Best Adventure Games for Steam Deck - Top Picks and ReviewsBest Adventure Games

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

This is a beautifully presented adventure in the classic style that tries to set itself apart with a character-focused, twisty narrative, though it falls prey to some narrative clichés and frustrating puzzles. Overall, Monolith will likely win fans with its high overall production value but isn’t distinctive enough to leave a lasting impression.

Torn Away is the harrowing story of a child’s journey home from a labor camp during World War II, and every aspect of the game combines to present a bold and affecting narrative.

Wales Interactive has crafted a cleverly told tale within The Isle Tide Hotel. The mystery and choice-based scenarios blend deftly and promote multiple playthroughs, with the full-motion cinematography and performances adding to the experience.

Blue Wednesday’s sturdy interface ties together beguiling graphics, outstanding jazz, and challenges that will realistically ground adventure gamers within an intimate, relatable narrative.

Agatha Christie – Hercule Poirot: The London Case is an engrossing mystery brought to life by realistic graphics, well-executed music, and stellar voice acting.

GYLT is an atmospheric, beginner-friendly horror experience that channels classic tropes of the genre, but experienced players might need more to sink their teeth into.

STASIS: BONE TOTEM is a frightfully entertaining adventure with a story that carefully blends sacred elements with a dreadful atmosphere while drawing the player into challenges that are not overly difficult. If you are a horror fan or an open-minded gamer curious about the game’s unusual themes, this is an easy recommendation.

My Friendly Neighborhood is an old-school survival horror throwback with a delightfully refreshing premise and plenty of fun to be had.

Oxenfree II: Lost Signals is another spooky island adventure, and while there are aspects to be enjoyed, it ends up feeling a bit too much like its predecessor.

As you wander Firmament’s splendid landscapes, the narrative builds to a heartening finale—but be prepared to strenuously exercise your brain along the way.

Amnesia: The Bunker is another Frictional Games classic, pitting players against a truly terrifying foe while providing immersive elements that are constantly engaging. While the AI can leave a bit to be desired, the atmosphere and story will keep players on their toes.

Despite some maddening mini-games and a finicky autosave feature, Loretta delivers a gripping tale and chilling atmosphere with stunning graphics and music. Horror fans should check it out, but be prepared for some frustration along the way.

If you’re looking for a creepy mystery adventure game with less emphasis on traditional point-and-click mechanics, Children of Silentown could be for you. However, some bland characters hinder it, and most of the storyline is confined too long in one play area.

Lost in Play is an appealing, even mesmerizing adventure game with one of the best settings ever conceived and some very amusing puzzles. There are certain plot threads that are lacking, and the challenges can be arduous, even with the hint system. Still, this is an adventure game that is well worth experiencing.

Overall, Pentiment is a fantastic game with minor flaws that still impresses, even if the twist at the end of the second act is very difficult to accept. Despite being developed by a small team, Obsidian has demonstrated its ability to create an immersive and demanding game that blurs the line between art and gameplay.

Although the game’s relative brevity and linearity mean Wippra is not a town to explore and become fully involved in, The Plague Doctor of Wippra is still a fun adventure with effective use of historical and medical detail in its puzzles.

Return to Monkey Island is a fantastic addition to the series and a great game in its own right. If you’re a Guybrush Threepwood fan or want to revisit the high point of adventures past and present, you owe it to yourself to come back to Monkey Island.

Beacon Pines is utterly charming yet wonderfully creepy, with a surprisingly thoughtful narrative despite its cute characters and storybook aesthetic.

Although it gives the false impression of being a “choices matter” game, South of the Circle is still an excellent narrative experience for those who enjoy games without puzzles. Even if the ending might be disappointing, the stunning graphics and fantastic soundtrack make it a game worth playing.

IMMORTALITY is a complex and fascinating story that draws inspiration from many different film genres. It’s a fantastic game with a lot to offer, even if the limited influence over the story and the random order in which the game’s events are experienced could reduce the story’s impact.

BROK the InvestiGator is a bold and explosive burst of 90s nostalgia that plumb the depths of the adventure game genre for its best ideas and piles them, one on top of the other, for an unforgettable thrill ride. While it may slightly disappoint as an action game or a playable cartoon, it may just earn a place in the graphic adventure game canon.

Dungeons of Dreadrock is a great puzzle adventure game with solid gameplay mechanics, well-balanced difficulty levels, an exciting narrative, and a beautiful art style.

Though its puzzles are not quite as sharp as its predecessors’, We Were Here Forever provides plenty of co-op fun and finally delves into what’s happening in the world.

Stray manages to straddle the glee of playing a roguish feline with an absorbing sci-fi story and gorgeously detailed landscapes.

You shouldn’t play with your food, but it’s necessary when dealing with the creatures of Snaktooth Island. While the creative design and catchy music are tasty side dishes, Bugsnax‘s main course of monster-catching gets a tad stale before the end.

Ghost on the Shore is a quiet exploration game that gets progressively more intense as the plot unravels. With a focus on storytelling, players who enjoy supernatural mystery and period drama will find this to be an intriguing journey.

NORCO is a one-of-a-kind adventure, expertly written with (almost) perfect artistic direction. The lack of frequent puzzles is made up for by their unusual quality and variety. A must-play for narrative adventure fans.

Crowns and Pawns: Kingdom of Deceit is an excellent game with an engrossing story brought to life by well-executed graphics, music, interface, and voice acting.

Letters – a written adventure is a delightful word manipulation game, chronicling one young woman’s life and how language can change it. While it isn’t always as engrossing as it could be, it has charm in spades and should—at least the first time around—engage those interested in story-driven experiences.

A hybrid of platforming, puzzle-solving, and systems management, FAR: Changing Tides is a visually stunning vehicle-based adventure that exceeds its predecessor in creating an intriguing post-apocalyptic world with light but engaging challenges while also giving you plenty of slower moments to drink in the sights.

If you’re into style over substance and looking for a fun, low-key adventure, Growbot is the one for you.

With classic zaniness and puzzle solving and updated production values, Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space marries the best of the old with the new in this modern remaster.

Side-scrolling through a suburban household as a tiny robot in Time Loader provides an immensely satisfying environmental puzzle-platforming experience that more than makes up for the weak endings.

Escape Simulator’s charming puzzle-filled levels might not replace a real-life escape experience, but its wealth of rooms (including many free community downloads), solo and multiplayer options, and robust level creator easily make it the next best thing.

Conway is a linear, tight investigative mystery that despite some flaws tells a compelling story and is worth seeing through to its strong conclusion.

Life Is Strange: True Colors paints a pretty picture, creating a story you’ll really want to invest in, with only a slow plot point or two distracting from what is otherwise a great work of art.

Though not entirely successful as a broad narrative experience, Road 96 presents a series of compelling individual character studies whose offbeat sense of humor and heart make for a rewarding road trip.

While its story never really soars, Unbound: Worlds Apart presents a brilliant and elegant Metroidvania type of gameplay that challenges both the mind and the reflexes. It’s perhaps a bit too twitchy for your diehard adventure gamer, but anyone who can handle a little action with their puzzles will fall in love with the beautiful art style and fun, finely tuned gameplay here.

Happy Game sends players on a shrieking, blood-soaked odyssey through the candy-colored hell within a young boy’s subconscious. Though it’s weakened somewhat by a less-cohesive third act, overall it’s a vivid interactive nightmare with a striking aesthetic and powerful narrative conceit.

If you are a Myst fan who has played one or all the previous iterations, this is by far the best version yet and deserves your attention with or without the supported VR hardware. If you are one of the few adventure game fans new to the series, you are in for a real treat, though be forewarned that all the same divisively esoteric design elements remain from the original.

By emphasizing the connections between suspects, Hercule Poirot: The First Cases’ focus on deduction board gameplay nicely suits Agatha Christie’s famed Belgian detective and challenges your own little grey cells.

Chicory: A Colorful Tale is like a warm hug from a wise old aunt, simultaneously bursting with creativity and offering an unblinking but hopeful look at humanity.

TOEM is a delightfully Zen experience, perfect for anyone looking to spend a few hours in some entertaining locales with a cute protagonist and a variety of photo quests that aren’t too taxing.