The Drifter

The Drifter is a gorgeous and moody point 'n' click adventure with impeccable art, but its pulp leanings undermine its best qualities.

The Drifter might hark back to 20th-century point-and-clicks with its pixel visuals, but its smart controls, streamlined interface and smooth scrolling place it firmly in the modern world. Its adult-oriented graphics and language combine with an undercurrent of humour to bring the schlocky plot to life, and joyful backgrounds and animations keep it fresh from beginning to end.Powerhoof has provided yet more evidence that we're living through the graphic adventure's Golden Age.

The Drifter combines a time-loop narrative with modern point-and-click mechanics, focusing on exploration, logical object gathering, and evolving dialogues with key characters. It is an immersive experience—visually accomplished and sonically unsettling—ideal for those who enjoy unraveling complex mysteries through patience and observation.

The Drifter proves that classic point-and-click adventures still have plenty to offer. Its gripping story, clever puzzles and outstanding pixel art make it one of the genre's strongest modern releases.

The Drifter is unflinching in its brazen pain, and it’s the player, not the developer, who might look away first. One of the best modern point and click adventures, The Drifter can ride the rails of the Nintendo Switch safely, at least until the morning comes.

The Drifter is a fine demonstration of what a narrative adventure can still achieve when it knows where it’s going.

The Drifter is a tense, stylish pixel-noir adventure that blends mystery, time loops and sharp writing into a gripping whole. While its final act stumbles under its own ambition, the journey remains atmospheric, brutal and surprisingly smooth on Switch 2.

Takes the classic point-and-click adventure and juices up the formula a bit with a tighter pace, well-implemented interface, and outstanding voice acting

The Drifter, from developer Powerhoof and Dave Lloyd, is a point-and-click adventure that stands out from most modern games in this genre. It brings brilliant control design, a thick narrative that can be felt, and all the right gameplay elements to make the game an impactful experience.

The Drifter stands out due to its pacing and action set pieces, which is something you rarely see in this genre. The gritty story and superb voice acting elevate the whole experience even further. We love seeing Aussies do well and the developers, Powerhoof, should rightly be considered as adventure game royalty from here on in. We can’t wait to see what they do next!