Time was, adventure games all looked pretty much alike. There were text adventures, and then a new generation of text adventures with better graphics, and then point-and-click adventures like Monkey Island and Broken Sword. But the genre has exploded since the invention of the smartphone, shooting off in so many different directions that we’re not even sure what an adventure game is anymore. This list of the best Android adventure games covers all the bases, from cutting-edge narrative experiments to chilling political allegories.

The Best Android Adventure Games

Let’s kick off the adventures.

Layton: Unwound Future

One of the absolutely beloved series of puzzlers, Unwound Future is the third installment. It follows the plucky Professor as he receives a letter, apparently from his assistant Luke ten years into the future! This leads into a time-hopping adventure, filled with puzzles.

Oxenfree

Oxenfree is a spooky and atmospheric adventure game that takes place on a crumbling island once host to a military base. A strange rift causes even stranger entities to bleed into the fabric of the island, and how you react, and treat those around you, will make a big impact on how events play out.

Underground Blossom

An eerie trip through surreal metro stations, Underground Blossom is an entry from the acclaimed Rusty Lake series, and sets you to work piecing together a character’s past through an unsettling train ride. Explore the different locations and use your wits and skills of observation to advance.

Machinarium

A gorgeous tale of lonely robots in a weird, wordless future.

You play as a robot who’s been exiled to the scrap-heap, and you must solve puzzles, collect items, and build yourself up in order to find your way back to the city. Your robot-girlfriend awaits your rescue.

You’ve probably already played Machinarium by now, but if you haven’t then you should definitely pick it up. Alternatively, try out any of Amanita Design’s other games.

Thimbleweed Park

If you’re looking for your next murder investigation while pretending you’re in an episode of the X-Files, then you’ve arrived at your destination. Thimbleweed Park is a graphic adventure game set in a small town full of characterful locals.

Each one has their own unique personality, and the game will reveal this to you as you investigate them, one by one. On top of this classic graphic adventure format sits a dark-humoured tone – what’s not to love?

Overboard!

An interesting premise for a game – can you get away with murdering your husband? Overboard! puts you in the shoes of a woman who has just pushed her other half off a boat, and now has to interact with the passengers and pass off as innocent.

As the game is quite difficult, you probably won’t be able to at first. However, with more playthroughs of the game, you’ll soon be acquainted with how best to deceive your fellow passengers.

The White Door

The White Door is a psychological mystery adventure game that follows a man who wakes up in a mental health institute. His main problem: he can’t remember anything about how he got there or how long he’s been there.

As you progress further into the game you’ll figure out why you’re there. A point-and-click style mechanic is how you play the game, and you’ll move the game forward by figuring out and sticking to your daily routine.

GRIS

There are some games that are just a light-hearted romp through another world. Others are something that may stick with you for a while. GRIS is an adventure through beautiful, melancholy worlds that resemble the different stages of grief.

GRIS might not leave you how it found you.

Brok The InvestiGator

Want something that looks like TaleSpin with a gritty dystopian edge? There’s Brok The InvestiGator, an adventure game that brings puzzles, interactions, and even optional brawling to the table as you step into the boots of the reptilian PI.. if he wore boots.

The Girl In The Window

This spooky escape room puts you in a difficult situation. You’re exploring an abandoned house where a grisly murder took place. Now, something in the house is stopping you from leaving. It’s up to you to solve puzzles and piece the mystery together while something supernatural and unfriendly is far too close for comfort.

Reventure

Want to choose your own adventure? Well, you’ll certainly get that here. With Reventure, there are over 100 different endings to your journey. Keep trying, take different paths, find new solutions, and see where the story goes.

Samorost 3

Another lovely little trip from Amanita Design. Take on the role of a teeny little spaceman in a pointy hat and travel across different worlds. Explore the worlds, make friends, and use your logical thinking to solve puzzles.

Want something a little more fast-paced than the best Android adventure games? Check out our best Android action games feature.