Recently I have been playing very relaxing point-and-click style adventure games!  The art work in them is so beautiful.

For a long time I kind of just admired the art work in these through screenshots and never played them myself, largely because they are marketed as being “hidden object games” and that just… didn’t sound exciting?  But I finally played a free demo of Otherworld (the first game in my list below) and I realized – these are very good adventure games!  It reminded me of playing Trace Memory or a mystery game like Hotel Dusk.  There are very old PC games that I used to play that are kind of similar to these too, like Shivers, and a lot of people remember Myst~

The hidden object aspect isn’t always front and center with these – most of them have many puzzle segments, and finding hidden objects is just one of those types of puzzles.  Again, really, if you’ve played Trace Memory or Hotel Dusk or Myst, you know the variety of puzzles!

Here is a short list of some of the beautiful games I tried out as demos – and I will definitely continue posting about these as I discover more!

Otherworld: Spring of Shadows

This was the first of these games that I tried and it remains to be my absolute favorite of them!
I really think that the ‘adventure game’-y aspect of this one is executed the best.
The puzzles are logical and flows smoothly from one area to the next,
doing tasks for NPCs and other adventure game fun.
Plus, I think it has the most beautiful setting.

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Dark Parables: The Final Cinderella

There is apparently quite a selection of Dark Parables games, this is just the first one I have tried~
I hear tell that the Red Riding Hood-themed one is the most adventurous and epic,
so I will try that one next and report back~

I like this Cinderella theme though!
Personally I loved the little rules that make a girl a “Cinderella” –
strength, kindness, diligence, that kind of thing.  My favorite kind of lessons~

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Living Legends: Frozen Beauty

This one is very haunting and spooky!
This was the ‘loneliest’ out of all of the games I’ve tried so far.
There aren’t really NPCs around, it’s just you on your lonesome
wandering around a spooky place.

I think that’s exactly the mood they were going for.

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Alice in Wonderland

Who doesn’t love Alice in Wonderland?
This is one of the more pleasant game interpretations of the setting~
Just look at how lovely the rooms are!

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Drawn: The Painted Tower

Another game heavy on the ‘adventure’, which is just the way I love it!
Okay, I know I’ve gushed over all of these and how beautiful they are,
but seriously, THIS ONE IS SO. SO. BEAUTIFUL.
They really embraced a painterly art style for this one
rather than going for photorealism, and I LOVE IT.

Hey you!  Are you friends with me on Steam? ^w^

Here is a small handful of cute anime games I like~  I will definitely be making more posts on this subject, too!

I recommend buying Steam games through G2A, where you can buy keys for MUUUCH cheaper than their listing on Steam’s store!  Much easier on the wallet and takes the stress out of building up a cute games library for yourself! n_n  (If any of the pages linked here are sold out of keys, bookmark them and check back! :O)

Nameless ~the one thing you must recall~

Just LOOK at how beautiful this game is!!
Cheritz is also responsible for the equally beautiful game, Dandelion,
and this new story from them is even more emotional
(but with plenty of fun parts, too~).
It is fully voiced with Korean voice acting, too!

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Hatoful Boyfriend

Okay, I have written about this game OVER AND OVER.
But that’s because it is seriously one of my favorite games ever,
and in the time it’s been since I last wrote about it, it got an updated HD release on Steam!
Now it’s accessible to even more players, and the pigeons are sparklier than ever.
Here’s a link to the Collector’s Edition, which includes bonus manga and yearbook extras~

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Recettear: An Item Shop’s Tale

Okay, this is probably a game you’ve already heard of.
But it’s so cute, and I like it so much!  I especially appreciate the intro
where a small homage to Dragon Quest III (one of my favorites ever) plays out.
I love the fusion of shop simulation combined with action RPG dungeon exploring!
The NPCs you can pair up with are all so cool!

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X-Note

A game from our friend Zeiva!  Her art is always so beautiful.
This one is about the heroine Essi and her mysterious travels through time~
There are MAAAANY cute boy characters in this one. ; 3;

This is also one of the instances were you REALLY see the advantage of G2A
over buying these regularly.  As of the time of me posting this,
you can get this $20 game for 60 cents!! *O*

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Forward to the Sky

Looook at how cute and pretty this is!  I actually just discovered this game while I was compiling this list.
It looks to be a very cute little action RPG game, with this precious sword-wielding heroine~

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Long Live the Queen

This game is eeeeveryone’s favorite!  It’s similar to the old Princess Maker raising sims,
with the added twist that the humor hits hard and dark in this one –
you will die over and over!  A lot of people have fun getting through this one,
because it’s so hard to reach a successful end, but it’s so awesome
watching your fledgling queen grow and conquer her foes LOL!

Free Demo: Windows | Mac
Buy Now: Windows | Mac

Game info from the developers’ site:

Cinders is our fairytale-inspired visual novel, ditching the passive protagonist and banal morals of the original story in sake of a more serious approach.

Cinders is an atmospheric visual novel, illustrated by Gracjana Zielinska.

It’s a story of four women and what made them who they are, inspired by the classic fairytale of Cinderella. A story about balancing freedom and dreams with circumstance and harsh reality; about growing up and finding out the true meaning of independence. Distancing itself from the judgmental simplicity of the original, Cinders tries to explore the more complex nature of oppression, responsibility and innocence.

The game focuses on characters and their motivations, and is heavy on player choices and role-playing. With 120 decision points and over 300 options to choose from, Cinders allows you to shape the main character’s personality and the course of the story.

Why it’s cool:

• A serious take on a classic fairytale story.
• Beautiful art by illustrator Gracjana Zielinska.
• Tons of choices and several different endings.
• Moody soundtrack by Rob Westwood.

Free Demo: Windows | Mac
Buy Now: Windows | Mac

Free Demo: Windows | Mac | Linux
Buy Now: Windows | Mac | Linux | NEW: iOS

Game info from the developers’ site:

Summary:
A girl’s spirit with no recollection of her past find herself inside Cafe 0, a mysterious Cafe in the middle of nowhere. Served with only a glass of water by the peculiar waiter, Sui–soon she realized that she is about to relive the last seven days before her death.

Surrounding her are Ami, a girl who claimed to be her best friend, Tooru, a boy who is rumored to be her previous boyfriend, and Shou, the school’s doctor?what are their connection to her past and how are they related to her death?

Will she be in peace with her past, or will she haunt the living? It is all up to you to decide.

Cast:
Sui – Cancer Murakani
Shou Takizawa – Yuya Kakitsubata
Tooru Mizutani – Mato Sarashina
Ami Kawase – Nanase Watarai
Others – Nao Utsunomiya, Sayuri Misaki, Sudachi Harumi

Features:
– 6 Endings (1 Bad Ending)
– 3 Types of main character depending on your selection, complete with different costumes.
– 2 Character Paths and 1 True Path.
– 2-3 Hours Play Time.
– 21 CGs (Including Variations).
– 1 Secret Bonus when you cleared all routes.

Specifications:
– Title: CAFE 0 ~The Drowned Mermaid~
– Genre: Supernatural Mystery Visual Novel
– Release Date: 4 October 2011
– Rating: PG-13
– Resolution: 800×600
– Play Time: Approximately 2-3 hours
– Event CG: 21 (Including variations)
– Ending: 6 (1 Bad Ending)
– Game Engine: Ren’py

Free Demo: Windows | Mac | Linux
Buy Now: Windows | Mac | Linux | NEW: iOS

Play for Free

Game info from the developer:

You play as Kevin, whose life changes one day with a chance meeting with a demon hunting for a glass orb. Running for his life he ends up in a nearby town, where he encounters a strange group of people also on the lookout for this strange glass orb.

Soon he is dragged along unwillingly, and may even have to choose what side in this hunt he wishes to take.

Tia:
A young and energetic girl that is a part of the orb-hunting group that Kevin meets in town. Tia is very determined at reaching her goal and won’t let anything stand in her way.

Yoko:
Another member of Tia’s group. Yoko is a foreign warrior who usually keeps to herself. She acts very cold towards Kevin and obviously dislikes his entry into the group.

Zyra:
A mysterious woman with black wings who appears around Tia’s group. It is unclear what her motives are.