16 Hidden Gems From 2024 That Everyone Should Play

deep red diamond Looks and plays like a 1988 adventure game, with gorgeous, vibrant EGA graphics and a text parser interface. Yes, this means you have to actually type in things like “look” and “open door,” an idea that might make some potential players roll their eyes, but it’s actually great! The game deftly plunges you into an early 20th century murder mystery, with a brave heroine and a colorful cast of suspects. Meanwhile, the text parser lets you interact with these suspects and environments in a delightful and engaging way that, despite being a nod to games from nearly 40 years ago, feels fresh and vibrant and makes me even more excited about the state of adventure games. Optimism is the genre today. I’m allowing myself a pun here, and I’ll end by saying that this game is a true gem. —Caroline Pettit