Every gamer at least once in his life faced with quests. Here is the TOP of the best representatives of this genre that will be able to captivate even the most fastidious players.
Adventure games on PC are a timeless genre. It was popular in the early days of PC gaming and remains highly cost-effective even today. Hundreds of new titles are released every year, so finding the right ones is getting harder and harder. We bring you the TOP 16 best quests on PC that came out (or re-released) after 2000. The sample included only those projects that received more than 80% of positive reviews in Steam.
We have compiled this list of the best quests based on the rating of the game on Steam. If two projects had the same percentage of positive reviews, then we ourselves chose which of them would take a higher position in the rating.
Leviathan: The Last Day of the Decade
Year: 2014
Russian language: Yes
Steam Rating: 80%
Leviathan: The Last Day of the Decade is a project developed by the Russian studio Lostwood Games. He is little known to the general public, but is extremely loved by fans of quests and graphic novels with an unusual story.
Gameplay consists mainly of point-and-click elements, but it doesn't end there. It is also filled with a huge amount puzzles, dialogues and choices. The course of history depends entirely on how the hero behaves in a given situation.
The plot of the game tells about the world of Leviathan, in which time is calculated in Decades. Every Decade, a terrible Pestilence comes to the world, which, however, takes the lives of only commoners. You have to play for an aristocrat, a young man whose mother was killed, and he himself was adopted by her killer in early childhood. The main character, together with a group of friends, will not only bring this bastard to light, but also investigate a series of mysterious murders.
The main advantage of the game: An unusual game world, invented from scratch by the authors, and an intriguing plot. Also in the game there are extraordinary thoughtful characters. There are no princesses and knights here, everything is much more realistic and closer.
The main disadvantage of the game: Most of the fans Didn't like the ending of the story. The developers even released a sequel, but it did not become so popular and did not answer questions from the audience.
A series of games "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes"
Year: 2002-2016
Russian language: Yes
Steam Rating: 80-90%
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is a series of games about the life and work of the most famous detective on the planet. The best game in the franchise is considered the penultimate part of Sherlock Holmes: Crimes & Punishments. She received high ratings from various gaming publications., including Kanobu and Igromania. In 2021, a new addition to the Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One series is being prepared for release.
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is an investigation quest. Here the player will not only have to find items on the game screen point-and-clickbut collate evidence, conduct chemical research and work with archives. The game also has its own interrogation system.
The plot of the games in the series is based on the stories described in the books of Arthur Conan Doyle. However, even the most ardent fans of the writer will be interested in playing. The developers supplemented the stories with their own details and plot branches, which, nevertheless, do not spoil the overall outline. Besides, for game stories, they chose not the most popular plotsin order to increase the degree of surprise.
The main advantage of the game: NPC interrogation system. It is possible to understand whether they are telling the truth or lying not only due to the evidence collected earlier, but also by the appearance and facial expressions of the characters. Incredibly addictive mechanics that appealed to most players.
The main disadvantage of the game: series irregularity. Some of the games in the franchise are highly iconic and entertaining, while others have received mixed reviews from players.
Scratches
Year: 2006
Russian language: no
Steam Rating: 82%
Rustle is a dark, frightening horror quest. The game is played in the first person, which provides deep immersion. The project has its own unique graphics engine, visuals and soundtrack.
The gameplay is built from the point of view of the character, and it is from this that all the puzzles and frightening effects are formed. The player can move around the location by clicking on the active zones on the screen. But you can rotate the character as you like. Thereby at any moment the protagonist can turn around and see what horrors are happening behind him.
Players will have to unravel the mysterious history of the Blackwood mansion, all of whose owners died or ended their lives in prison. The new owner of this dead place, horror writer Michael Artheit, was going to get to the bottom of the truth and understand what was wrong with this frightening mansion. Here he hopes to find solitude and inspiration to work on a new novel.
The main advantage of the game: Really creepy atmosphere. The game tries to make the blood run cold not with bloody scenes, but with the player's deepest fears. Excellent visuals play into the hands of this.
The main disadvantage of the game: Optimization. The quest is quite old, and some players even encountered bugs in the remaster.
The Black Mirror Series
Year: 2003-2011
Russian language: Yes
Steam Rating: 82-88%
Black Mirror is an extraordinary adventure quest, consisting of three parts, united by a single storyline. The project received mixed reviews from critics and incredible popularity with fans.. In addition, the game was received much warmer in Russian-speaking countries.
In the Black Mirror, the gameplay is built on the principle of point-and-click, however, in order to diversify it, the developers have introduced a huge number of locations and characters. Most of the game time the gamer spends not on the riddles themselves, but on dialogues and exploring the world. Also, unlike many other quests, the character here is mortal.
The plot revolves around Sam, a member of the old and ancient family of Gordons. Previously, they all lived in a giant family mansion called the Black Mirror, but recently everything has changed. Even myself Sam left his home after his wife died in it because of a fire. But now he will have to return - his family is almost extinct, and some strange things are happening in the building.
The main advantage of the game: Fascinating story. It is surrounded by mysteries, filled with murders and seasoned with mysticism. It is incredibly interesting to observe the history of the estate and this ancient family.
The main disadvantage of the game: The slowness of the narrative and its narrow focus. The problems of the world are not solved here - only a specific family. And the game will have to read a lot. For some gamers, this turned out to be a big minus.
LA Noire
Year: 2011
Russian language: Yes
Steam Rating: 85%
Los Angeles Noir is a detective quest from Rockstar Games, the creators of the GTA series. The game received a BAFTA award in 2012 for its original soundtrack. Critics spoke about the project mostly positively.
The gameplay of the game consists of story and side missions. The player can switch between their main investigation and the calls they receive on the radio at any time. During the quest, gamers will have to inspect crime scenes and collect evidence.
The plot of the game tells about the events of 1947. You will play as police officer Cole Phelps. Starting with simple cases and small titles, he will move up the career ladder and history along with the gamer. The plot, which begins as an ordinary murder, eventually leads to large-scale political games.
The main advantage of the game: Atmospheric. The game skillfully immerses the gamer in the first half of the 20th century. Everything from the skillfully crafted environments to the incredible music helps to deepen and brighten the world of the detective from Los Angeles.
The main disadvantage of the game: Have game weak protagonist. After passing, it is difficult to even remember his name.
Buy at a discount LA Noire: The Complete Edition
Syberia series
Year: 2002-2017
Russian language: Yes
Steam Rating: 86-89%
Siberia is a captivating adventure trilogy created by a small Belgian studio. The first and second parts of the series were highly acclaimed by critics and fans., but the third one became a failure and did not even collect 50% of positive reviews in Steam.
The quest is made in point-and-click style and filled with different puzzles. The main character will be controlled exclusively with the mouse. The gameplay is intuitive to anyone who has ever played computer quests. An important role in the game mechanics is played by the documents collected by the heroine and the phone of the protagonist.
The plot tells about the fate of Kate, a girl from New York. She - A lawyer who wants to buy an old toy factory. To do this, she needs to arrive in Siberia and find her last owner - the mysterious inventor Hans. The second part of the series is an epilogue that reveals new features of Kate Walker's life after she finds Hans.
The main advantage of the game: Constantly maintained atmosphere of mystery. The developers managed to turn Siberia into something unusual and mystical and frightening, while not resorting to common clichés.
The main disadvantage of the game: The puzzles in the game are more annoying than making the gameplay more interesting. Also, the main problem of the series is weak endings that spoil all the previously created intrigue.
Buy at a discount Syberia 3
Deponia: The Complete Journey
Year: 2014
Russian language: Yes
Steam Rating: 88%
The Depona series of games was released between 2012 and 2013. In 2014, Daedalic Entertainment released their "The Complete Journey", where they fixed common mistakes and collected all the chapters together.
Game process - this is a classic point-and-click quest. The character can collect items in his inventory and use them on the world around him. The game is divided into acts, each of which is followed by an interactive screensaver with an unusual song.
The story plunges the gamer into a hypertrophied dystopia. There are only two worlds: the junkyard planet Deponia and the utopian flying city of Elysium. The player will have to take control of Rufus, a failed tester from the "lower" world. Throughout the series, he tries to protect his home world, win the heart of a girl named Goal and find a better life in this unfair universe.
The main advantage of the game: Humor. The game is extremely positive and extraordinary. The characters constantly make jokes and caustic comments about the player's actions. Also, they do not miss the moment to communicate with each other.
The main disadvantage of the game: Special quest logic. Sometimes it is too difficult to unravel the idea of the authors due to the fact that they emphasized humor at the expense of the logic of the story. This problem is solved by hints or random chirping, but this does not add charm to the game.
The Book of Unritten Tales
Year release: 2009
Russian language: no
Steam Rating: 90%
The Book of Unwritten Stories is a German quest with an incredible fantasy atmosphere. He sends players back to the days of the popularity of the novel "Arthur and the Invisibles" and other similar works.
The gameplay is based on classic point-and-click control. However, the developers have made their chip into it. You can't just mindlessly poke at objects, because the character will inspect and describe them before interacting. This helped to make the riddles more logical and clearer. The game is also full of challenging puzzles.
The story of the game tells about the ongoing war of Light and Darkness. The elderly gremlin MacGuffin will have to stop this battle. He finds the location of a powerful artifact that can solve this problem. Gremlin attempts to relay this information to the forces of Light, but is intercepted by the enemy. As a result, his friends, an elf and a halfling, will have to find this artifact and help end the centuries-old war.
The main advantage of the game: Complex quests, which at the same time remain logical and thoughtful. To complete the game on your own, you will have to strain your brains a lot, but in the end the player will receive incredible satisfaction.
The main disadvantage of the game: The project is designed for fans of the "old school" and may not appeal to many modern gamers. There are many jokes about the past, and the difficulty of passing is also high.
Grim Fandango
Year: 2015
Russian language: Yes
Steam Rating: 90%
Grim Fandango Remastered is a re-release of the classic version of the game, in which only the graphical component has been redesigned. The story, characters and gameplay are intact, which is why the project soared among critics. However, his unusual style led to a commercial failure.
Gloomy fandango is a classic graphic quest with all the pluses and minuses that entails. Yes, the gameplay has nothing to surprise a sophisticated player, but it is logical, consistent and enjoyable.
The story revolves around Manuel Calavera. The protagonist travels through the world of the dead, wanting to get to the Tenth Underworld - the last place where the dead go. His adventure spans four long years and it's up to the players to help Manny reach his goal.
The main advantage of the game: unusual surroundings, which combines the myths and legends of the Aztec Indians about the afterlife, as well as elements of film noir with their dark and depressing style.
The main disadvantage of the game: Cliche. The project is filled with predictable jokes and plot twists that were relevant in 1998, but by 2015 have lost their freshness and novelty.
Limbo
Year: 2011
Russian language: Yes
Steam Rating: 93%
Limbo is a quest platformer that combines the horror and survival subgenres. As a result, the project turned out to be complex, exciting and very complex. Ideal for those who often play quests and want to try something new for themselves. The project has collected many different awards in Russia and abroad.
In terms of gameplay, Limb from the first moments does not seem to be something unusual. A simple 2D side-scroller. However, this simplicity is deceptive. The character will have to endure many deaths due to player errors on such an intuitive field.
The gamer will play for a character without a name and history. He just wakes up in an unknown place on the outskirts of the forest and wants only one thing - to find his sister. He has to meet different people, hostile and fearful, but no one will try to help him. All game time the protagonist will have to spend in the dark, with minimal lighting.
The main advantage of the game: Limbo keeps the gamer on their toes. This project makes you wince because of every dark spot on the screen. He scares qualitatively, without the use of rude tricks and excess blood.
The main disadvantage of the game: Have game there is no open ending and there is no official interpretation from the developers. This has given rise to a lot of controversy and fan theories, which, however, cannot be considered canon.
Cube Escape and Rusty Lake Series
Year: 2015-2020
Russian language: there is, but not in all games of the series
Steam Rating: 93-97%
Cube Escape and Rusty Lake are two series of games that take place in the same world and with the same setting. In addition, for both lines, the developers used almost identical gameplay and visual style, so it makes sense to combine them into one category.
The gameplay is built in style of a classic point-and-click quest with the ability to collect items and use them. The gamer can freely move around the locations. Beyond riddles you will also have to solve puzzles and study text records.
Each part of the line has its own storyline, but all events take place in the world of Rusty Lake. Players will have to learn the secrets of this universe, understand what is wrong with the lake and its inhabitants. The story is quite surreal and scary., often there are deaths and other repulsive scenes.
The main advantage of the game: Unpredictability. Every time the player seems to begin to understand the world of Rusty Lake, he is thrown a few steps back in this understanding. The game knows how to keep the intrigue.
The main disadvantage of the game: Illogicality. As for a quest, the project has a very specific logic, which is not always possible to catch the first time. As a result, players often have to use guides.
Machinarium
Year: 2009
Russian language: Yes
Steam Rating: 95%
Machinarium Wins Best Visual Award at Independent Games Festival and many other awards for best quest and best indie game. All this did not just happen. The Czech project was developed for three years, and the developers spent no more than $1000 on advertising. However, the game still managed to win the hearts of the fans.
Machinarium is typical point-and-click in the best sense of the genre. However, there is one important difference in the gameplay. The developers left the opportunity influence not only the world around, but also the main character. By stretching and pulling the character, you can change the size of the protagonist. Also, there are no dialogues in the game.
The story tells about the city of robots - Machinarium. A bandit group has seized power in it. The player is assigned the role of the cleaning robot Josef. The bandits killed his boss, captured his girlfriend and are going to take power over the city.
The main advantage of the game: A special style of presentation of the plot. The game does not have an intro video. History will have to be remembered together with Josef, studying the details from the clouds of thoughts that periodically appear above him.
The main disadvantage of the game: The gameplay is very classic, so may seem boring to players who often play point-and-click quests.
Edna & Harvey: The Breakout
Year: 2019
Russian language: Yes
Steam Rating: 95%
Edna and Harvey. Brain Explosion is unique in that it was planned as a normal student project with no great future. However, the game made a splash in its homeland in Germany, was finalized, received translations into many languages and was released in 2008. For 2019, the developers have prepared a graphic remaster in which you can choose to play with the classic or updated visuals.
It is a classic point-and-click quest filled with puzzles. There are almost no puzzles. Due to the fact that the main plot takes place on the territory of a psychiatric hospital, to solve quests, you often have to resort to rather perverted logic. However, you quickly get used to the thinking of the game and this does not cause problems.
The plot tells about the girl Edna and his talking soft toy Harvey. Someone killed Edna's father, and she herself ended up in a psychiatric hospital with almost no memory. The player will have to help the girl escape and remember her past.
The main advantage of the game: Humor and cartoon graphics. Characters constantly comment on what is happening on the screen and the actions of the player. It really spices up the gameplay. In addition, the project has its own unique visual style.
The main disadvantage of the game: The project has quite dark history and black humor. It does not go well with childish graphics. In addition, the translation of the game sometimes leaves much to be desired.
Valiant Hearts: The Great War
Year release: 2014
Russian language: Yes
Steam Rating: 95%
Brave Hearts: The Great War just blew up the puzzle and quest community. The French branch of Ubisoft created a real masterpiece, which received a BAFTA award in 2015.
The gameplay of Valiant Hearts is extremely simple. The player will have to dive into regular 2,5D platformer with riddles and puzzles. The screen can be moved left and right to explore the map. Also an important part of the gameplay is to find the right items.
The plot of the game tells about the fate of four people who lived during the First World War. This game has a pre-written history, the course of which the player cannot influence. The main goal set by the developers is recreate the atmosphere of those times and give the player the opportunity to experience how it was morally difficult and scary.
The main advantage of the game: The project turned out atmospheric, but not "heavy" psychologically. It makes you think about many important things, but it does not leave an unpleasant aftertaste. This effect was achieved through cartoonish drawing.
The main disadvantage of the game: Lack of variability. No matter how hard the player tries, the plot will still not be able to achieve the perfect ending.
Frank Bow
Year: 2015
Russian language: Yes
Steam Rating: 96%
The surrealistic and frightening game of Fran Bow did not leave anyone indifferent. This point-and-click quest is made in the original psychedelic style, has its own detailed world and an interesting plot.
The gameplay is simple and intuitive. The player will have to click on certain areas of the screen, collect items and use them to overcome obstacles and solve problems. There are also a few puzzles in the game, but they are simple and not annoying.
The story tells about the fate of a girl named Fran Bow. Her parents died tragically, and she herself ended up in a children's psychiatric hospital.. The player will have to investigate the murder of her mom and dad together with the heroine. At the same time, the girl will have to move between the worlds - the real and four alternative ones.
The main advantage of the game: The original game universe. The game has a lot of unusual creatures, monsters and unusual, elaborate characters. She shows the player something that he has never seen before, either in other games or in films.
The main disadvantage of the game: Monotonous game mechanics. Fran Bow is more of an interactive movie in a quest shell. Here the main emphasis is on the plot, and not on the gameplay as such.
Sally face
Year: 2016-2020
Russian language: Yes
Steam Rating: 96%
"Sally's Face" is a dark story about the underworld and personal tragedy. The project has an unusual, rough style that attracts and repels at the same time. The game has spawned many theories among fans, many of which remain unanswered to this day.
The gameplay of this point-and-click quest is very simple. The focus here is on storytelling. However, the game has some interesting puzzles. In addition, every word spoken in the plot is important. If you skip the replicas of the heroes, you can forever get stuck in the passage.
Initially, the plot is built around the boy Sally Fisher, who is forced to wear a prosthesis on his face after an accident in childhood. As you get to know the protagonist, the player learns along with him that Sal has an incredible ability to see spirits. This in the future will encourage, together with friends, to get involved in the battle with the restless and the dark cult.
The main advantage of the game: Intriguing and realistic story. Since the characters are ordinary people, it is easy for the player to imagine himself in their place. In addition, you will have to play for teenagers and young people, which also makes it easier to see the features of yourself in their youthful maximalism.
The main disadvantage of the game: Some The mysteries of the plot are too easy to solve. When the player comes to the solution, there is a feeling of slight dissatisfaction, as if the developers did not want to look for a beautiful justification, and simply dumped everything on the game world itself.