AdventureX returned to London's LSBU Hub this weekend, bringing with it another packed line-up of developers, storytellers and narrative-driven games. The UK's premier convention for interactive storytelling once again demonstrated just how broad the genre has become, with more than 30 titles on show covering everything from traditional point-and-click adventures to psychological horror, detective mysteries and some rather more experimental approaches to storytelling.
If you think narrative gaming is all about rummaging through inventories, combining obscure objects and wondering why nobody has thought to bring a ladder, think again. There are plenty of familiar adventure game pleasures here, but this year's exhibitors are also exploring some fascinating ideas around memory, morality, relationships, politics and the consequences of our actions. There's even a game about a psychotic bathtub. Naturally.
With so much on offer, there's plenty to get stuck into. Here are some of the games that caught our eye from this year's exhibitor line-up.
A Postman's Journey (Release: TBC)
Dovespire's A Postman's Journey puts you in the shoes of Joseph, a postman travelling between families to deliver letters across a landscape of fields and valleys. There's a historical twist to the correspondence, with the letters themselves translated from those written during World War II.
It's an intriguing way to bring real-world voices and experiences into an adventure, and while the demo we played was a proof of concept, the Ghibl-esque art and cinematic camera angles promise to turn a straightforward walking/cycling simulator into something far more memorable.
Murder Meet Cute (Release: Q1 2027)
The protagonist of Murder Meet Cute has a fairly straightforward approach to workplace responsibilities: they're paid to fix computers, not investigate murders. Unfortunately, a series of killings — including her friend — has rather complicated the job description. Developed by Kitico, LABORARE and Crybaby Studios, this narrative adventure puts you in the shoes of someone who would much rather be left alone to get on with their work than become embroiled in a murder investigation. The premise suggests a more reluctant take on the detective genre, with plenty of scope for humour as the protagonist is dragged into events they never signed up for. It’s also dripping in 90s online nostalgia, so if you remember the halcyon days of Windows 95, you’ll have an absolute blast.
The Final Cut of Lilith Cunningham (Release: TBC)
Causeway Studios' The Final Cut of Lilith Cunningham is a mystery adventure about regret, family and the ability to reshape reality. Lilith has spent years being pursued by her past, but a message from her estranged daughter offers a possible way out. A mass disappearance lies at the heart of the mystery, and you'll use a mystical film reel to manipulate reality and uncover what happened.
Editing frames of the reel in Lilith’s mind can change the outcome of the story in the real world, but at what cost? A crime board lets you put the pieces together intuitively, and FMV adds atmosphere to the dimension-hopping premise, resulting in an intriguing combination of supernatural investigation and personal drama.
The Marvelous Raincaster of Yell Holler (Release: TBC)
Brain&Brain's The Marvelous Raincaster of Yell Holler is described as a time-looping puzzle ballad inspired by the folk superstitions of the Ozarks. At its centre is the legend of a rooster capable of controlling the weather, with players tasked with rearranging events in time to uncover the truth behind the story. At its current development stage, the signposting of which events need to follow which is a little obtuse, with the rewind mechanic proving a tad repetitive. However, it's an unusual combination of folklore, music and temporal puzzle-solving, and something rather different from the usual point-and-click adventure.
As Long As You're Here (Release: Out Now)
Memory and identity take centre stage in Autoscopia's As Long As You're Here, an emotional family drama told through the eyes of Annie, a woman living with Alzheimer's disease. As her memories begin to unravel, you'll uncover fragments of her past and piece together the story of her deceased brother. The boundaries between past and present gradually blur, offering a deeply personal perspective on the effects of memory loss and the relationships that remain even when recollections begin to disappear.
Psychotic Bathtub (Release: TBC)
Well, here's one that probably won't be appearing in the bathroom fittings catalogue. Developed by natsha, Psychotic Bathtub takes place during a psychotic episode in your own bathroom, where you'll find yourself arguing with a rubber duck, flooding the room and, er, drowning Jesus.
It's an appropriately surreal premise for what promises to be a rather unusual narrative experience, with multiple endings to discover. Whether you'll find enlightenment at the bottom of the bath remains to be seen, but it's certainly a departure from the usual adventure-game fare and has a serious message about mental health at its heart.
The Mermaid Mask (Release: Out Now)
SFB Games, the studio behind Snipperclips and the Detective Grimoire series, is bringing a new mystery to AdventureX with The Mermaid Mask. The setup is a classic locked-room murder: Captain Mortuga has been found dead beside an ancient cauldron aboard an extremely peculiar submarine, leaving a collection of suspicious crew members to account for themselves.
This handcrafted point-and-click adventure promises tricky puzzles and a healthy dose of humour, as you investigate the vessel and attempt to work out how the captain met his end. It has a lovely interface which works brilliantly on touch screen, and a couple of chalk and cheese protagonists who fit the world perfectly.
Death at Fleming Manor (Release: Out Now)
Set in 1959, Death at Fleming Manor invites you into a grand British country house where a mysterious death needs investigating. Developed by SUPERTHUMb, this detective adventure puts a particular emphasis on the forensic side of the job. You'll explore eerie locations and complete official documents, including death certificates and emergency reports, to establish what happened.
The presentation takes inspiration from 1960s detective comics, giving the proceedings a suitably vintage aesthetic. There's something rather appealing about a murder mystery where the paperwork is almost as important as finding the murderer, and you’ll need to pay close attention to the minutiae if you want to crack the case.
Stop the Press! (Release: TBC)
The power of the press is a dangerous thing, particularly when a country is on the brink of revolution. Nebuchadnezzar Games' Stop the Press! puts you in charge of a newspaper, where you'll need to grow your readership and influence while navigating an increasingly hostile political environment. That means manipulating headlines to suit your agenda, upgrading your printing press and planning how best to distribute your publication. You'll also have to contend with censorship and the threat of the Secret Police. Get enough influence, however, and you might just be able to change the course of history. No pressure, then.
Chords (Release: TBC)
If you've ever wondered what a cyberpunk adventure might look like on the Mega Drive, Pixel Pusher Games has an answer. Chords is a 16-bit visual novel inspired by classic titles such as Snatcher, combining retro pixel art and chiptune music with a twisting science-fiction mystery. Its story promises deception, unexpected revelations and a world where nothing is quite what it seems. With versions planned for both Mega Drive and PC, it's a rather appealing proposition for anyone who likes their futuristic dystopias served with a generous helping of nostalgia.
The Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker 2 (Release: 2026/2027)
D'Avekki Studios returns to the world of FMV mystery with The Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker 2. This time, you're playing as a psychiatrist attempting to solve a double murder while treating the unusual patients of the recently deceased Doctor Dekker. As with the original, the investigation revolves around questioning the people in your care and working out how their answers fit together.
You'll need to identify connections between their stories and decide what happens to them — with the consequences potentially extending to your own fate. With 14+ hours of filmed live action and a multitude of branching conversations, this is an ambitious project put together by a small team - and it promises to be very good indeed.
Two Realms: Whispers From The Rift (Release: 2027)
MOD42 Studio's Two Realms: Whispers from the Rift is a fantasy point-and-click horror drama built around a desperate attempt to save your younger brother. A mysterious crystal has consumed his life force, leaving you to uncover the origins of magic and find a way to reverse the damage. Unfortunately, an evil mage is also hunting the crystal, and appears to have rather different plans for it. With a magical mystery, a race against a powerful enemy and the fate of a family member hanging in the balance, there's plenty of scope for a traditional adventure-game story with a darker edge.
DeTails (Release: TBC)
DeTails stars Cami, a chameleon bassist and aspiring artist travelling with her band, The Hexes. Developed by Can You Eat It?, this colourful narrative adventure promises a vibrant world populated by an eclectic cast of characters, with mini-games (including a rhythm game and racing segment in the demo we played) and a story about growing up without losing your identity. There's also a rebellious streak running through the premise, with Cami and her band having to fight the man while navigating the challenges of life on the road. The colour absorption mechanic is also fun, allowing you to harness Cami’s chameleonic abilities to restore glitching obstacles in the real world — as long as you can find the right colour to match them.
Wax Heads (Release: Out Now)
Patattie Games' Wax Heads offers a more down-to-earth setting, albeit one with plenty of personality. This cosy-punk narrative simulation puts you to work in a struggling record shop, where you'll chat to customers with wildly different musical tastes, explore a handcrafted record collection and get caught up in the dramas surrounding various bands. There's also time to develop relationships with your colleagues, or simply slack off when the boss isn't looking. It's a love letter to music shops and the people who inhabit them, with the promise of a warm, character-driven story about finding your groove again.
Remote Control (Release: Q1 2027)
Canteen Games' Remote Control presents a rather uncomfortable question about the value of human life. Set aboard a derelict spaceship, you'll remotely control human proxies as they explore the vessel and carry out your instructions. Commands are issued through typed input, while you'll need to manage the risks involved in sending these people into increasingly dangerous situations. The central dilemma is an unsettling one: how disposable is a life when you're not the one putting it in danger?
Fans of 80s text adventures will love it: imagine your favourite Infocom game streamlined into a brilliantly intuitive interface, loaded up with atmospheric pixel art locations and shortcuts, and made far more accessible. This is one to watch.
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These were just some of the highlights; AdventureX 2026 has once again showcased the sheer breadth of what narrative gaming can be. From intimate stories about memory, family and relationships to elaborate murder mysteries, surreal experiments and politically charged adventures, there's no shortage of developers finding new ways to tell stories through games. Whether you're a fan of traditional point-and-click puzzles or something that pushes the boundaries of the medium, there's plenty here to add to your wishlist.
The expo itself shows no signs of slowing down either, which is great news for both narrative gaming and indie development in general. With a variety of entertaining talks and events happening alongside the exhibitions, AdventureX remains a highlight of the UK’s gaming calendar. We can’t wait to see what 2027’s instalment has lined up.
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