Adventure puzzle games: Steam Curator: Puzzled Adventurers

The Best Adventure / Puzzle Game of 2020

Spiritfarer

The best tests of exploration and critical thinking of the year.

By IGN Staff

Updated: Dec 21, 2020 7:25 pm

Posted: Dec 15, 2020 7:00 pm

Whether you love classic environmental exploration or lean more towards twisting timelines and realities, 2020’s been an interesting year for Adventure and Puzzle games.

This is our choice for the best Adventure/Puzzle game of 2020.

Spiritfarer blew into our lives like a breath of fresh air. Simultaneously meditative, character-driven, melancholy, and joyful, the game follows Stella and her cat Daffodil as she takes over as Spiritfarer from Charon and helps shepherd souls to their final resting places beyond the Everdoor. What you might not imagine from that synopsis is that it’s also a bright and cheerful seafaring sandbox sim chock full of delightful cartoon animal creatures and adorable spirits dotting tropical isles.

With a surprising depth of feeling, Stella gets to know the lives and dreams of each of her ship’s crew, while building up and maintaining one truly fabulous houseboat. Pulling each of the well-drawn characters through their emotional arc requires patience, dedication, and involvement, making those moments you say goodbye for the final time truly touching. It’s a bittersweet experience with an emphasis on the sweet, but the somber notes it hits will ensure Spiritfarer haunts your thoughts for some time after your voyage ends.

For more, check out our full Spiritfarer review here!

Below are our other favorite shooters of the year.

Best Adventure/Puzzle Games of 2020

Click through the gallery above or scroll down for the full list!

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim

It’s weird describing a game that begins with an alien invasion as a roller-coaster ride, but the opening moments is just a prelude to an adventure that goes beyond «kaiju vs. mechs» and into theoretical physics, alternate timelines, and so many other secrets that I can’t begin to describe them.

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is hardcore pulp for the old-school sci-fi lover, by way of Vanillaware’s (in)famous art design. The adventure builds a bit slowly, but after a certain point, 13 Sentinels just throws twists and turns every which way in a way that leaves you gasping for breath, and excited to keep going.

For more, check out our full 13 Senitnels review here!

Call of the Sea

Great puzzle games not only consist of lots of small challenges to overcome along the way, but one overarching mystery to uncover on your journey. The stunning island setting of Call of the Sea does exactly this as you’re led through each of its distinct areas, gradually revealing the answers to an engrossing story full to the brim with beauty and darkness. Thanks to engaging Myst-style puzzles and an emotionally captivating story, it’s easily one of the best adventures you’ll have embarked on this year.

For more, check out our full Call of the Sea review here!

Kentucky Route Zero

Unlike most other games on this list, Kentucky Route Zero finished this year, but it began seven years ago. With its fifth and final Act tying up the tale of Conway, his dog, and the friends he meets on his final delivery trip, we also got to take a step back and look at this wonderfully bizarre art project as a whole – and what you’ll see is a developer slowly picking apart the conventions of the adventure game and putting them back in a beautiful new order.

You don’t so much solve puzzles here as write prose; picking backstories, feelings, even names for multiple characters on your magical-realist journey down a cosmic Southern highway. As you do, you create your own story to some extent, filling the stretches of darkness that make up Cardboard Computer’s stark visuals. There is, quite frankly, nothing else like Kentucky Route Zero.

For more, check out our full Kentucky Route Zero review here!

Paradise Killer

Paradise Killer asks you to solve a murder. And no, you’re not just going from point A to point B, picking up the requisite number of clues and evidence until a murderer is presented to you. Your job, as Lady Love Dies, is to solve a murder completely on your own. As soon as the world opens up, you’re able to freely accuse anyone of the central crime that kicks off your investigation so long as you have the evidence to back it up.

Sure, you can go in with no evidence and point your finger at anyone, but that’s not very professional of you. No, Paradise Killer is a full-throated mystery game that tests your skills of deduction. No holding hands, no slow march towards a pre-ordained conclusion. The mystery is yours, and yours alone to solve, and the only thing standing between you and the killer is your own abilities. If you’re up to the challenge, Paradise Killer is one of the best adventure mysteries of the year.

For more, check out our full Paradise Killer review here!

There are plenty of other awards beyond just the best adventure or puzzle game! Check out all our platform, genre, and design award winners — and, of course, our picks for this year’s GotY — below!

IGN’s Game of the Year 2020

Best Games by Platform

Best PlayStation Console Exclusive
Best Xbox Console Exclusive
Best Nintendo Console Exclusive
Best PC Exclusive
Best VR Game

Best Games by Genre

Best Action Game
Best Action/Adventure Game
Best Shooter
Best RPG
Best Platformer
Best Strategy/Tactics Game
Best Fighting Game
Best Racing Game
Best Battle Royale
Best Ongoing Game
Best Remake/Remaster

Game Development and Craft Awards

Best Video Game Art Design
Most Impressive Feature
Best Video Game Music/Score
Best Video Game Sound Design
Best Video Game Story
Best Performance
Best Technical Innovation
Advancement in Accessibility

Be sure to check out all of our other Game of the Year award winners, as well as our picks for the best movies, TV shows, comics, and anime of 2020!

IGN’s Best of 2020 was designed by:
Lead Design + Art Direction: Justin Vachon
Branding + Art Direction: Angela Nguyen
Branding + Social Design: Julia Rago
Editorial Design: Amanda Flagg
Editorial Design: Eric Sapp
Motion Graphics: Will Batchelor

The Top 18 Most Addictive Puzzle Games On Steam

For every type of gamer, there’s an ideal genre of games out there. Those who love a challenge that is based on mystery and puzzles will love the puzzle genre. Not only does the genre consist of very traditional puzzle games involving numbers and riddles, but also some high-end first-person shooters.

RELATED: Best Games To Play on Steam’s Tabletop Simulator

However, it’s increasingly harder to find actually good puzzle games on a market where the majority of titles are either RPGs or adventure games. So, here is a collection of the best puzzlers that Steam has to offer, all of which can have you glued to your screen.

Updated March 25, 2022 by Ben Jessey: Puzzle games remain one of the most interesting genres in gaming. The best puzzlers contain plenty of ingenuity and creativity. And fans of these types of games have plenty of options regardless of their preferred system.

PC players, for instance, have access to an almost unlimited amount of puzzlers once they log in to Steam. There’s plenty of variety, too, as all sorts of puzzle games are represented on the platform. So much so that a few great ones didn’t make it in the original version of this list. But we’ve now included a few of those overlooked puzzlers.

18/18 It Takes Two

Sometimes figuring stuff out is better with a friend, and few puzzle games offer a superior co-op experience than It Takes Two. The game requires two players as you control a couple who have been transformed into dolls.

They have to remedy the situation with their platforming and problem-solving skills. Where this game excels is in its variety. The title includes all sorts of different puzzles, and each one fits the environment the protagonists are in at the time.

17/18 Human: Fall Flat

While there have been plenty of games that include physics puzzles, none of them are like Human: Fall Flat. In it, you play as a customizable human who moves in a unique way. Their unpredictable movements add a layer of difficulty to the game as it takes a while to get used to them.

After figuring out how to walk and grab properly, you then have to figure out the puzzles. The game doesn’t make it clear what you have to do or how you do it. This means there’s an extra feeling of accomplishment when you get through a door or over a wall. The achievement feels even better when you’re playing with friends as the game supports co-op.

16/18 Tetris Effect: Connected

Tetris is one of the oldest puzzle games in video game history. Yet, the titles still have an appeal and remain very addictive. Fitting a block into a perfect place continues and will continue to satisfy players for years to come.

RELATED: Tetris Effect Connected: Pro Tips To Dominate Online

Tetris Effect isn’t just the basic Tetris game, though. It has plenty of style with its beautiful visuals and incredible soundtrack. These things enhance the several different modes that the game offers. The Connected version even adds some multiplayer elements. At its heart, the game is still Tetris, but it’s the classic game at its best.

15/18 Trine 4

The Trine series is not unfamiliar for fans of platformers and puzzle games. In fact, it consistently ranks the top of Steam’s charts due to its gorgeous aesthetic and engaging gameplay. It has a bit of everything: combat, platforming, as well as innovative puzzles that are guaranteed to surprise you.

Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince sends the three familiar heroes of the series off on a search-and-rescue mission of a prince. On the way, they’ll have to deal with the spreading, nightmarish shadows stemming from the fallen prince. What’s unique about this game is that it’s actually not simply 2D, but has a slight 2.5D element to it.

14/18 The Witness

If you’re into great open-world experiences and would love to walk around in a gorgeous environment while solving puzzles and piecing together your own story, The Witness just might be the game for you. Without any recollection of your past, you wake up on an island filled with mysteries and strange puzzles.

The Witness’ strength comes from how big of a game it is and how robust it is. There are well over 500 puzzles in the game, and these are not simple ones either. The game has a bit of a learning curve when it comes to solving its problems, but there’s nothing more rewarding then getting through a particularly tough riddle.

13/18 Bejeweled 3

Mysteries and complex puzzles aside, sometimes the best form of entertainment comes in simplicity of shapes and colors. There’s a reason why games like Candy Crush and Bejeweled 3 are so popular. They almost magically manage to appeal to a part of the human brain that wants to combine shapes and colors with one another.

Bejeweled 3 is a classic addition to this sub-genre of puzzle games, and needs no further introduction. It’s a game anyone can get sucked into for hours upon hours, and while it lacks greater meaning and substance, it’s truly addicting at its core.

12/18 We Were Here Together

Puzzles can either be solved solo or with a friend, and if you happen to fall into the latter category of preference, there’s a whole market of puzzle games out there for you. One of such is We Were Here Together, where you and your friend are explorers of the Antarctic and are called to help your colleagues in the middle of the night.

While there are elements of a horror game, the game is more of a thriller and involves a lot of teamwork. It’s the best test of any friendship, to try and figure out if the two of you can make it out together in this escape room style game.

11/18 Superliminal

Games that play tricks on your mind can be a headache to get through, but Superliminal is a whole lot of exciting, fun, and extremely weird. Your surroundings are definitely not what you think they are in this game where everything you see and hear should be questioned at all times.

RELATED: Best 2D Games On Steam (According To Metacritic)

By changing the size of objects and moving them around, the task of the player is to find their way through a strange environment while gathering collectibles and completing certain challenges. It’s a game worth coming back to time and time again, one that will no doubt make you question reality.

10/18 Hexcells

A lot of puzzle games can be really frustrating, even for the most talented players and logical thinkers. However, many users on Steam have described Hexcells as the opposite of that, even if the game does provide a new challenge with each new world or level.

This numeric puzzle game is incredibly zen, and reportedly better than minesweeper in many regards. The player won’t be tasked with solving the same puzzle with the same rules over and over again. As they progress, these rules shift and change to provide a fresh puzzle.

9/18 LYNE

There’s no other puzzle game quite as aesthetically pleasing as LYNE. With a simplistic yet beautiful color palette and a nice geometric look, this game is meant to calm a player’s soul while also challenging them mentally level after level.

LYNE is all about connecting the shapes, which might seem like an easy task at first. However, as the difficulty rises, it requires a lot of creative, out-of-the-box thinking. After the player progresses enough, they can also unlock new color schemes for their game.

8/18 Keep Talking & Nobody Explodes

Puzzles can be a lonely experience at times, which is why it’s cool to have titles like this one to actually engage people in a co-op and even VR experience. Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is a party game which forces players to work together in order to defuse a bomb.

Essentially, one player is tasked with defusing a complex bomb, while the others have the guide on how to do it, but can’t actually see the bomb. It’s the perfect team puzzle game experience for an ice breaker, or just to build more synergy in a group and have fun.

7/18 Antichamber

Fans of games like Portal and The Stanley Parable will definitely appreciate Antichamber, which drops the player in the middle of an absurdly strange yet malleable world. In order to proceed forward, the player must interact with their environment using a gun that can manipulate matter.

RELATED: Crucible & Other Games To Play On Steam For Fans Of Team-Based Shooters

The game is deceptively simple-looking, but has a ton of complexity and weirdness to it. Its environment is massive and almost dream-like, which makes it a unique experience. A word of warning, however, that it does feature strong colors that might be abrasive to people with sensitive eyes.

6/18 Glass Masquerade

For a more traditional puzzle experience, why not try Glass Masquerade, a stunningly beautiful classic jigsaw puzzle game in which the player must complete the faces of a wide variety of art deco style clocks. By using pieces that are odd and difficult in shape, the game provides a unique challenge.

The premise of Glass Masquerade is quite straightforward, but due to the complexity of the clock faces some of the puzzles can be really difficult to solve. This is ideal for anyone who loves old-fashioned puzzle games.

5/18 The Turing Test

Not all puzzle games need to be top-down views of the actual puzzles, as proven by The Turing Test, a beautiful first-person shooter focused on solving puzzles rather than survival and adventure.

This sci-fi game takes the main character, Ava Turing, to Europa to find out where its ground crew has disappeared. Upon arrival, Ava is tasked with solving a puzzle the crew has left behind, guided by the station’s AI, Tom.

4/18 The Room

If going to an escape room isn’t an option, The Room offers a great alternative by providing a well-crafted and somewhat eerie game world to solve intricate puzzles in. As the player arrives at an abandoned house followed by a set of letters, they’ll be tasked with opening a box with something amazing inside.

In order to solve the puzzle, the player must search their surroundings and pay great attention to detail. There’s no puzzle game quite as atmospheric as this one, and since it’s a franchise, there’s more content to come than just the initial game.

3/18 The Talos Principle

Another amazing sci-fi puzzle game, The Talos Principle introduces the player to an android character brought into a vibrant world of old ruins and technology, in which they must uncover the truth about themselves and humanity.

RELATED: Awesome Coin-Op Puzzle Games From The Past

The game is filled to the brim with puzzles, which require the player to control time, drones and even laser beams. Each action and choice has specific consequences, which gives the game that extra edge to really keep players on their toes.

2/18 Baba Is You

Rather than the player always being at the mercy of a game’s rules, Baba Is You lets the player decide the rules of the universe for once. In fact, the whole challenge comes in the form of deciding how different aspects of the environment will interact with one another in order to proceed forward.

In a true retro game art style, this is a game that will run on most PCs and is also incredibly addicting to play. That being said, Baba Is You is a puzzle game that’s more challenging than it looks, and requires a lot of thinking outside of the box, along with a dash of crazy creativity.

1/18 Portal 2

Anyone who hasn’t played a game of the Portal franchise just yet should make it their goal to try Portal 2 at the very least. The sequel to the original award-winning game brings the player back into GLaDOS’s hands in a series of complex puzzles that require great environmental awareness to nail.

With the help of the portal gun, a player must traverse their environment by passing through time and space in the form of round portals. Meanwhile, they follow an engaging sci-fi story centered around a nefarious and hilarious AI that guides them.

NEXT: Best Puzzle Games On Nintendo Switch, According To Metacritic

The 25 Best Adventure Games for iOS and Android: Collect, Explore and Guess

If you’re into solving puzzles, delving into a deep story, and meeting a variety of interesting characters, then adventure games are exactly what you need.

Adventure games are one of the most popular game genres, and for good reason. Their point-and-click control scheme is ideal for touchscreens. Yes, and it is convenient to follow the storyline of such a game, wherever you are — on the road or on your own sofa on an autumn evening. The best adventure games for mobile devices in our selection.

Agent A: A Puzzle in Disguise

Agent A: A Puzzle in Disguise combines the best of both worlds — hidden objects and point and click adventures. The result was surprisingly fresh and stylish thanks to a successful story, interesting graphics and entertaining puzzles.

A Normal Lost Phone

The essence of A Normal Lost Phone is reflected in its name — you have to find a lost phone and try to understand what happened to its previous owner. A fascinating detective story is guaranteed, and everything will not be smooth and simple in it — surprises are indispensable here.

Blackwell series

Blackwell is one of the best adventure series from Wadjet Eye Games. It’s been around for a long time, but it’s still popular thanks to the emergence of new parts in the classic point-and-click genre.

Botanicula

Botanicula is not only an exciting, but also a very nice adventure game from the developers of Machinarium and Samorost 3. It has cute funny characters, difficult puzzles, and, of course, beautiful graphics, typical for all projects of these authors.

Broken Age

Broken Age is one of the latest developments of the Double Fine studio, which invites gamers to take part in the adventure of two teenage heroes living in different worlds. And this means a deep, thoughtful, catchy plot, and a lot of trials prepared for him on the way to the goal.

Broken Sword series

The Broken Sword series is an absolute classic of the adventure genre with a detective story. You will have to help the main characters investigate murders, and do it in an atmosphere full of secrets and conspiracies. Each time, plot collisions lead players to different places and situations, but one thing remains the same — riddles that must be solved, risking their own lives.

Bulb Boy

Bulb Boy is a dark, but very humorous point-and-click adventure game, somewhat reminiscent of the work of Tim Schafer. Passing this horror quest, you will encounter a lot of monsters that have filled the small town, and you will have to fight them in order to save your family.

Day of the Tentacle

Another adventure project that has long become a classic. Double Fine studio successfully ported this game to mobile platforms, and fans of the genre appreciated their attempt — quirky characters, cartoonish graphics and intricate quests — everything that the original is so good here.

Gemini Rue

Gemini Rue is a well-known adventure game from game designers from Wadjet Eye, which is considered to be one of their best creations. Set in a post-apocalyptic future, the plot is captivating — a world in which the cost of life and human personality is reduced to zero awaits players who are ready to challenge it. which became a real hit on both PC and mobile platforms. In it, the task of gamers is to accompany the dead souls to their place of eternal rest. Original graphics and recognizable visual style are included.

Her Story

At the time of its release, this game was something fresh and innovative. Unraveling the mysteries hidden in it will not be easy. To do this, you will have to review a lot of videos, find key points and clues in them — this is the only way you can find out the secret of the main character.

Machinarium

Machinarium is an absolute classic of the genre that is both fascinating and beautiful. Its main character is a robot, decommissioned and thrown into a landfill, which is trying to return to the city, where intelligent machines like him live. Along the way, he has to solve puzzles, of course, not without your help.

Rusty Lake Series

The Rusty Lake Series is a collection of dark and mysterious stories inspired by classic detective stories. Their action takes place in different periods of time on a mysterious island located in the middle of the gloomy Rusty Lake. Games made in the genre of graphic quest invite gamers to commit murders and restore their lineage, search for memories and participate in strange rituals.

Samorost 3

Samorost 3 — another original and exciting adventure from the authors of Machinarium, the plot of which, this time, is far from the future and robots. Its action takes place in a bizarre, strange, but very beautiful world, through which the main character, a dwarf, travels.

Simon the Sorcerer 1 & 2

Simon the Sorcerer is a classic point-and-click game that, among other things, will delight fans of the genre with excellent professional voice acting and tons of humor. The adventures of the protagonist, an unlucky young wizard in a world inhabited by gnomes, goblins, giants and sorcerers, became classics on the PC, and then successfully continued on the touchscreens of mobile devices.

Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery

Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery was one of the first indie hits to hit the App Store and Google Play and immediately won the hearts of gamers. Its trump cards are stylish pixel graphics, a beautiful audio sequence and a captivating storyline with original puzzles.

Syberia

In Syberia you will join Kate Walker, a lawyer girl who is investigating the disappearance of Hans Voralberg and traveling in search of him across Europe and then the former USSR, solving puzzles and revealing the essence of mysterious incidents. This famous PC game was successfully ported to mobile platforms, where it received no less recognition due to high-quality graphics, an exciting storyline and many entertaining quests.

Technobabylon

Technobabylon isn’t the first game from the guys at Wadjet Eye Games on our list. One of their latest developments has traditionally become a hit — and this applies not only to the deep storyline, but also to the graphic component, made in the cyberpunk style. The puzzles didn’t disappoint either — they’re clever enough to keep fans of the genre busy for a long time.

Telling Lies

Telling Lies is a game from Her Story author Sam Barlow. It is made in the same visual style — as a set of video clips that you need to watch in order to solve another detective story involving four characters. Which of them is lying and who is telling the truth, who can be trusted and what is the key — only your own ingenuity and observation will help you find the answer to these questions.

The Room series

One thing to say about The Room series in a nutshell is that it’s a perfect example of how you can combine an adventure story with smart puzzles and great graphics. This series is rightfully considered one of the best not only in its genre, but also in general on mobile platforms.

The Silent Age

The Silent Age appeared on mobile platforms quite a long time ago and managed to win its audience among adventure fans. This project is still considered one of the best in the point-and-click genre due to its unique atmosphere and thoughtful plot.

The Walking Dead series

The Walking Dead series has become the hallmark of the Telltale studio, which brought together recognized masters of the adventure genre. If you like comics, zombies or the popular series The Walking Dead, this adventure is definitely for you. A post-apocalyptic world where survivors fight against hordes of zombies — isn’t that a real adventure?

The Wolf Among Us

Telltale’s early classic, The Wolf Among Us, has not lost its popularity. Its comic-style graphics look very stylish, and the storyline is able to captivate not only fans of the genre. Investigate crimes on behalf of Sheriff Bigby Wolf, meet characters from famous fairy tales that have migrated to comics, solve puzzles and look for clues — this exciting activity will appeal to many gamers.

Thimbleweed Park

Thimbleweed Park invites you to investigate a murder with FBI agents who find themselves in a small, cozy-looking town, where everything is, in fact, far from being as nice as it seems at first glance. Of course, you will find many surprises, puzzles and mysterious incidents.

Valiant Hearts: The Great War

Valiant Hearts: The Great War — an adventure game with a deep, heart-rending storyline inspired by real letters written by soldiers during the First World War. Here you will find an original, recognizable visual style, a ton of humor, a lot of interesting quests and unexpected emotional depth.

Adventure puzzles in Zarium’s online game collection

Adventure puzzles are an interesting genre of online games. They combine original puzzles with amazing adventurous stories. It is extremely difficult to break away from an exciting game.

To start playing, it is enough to launch the game in the browser, it does not require downloading programs, installing applications. We have put together a collection of free puzzles that have the following in common:

Bright graphics. It is simple, so all games start quickly, but at the same time it is interesting to watch the gameplay.
Cool riddles. There is something to think about here. The first levels will seem easy, but that’s just to make you understand the principle of the game. The further you go, the more difficult the riddles will be.
Endless gameplay. If you choose the arcade, then the game can last a long time. It will be possible to start it again and again, from this it will not cease to be exciting and interesting.
The ability to upgrade useful skills. Logic, attentiveness, ingenuity, decision-making speed — all this is inextricably linked with puzzles.

The best puzzles in this category have a common theme — adventure. In browser games, you can search for objects in the room or match three in a row, unravel the mysteries of Ancient Egypt or fight a dragon. There are a lot of games and everyone has different plots, you get tired of one — start the next one.

Best games in this series:

Escape from the dark graveyard
Escape from the carriage house
Ant Escape
Cute Ant Escape
Baby House Escape
Quiet House Escape
Find gold coins
Save the astronaut
Blue Bird House Escape

What to choose to start with?

Test your logic in the Water Blast game. Here you will have to burst bubbles so that a chain reaction appears, and as many elements as possible disappear from the screen. It may seem that this is very easy to do. If you think so, then most likely you tried to play only at the first levels. The further you go in the game, the more difficult it will be to cope with the task. Remember that there are as many as 400 stages here. You will surely be able to pass them all if you are attentive and connect all your ingenuity.

Help the girl escape from the villains. There is only one way to do this — by solving the puzzle. At each stage, you will be offered various tasks related to finding items, untying knots, etc. Don’t think it will be easy. You will have to connect all your logical skills and even imagination. Put in the effort and you can get to the hardest levels.

Why should you play with us?

The advantage of our browser games is that they are all free. You can run them from any device, be it a tablet, smartphone or computer.

On 9 ноября, 2021 By alexxlab

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