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Far from describing a game with adventure in it (that would include a lot of games!), the adventure genre is loosely defined as one that emphasizes narrative and exploration over action, which may also rely on light puzzle mechanics. In other words, a game that doesn\u2019t have enough simulation to be a sim, action to be an action title, puzzle-solving to be a puzzle game, and\u2026 you get the idea. Despite the nebulous classification, games in this genre are unambiguously incredible experiences, often exploring refreshing and fascinating concepts. Shooting for games that are rolling around in the zeitgeist right now, some of the genres\u2019 towering giants are not listed here. However, for anyone looking to check out today\u2019s great experiences, feel free to peruse our alphabetical list of the best adventure games to play right now.<\/p>\n
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<\/div>\nThe Artful Escape is two seemingly incompatible things. On the one hand, it is a grounded story about accepting yourself, even if that means defying other people\u2019s vision of you. On the other, it is also an utterly farfetched musical adventure through the psychedelic depths of space. Though they seem at odds, the fanciful and relatable aspects of the interstellar epic work together and strengthen one another. The title (available on Xbox Game Pass) has light platforming and rhythm game elements, but its gameplay is not the star of this show. Instead, this adventure is about exploring the various stunning levels, both alien and terrestrial, while rocking a wicked guitar solo. The performances will make you believe you are on a mission to transform into a galactic rock star with a star-studded cast that includes Jason Schwartzman, Carl Weathers, and Lena Headey. |Our Review<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Try not to blink. This truly unique title hit earlier this year and blew us away with its innovative and evocative take on storytelling. The game takes advantage of the player\u2019s webcam and progresses by blinking your eyes. This distinctive mechanic is not just there for its own sake but actually supports the narrative in which you, as newly deceased Benjamin Brynn, look over the events of your life while being ferried to the afterlife. You force the game to jump through the protagonist\u2019s personal history by blinking, even if you didn\u2019t mean to. This creates an immersive sensation, unlike other titles where you are experiencing these flashbacks the way the main character really would and sometimes wishing it hadn\u2019t gone by so quickly. |Our Review<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n An updated version of Team Salvato\u2019s 2017 release, Doki Doki Literature Club Plus gives players the school-boy tale of love and literature with enhanced visuals, fresh side story missions, even more music, and over 100 images to unlock. Despite the game\u2019s cute, dating sim veneer, Doki Doki Literature Club Plus isn\u2019t all bubblegum and rainbows like it would have you believe. It is easy to spoil for those who haven\u2019t experienced it, but if you know you are sensitive to certain scenarios, please check here<\/a> for further information on accessing content warnings in the game. Anyone ready to jump in can look forward to writing some poetry, meeting the adorably drawn characters, and shockingly unexpected revelations.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Bizarre, dreamlike, and all too real, Kentucky Route Zero will stick with you for a long time after you put the controller down. It examines the broken promise of the American dream as delivery man, Conway, makes his way along the enigmatic, titular road. Just trying to finish his last task of the day, Kentucky native Conway strays onto Route Zero, meeting strangers with hard lives battling hard issues, including substance abuse, poverty, and corporate expansion. These issues are all wrapped up in a surreal, point-and-click package, where you are just as likely to encounter the unbelievable as the mundane. The gameplay unfolds through a series of choices \u2013 like where to go, what to say, or what to believe \u2013 which advance the narrative and sometimes alter aspects of the journey, if not its final destination. |Our Review<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Looking through the eyes of empath Alex Chen, you can see the feelings of people around you. Represented by various colorful auras, the super-powered protagonist can help others work through their toughest hang-ups, and in some cases, take difficult emotions away entirely. However, it doesn\u2019t occur to Alex to call herself a hero. After battling through the foster care system for years, she is confident her gift is really a curse that marks her as a broken freak. It\u2019s only when she reunites with her long-lost brother that her perception begins to change. Following in the path of previous Life is Strange titles, True Colors is a touching exploration of humanity, with the supernatural elements working to highlight the character-focused narrative. Its gameplay largely consists of walking around, interacting with objects and people in the world, and making personality and plot-defining decisions. |Our Review<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Night in the Woods recently released onto iOS, allowing a new crop of players to discover the shadowy secret lurking in the cozy-seeming story. Initially launching in 2017, our review calls it a game \u201cabout mistakes, recklessness, and friendship, all wrapped up in a colorful adventure.\u201d The cartoon-like character designs, vibrant palette, and simple mechanics could fool a player into thinking the game\u2019s narrative will be on the lighter side, but Night in the Woods touches on a variety of difficult themes. The story begins as Mae, a recent college dropout, makes a reluctant return to her hometown. While dealing with her failure, she reconnects with old friends, community members, and her own family before stumbling on an insidious mystery. |Our Review<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The first and last DLC for Outer Wilds, called Echoes of the Eye<\/a>, debuted only a few days ago, placing the game back on many gamers\u2019 \u2018to-play\u2019 lists during this busy release season. Developer Mobius Digital, insists the new content, revealed at publisher Annapurna Interactive\u2019s first self-produced showcase, fits in seamlessly with the original game\u2019s narrative while offering brand-new mysteries to seek out in the Dark Bramble. The base game is a time loop experience built around space exploration and a quest to stop the destruction of the universe. It would be a tough task even if you didn\u2019t have only 20 minutes to complete it. Death is an eventuality<\/a> and will come for you in a bewilderingly large amount of ways, like having all the oxygen ripped out of your lungs, colliding with a planet, or a good, old-fashioned tumble of a cliff. Consequentially, the experience can be a little frustrating even for all its cosmic beauty. |Our Review<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Whether you\u2019ve played it before or never got the chance, it\u2019s a good time to catch up with Night School Studio\u2019s eerie adventure. Why? In April, the team took the stage at Nintendo\u2019s Indie World showcase to reveal Oxenfree II: Lost Signals.\u00a0In the first game, teenager Alex finds herself on Edwards Island with her stepbrother and a few friends. Their plans to party on the mysterious island are cut short when Alex inadvertently stumbles on the supernatural. Navigating through the cascade of strange and unnerving events will require you to examine some of Alex\u2019s most painful memories and make choices that will influence the story\u2019s outcome. The sequel is set to take place on the same island, but five years after Alex\u2019s adventure, and follows a new set of characters. It\u2019s currently in development and is slated to release sometime in 2022, so there\u2019s a little time left to jump into the first game. |Our Review<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n A stunning experience with player-driven exploration, Sable only released last week. You play as Sable, a young girl living in the desert world of Midden about to embark on her coming-of-age quest called the Gliding. While there is a goal of sorts for this journey \u2013 essentially to collect as many masks as possible \u2013 Sable really encourages you to venture out into the world to see what you can discover. And you find some amazing things. The world\u2019s vibrant and stylish design brings the arid landscape to life, while a diverse cast of NPCs keep giving you reasons to explore. Even without any specific task to complete, the environment beckons you to climb, glide, and ride your motorbike while investigating all the mysteries you see can on the horizon. |Our Review<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Though it initially launched in 2017, What Remains of Edith Finch has maintained a constant stream of releases on new platforms and devices. It came out on Switch in 2019, joined Game Pass in January, found a place in publisher Annapurna Interactive\u2019s PS4 Box set in February, and even hit iOS in August. So, this game is hard to miss. A brief, contemplative walk through an unusual family home, What Remains of Edith Finch weaves together several vignettes varying in design and mechanics that slowly reveal a narrative overflowing with sorrow, nostalgia, and family legacy. Each section of the story reveals how members of the Finch household have died \u2013 which range from horrifying to fanciful \u2013 due to a family curse. In his review, Joe Juba called it \u201cthe next major step forward\u201d in adventure games where the plot unravels as the player inspects the surroundings and places it alongside some of the greatest games of the genre. |Our Review<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Can’t get enough of lists? Click below to see all our lists in one place!<\/p>\n<\/p>\n\n\n ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/arcader.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/top-10-adventure-games-to-play-right-now-2.jpg\")
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Before Your Eyes<\/div>\n<\/h2>\n\nPC<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/arcader.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/top-10-adventure-games-to-play-right-now-3.jpg\")
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Doki Doki Literature Club Plus<\/div>\n<\/h2>\n\nPlayStation 5, Xbox Series X\/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/arcader.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/top-10-adventure-games-to-play-right-now-4.jpg\")
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Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition<\/div>\n<\/h2>\n\nPlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/arcader.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/top-10-adventure-games-to-play-right-now-5.jpg\")
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Life is Strange: True Colors<\/div>\n<\/h2>\n\nPlayStation 5, Xbox Series X\/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, Stadia, PC<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/arcader.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/top-10-adventure-games-to-play-right-now-6.jpg\")
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Night in the Woods<\/div>\n<\/h2>\n\nPlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC, iOS<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/arcader.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/top-10-adventure-games-to-play-right-now-7.jpg\")
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Outer Wilds<\/div>\n<\/h2>\n\nPlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/arcader.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/top-10-adventure-games-to-play-right-now-8.jpg\")
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Oxenfree<\/div>\n<\/h2>\n\nPlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC, iOS, Android<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/arcader.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/top-10-adventure-games-to-play-right-now-9.jpg\")
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Sable<\/div>\n<\/h2>\n\nXbox Series X\/S, Xbox One, PC<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/arcader.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/top-10-adventure-games-to-play-right-now-10.jpg\")
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What Remains of Edith Finch<\/div>\n<\/h2>\n\nPlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC, iOS<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n