Gamescom 2024 in words: Adventure game round-up part 1

• Previews by Laura Cress
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No matter how many times I visit gamescom, Europe’s largest gaming convention in the heart of Cologne, Germany, I never learn. I always say “yes!” to far, far too many previews of amazing upcoming adventure games, and I never say “no!” to any of the pin badges, leaflets and stickers given in droves by well-meaning developers, leaving me feeling like a real-life adventure game character by the final day when I try to pull anything useful out of my rucksack and come out with a fistful of keyrings and fridge magnets.

This year was no different. And yet, had I not replied in the (sometimes overwhelmed) affirmative to the many fabulous demos offered up to play, I wouldn’t have been able to share this hopefully helpful round-up of some wonderful upcoming adventure games for you. From brawling explorers in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle to angsty 90s teens in DON’T NOD’s Lost Records: Bloom & Rage; from Japanese pixel art mysteries in Urban Myth Dissolution Center to Miami Vice-like point-and-clicks in VICE Undercover, the variety and choice on offer was exciting and awe-inspiring, and this handful of titles isn’t even everything that was on display.

If you’re wondering where all the other games I played are, don’t worry, there will be more to come. I’ll also be making a special video round-up of some fantastic games I played specifically at gamescom’s Indie Arena Booth (which featured over 100 indie games – the video will feature…slightly fewer).

So, with the thought of all that editing I’ve still got to do growing heavy on my mind, let’s not delay and check out this year’s gamescom round-up!

30 Birds

Developer: RAM RAM Games & Business Goose
Publisher: ARTE France

Inspired by Middle Eastern mythology, 30 Birds, a musical narrative adventure, sees you play as Zig, a detective who must explore a city of lanterns to rescue the city's patron goddess, Simurgh, who's been mysteriously kidnapped by an international criminal known as The Scientist. To do this you'll need to recruit 30 birds (aha!) to help you solve the case, which you do by exploring the surface of giant rotating lanterns (each their own city or world), chatting to folk and solving puzzles.

Imagine a bright, colourful Persian lantern twinkling in the night sky and you'll get an idea of the beautifully hand-drawn landscapes you'll discover on your mission. Music plays a big part as well; some of the puzzles will involve instruments or be rhythm-based, and the game's soundtrack, whilst sprinkled with the expected Middle Eastern influences, focuses mainly around ska-dub and electro (not as jarring as it sounds, and quite in keeping with the quirky art style).

30 Birds is expected to take flight in the autumn of 2024 for Windows, Mac and the Nintendo Switch.

Amerzone: The Explorer's Legacy

Developer: Microids Studio Paris
Publisher: Microids

Keen adventure game fans may recognise the name Amerzone already as the 1999 cult classic made by the late, great Benoît Sokal, of Syberia fame. The Microids team, who also published the original game, say the remake will pay tribute to Sokal's vision, whilst also offering a completely new experience of it – graphically, of course, but also in offering more depth and detail story-wise and with brand new puzzles.

Just like in the original, you play as an intrepid journalist who ends up being tasked with taking back the last egg of the mythical “Great White Birds,” stolen long ago from the tropical Amerzone region. The demo I played saw you reaching the point of being given this mission, as you explore a lighthouse and speak to its owner, the French explorer Alexandre Valembois, who – it isn't really too much of a spoiler to say – does not last long even in this demo, and makes it his dying wish that you help him atone for his terrible decision as a younger man.

Although in 3D and with a first-person view, the game sticks with a very traditional concept of moving about by using stationary nodes rather than allowing you to freely navigate, with arrows leading off the sides to click on to move to the next location. (You can pan the camera 360 degrees around you, though). In the full game you'll be using your hydroplane to travel about the mystical tropics, but whilst it's a dangerous place, don't expect there to be combat or stealth involved. There will be plenty of puzzles instead, as well as the original's sense of exploration; as you note down clues, new knowledge you've gained about the unusual flora and fauna around you will appear in your journal.

Amerzone: The Explorer's Legacy will be hacking its way through the thick vines of 2024 to emerge in November on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars – Reforged / Broken Sword: Parzival's Stone

Developer/Publisher: Revolution Software

A year on since my last gamescom chat with Revolution co-founder Charles Cecil, when he revealed not one but two Broken Sword games, we were back together again in a small white cubicle chatting about, what else, but Broken Sword once more. This time, with Shadow of the Templars – Reforged just around the corner, I got to have a proper look at what's changed for this remastered and updated version of the adventure game classic.

You'll be able to switch freely between the original's graphics and the updated 4K visuals in Reforged, and it's only when you do that you'll notice just how crisp and clean it looks now in comparison to the older version. As mentioned in my previous interview with Charles, the team haven't just slapped some new looks on the game and called it a day, they've also gone through it with a fine-toothed comb to “fix” some niggling little issues. For example, now a supposedly Ancient Egyptian statue in the museum (which was really a photograph of a Hindu god) is actually a Sphinx, and now a drainpipe which protagonist George ponders could have been the escape route for the clown criminal actually reaches to the top of the wall, rather than just stopping short.

One of the biggest changes for Reforged will be the wealth of options it offers people to play the game how they would like. As Charles told me: “I want Reforged to be a modern adventure game, not a traditional one.” To this end, you'll be able to switch between “story” and “classic” modes. The classic mode will be the original experience, but the story mode, which I took a look at, will feature many customisable features, such as taking away hotspots unnecessary to plot progression once you've clicked on them a first time, and shimmering a hotspot highlighter where to look next after a certain amount of time, as well as giving out gradual written hints. Many of these options will be customisable – for example, you can specify how long you want to wait until the game gives you another hint, from one minute to ten, and so on. It's another way of opening up Broken Sword to a new, more modern audience, and if it means people can choose the experience that suits them, I'm all for it.

And what of the new Broken Sword, the sixth in the series, Parzival's Stone, also announced at gamescom last year? Well, as can be expected, this has been pushed back a great deal by Reforged's impending release. It feels very unlikely, with it still being in the pre-production stage, that we'll see the next brand new series installment even within the next year, but Charles is still sounding positive that it will surface at some point. Not long to wait now until Reforged, though, which will be giving a whole new host of people a reason to Google “goat puzzle” when it comes out on September 19th on PC, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One and Series X|S.

Gloomy Eyes – The Game

Developers: Atlas V, 3Dar, Fishing Cactus & Be Revolution
Publisher: ARTE France

ARTE France are also publishing Gloomy Eyes, a Tim Burton-esque puzzle platformer based on a short VR interactive film starring Colin Farrell. Whilst Colin won't appear in the game adaptation, it will draw on the original's story, featuring two young characters: Nena, who can't stand the dark, and the zombie child Gloomy, who coincidentally can't venture into the light. You'll have to swap between each to solve the game's environmental puzzles, which play out a little like in Amanita Design's Creaks. 

Gloomy Eyes – The Game will be coming out sometime in 2025 on Windows and Mac.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Developer: MachineGames
Publisher: Bethesda Software

There’s nothing like punching a few Nazis to get the day started, but whilst Indiana Jones and the Great Circle definitely doesn’t disappoint in this regard, it was good to see that, in keeping with the series’ adventure game heritage à la Fate of Atlantis, there’ll also be plenty of puzzles to solve in between the Nazi walloping in this edition. In a special preview event before gamescom, I was able to see a new gameplay trailer for The Great Circle and hear from game director Jerk Gustafsson and creative director Axel Torvenius about the direction they’re taking everyone’s favourite fedora-wearing professor of archaeology.

Set in 1937 between the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, the story follows Indiana Jones on the trail of various groups who are stealing artefacts that together will be able to harness a power connected to the Great Circle – sites around the world that form a perfect circle when drawn on a map. There will be plenty of combat – blocking and trading blows and using your trusty revolver (alongside other guns you pick up) and whip – but you can also outsmart your enemies using stealth to avoid them, or the environment to stun them (e.g. shooting a pipe over a goon’s head). Interestingly, in some parts of the game there will also be disguises you’ll have to find and use to get into certain areas, a bit like Agent 47 in Hitman.

Yet if this all sounds a little too actiony and not very adventure-like, there are equal parts of using the noggin as well. Indy will have a camera that he can use to snap pictures of objects of interest. This will reveal more clues and details about them that might help with a puzzle, and also unlock something called “adventure points,” which is basically the game’s skill system. You can use these points to unlock new abilities to play the game how you’d like. (One skill I saw is “True Grit,” which allows you, if you die, to pick your hat up again and have one more chance at life.) Jerk and Axel were keen to stress that although some puzzles might be fairly simple, others will be much more complex and take longer to work out and feel very rewarding to complete. And whilst the pair previously worked on the action-packed Wolfenstein series, they offered assurances that this will feel more relaxed in terms of frenetic combat.

As you’d expect from this series, the team have promised a globe-trotting adventure – in the gameplay trailer we see Indy sneaking into enemy territory on a pyramid site in Giza wearing a turban – in what they say is their biggest game ever. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle will be rolling at full speed like a gigantic boulder towards its release date of December 9, 2024 for PC and Xbox X|S.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage

Developer/Publisher: DON’T NOD

If you saw the new gameplay trailer for Lost Records: Bloom & Rage released at gamescom and thought “this reminds me of Life Is Strange,” well, there’s probably a reason for that: it’s by the very same developer, DON’T NOD. But whilst there are some similarities to the team’s standout series – branching narratives, coming-of-age wistfulness, emotional storytelling – this game also has a 90s twist to it. You play as the heroine Swann across two different timelines – 1995, when she connects with new friends as a 17-year-old in the sleepy town of Velvet Cove, and 27 years later, when she reconnects with those same friends, prompted by the discovery of a mysterious package that threatens to bring the secrets they’ve kept all those years flooding back.

The first look demo I tried was mainly set in Swann’s 90s phase, and DON’T NOD have clearly tried hard to faithfully reflect the time in the detailed environments you explore: era-specific band posters in Swann’s room and objects such as Troll dolls on display on her bedroom dresser. Swann’s similarly period-appropriate camcorder will be a central gameplay tool. You’ll use it to film “memoirs” – little bits of footage you’ve filmed of certain scenes, characters or objects which you can then edit together in a very rough way, triggering new dialogue and actions. Michel Koch, DONT NOD’s studio creative director, says it’s basically a different way of interacting with objects, as opposed to just walking up to them and pushing a button. (You will of course be able to do this with some objects too, but the camcorder adds variety and a bit more player agency.) There will also be some bonus things you can film that aren’t tied to the story as part of side quests / collectibles (e.g. catch different birds or local wildlife). To keep up the 90s aesthetic, everything filmed has a VHS haze over it.

The rest of the demo was spent interacting with young Swann’s new friends Nora, Autumn and Kat. Michel told me that the game will feature a naturalistic dialog system, allowing players to remain introverted, not speaking at all, or able to interrupt conversations. I was keen to know if, given the time period, Lost Records will have any 90s bands under its belt for the soundtrack, and unsurprisingly, given the studio’s lineage with top notch belters, there will be some 90s licensed songs to feel angsty about, as well as original songs written for the game, blending nostalgia with modern elements. The demo ended with a hint at the mystery to come as the friends watch their filmed exploits and get more than they bargained for left on the VHS tape.

Those wishing to uncover the dark secrets of Velvet Cove will have to wait until February 18, 2025 for the first part of Lost Records to come out on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. The story will conclude in a second part coming out a month later on March 18th.

Monument Valley 3

Developer/Publisher: ustwo games

The award-winning isometric puzzler Monument Valley is back for a third outing, this time exclusively for Netflix subscribers. After a quick sit down with ustwo games’ Jennifer Estaris (game director) and John Lau (lead producer), it’s clear the series’ previous isometric mind-bending puzzles and optical illusions will continue to be a main focal point for the upcoming game, but there will be new surprises and features in store as well.

Art-wise, Jennifer told me there would definitely be a higher visual fidelity to the already beautiful worlds, and the team have been taking inspiration from architecture from South-East Asia and Africa. Plus, this time our nondescript new character, Noor, will get a boat to sail around the many isles of impossibility. Along with the boat being used for transport, you'll even end up using it in some of the puzzles.

Whilst some may lament having to pay a Netflix subscription to access the game, John explains that in an industry where discoverability is a real challenge to overcome for indie games, the small team are excited about what platforms such as Netflix Games are doing in terms of having a range in their portfolio to give airtime to smaller, more unusual titles like Monument Valley 3. The good news is that if you are a Netflix subscriber, the game can be played for free on iOS and Android devices.

There won’t be long to wait to see if it lives up to the hype, as the game is due to arrive December 10th, with Monument Valley 1 and 2 released ahead of that on September 19th and October 29th, respectively, for those who want to catch up on the puzzle phenomenon beforehand.

Selfloss

Developer: Goodwin Games
Publishers: Merge Games, Maximum Entertainment

Selfloss, an exploration puzzle game by the publishers of the excellent Bramble: The Mountain King, also weaves a story around traditional folklore, this time of Slavic and Icelandic origin. Whilst nowhere near as dark as Bramble, there's a similar sense of simple platforming and puzzles, with a touch of combat thrown in too. As Kazimir, an old healer with a magical staff, you explore the scattered islands and rough waves of a whale-worshipping world on foot or by boat, fighting off a plague of beasties called the Miasm and trying to help others overcome their own hardships and grief. Along the way you'll use the light of your staff to power the ship, solve puzzles and fight off those aforementioned beasties.

As a big fan of Bramble, I'm hoping for more of the same emotionally rich folkloric goodness from Selfloss. And there's not too long to wait – it's coming out very soon, on September 5th for PC and a week later for consoles. 

Shadow City Mysteries: A Clockwork Noir

Developer/Publisher: Play On Words Studios

Adventure games don't tend to feature a “new game plus” mode (normally seen in games like Dark Souls, where you replay the game again with your experience intact but with a harder difficulty) because, well, unless you've missed some achievements or really loved it, why would you play the same story again straight after? Shadow City Mysteries: A Clockwork Noir has grand designs to change this.

In this film-noir-meets-cyberpunk-meets-Lovecraftian narrative game with RPG elements, you'll end up playing the same story three times if you want to truly finish it – but each time will be different as you gain more experience as a private detective. For example, whilst the first playthrough will see you as a novice simply investigating the case, the next time, when you've become an expert, you'll suddenly notice things about the case you didn't before, and with your new skills unlock completely new parts of the story and dialogue. Meanwhile, the final playthrough as a veteran detective promises to get all supernatural as you side-step the case altogether and investigate what's really going on in this shady city.

As well as new dialogue and story options, you'll also be able to pick two new unique origins for your character each new round – choose to be rich, for instance, and you might be able to bribe your way out of certain situations, unlocking even more discoveries and play styles. The game won't be coming out until at least 2026 on PC and consoles so I wasn't able to play a demo at gamescom, but it seems like the team are nothing if not ambitious, aiming to not only release a game but also build a whole world around their clockwork noir IP, with plans for a tabletop RPG and a comic book as well.

Urban Myth Dissolution Center

Developer: Hakababunko
Publisher: SHUEISHA GAMES

A pixel art 2D Japanese mystery game from the creators of Makoto Wakaido’s Case Files, Urban Myth Dissolution Center sees you play as Azami Fukurai, who joins the titular psychic facility as they try to investigate and dispel (you guessed it!) urban myths. Episodic in nature, each installment will feature a specific case and anomaly to look into and counter, with an overarching story tying the episodes together.

In the demo I played, I had to first use in-game social media to research what myths were currently spreading and pinpoint our next case. (Just like in real life, the source of a lot of disinformation can be found on the web.) Once enough detail had been gathered, it was time to head to the scene of the rumours and start interviewing people and collecting evidence to work out what was really going on. What will help in this part is Azami's clairvoyance ability, which lets her see spirits and more otherworldly things when she puts on a special pair of glasses. I didn't get too much further in the demo, but I was told that the urban myths won't just be Japanese-themed, but based on real-life tales from around the world. Seemingly packed full of fun, quirky cases to solve and some really striking artwork, Urban Myth Dissolution Center reminds me of The Darkside Detective, if it was set in Japan and in equal parts more disturbing and unhinged.

Fans of the odd and the occult can get their hands on the game when it comes out in early 2025 on PC and the Nintendo Switch.

VICE Undercover

 Developer/Publisher: Ancient Machine Studios

“Imagine Pablo Escobar and the Cali Cartel had access to the internet” is how the team from Ancient Machine Studios pitched me VICE Undercover, their point-and-click adventure set in an alternate 1980s Miami, which certainly piqued my interest. As undercover agent Vida, you've infiltrated the cartel, and for an hour a day have managed to slip onto the gang's computer, pretending to be the main boss. In that hour, which is played out in real time, you can search the fully functional 80s-inspired operating system, sifting through emails, following up on directives from fellow agents, monitoring security cameras and chatting to other members of the cartel, trying to not give the game away (and crucially get everything you need done in the hour before you run out of time).

In my demo, I tried to find the aliases and photographs of several goons by searching through a database, sometimes having to make clever deductions as to which particular person's details were needed if I didn't have enough information. You won't just be stuck looking at a computer screen, though, as you can also move around the 3D office, which you'll need to do sometimes to restart the dodgy internet connection, or even find collectibles such as mixtapes, which you can then play during your browsing session. (Excellently, the songs you find are, in fitting with the era, synthwave tracks all licensed for the game.) Each hour per day that you spend on the computer constitutes an “episode” and each episode will be brought together into a season, with each season having a different story arc and a “finale.” Bursting with cool ideas, VICE Undercover feels like it could have both style and substance, like all the best 80s shows it's trying to replicate.

Get ready to put on your best pastel shirt and white suit for when the game launches sometime later this year on Windows and Mac.

Best of the Rest

As well as many adventures, I saw lots of games from different genres at gamescom that feature interesting story elements but also other non-adventure game parts such as platforming or combat.

Daedalic is well known by many in the adventure game community, and at gamescom they, alongside developers DALOAR, showed me the creepy first-person survival horror game The Occultist, which is coming out in 2025 for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. You play as Alan Rebels, as you investigate the disappearance of your father, using the spooky powers (bending time, seeing through the eyes of crows, that kind of thing) of a pendulum to do so. Muttering Latin never felt so meaningful!

Meanwhile, third-person action-adventure Usual June by Tunic and Night in the Woods publisher Finji follows the story of the eponymous June, who can talk to ghosts and must investigate the century-spanning secret history of her town. I loved the colourful and inventive hack-and-slash combat in this one – no surprise given Finji’s pedigree with addictive, well-made action games, but there are plenty of moments for exploration and story development as well. It’s coming out in 2025 on PC.

Last but not least, third-person adventure Spirit of the North is getting a sequel. You’ll once again play as a fox with special powers (which you can improve by collecting runes), roaming an ancient open, natural world. This time you’ll even get to customise your vulpine protagonist with choice options including eye and fur colours. The platforming part of the game has been refined, with a new target system for jumping, which means you can use an arrow to pick the very specific point you’ll land. Live out your foxy fantasies (no, not those ones) when it comes out later this year on PC, PS5 and Xbox X|S.

Editor's note: Laura was last seen in the vicinity of Dune: Awakening and has not been heard from since the latest appearance of a giant sand worm.

She's needed back to provide additional gamescom coverage, her next report being a video update of more great new games she played in Cologne.

If anyone has any information about her whereabouts, please contact us immediately.