Today’s list of games is different than my others, which were all beautiful fantasy games.  The Surface series of games are dark and dramatic, touching on more frightening and intense themes than many others I have featured.

If spooky games of the type that are sort of haunting and unsettling are your jam, definitely check out some of these games!

Each and everyone of them is FREE to download and start playing!!

–

Surface: The Noise She Couldn’t Make

On a lonely stretch of highway, a young girl is found unconscious,
a bloody knife lying next to her. Was she a victim,
or did she attack someone? Her doctors are baffled when she fails
to respond to treatment. Desperate, they call you in to help.
As a psychic, you’re used to working with clients who can talk to you.
But this girl can’t. Enter her mind and work to discover…
the noise she couldn’t make…

–

Surface: The Soaring City

Search for your brother, Jeremy, in a beautiful world where the sky is
as wide as your imagination! Jeremy was a great inventor who discovered
a magnificent land soaring in the sky. He created wings for the people,
making them free. The new citizens were happy…until one day Jeremy
was kidnapped and blamed for conducting inhumane experiments.
It’s up to you to save your brother from imprisonment
and redeem his good name.

–

Surface: Mystery of Another World

After your son, Bobby, mysteriously disappears, it’s up to you to find him
in Surface: The Mystery of Another World! A peaceful train ride
to the coast goes way off course and now strange occurrences are happening
all around you! It seems that there is another world just past your reflection…

–

Surface: Reel Life

Your sister and her daughter, Jane, were enjoying a screening of an old movie,
when one of the actors literally stepped off the screen! Now Jane is missing,
and the building is crawling with strange plants and animals from the movie.
You solve all the puzzles in your way and rush to the theater to find a way
into the world of the film to save your niece. But once you do…
you realize that the mystery – and the danger – is much deeper than you could
have imagined. Can you escape before your adventure becomes a tragedy?

–

Surface: The Pantheon

It should have been a tremendous achievement, but the tunnel through
the Ridge of Leviathan became the site of a great disaster.
What really happened that day? You were supposed to have been on the train
with your husband and daughter, but you missed it.
And then they disappeared from your life forever.
It’s one year later, and a strange man – a scientist who thinks this is
just like the Bermuda Triangle and other such vanishings –
invites you to take part in his greatest experiment:
To recreate the conditions of that fateful day in Surface: The Pantheon!

–

Surface: Game of Gods

When your friends, Jim, Kevin, and Maggie, invite you to participate
in a paid research study, you jump at the chance. But things take a bizarre turn
when you arrive to discover that Jim and Kevin are missing,
and Maggie has just been abducted by a horrific figure! A strange game
is spread out on the table, and every move could mean certain death.
But you have no choice – you’ll have to play to save your friends’ lives…
and your own. Can you make it to the end of the Game?
Roll the dice and find out…

–

Surface: Alone in the Mist

All the adults have vanished. Is it a child’s dream, or nightmare?
You wake on the morning of your birthday to find that things aren’t at all
the way you pictured for your sweet 16. Can you find out what’s happened overnight
to turn your world upside down?
Unlock the Secret Room, where you’ll find more hidden-object and mini-game play.
But be careful what you wish for…

–

Surface: Return to Another World

After receiving a worrying phone call from your mom,
you return to your hometown of Lightfalls to investigate.
But things aren’t quite as you remembered them – a strange device
has risen from the nearby lake, and it’s causing the people of Lightfalls to disappear!
A boy from your childhood seems to be behind it all, but can you stop his evil scheme
before it’s too late? Journey to the magical world
beneath the lake and save your family!!

–

Surface: Lost Tales

You’ve been seeing things that can’t possibly be real.
What starts as a simple doctor’s visit turns into the chase of a lifetime!
The Huntsman is after you and Fairyland’s in danger.
With only fragments of your memory, can you save the kingdom
before it’s too late?

–

Surface: Virtual Detective

The Virtual Detective Agency is now hiring!
Secure your ranking as a top detective in the world’s premiere
virtual reality space, sponsored by the Capsule Nexus 2000 –
the most realistic full-dive virtual reality device.
We’re looking for a few good sleuths to investigate the cause behind the
growing numbers of missing players who have become comatose
in the real world.
Apply today!

–

Surface: Strings of Fate

Your little sister has been kidnapped by two Brothers of Fate!
With the help of a third Brother, it’s up to you to save her.
With the odds stacked against you, can you find a way into another world
and rescue her in time?

–

Today’s list of beautiful, painted adventure games is really special – the storytelling and art work in them are truly EXCELLENT!!  I love and enjoy every game series I’ve shared, but there is something truly engaging about every story in this series.  They are fun to play, the puzzles within them are logical, they have gorgeous fantasy settings, and incredibly beautiful art work!

For more games, check out my other lists: Dark Parables, Dark Romance, Awakening, Danse Macabre

Anyway, back to Sable Maze…  Seriously, if you play only ONE of the games on this list, please let it be Forbidden Garden!!  It has been one of my absolute favorite out of every adventure game I have played… Forbidden Garden, along with my other fave Otherworld, both involve my absolute favorite setting: gorgeous magical faerie world!!

–

Sable Maze: Norwich Caves

Congratulations, Professor Edwards!
You’ve joined the faculty of the oldest and most-respected university
in the world. You’ve barely been teaching for a semester when tragedy strikes
during the fall break. Four of your students have gone missing while exploring
the dangerous caverns under the campus! Is the legend about the Labyrinth
under the campus actually true? What’s causing the abnormal physics in the water
down there? You don’t have much time, because the rain keeps pouring down,
flooding the caverns. Dig deep and keep your head above water
in Sable Maze: Norwich Caves!

–

Sable Maze: Sullivan River

Every night you have the same nightmare. You see children
wandering through a maze, crying for help. These sleepless nights
are ruining your waking life. To stop them, you must return to Sullivan River
Summer Camp to uncover what happened during that long-forgotten summer.
Beware though, this camp isn’t all that it seems. With every step,
you can feel eyes watching you. Reveal the secret of the ancient labyrinth
in this eerie Puzzle Adventure game…

–

Sable Maze: Forbidden Garden

Your parents always told you to stay away from the mysterious hedge maze
behind their house… and you’re about to find out why. On the eve of your wedding,
your fiancé, Ryan, is kidnapped by a mysterious force and dragged straight
to the heart of the maze – or so it seems. As you follow his trail,
you discover that the labyrinth contains a door to another world…
and whoever is on the other side has a vendetta against your entire family.
Can you uncover the roots of their hatred and bring Ryan back
before all is lost?

–

Sable Maze: Twelve Fears

Confront your fears… You thought you’d have a nice day at the local fair,
but trouble strikes – in the form of fear. Your daughter’s lost
in the Maze of Fears, but you’ll face more than her disappearance
if you dare to enter.

–

Sable Maze: Soul Catcher

After 20 years, you’ve finally come to terms with the fact that your brother
is gone for good. But when you return to the place where he went missing
to pay your final respects, you find yourself pulled into a strange maze
filled with spirits and shadows. Evidence of your brother litters your path,
and you begin to wonder… Could he still be alive, somewhere in the maze?
Track down the truth as you fight for your freedom!

–

Sable Maze: Sinister Knowledge

After years of speculation, the McCordan Library has finally been found!
Rumor has it that this labyrinthine library was built to house five legendary tomes,
but a series of puzzles and traps guards them. You’ve been called in
to overcome these tricky obstacles and track down the tomes, but you quickly realize
why he hid them in the first place… The power they contain could destroy
the entire world if they fall into the wrong hands!
Navigate the treacherous maze as books come alive around you!

–

If you enjoy this post, consider supporting BonBonBunny~
Thank you very much. 😇
🌱🌿🌸🌿🌱

* NOW UPDATED WITH THE LATEST GAMES! *

The Dark Parables series is an incredibly beautiful fantasy adventure game series!!  The painted backgrounds and illustrated characters are freaking gooorgeous to look at while enjoying the game.  They are point-and-click adventure games involving solving puzzles and cleverly using items to advance, which is a relaxing genre to play while remaining engaging!

But what’s cool about Dark Parables in particular is that each of the games’ settings are wonderful, magical fairy tale stories!!  There are very cool interpretations of Red Riding Hood (where the “Red Riding Hood Sisters” are a band of rangers in the woods), Cinderella (where “Cinderella” is a title given to legendary girls that exhibit traits such as strength, kindness, diligence, etc.), and others (keep reading and I’ll describe each of them!).  The protagonist is an adventurous detective who investigates the strange and mysterious happenings around the world, wherever these fairy tale-like circumstances pop up.

Some of these are very suspenseful in nature, and watching the cool cinematics (where the art work is animated very awesomely) can get pretty intense!

As with the Awakening series, I had a really hard time navigating my way through the series to play them in order, so I made this list!  There are small continuities and nods between the games, but you are absolutely allowed to play them in whatever order you wish without any real context penalties if you decide to skip around.

Dark Parables: Curse of Briar Rose

The first in the Dark Parables storyline explores Sleeping Beauty.
It takes place in Edinburgh, Scotland!

1000 years ago, Sleeping Beauty was kissed by a prince,
which removed a terrible curse from the kingdom.
The rampant briars were held at bay, but the poor princess was left in her slumber…

–

Dark Parables: The Exiled Prince

The story of the Frog Prince, set in the Black Forest in Germany.

Many centuries ago, a princess kissed a frog
and transformed him into a handsome prince.  Unlike the fable, they never ended
happily ever after.  It is rumored that the Frog Prince
is still alive and now roams the deserted path in the Black Forest,
capturing unsuspecting visitors. When the chancellor’s daughter goes missing,
you are sent to investigate her disappearance.

–

Dark Parables: Rise of the Snow Queen

A combination of The Snow Queen and Snow White.
Takes place in the Bernese Alps of Switzerland.

From the ashes of the snow, the legendary Snow Queen
rises and terrorizes nearby villages with her supernatural powers.
Rescue the missing children and stop the fabled Snow Queen
before her sorrow brings upon the destruction of the world…

–

Dark Parables: The Red Riding Hood Sisters

An adventurous interpretation of Little Red Riding Hood
in the Vosges Mountains of France.

Centuries ago, the first Red Riding Hood defeated the wolf
and established the Order of Red Riding Hood Sisters. Recently,
the nefarious Wolf Queen entrapped the sisters and planned
to unleash legions of ravaging wolves onto our world…

–

Dark Parables: The Final Cinderella

A variable mix of tales including Cinderella and Pinoccio as well as
elements from Donkeyskin and Kongji and Patzzi, taking place
in the Matese Mountains of Italy.

For decades, a mysterious witch, known as the evil Godmother,
has been hunting maidens in search of the legendary “Cinderella.”
Rescue the Final Cinderella from the evil Godmother’s clutches,
and stop her evil plans to conquer the world!

–

Dark Parables: Jack and the Sky Kingdom

Um… is it just me, or is Jack REALLY handsome…?
Jack and the Beanstalk, Robin Hood, and Rumpelstiltskin combine
for this game set in Alblasserwaard, South Holland.

The legendary Sky Kingdom suddenly appears
and a destructive barrage is unleashed upon an unsuspecting town.
Embark on an investigation to rescue the townspeople.
In this quest, you will meet Jack –
an infamous treasure hunter who shares a secret past with the Kingdom –
and discover the tragic history behind the chaos.

–

Dark Parables: Ballad of Rapunzel

An especially pastel, floral-centric take on Rapunzel,
set on Mount Sněžka in the Czech Republic.

You’ve been called to the kingdom of Floralia to track down the source
of a mysterious pollen spreading throughout the world.
Rumor has it that Princess Rapunzel is somehow involved –
the haunting melody she sings appears to summon the pollen…
But how did the once-loved princess come to control such a deadly force?
And who is the mysterious, shadowy figure always by her side?
The secrets you uncover may be darker than you imagined.

–

Dark Parables: The Little Mermaid and the Purple Tide

The coloration and setting of this game in particular are strikingly beautiful
with all of that blue and purple!!  This story is clearly the Little Mermaid,
and it takes place on the Greek island of Crete.

Follow the clues as they take you to an underwater kingdom!
You’ve been called to investigate a strange purple tide.
And that’s when the mermaid shows up…

–

Dark Parables: Queen of Sands

This setting draws from the mythical figure of the Sandman
and also borrows a bit from Beauty & the Beast.
It takes place in Provence, France.

Townspeople are disappearing in the provincial city of Montafleur
as its streets are overrun by nightmarish creatures that vanish into a purple mist.
The Red Riding Hood Sisters were called in to investigate,
but they’ve got their hands full chasing a ferocious beast
last seen along the outskirts of town. Explore the lush French countryside
as you team up with Ruth and Brianne to uncover the dark secrets
behind Montafleur’s world-famous perfumes. Unmask the true villain,
before their nightmares spread to the entire world.

–

Dark Parables: Goldilocks and the Fallen Star

The fairy tales involved this time are Goldilocks & The Three Bears
with flavorings of King Midas.

The Kingdom of Barsia has been invaded by mechanical beasts
that are attacking its citizens. You’ve been called in
to investigate these attacks and discover the origins of a mysterious artifact.
Can this artifact save the kingdom… or will lead them down an even darker path?
Only you can help Queen Valla discover the answers.

–

Dark Parables: The Swan Princess and the Dire Tree

Strange cracks are covering Dire Island, home of the Swan Kingdom,
but then an unknown thief steals the magical seed
that holds the key to keeping all of nature in balance!
Can you catch the culprit and save the kingdom before it crumbles?

–

Dark Parables: The Thief and the Tinderbox

It’s the eve of Gerda and Gwyn’s wedding, but a rogue arsonist
is setting the Mountain Kingdom’s forests on fire!
Your investigation will take you deep within the forest
where a dangerous artifact will be unearthed, one that could spell doom
for the whole world! An old friend will surface and his deepest desires
will determine the fate of the Mountain Kingdom.
Be careful what you wish for!!

–

Dark Parables: Requiem for the Forgotten Shadow

The people of Anaben are falling ill from a strange illness –
one that makes them become shadows of their former selves!
Your investigation takes a mystical turn as you uncover evidence
proving a darker magic at work. Can you restore the people
before it’s too late, or will you succumb to shadows as well?

–

Dark Parables: Return of the Salt Princess

Okay, I like this one because the princess is named Brigid,
making this the third game I’ve encountered recently
with a character that has a variation of the name “Bridget” (my name 😋).
The others are Brighid in Xenoblade Chronicles 2,
and Brigitte and Overwatch~

Together, we shall form a mighty League of Bridgets. 💪

–

If you enjoy this post, consider supporting BonBonBunny~
Thank you very much. 😇
🌱🌿🌸🌿🌱