Wanderlust is an inherent trait in humanity. We all want to see, hear, and experience new things. Some want to climb mountains, and others want to explore strange cities. Some want to simply talk to a stranger. Adventure games offer a chance to sate that feeling in one way or another, and these games have some of the best adventures available this year.
Without further ado, check out our best adventure games of 2021 list and vote for your own favorite in the poll placed at the end of the article.
Check out Wccftech’s other Best Games of 2021 lists: Fighters, Platformers, Strategy & Simulation, Shooters, Sports & Racing, RPGs, Horror, and Indie.
Mundaun
There are old stories about the way audiences reacted to new storytelling techniques. You can imagine children running away in fear as the shadowcaster begins to spin. You’ve heard of adults diving for cover when a filmed train looked as if it came barrelling towards them. Most of these stories are false or exaggerated, but playing Mundaun, there does feel like something is creeping out of the screen.
It looks hand-drawn, but not in a cute way. It looks like the doodles of some uncomfortable nightmare come to life. And it feels that way. Mundaun is an exploration of hostile landscapes and strange old world practices. If you like Folk Horror, you’ll love Mundaun.
Eastward
Eastward is an adventure from a crumbling world. It’s not quite post-apocalyptic, but it’s not getting any better. There’s a coziness to the setting that the beautiful pixel art highlights and intensifies perfectly: like sitting under a blanket and watching a storm overhead.
The story involves a father/daughter relationship, which isn’t exactly groundbreaking but is handled well, and the journey across the declining world is so imaginative and thoughtful that you can let yourself get swept up in the more cliched areas. There is some manner of combat, but the heart of the game feels more like Studio Ghibli and the films that exist at the end of things.
Life is Strange: True Colors (9.5)
Life is Strange: True Colors is the next installment of the spin-off Life is Strange games from Deck Nine studio. These are the talented minds behind Before the Storm that explored the life and relationship of Chloe Price and Rachel Amber. In True Colors, though, they have been given full reign to introduce new characters and new settings.
Life is Strange 2 was a bit of a mixed bag for fans. While some loved exploring the American culture at large, others preferred the more detailed examination that came from focusing on one setting. True Colors does this, letting you fall in love with the characters, locations, and tragedies of a small town in Colorado.
You play as Alex, a young woman with the gift/curse of magical empathy. She can sense the emotions of those around her, reading their thoughts to identify what makes them feel that way. But it comes with a cost and strong emotions can infect her, making situations much worse. Her adventure revolves around her brother and the town he found to settle in. It is truly an amazing story and a heartbreaking journey.
The Forgotten City (8.5)
The Forgotten City is probably going to become one of the most underrated adventure games of the decade. It is completely fantastic, genre-redefining, and contains some of the best storytelling in the medium so far. And it all started as a Skyrim mod.
The adventure of The Forgotten City is wrapped in classical mythology, but that is only the first layer. As you explore the doomed titular city, you quickly discover ruins beneath the buildings and various stories connected to them. The city is governed by the mysterious Golden Rule that, if broken, dooms everyone no matter how involved in the transgression they were. The remnants of the civilisations that attempted to survive under this system are all around you but nevertheless, there is a hope and agency in the characters you meet on your journey. There is so much to explain about this game, but it’s worth discovering most of it for yourself.
Lake
There have been loads of simulation games that offer you a glimpse into the professions of train drivers, truck drivers, bus drivers, pilots, and so many other jobs. Those that enjoy such games get a sense of satisfaction from the technical accuracy and complexities. Lake is not that game.
In Lake you play as a temporary mailwoman, covering a single route for two weeks. The landscape is beautiful but unremarkable, making it all the more fascinating to drive the same roads. There is a story, too, a slice-of-life drama unfolding amongst the people of the small town you’re delivering to. You won’t see any major twists or alien landscapes, but you will get the chance to escape.
Sable (9)
If you’re after the aforementioned alien landscapes, look no further than Sable. Inspired by the sci-fi landscapes of the likes of Star Wars and Dune, this quiet adventure has you hoverbiking across the desert landscape looking for a mask that fits your personality.
There is no grand planet-saving mission or princess to rescue from a castle. You are simply looking for where you belong, and in doing this, you have to find out about the world you inhabit. It is a fantastic journey that lasts as long as it takes for you to find a home.
Road 96
Part narrative adventure, part roguelike exploration, Road 96 is an unusual, challenging, and beautiful journey along a road to a fictional country’s border. You play as a series of teens each looking for their own escape from an inspiringly authoritarian government. Each teen starts at the wrong end of Road 96, and you have to lead them down the highway.
Each stopping point offers you a glimpse at the world they are trying to escape. You’ll also get to meet strangers representing the shifting ideologies and why the teens chose to flee. You have a surprising amount of power throughout the story, although you won’t really know how your choices have changed things until you reach the end.
One of the more experimental adventure games on the list, Road 96 offers something interesting and different for those yearning to explore.
