Adventure Gamers - Forums

Unofficial Aggies for the Best Freeware Adventure of 2022

The purpose of this thread is to have an unofficial voting for the best freeware adventure game of 2022, as suggested/requested by some forum members.

The intention behind this is to continue Aggie Award tradition in some form, as well as bring some attention to freeware releases, as was previously done in the Following Freeware articles.

Nomination criteria

The games must be released between the 1st of January and 31st of December in 2022.
Obviously the genre must be adventure, although it can be broadly interpreted.

The following kind of games are excluded from the voting:
- games which aren’t adventures by any criteria
- non-adventures which are listed in AGS database, MAGS entries, or in some adventure game jams
- games that have too strong focus on action, platforming, racing, or something else
- visual novels, action-adventures, puzzle games with no story
- demos, prologues, or free first episodes of otherwise commercial series
- fan sequels, fan prequels, fan remakes, other fan games
- games with zero quality, like someone learning to use development tools.

GateKeeper (that’s me) has compiled a list of 2022 freeware releases for your convenience, including download links. Most likely your favourite freeware adventure game is on that list. If it isn’t, let me know and I’ll include it, if it meets the criteria.
You may even be able to convince me to include something that doesn’t completely fit in the criteria, if you make a good sales speech!  If your arguments are convincing enough, your favourite visual novel - action-adventure hybrid might enter the voting. 

Similarly, if there are games among the nominees that shouldn’t be there, let me know.
I gathered the list from other lists which have literally hundreds and thousands of games, so I didn’t have time to thoroughly check and re-check every title. In any case, all of them are tagged as adventures in some places on the net.

Voting process and rules

All forum members except GateKeeper can vote.

There is only once category, which is for the best freeware title.
While strictly speaking incorrect, to keep things simple, freeware, Pay What You Want, and public domain are all considered as freeware.

You can vote up to three games, from the best to the second best to the third best.
For instance, like this:

1. Broken Sword
2. The Secret of Monkey Island
3. Syberia

You can only vote for games which you have personally played. Obviously there’s no way to check that, so we believe that everyone is honest here.

There is a scoring system in place, which is needed to have enough separation between different titles.
I am not going to disclose how the scoring system works while the voting is going on, to make sure that no one is attempting to deliberately affect the final results.

The voting period begins when you read this, runs parallel to Diego’s fan Aggie voting, and ends when Diego ends his voting.

Please do not change your votes after you have first voted!

     

List of nominees, 0-N:

13 Candles
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2200420/13_Candles/

A Little Time
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1628650/A_Little_Time/

A Lone Night
https://lordseanington.itch.io/a-lone-night

A Taste of the Past
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1706930/A_Taste_of_the_Past/

AfterHours
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1884540/AfterHours/

Aida’s Bizarre Halloween
https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/2601-aida-s-bizarre-halloween/

Alien Prison Escape
https://bulbapuck.itch.io/alien-prison-escape

All In Your Head
https://gilel.itch.io/all-in-your-head

Almost Home Now
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1994230/Almost_Home_Now/

Ami’s Room
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2136210/Amis_Room/

Another Museum
https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/2615-another-museum/

Apollo’s Adventure
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2098370/Apollos_Adventure/

Arbor
https://gwenckatz.itch.io/arbor

Aria
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1875540/Aria/

The Artifact
https://ejstewart.itch.io/the-artifact

BABBDI
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2240530/BABBDI/

The Backroom - Lost and Found
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2019830/The_Backroom__Lost_and_Found/

Belly of the Beast
https://ishaanj2008.itch.io/belly-of-the-beast

Ben’s World
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1850020/BENS_WORLD/

Case #1472
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1987570/Case_1472/

Chronicles of cyberpunk - Deep sleep
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1433000/Chronicles_of_cyberpunk__Deep_sleep/

Clotilde Soffritti in: Never Double Park your Spaceship
https://lorenzob.itch.io/clotilde2

The Complex: Found Footage
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1942120/The_Complex_Found_Footage/

Convolution
https://nathanomus.itch.io/convolution

Cool Adventure
https://anonymousduck.itch.io/cool-adventure

The Crete Escape
https://polytelygames.itch.io/thecreteescape

Darkness and Denim
https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/2640-darkness-and-denim-mags-/

The Darwin dating app
https://nonsonostatoio.itch.io/the-darwin-dating-app

The Dead Sea Scrolls Adventure
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2008870/The_Dead_Sea_Scrolls_Adventure/

Desert: A Future
https://antiozymandias.itch.io/desert

Die Villa - dem Villa sein zweiter Teil!
https://jagger.itch.io/die-villa-dem-villa-sein-zweiter-teil

Do Robots Dream of Ice Cream?
https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/2591-do-robots-dream-of-ice-cream-/

The Doll’s Window
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2142470/The_Dolls_Window/

Don’t Remember
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2194760/Dont_Remember/

DOS Galaxy
https://doubleday.itch.io/dos-galaxy

Elsewhere Express
https://barryk013.itch.io/elsewhere-express

Elsewhere in the Night
https://cosmicvoid.itch.io/elsewhere-in-the-night

Equinoxe
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1536520/Equinoxe/

Eragon’s Tale
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1929630/Eragons_Tale/

Escape : Lia
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1908140/Escape__Lia/

The Eyes of Dr Kautzmann
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2143140/The_Eyes_of_Dr_Kautzmann/

The Feast
https://www.gog.com/en/game/the_feast

First Contact
https://darqwerful.itch.io/first-contact

Flash McCoy
https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/2620-flash-mccoy/

Flight From The Robots - Chapter 2
https://loquimur.itch.io/flight-from-the-robots-2

Flowers and a Suit
https://gadgaming.itch.io/flowers-and-a-suit

Fluffy Files - Case I
https://boldmoves.itch.io/fluffy-files

For Goodness Sake
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2218090/For_Goodness_Sake/

Forevermore
https://einn.itch.io/forevermore

The Gay Agenda
https://standoffsoftware.itch.io/the-gay-agenda

Gaze Into Fate
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2125800/Gaze_Into_Fate/

Ghost V
https://akril15.itch.io/ghost-v

Gradooration
https://playgames-makegames.itch.io/gradooration

The Happyhills Homicide
https://gamejolt.com/games/thehappyhillshomicide/570127

Highland Spirit
https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/2646-highland-spirit/

How Fish Is Made
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1854430/How_Fish_Is_Made/

Illusion
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1875610/Illusion/

Interdimensional Community Service
https://moumix.itch.io/interdimensional-community-service

IT Adventures
https://laresistancegames.itch.io/it-adventures

Jivana
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1815340/Jivana/

Kach
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2091220/Kach/

KALAG
https://tamawire.itch.io/kalag

KaRu
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1834000/KaRu/

KittyVerse
https://randylarson.itch.io/kittieverse

La Villa de la Muerte
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1900530/La_Villa_de_la_Muerte/

Last Christmas
https://polytelygames.itch.io/last-christmas-game-jam-version

The Last Job
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2185920/The_Last_Job/

Lily’s Well
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1834870/Lilys_Well/

Little Leonardo
https://sevenwaves.itch.io/little-leonardo

The Longest Walk
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2111060/The_Longest_Walk/

The Lost Dachshund
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1975120/The_Lost_Dachshund/

Malyshka
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1684440/Malyshka/

Masquerade at the Con
https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/2624-masquerade-at-the-con/

MeMoMi
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2094760/MeMoMi/

Memories
https://zion-arts.itch.io/memories

Mezzanine
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1617280/Mezzanine/

Midnight Memories: First Chapter
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2057370/Midnight_Memories_First_Chapter/

The Museum
https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/2616-the-museum/

The Mysterious Gear Chest
https://marcogiorgini.itch.io/the-mysterious-gear-chest

New Terra
https://ingward.itch.io/new-terra

The Nymph’s Laugh
https://christopher-a-summer.itch.io/the-nymphs-laugh

     

List of nominees, O-Z:

Oh My God
https://the-argonauts.itch.io/oh-my-god

The One Penny Adventure
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2082990/The_One_Penny_Adventure/

Peek a Boo
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2187740/Peek_a_Boo/

Pizza Ghest
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1691270/Pizza_Ghest/

Popochius
https://mapedorr.itch.io/popochius

The Potion Master
https://captaind.itch.io/the-potion-master-mags-version

Powers in the Basement
https://illiteratecodegames.itch.io/powers-in-the-basement

Ranger Danger
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2181980/Ranger_Danger/

Resonance of the Ocean
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2057080/Resonance_of_the_Ocean/

Reunion
https://ghoulishkid.itch.io/reunion

Riverbend
https://dwarvenjester.itch.io/riverbend

rock travis - camilla’s case
https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/2634-rock-travis-camilla-s-case/

Roost
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2161000/Roost/

Rose and Tics
https://aaarcade.itch.io/rose-and-tics

rotatePDF: A Corporate Tale
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2121370/rotatePDF_A_Corporate_Tale/

Santa Quest
https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/2655-santa-quest/

Saturday Night is the Loneliest Night of the Week
https://springstreetonline.itch.io/saturday-night-is-the-loneliest-night-of-the-week

Saturday Night is the Loneliest Night of the Week II
https://springstreetonline.itch.io/saturday-night-is-the-loneliest-night-of-the-week-ii

Shadow of The Morrigan
https://the-icehouse.itch.io/druidic-shadow-of-the-morrigan

The Shadow People
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2166610/The_Shadow_People/

Signal Loss
https://brewton.itch.io/signal-loss

The Sink Gods
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1755670/The_Sink_Gods/

The Sinking Structure, Clione, and Lost Child (logs 1-6)
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1867670/The_Sinking_Structure_Clione_and_Lost_Child_Log1/

Siren Head: The Horror Experience
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2209910/Siren_Head_The_Horror_Experience/

So long as there is Mercy
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1779690/So_long_as_there_is_Mercy/

Sopor Eterno (Eternal Torpor)
https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/2597-sopor-eterno-eternal-torpor-/

Stargazing: Genesis
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1937840/Stargazing_Genesis/

State of Mind
https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/2627-state-of-mind/

The Stinker
https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/2632-the-stinker/

Stockwrk7
https://store.steampowered.com/app/743770/Stockwrk7/

Stowaway
https://georgebroussard.itch.io/stowaway

Strangest Dream
https://luciaaah.itch.io/strangest-dream

The Telwynium: Book Two
https://powerhoof.itch.io/the-telwynium-book-two

That Time I left Home
https://oliver-jones.itch.io/that-time-i-left-home

There’s Something in the Pipes
https://falselyprofound.itch.io/pipes

Time For Dinner
https://gamejolt.com/games/TimeForDinner/706806

The Toilet Zone
https://bitsandcrafts.itch.io/the-toilet-zone

Tom’s Surprise
https://adv4ever.itch.io/toms-surprise

Tres Acordes
https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/2642-tres-acordes/

Two little ghosts of that house: the missing toy
https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/2647-two-little-ghosts-of-that-house-the-missing-toy/

Underground Adventure
https://kethram.itch.io/adventure-jam-2022

Unfair
https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/2635-unfair/

The Unluckiest Man
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2140900/The_Unluckiest_Man/

Viltnemda
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1983430/Viltnemda/

Wayward Harbor
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1856930/Wayward_Harbor/

Where Did the Humans Go?
https://lorenzob.itch.io/where-did-the-humans-go

Where Wolf?
https://gugames.itch.io/where-wolf

The Will
https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/2623-the-will/

The Witch’s Lullaby
https://hvavra.itch.io/the-witchs-lullaby

Wizard’s Quest
https://weeniewalkergames.itch.io/wizards-quest

Wrath of Anias
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1906950/Wrath_of_Anias/

     

Doom - 12 February 2023 10:07 PM

Maybe The Happyhills Homicide https://gamejolt.com/games/thehappyhillshomicide/570127 which is a rather polished little tribute to slasher movies where you play as a serial killer.

Thanks, I added it to the list.

If anyone has some games which are only on GameJolt, I am more than happy to add them. I couldn’t find an easy way to browse their catalogue by genre and release date simultaneously, so there are games there that simply went unnoticed.

I also admit that I didn’t check text-only adventures, unless they were in some game jams, so if anyone has any favourite text adventures, I can add them too.

EDIT: I have removed the game and it’s not on the list.
The reason is that information on the game page says:
“Published On December 29, 2020”.

If that’s correct, then it isn’t first released in 2022.
The date next to the download link says “3 months ago”, but that probably means when the game was last updated?

If you or someone else can confirm that the first release actually happened three months ago, which would be in 2022, and not two years ago, I can put the game back on the list again.

 

     

This might be as good a place as any (actually even better!) to bring attention to some 2022 freeware games, which don’t qualify for the unofficial Aggie voting, but can be interesting games to check out.

Enclosure 3-D
https://mausimus.itch.io/enclosure3d
- Not in the voting because it’s a remake of the original Enclosure, also a freeware game from 2004, which can be found here:
http://home.deds.nl/~femo/projects.html

Challenge of the Tentacle
https://amir-matouk.itch.io/challenge-of-the-tentacle
- Not in the voting because it’s a Maniac Mansion/Day of the Tentacle fan game.

Space Quest: A Son of Xenon
https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/2436-space-quest-a-son-of-xenon-full-version-2022-/
- Not in the voting because it’s a Space Quest fan game.

     

Doom - 13 February 2023 09:29 AM

It was developed as an early access game, I don’t know what it means for a freeware and how gamejolt handles them. Alpha Beta Gamers calls the 2020 release “Alpha Download”, and it seems like they spent 2 years polishing it and adding new missions, there were definitely more than 5 of them. The game’s page also indicates that the public release of the full game happen only last Halloween (“The full game is finally here”), and that’s when most of the comments and let’s play videos start.

Yeah, that’s certainly confusing, not to mention the current version number 0.2.0, which would seem to be far from complete. We could also have a long discussion about whether “early access”, “alpha version”, and “incomplete game” are the same or different things.
That discussion could be extended to commercial releases as well, is an episodic game actually released when the first or the last episode comes out?

Anyway, I think it’s convincing enough that the full game became available last year, and I found some third party links which also state that it was released in November 2022, so I have re-added it to the list.

And public thanks for suggestions that I have received privately as well.
If you happen to know good freeware games which aren’t on the list, keep ‘em coming.

     

Additional nominees:

These games were not on the original nominees list, but have been brought to attention later.
Some of these may be genre hybrids involving gameplay which is not traditional adventure gaming, such as VR.

Accursed
https://clanmartian.itch.io/accursed

Achromatic
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1990210/Achromatic/

Another Silly Point And Click Adventure (A.S.P.A.C.A)
https://the-solar-moose.itch.io/aspaca

Dads Don’t Die
https://kremlebot.itch.io/dads-dont-die

DeckHex
https://digital-mosaic-games.itch.io/deckhex

Dremora
https://chris-clews.itch.io/dremora

Fuugle
https://j4si.itch.io/fuugle

Hope
https://satanas82.itch.io/hope

I Hate Mondays
https://lenat-1.itch.io/i-hate-mondays

Karisvale
https://brendantighe.itch.io/karisvale

The Manor
https://ericalvin.itch.io/the-manor

Margo
https://ygretz.itch.io/margo

Max Power and the Egyptian Beetle Case
https://matalla-interactive.itch.io/max-power

MiniBob
https://gwcreates.itch.io/minibob

Monster Daddy
https://leinabella.itch.io/monster-daddy

The Moonlight Circus
https://crookedcreepcreators.itch.io/the-moonlight-circus

Mystery of Blood and Feud
https://sfbll.itch.io/mystery-of-blood-and-feud

Not My Fault
https://pandamonium77.itch.io/not-my-fault

Otto
https://canvasdev.itch.io/otto

The Red Hat
https://serxiolas.itch.io/the-red-hat

Rootless*
https://lazy-sloth-games.itch.io/rootless

Rootless: Memories Of Green - Chapter 1*
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2200790/Rootless_Memories_Of_Green__Chapter_1/

* = Note: these two games are not related in any way, apparently.

Seeking For Poufix
https://itsmefj.itch.io/seeking-for-poufix

Sinister Snow
https://sunshine-error.itch.io/sinister-snow

Siren
https://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/2633-siren/

Spooky Time - even though I hate it
https://laxene.itch.io/spookytime

To Do: Break Down
https://juiceboxjulia.itch.io/to-do-break-down

Trickers
https://www.dropbox.com/s/8qe9idpt93dy0eu/Trickers.zip?dl=0

Uncle Lee strikes again
https://apicici.itch.io/uncle-lee-strikes-again

Untitled Cliché Story
https://tsouthom.itch.io/untitled-clich-story

Wrong Way Back
https://lockeddoorpuzzle.itch.io/wrong-way-home

     

CaptainD - 20 February 2023 12:10 PM

Much as I was pleased to see The Potion Master in there, having read your criteria I have to point out that it is in fact a MAGS entry (albeit a much more complete game than most MAGS games). It’s even in the game title on Itch. I therefore don’t know if you gave it as pass because it’s a complete game in its own right, even though it’s MAGS, or just that you didn’t notice.

It is included, because MAGS entries are not disqualified as such.

I admit that perhaps the wording is confusing, but here’s the criteria:
“non-adventures which are listed in AGS database, MAGS entries, or in some adventure game jams”.

The keyword there being “non-adventures”, and the sentence should be read as “non-adventures which are listed MAGS entries”, like an OutRun clone years ago (which was quite good actually).