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Klickstarter: 10 top crowdfunded adventure games
We round up 10 of the best point-and-click games on Kickstarter and Indiegogo.
10 top crowdfunded adventure games
© Imagos Softworks
Not so long ago, the humble point-and-click game was considered a relic of a bygone era, a genre supplanted by the inexorable move towards immersive full-3D adventures. However, in recent years this style of game has undergone a dramatic resurgence, and thanks to the arrival of crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter and Indiegogo, we're seeing a more diverse range of offerings than ever before. Below we look at the 10 released and upcoming point-and-click adventure titles you should be hovering your mouse pointer over.
Broken Age
Arguably the most high-profile entry in this list – and the game that is credited with legitimising Kickstarter as a platform for funding video games – Broken Age is a glorious return to the point-and-click genre for Tim Schafer, the man behind such classics as Day of the Tentacle and Monkey Island 2. An episodic adventure which features two playable characters located in entirely different worlds, Broken Age raised a staggering $3.45 million during its campaign – the initial goal had been a rather humble $400,000.
Obduction
The spiritual successor to Myst – one of the most popular PC adventure games of all time – Obduction raised $1.3 million on Kickstarter back in 2013. The brainchild of Rand Miller, one of the brothers who founded Myst studio Cyan back in 1987, Obduction aims to recreate the sense of mystery and discovery which made its illustrious forerunner so compelling. Miller has already stated that staff who worked on Myst – as well as sequels Riven and Uru: Ages Beyond Myst – will be involved with development, and Oculus Rift support is also promised. The game is due for release on Windows and Mac later this year.
Thimbleweed Park
Back in 1987, Ron Gilbert and Gary Winnick created Maniac Mansion, one of the first true point-and-click adventure games. Last year, the duo revealed that they were working on a title that would replicate the look, feel and style of that iconic outing. $626,250 was raised during the campaign – almost twice the initial goal of $375,000 – and the game is expected to hit Windows, Linux and Mac in June next year. Like Broken Age, the allure of this particular title is enhanced by the fact that it's coming from two of the biggest and most influential names in the point-and-click genre, so this is definitely one to keep an eye on.
Starr Mazer
Starr Mazer is perhaps the most unusual game in this list, as it's not an out-and-out adventure title, but instead a hybrid which mixes together point-and-click puzzle-solving with side-scrolling 2D shooter sections. You arguably couldn't get two more different gameplay styles, but the game's amazing faux-retro presentation – combined with a fantastic chiptune soundtrack – makes for an intriguing prospect. Starr Mazer's campaign ended recently, raising $193,566, and it’ll be coming to Linux, PC and Mac.
Armikrog
Armikrog is another title which has successfully harnessed the power of nostalgia to raise funding on Kickstarter – this time Doug TenNapel is the big-name who has generated interest with backers. TenNapel worked on Earthworm Jim back in the '90s before creating The Neverhood, a cult point-and-click adventure famous for its use of claymation models. TenNapel has teamed up with Pencil Test Studios to create the game – which raised $950,000 on Kickstarter – and has also roped in The Neverhood composer Terry Scott Taylor to turn in the game's score. It will be hitting PC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation 4 and Wii U this year.
The Book of Unwritten Tales 2
The original Book of Unwritten Tales came out in 2009, and was followed by a prequel in 2012. Massively popular in its native Germany – where point-and-click adventures have remained in fashion since the early '90s – The Book of Unwritten Tales 2 was successfully funded via Kickstarter and saw release early this year. Reviews have praised the high production values and cutting humour, making this a highly recommended adventure title for fans of the genre.
SpaceVenture
Back in the early days of point-and-click adventures, two companies stood out as the leading lights of the genre – Lucasarts, which published the likes of Monkey Island, Maniac Mansion and Day of the Tentacle, and Sierra, which released the likes of Leisure Suit Larry, King's Quest, Gabriel Knight and Space Quest. Scott Murphy and Mark Crowe – both of whom were involved with Space Quest – have returned to the arena with SpaceVenture, which they're creating via their new studio, Two Guys from Andromedia. Kickstarted back in 2012, it's still in development, and will follow the exploits of intergalactic plumber Ace Hardway. Expect plenty of the humour which made the Space Quest series so beloved.
Tormentum: Dark Sorrow
Inspired by the nightmarish art of H R Giger and influenced by games like Dark Soul and Dark Seed, Tormentum: Dark Sorrow raised a modest $11,538 via Indiegogo last year. It's an adventure title for the PC and Mac which boasts some incredible artwork and an impressively grim tone – yet it was produced by just three people. Although the art is 2D, the developers have layered images on top of one another to create a 3D effect which looks incredible in motion. Not for the feint of heart, but certainly an adventure title that's worth a look.
Fran Bow
Blasting past its $20,000 Indiegogo funding goal back in 2013, this creepy and atmospheric point-and-click adventure is well worth a look if you're after scares rather than laughs. The lead character is a child who escapes from a mental institution in order to find who killed her parents – hardly a laugh-riot, then. The dark and gloomy theme might sound off-putting, but Fran Bow is one of the most immersive and compelling titles on this list – you can grab the demo on Windows, Linux, Mac and Android right now, and the full release is expected later this year.
Stasis
Stasis raised over $100,000 back in 2013, and was a rather unusual Kickstarter project as it had already been in development for a considerable time before brothers Christopher and Nic Bischoff decided to turn to crowdfunding in order to finish it. However, the title's amazing isometric 2D visuals, haunting sci-fi premise and – perhaps most importantly – playable demo helped secure the required cash. Stasis remains in development and is shaping up to be a truly incredible experience – one which ignores the humour which is so common in point-and-click adventures, and replaces it with the kind of terror we're used to seeing in films like Alien.
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