Adventure
Through an emphasis on exploration and puzzle-solving, adventure games often take you on a journey to uncover an in-depth storyline, whilst learning about the world and characters as you progress. You aim to overcome narrative milestones, and unlock new areas, with the outcome usually changes based on your decisions. However, to do this you must decode mysteries, and travel through complex environments.
These games often focus heavily on storytelling that engages players and promotes progression. Dialogues, cutscenes and environmental storytelling are often used to immerse players and develop characters. To progress through these narratives, puzzles normally must be solved, featuring pattern recognition and item manipulation. These are commonly found when exploring immersive worlds, where players can interact with NPCs to complete main or side quests, and find collectibles or useful items. The quantity of these items are usually restricted to a limited inventory capacity; managing and utilising these are essential to progression and survival. This adds a strategic layer to games, as players must only carry necessities to overcome obstacles, increasing immersion and the importance of decision making,
This genre doesn’t only include games that have detailed 3 dimensional worlds as point and click adventures still feature storytelling and puzzle-solving, but players click on objects and characters to interact, like in monkey island and Myst. Action can also be introduced into adventure games, adding combat alongside the core features of adventure.
Legend of Zelda: Breathe of the Wild
Step into a world of discovery, exploration and adventure in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Explore a world of unprecedented size and discover more than 100 puzzle-filled shrines, plus a wide variety of weapons, outfits and gear. Climb up towers and mountain peaks in search of destinations, then set your own path to get there and plunge into the wilderness; along the way, you'll battle towering enemies, hunt wild beasts and gather ingredients for the food and elixirs you'll need to sustain you on your journey. Shrines dot the landscape, waiting to be discovered in any order you want; search for them in various ways and solve a variety of puzzles inside; work your way through the traps and devices inside to earn special items and other rewards that will help you on your adventure.
Exploration
This game is set in an open world, where players are encouraged to explore freely, with no set path or linear progression due to this being an emergent game. The world of Hyrule is filled with diverse landscapes, with forests, mountains, deserts and lakes. You can climb mountains, paraglide across landscapes, and swim through rivers, discovering hidden locations, secret items, and unexpected encounters with each area.
Narrative driven
While the game allows for open-ended exploration, it features a central narrative where players uncover the history of Hyrule, Ganon’s destruction, and Zelda’s story through main quests, flashbacks, and NPC interactions. Players can choose to progress with the main quests in any order or dive into numerous side quests, which add context to the world and deepen the character’s backstories.
Puzzle Elements
Puzzle-solving is a core feature of this game, with over 120 Shrines scattered throughout Hyrule, each containing a unique puzzle or combat challenge. These puzzles often require players to manipulate the environment using various items and abilities, like the Sheikah Slate’s Magnesis and Stasis powers, which allow for creative solutions.
Item selection and inventory management
The game includes a robust inventory system where players collect a variety of weapons, shields, outfits, and ingredients. Weapons and shields are breakable, adding a layer of strategy to inventory management. Players can cook ingredients to create meals and elixirs that restore health, stamina, and provide other improvements, adding depth to resource management and survival tactics.
Target
Demographic
This game is commonly found to be engaging to players who enjoy non-linear gameplay and uncovering secrets at their own pace. It is ideal for fans of open-world exploration, adventure, fantasy, and puzzle-solving. It is aimed at teens and adults (13+), due to complex gameplay mechanics and challenging combat that appeal to a mature, experienced audience. Additionally, it is designed for intermediate to advanced players, as whilst it’s accessible for newcomers, the game’s complexity in combat, exploration, and puzzles rewards more seasoned players who are familiar with adventure mechanics.
Overall Reviews
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has overwhelmingly positive reviews and is seen as a revolutionary entry in the Zelda series. Critics highlight the game’s vast open world, freedom of exploration, and depth in environmental interaction, allowing players to tackle challenges in multiple creative ways. With stunning visuals and a beautifully crafted world that feels alive and rewarding to explore, the flexibility, such as the ability to climb nearly any surface, glide over vast landscapes, and utilize elemental mechanics, makes this game unique and interesting. However, some players and critics note challenges with certain features, like the durability of weapons, which break frequently and require ongoing resource management. While this adds an element of survival, some find it frustrating during intense battles. The game’s narrative approach, which prioritizes player-driven discovery over linear storytelling, upset some players, as some fans of traditional Zelda titles may miss the more guided narrative of previous instalments. Overall, Breath of the Wild earned 97/100 on Metacritic and is celebrated as a must-play for both Zelda fans and newcomers to the series. Its combination of freedom, discovery, and intricate world design makes it a standout title in modern gaming.
My Evaluation
I have only played the tutorial of this game so far, but I'm already impressed by the stunning visuals and the unique and cool mechanics. After reading reviews and researching this game I can tell that is successfully masters engaging its players, introducing exploration like never done before. With an extremely flexible and laid-back gameplay style, it seems like you can enjoy a custom experience based on your own preferences, exploring and progressing however you choose. I am very excited to continue playing!
Unsolved Case
Team up as detective duo Old Dog and Ally against the Cryptic Killer in this point-and-click adventure game, with hand-illustrated environments inspired by noir novels. For the first time in the series, you'll encounter a labyrinth of puzzles and challenges laid by one of the most devious minds in the world. Solve puzzles, crack codes, uncover the story, and find a way out. Crack the case during a focused playthrough of 30-60 minutes. Through separate screens, you and your friend will each be given half of a puzzle at each location. Communicate, collaborate, and work together to push your puzzle-solving skills to the limit.
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Exploration
Each of the 2 players see a different hand-illustrated environment, that you must explore to solve the puzzles. Although you are in a limited space, your unique view and access must be explored in depth to be able to progress, as critical pieces to the puzzles will be hidden around, and it's your job as the player to find and utilize them.
Narrative Driven
The game is focused on the main story, as you uncover details about the cryptic killer and the mystery surrounding the case. Each level contains clues that reveal more about the killer’s backstory and motives, making the storyline an important feature to solving the puzzles.
Puzzles
Communication is key, meaning you have to us teamwork to collaborate and solve the puzzles, as often the solutions to your puzzles are hidden in the other players room and vice versa. Many puzzles involve using items like fax machines, cassette players, and control pads, creating interactive and realistic tasks.
Items
Each detective can interact with and use specific items essential to their half of the puzzle. The game does not feature a complex inventory as items are often used immediately in the gameplay, focusing on puzzle-solving rather than inventory storage.
Target
Demographic
Due to the complex puzzles and communication skills required, this game is targeted at teens and adults, ideal for people who enjoy cooperative puzzle games, detective stories, and mystery-solving. This game is for casual and experienced players, with simple controls that make it accessible for beginners, balancing straightforward clues with complex logic-based tasks that require focus and coordination. The detective storyline and gradual reveal of the killer’s motives are enjoyed by mystery fans and those who like immersive storytelling.
Overall Reviews
Unsolved Case has received mostly positive reviews, especially praised for its engaging cooperative gameplay and puzzle variety. Players liked the unique two-player format, where both individuals rely on teamwork and real-time communication to solve interconnected puzzles. The game's clever use of retro-inspired tools and distinct, comic-style visuals add to its immersive experience. One common critique is that the game is short, typically around 30–60 minutes per playthrough. While many feel the length is appropriate for a free game, some players express a desire for more content or slightly more complex puzzles to increase replayability. Additionally, minor technical issues occasionally disrupt gameplay, particularly on smaller screens or mobile devices, but overall, the reception is highly positive, with an "88% Very Positive" rating on platforms like Steam.
My Evaluation
I played this game with my cousin and thoroughly enjoyed it! The intriguing storyline kept us immersed and wanting to progress, and the puzzles where a good level of difficulty where we didn't struggle for hours, but also didn't solve them instantly. I found the rooms we were in to be really intriguing; they were simplistic to navigate and not to overwhelming, yet also really detailed and visually appealing, providing the sense that the developers put a lot of effort into creating the game. I do however wish there was more to this game, as we completed it in 60 minutes, and immediately wanted more content. Despite this I would recommend Unsolved Case to someone who was looking for a short game to play where they tested their cooperation skills, and enjoyed creative puzzles, in a detective environment.
Comparing both sport games:
Gameplay Focus
Similarities:
Both games emphasize exploration and puzzle-solving in a journey-based format, challenging players to uncover secrets and solve problems as they progress.
Differences:
Breath of the Wild is a single-player open-world adventure focused on action, exploration, and survival. Unsolved Case is a cooperative point-and-click game centred around communication and teamwork.
Exploration
Similarities:
Players explore diverse environments, encountering challenges that lead to story progression.
Differences:
Breath of the Wild offers a vast open world with various landscapes (forests, mountains, etc.), while Unsolved Case has confined, sequential rooms for each player to investigate separately.
Narrative Driven
Similarities:
Both games use narratives to guide players, providing a storyline with hidden details and backstory to uncover.
Differences:
Breath of the Wild has a deep, fantasy-driven narrative with rich lore and a large cast of characters. Unsolved Case focuses on a lighter, detective-themed plot around solving a single case.
Puzzle Elements
Similarities:
Each game integrates puzzles as essential gameplay elements, requiring players to think critically to proceed.
Differences:
Breath of the Wild features environmental and shrine puzzles, using tools like the Sheikah Slate. Unsolved Case relies on cooperative puzzle-solving, requiring verbal communication and logic.
Item Selection and Inventory
Similarities:
Both games include a form of inventory or tools that players use to solve puzzles and progress through the game.
Differences:
Breath of the Wild has a complex inventory with weapons, outfits, and materials for survival and combat. Unsolved Case features limited, immediate-use items for solving specific puzzles.
Real-Time vs. Turn-Based Interaction
Similarities:
Both games require player decisions to be made in real time, impacting their progression.
Differences:
Breath of the Wild involves real-time combat, movement, and interaction. Unsolved Case uses a turn-like pacing where players take turns solving puzzles based on communication and information sharing.