Thinky Games

The best adventure games for MacOS

Adventure games are a genre of video games that take place from the perspective of a character and feature narrative elements prominently. Under the control of the player, a main character explores a cohesive world and interacts with various non-player characters. Advancing the plot requires solving puzzles which are often seamlessly integrated into the game’s environments.

Since this narrative framing establishes no particular constraint on the nature of the puzzles being solved, adventure games may often be described in relation to additional video game genres. While the adventure genre has been associated historically with point-and-click games and “puzzle-adventure” games, adventure elements have also been included in detective games (e.g. Tangle Tower, Duck Detective), platformer games (Portal 2, Fez), and even sokoban games (Isles of Sea and Sky, Void Stranger).

Incidentally, first-person non-systemic puzzle games like Myst have become known as “puzzle-adventure” games. It should be noted, as evidenced by the games previously mentioned, that video games may feature both puzzle and adventure elements yet still be very different from so-called “puzzle-adventure” games.

The games listed below are the most favorited adventure games for MacOS in the Thinky Games database.

  • Riven (2024)
    Windows
    MacOS
    Solve the puzzling contraptions of Riven, a mysterious world on the verge of ruin.
  • The Pedestrian
    Windows
    Linux
    MacOS
    PlayStation 4
    PlayStation 5
    Xbox Series X|S
    Xbox One
    A puzzle-platformer set within a world of interconnected street signs.
  • Tangle Tower
    Windows
    MacOS
    Nintendo Switch
    PlayStation 4
    Xbox Series X|S
    Xbox One
    iPad
    iPhone
    Android
    Explore a dramatic mansion to understand how a painting seemingly killed a teenage artist.
  • We Were Here
    Windows
    MacOS
    Solve co-op puzzles in an abandoned castle with only walkie-talkies to communicate.
  • Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure
    Windows
    MacOS
    Nintendo Switch
    PlayStation 5
    iPad
    iPhone
    Android
    Join Jemma on a journey of self-discovery, sliding the world beneath her feet and causing all kinds of chaos.
  • Lumino City
    Windows
    MacOS
    iPad
    iPhone
    Android
    Explore an enchanting city through a series of dazzling handcrafted dioramas.
  • Slider
    Windows
    Linux
    MacOS
    The entire world is a sliding tile puzzle in this playful adventure puzzler.
  • Carto
    Windows
    Linux
    MacOS
    Nintendo Switch
    PlayStation 4
    Xbox Series X|S
    Xbox One
    Rearrange the pieces of the world and connect with cheerful characters.
  • Linelight
    Windows
    Linux
    MacOS
    Nintendo Switch
    PlayStation 4
    iPad
    Android
    A minimalist adventure that takes place entirely on a line.
  • DROD: Gunthro and the Epic Blunder
    Windows
    Linux
    MacOS
    Solve turn-based puzzles as Beethro's grandfather in this revised introduction to the DROD series.
  • We Were Here Too
    Windows
    MacOS
    Xbox Series X|S
    Xbox One
    In the second entry of the We Were Here franchise, work together to uncover the grim fate of Castle Rock.
  • We Were Here Together
    Windows
    MacOS
    Xbox Series X|S
    Xbox One
    Continuing co-op series We Were Here, venture into the freezing antarctic to rescue your fellow explorers.
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