Hey you! Do you like getting awesome games without spending a lot of money? Of course you do! Well, did you know GOG, the number one site for downloading older PC games actually offers a ton of games for below $5, specifically those in the point-and-click adventure genre? That’s right, you can download some classic adventure games on your PC without breaking the bank and spending big bucks.
We’ve already looked at some classic games you can download for really cheap, and we are moving to another awesome genre, the point-and-click adventure.
The Longest Journey is not that old of a game, having been released in the year 2000. However, it is a game that has been heralded by many as one of the best point-and-click adventure games ever made. That’s a bold claim with the quality of classics like the releases from Sierra and Lucas, as well as newer games from Telltale. There’s no getting around it, this is just a fantastic game that all fans of the genre should play.
The game follows the story of April, an 18 year old art student as she switches between two world known as Stark and Arcadia. It has plenty of areas to explore and a fascinating story that should not be missed. This fantasy game is somewhere in the 50 hour mark, so it’s quite the incredible value proposition when you consider that you can grab it, DRM-free, from GOG for just $4.99.
For this game we are going back in time a little further, all the way to 1995, when one could argue that the adventure genre was really in its prime. This horror game is based on the Hugo Award story of the same name, and it most certainly does the subject matter justice. When GOG has to put a warning on the game’s description that reads “Please be advised that the game contains disturbing imagery and should not be played by minors,” you know you are in for a creepy good time. For $1.99, you can’t go wrong.
The story is all about an evil computer named AM who has destroyed all of humanity except five people. The game is all about the choices you make on the adventure, which makes for some incredibly tense moments that will leave your stomach in knots as you try to make the decisions that could determine the fate of humanity. No pressure or anything.
This is one of those classic detective point-and-click adventures, which sees you trying to figure out a murder mystery. Detective stories are suited to the genre because much of the gameplay involves solving puzzles, and investigating gives the developers a way to make that mechanic fit with the actual story of the game. The Last Express is an example of this type of game done right, with tons of endings that take shape depending on the actions of the player, AI with its own goals and motives, and a time system that uses the actual time to progress the game forward.
Even for a game released all the way back in 1997, The Last Express still looks quite beautiful. It doesn’t rival today’s games for visual appeal, but with games in this genre, that’s not a big deal, as it’s all about the story. Thankfully, this game tells a spellbinding tale that will keep you hooked all the way through, and it’s only $2.99, so from a value perspective, this game has it covered.
Here’s another point-and-click horror game, but this one was released way back in 1993. It’s part of a trilogy, and all three are available on GOG for $2.99. For now though, let’s just start with the first one. Part of what makes this game so impressive is the amount of work that went into the recorded dialog, which is rare for a game at this time. It even features some pretty famous voice actors like Mark Hamill and Tim Curry. Each line is delivered with a degree of care that is not seen often in games released back then, and it makes the creepy tale feel much more real.
Like The Last Express, this is a detective game, but it plays out with much more horror in the mix. This makes the experience of uncovering the mystery of the “Shadow Hunter” both stressful and enjoyable. Even the graphics look great for the time it was released. If you are a fan of the genre, even a little bit, I highly recommend taking this game for a spin and losing yourself in the world. Who knows, you might even like it enough to take parts two and three for a ride.
Who says you need to spend money or resort to piracy to play some awesome classic point-and-click adventure games? If you want to see what has inspired the genre to move forward to games like Telltale’s The Walking Dead, look no further than these classics.
What are some of your favorite point and click adventure games? Hit the comments section below and let us know!
