thriller, especially with the kind of questions it poses at the end.
The Expanse: A Telltale Series
Telltale Games is back to life. Thanks to a partnership with Deck Nine (Life is Strange: Before the Storm, Life is Strange: True Colors), they’ve released an episodic series based on The Expanse, the excellent franchise (TV show + novels) created by Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck. These adventure games are technically a prequel to the main narrative of The Expanse and focus on fan-favorite character Camina Drummer (played by the TV show actress Cara Gee) as she leads an independent salvage crew through various hurdles and challenges. Players must choose what to do carefully, as repercussions may be felt even much later in the story.
Star Trek Resurgence (7.0)
2023 brought Star Trek fans two more games, one of which is a perfect fit for our adventure games list. Resurgence was developed by Dramatic Labs, a small new independent studio composed of former Telltale Games designers, programmers, and artists. As such, Star Trek: Resurgence should definitely appeal to those players who miss the Telltale style. Here’s the summary from Chris Wray’s review:
Star Trek: Resurgence is possibly one of the more accurate games to have captured the Star Trek world in a more contemplative manner, with the adventure game format being particularly suited to it. With a compelling narrative, interesting characters (new and returning) and a game that plays well, there is a lot to like here, despite a number of technical hiccups on the PC version.
Honorable Mentions
While the rules require us to list only five adventure games released this year, there are several more you should also consider, such as:
