GamingOSXmacOSMacAdventure GamesOSX Games

What are the best adventure games on MacOS?

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Feb 23, 2023

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Gemini Rue vs Botanicula vs Papers Please

vs Night in the Woods vs Syberia vs Beat Cop vs Samorost 3 vs Oxenfree vs Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth vs Syberia 2 vs Kathy Rain vs Layers of Fear vs Fran Bow vs The Darkside Detective vs The Shivah vs Still Life vs The Night of the Rabbit vs Anna's Quest vs Kraken Academy!!

Specs

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Genre

Co-Op

Platforms

Multi-Player

Single Player

Available platforms

stream

Available on Steam

Steam Rating

Genre

Exploration

Co-Op

Single Player

Platforms

Multi-Player

Single Player

Available platforms

stream

Available on Steam

Steam Rating

Overwhelmingly Positive

Genre

Co-Op

Platforms

Multi-Player

Single Player

Available platforms

stream

Available on Steam

Steam Rating

Overwhelmingly Positive

Genre

Adventure, Narrative

Co-Op

Platforms

PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Windows, Xbox One, Linux, macOS

Multi-Player

Single Player

Available platforms

stream

Available on Steam

Steam Rating

Mostly Positive

Genre

Co-Op

Platforms

Multi-Player

Single Player

Available platforms

stream

Available on Steam

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Genre

Adventure, Puzzle, Point-and-click,

Co-Op

Platforms

Multi-Player

Single Player

Yes

Available platforms

stream

Available on Steam

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Genre

Co-Op

Platforms

Multi-Player

Single Player

Available platforms

stream

Available on Steam

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Genre

Co-Op

Platforms

Multi-Player

Single Player

Available platforms

stream

very positive

Available on Steam

Steam Rating

Genre

Co-Op

Platforms

Multi-Player

Single Player

Available platforms

stream

Available on Steam

Steam Rating

Genre

Co-Op

Platforms

Multi-Player

Single Player

Available platforms

stream

Available on Steam

Steam Rating

Genre

Adventure

Co-Op

Platforms

Windows, Mac, Android, iOS

Multi-Player

Single Player

Available platforms

stream

Available on Steam

Yes

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Genre

Co-Op

Platforms

Multi-Player

Single Player

Available platforms

stream

Available on Steam

Steam Rating

Genre

Co-Op

Platforms

Multi-Player

Single Player

Available platforms

stream

Available on Steam

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Genre

Adventure, Comedy

Co-Op

Platforms

Windows, Mac, Linux, Nintendo Switch

Multi-Player

Single Player

Available platforms

stream

Available on Steam

Yes

Steam Rating

Genre

Co-Op

Platforms

Multi-Player

Single Player

Available platforms

stream

Available on Steam

Steam Rating

Genre

Co-Op

Platforms

Multi-Player

Single Player

Available platforms

stream

Available on Steam

Steam Rating

Genre

Co-Op

Platforms

Multi-Player

Single Player

Available platforms

stream

Available on Steam

Steam Rating

Genre

Co-Op

Platforms

Multi-Player

Single Player

Available platforms

stream

Available on Steam

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Genre

Co-Op

Platforms

Multi-Player

Single Player

Available platforms

stream

Available on Steam

Pros + Cons

Pro
Great story and aesthetics

The story is a really good Sci-Fi tale that takes advantage of good music and wonderfully made pixel art.

Comment

Pro
Parallel stories

There are two stories that the player switches between while playing.

Comment

Con
Poor combat sequences

The combat sequences feel a bit forced and not all that fun.

Comment

Pro
Graphics border on being art

The fantastic visual in the game is remiss of art one would see in a pop art gallery.

Comment

Pro
Intuitive puzzles

Unlike this studios previous work (Machinarium) the puzzles are intuitive and difficulty ramps up fairly.

Comment

Pro
Really original soundtrack

The band that created it is from Czech Republic and is called DVA.

Comment

Con
Buggy and crashes

There are quite a few graphical bugs in the game as well as a lack of stability.

Comment

Pro
Unique puzzle solving through clue based deduction

Papers Please has a unique puzzle solving element. Instead of using mathematical logic, or quick matching thinking, the puzzles in Papers Please involve checking people's background information to make sure everything matches the immigration requirements and following clues to find anything amiss.

Comment

Pro
Will require making ridiculously hard decisions

There is a fine line to walk while playing, whether it is worth following the rules and ruining lives or bending the rules at the risk of getting caught in order to help destitute people. The moral choices in the game are often difficult and require hard decisions.

Comment

Pro
Endless mode

Once the main story is beaten there is an optional endless mode for those that want to see how long they can play without losing.

Comment

Con
Simplistic gameplay mechanic

The gameplay itself, once the player gets a grasp of it can get repetitive pretty quick due to there really being not much deviation from a singular gameplay mechanic.

Comment

Pro
Great coming-of-age story

The coming-of-age story in Night in the Woods is unconventional for a video game, making it more unique and intriguing. After dropping out of college, the main character, Mae, struggles with her own disillusionment in life and refusal to grow up, all the while her old friends find success and move on without her. You join in on that struggle as you live as Mae: aimlessly going around town talking to everyone and listening to their worries, browsing your laptop when you're supposed to be doing other important things, and even pressing a button to wake up in bed every morning as a reminder of how mundane life can be. You see all the ways she doesn't necessarily want to grow up, wishing she could stay a kid forever, but then she talks to an old acquaintance who thinks she's washed up now, making her feel anxious about her failings as a young adult. This type of story is familiar for anyone who has also had a hard time with similar problems, and eye-opening for anyone who hasn't.

Comment

Pro
Well-written side characters

Every character feels like they have a history and realistic personal motivations, even when they're left unexplained. Mae's friends are all different yet interesting in their own ways, like Gregg who's always happy to see her and helps Mae feel like someone truly cares, and Bea with her biting sarcasm and apathy that seem to cover up her more complex issues. The residents of the town also talk about things in ways that are true-to-life, like how they gossip about their neighbors as you listen in, or just flat-out tell you sometimes to leave them alone. Every character in the game feels like a real person, whether they're central to the story or just one of the NPCs you see sitting on their porch all the time.

Comment

Pro
The simplistic gameplay is surprisingly fun

Running around the side-scrolling town as Mae day in and day out is more enjoyable than it sounds at first. It's mundane, but there's a lot of meaning to find around the town if you're willing to look for it. You go wherever you want, finding out stories about the townspeople and the town itself, or hanging out with friends for scripted story moments. Poking around all over town to find out the history is pretty cool, like the underground diner that Mae used to steal from back in the day, or the old shopping mall that barely gets any customers anymore. When you're not talking to people or going somewhere, you can play around with the rhythm mini-game as you practice with Mae's bass either in her room or in her old band with her group of friends. You can fall into a nice habit of checking in with the NPCs and locations you care about most, almost like in real life where you prioritize the people and places you spend the most time around.

Comment

Pro
Tragic, realistic setting and NPCs

Night in the Woods is set in Possum Springs, once a booming mine town but now a forgotten speck on the map, rife with poverty and decay. Its history is based on several real Adirondack towns, and its portrayal of rural decline is painfully accurate. The townspeople you talk to lament about having to close down their businesses, or wonder out loud how they'll make ends meet. Everyone's economic hardships feel real and relevant to anyone who's gone through the same thing or knows someone else who has.

Comment

Pro
Players are required to make meaningful decisions that have meaningful consequences

In order to progress in the game, players have to make a variety of difficult decisions. For example, accepting a bribe may improve your relations with the Mafia but reduce your overall reputation with your fellow police officers. You can choose to play a good cop that plays by the rules, but it's not easy. You can issue tickets even for cars that are not breaking any laws, but those tickets count towards your daily ticket quota. Issuing them may have long-term consequences. In order to reach their daily goals, the player must make the choice they think will get them closer to it. Whether that is the moral choice or not is entirely up to the player themselves. The right choice will reward the player, the wrong choice however can greatly penalize and set them back.

Comment

Pro
Deals with relevant issues

Even if it's set 30 years ago, Beat Cop manages to make a statement about issues relevant today. Problems like race, police brutality, and corruption are dealt with with a good dose of satire and introspection. It throws the player into a hostile environment and asks them to make important decisions under extremely high pressure and difficulty where doing something immoral is often seen as the simplest and fastest way of reaching your goals. The quota-based system is reminiscent of the statistics-based systems many countries employ to measure a cop's performance. This blurs the line between moral and immoral choices. Do you choose to take the high road? Or do you make an immoral choice in order to reach your goals faster? This way, Beat Cop shines a light on the many difficulties policemen have to address every day and the game does so while remaining impartial and without throwing needless accusations around.

Comment

Pro
Perfectly captures the feel of classic cop shows and movies

Beat Cop successfully captures the general feel of '80s shows and movies about cops. It's got all the stereotypes people find and enjoy in those shows and movies. All the cliches make it seem like it's straight out of Miami Vice.

Comment

Pro
Beautiful pixel graphics

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Comment

Con
In-game time management could have been handled a bit better

Five minutes in-game are equivalent to a couple of real-world seconds. This makes time go awfully quickly in Beat Cop. The idea is that time needs to go quickly in order for the player to strategize and think hard about which choices they will make during a single day. This fact is further emphasized by NPCs repeating again and again that you will not be able to complete all of your tasks. The problem is that it's perfectly possible to complete all given tasks in even such a small timeframe. You have a daily minimum number of tickets you have to write, if you reach double of your daily quota the game will reward you for that. But because in-game time management is poor, it's quite easy to even quadruple your daily quota which seems to not have been predicted by the game creators since the game gives no rewards whatsoever for reaching more than double your ticket quota.

Comment

Pro
Great art style

Samorost 3 has a great and unique art style.

Comment

Pro
Kathy is a very interesting protagonist

Kathy is tough on the outside - she rides a custom motorcycle, puffs on her favorite brand of cigarettes, and doesn't take lip from anyone. On the inside, however, she is battling her own personal issues such as her strained relationship with her family and coming to terms with the loss of her grandfather. These issues come to surface as the game goes on and help to flesh her out as a very dynamic character. She also has a very curious side. She is a college student majoring in journalism which helps to highlight both this inquisitive nature and refusal to back down from complicated situations. It is these aspects of her personality that send her out on the game's main adventure. When she returns to her hometown from college for her grandfather's funeral, the secrets of his life and the mystery surrounding his death strongly intrigue her and prompt her to take action. Notebook and cigarettes in hand, and cruising around on her motorcycle, she sets out into the town to question the locals, search multiple locations, and get answers by any means necessary. Throughout all her adventures and interactions, her sarcasm and wit shine through - she is both quick with words and very resourceful when it comes to solving her problems. By the game's end, she has proven to be a very capable protagonist whose many sides are revealed.

Comment

Pro
Strong detective vibe

Much of the game consists of going from location to location questioning people, searching the environment for clues, and chasing leads, while Kathy keeps track of it all in her notebook. When she makes note of something in this notebook - either through a conversation or an environmental clue - it opens that topic up for dialogue with every character you interact with. This means that the bits of information you learn in one conversation or area will have you going back for round 2 or round 3 with a previously interviewed character or going back to an old area to comb for new information. Running around, discovering clues, interviewing the same people multiple times, and putting all the pieces together really drives the detective theme home.

Comment

Pro
Mysterious characters keep the "whodunit" theme strong

Throughout the game, Kathy's search for answers sees her run into about a dozen different characters around the small town. Upon first glance, they all seem to be normal, everyday people. Throughout your investigation, however, their secrets are slowly revealed, and in most cases, people aren't quite who they claim to be. Just enough information is given where you really want to keep digging in and uncover more, helping to keep you guessing what each one's motives and goals truly are.

Comment

Pro
Retro point-and-click style is handled extremely well

Kathy Rain is a nod to the point-and-click games of the 90s era, so much so that is uses retro pixel graphics and the story itself takes place in the 90s. The interface is the typical click to move and hover over an item to interact. For example, hovering over a book will allow you to look at or pick it up. Everything you pick up is stored in your inventory, where you can then combine inventory items or use them on other objects in the environment to solve puzzles. All in all, it's smooth and easy to use, making it a great throwback game.

Comment

Pro
Excellent soundtrack that fits each location

The accompanying background music for each location you visit fits the atmosphere incredibly well. Exploring a dark attic queues an ambient synth track with a creepy vibe. The church features a synth organ slowly playing a haunting tune. While visiting the cemetery, a reflective mellow melody plays out. The biker bar features a wailing guitar and drums in a catchy upbeat rhythm. In total, there are 25 songs, all original and made exclusively for this game.

Comment

Pro
Free demo available

You can try a small portion of the game before you buy.

Comment

Con
A few puzzles are not integrated well

While a majority of the game consists of average difficulty puzzles, some puzzles are so abstract and obscure, that they become difficult solely due to poor design. There is one particularly frustrating puzzle in the latter portion of the game that uses a very vague poem to provide clues. It is not entirely clear what you're supposed to be doing whatsoever, and results in a lot of trial and error or simply consulting a walkthrough.

Comment

Con
Voice acting isn't the greatest

Many spoken lines throughout the game are delivered flat and devoid of much emotion. This is especially bad at the very start of the game, but thankfully it improves to passable levels as the game progresses.

Comment

Pro
A long and deep story

On first look this game can look simplistic and childish, but in fact it is very long and has a deep story underneath it.

Comment

Pro
Lighthearted and humorous cases to solve

Each case you investigate focuses on a different aspect of the paranormal (zombies, portals, possession, etc), however this is a not a horror game whatsoever - each case has a comedic twist and lots of humor thrown in to give it a lighthearted feel. There's nothing overly malicious in any of the cases, and next to no violence. For example, the case "Buy Hard" takes place in a shopping mall during Christmas time. However, Santa isn't exactly who he says he is (no spoilers), and has possessed the elves who run around the mall causing mischief in a lighthearted way, such as pulling hair or stealing candy. Some zombies you meet in another episode speak to each other using the word "brains" in various patterns, moan and shamble around, but there is no scene in which they eat anybody. A lake monster demands a tin foil hat so government agents don't find him. The list goes on and on, but each case is handled in a way that puts humor greatly above scares.

Comment

Pro
Entertaining chemistry between the main characters

During your adventures as Detective Francis McQueen, you are accompanied by your blissfully and hilariously unaware sidekick named Dooley. While McQueen tends to be serious about solving the cases, Dooley can be considered somewhat of a slacker and classic underachiever. He's always quick with a sarcastic remark, life advice, or a story you didn't ask him to tell. His dialogue normally runs the gamut of government conspiracies, weird tales of his personal life, or asking if he can just go home already. Through all this it's quite apparent McQueen is used to Dooley's shenanigans, so he's always quick to dismiss him or ask him to be quiet. The relationship between the two is always filled with humorous dialogue due to them being such polar opposites, but they make a great and likeable team that you just want to cheer along.

Comment

Pro
Great for quick and satisfying gaming sessions

Darkside Detective features a variety of different paranormal cases you can investigate, with each one taking about 20-60 minutes to play through. Even if you don't have a lot of time, you can still work your way through a self-contained case from start to finish and feel like you've accomplished something when you solve it.

Comment

Pro
It's fun to spot all the pop culture references

Almost everything in the game is a reference to pop culture, a parody, or a play on words. Some are rather subtle, such as a line of dialogue here or there where you don't notice it at first. Others are rather pronounced - such as the name of the town, Twin Lakes, being a not-so-subtle nod to Twin Peaks. Or the police chief named Scully, a clear reference to the X-files. All in all, there are hundreds of references crammed in, and it's really enjoyable to play through the game and see how many you recognize.

Comment

Pro
Great balance between story and puzzles

The puzzles are numerous, yet easy. So while there's plenty of puzzles to solve along the way, you're never getting stuck for too long or halting story progression. It's a great balance between the two where you spend equal time solving puzzles and enjoying the story without one overpowering the other.

Comment

Pro
Beautiful pixel graphics

The graphics are a throwback to the pixelated look of old school adventure games, however they have a much cleaner and more modern look than the grainy pixels you'd find in older games. The chunky pixel style is very crisp and colorful, featuring pleasant palettes and vibrant color schemes. Everything has a smooth and polished look that's easy on the eyes, making this game one of the best examples of pixel art done right.

Comment

Pro
Can run on extremely low end systems

The game's minimum specs are very low - only requiring a Pentium 4 and 2 gigs of RAM.

Comment

Con
Puzzles are usually extremely easy

While a few of the puzzles may require a bit of thinking or cause you to get stuck for a few minutes, none are notably difficult. This is a very easy game in general, so if you're looking for a point-and-click with lots of brain busters or cryptic puzzles, this isn't the one for you.

Comment

Con
A little bit simplistic

The simplistic point-and-click interface combined with low-fi pixel art might be too simplistic for some modern gamers.

Comment

Pro
love it so much :(

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Comment