Adam Wolfe

Developer: Mad Head Games | Publisher: Mad Head Games | Release Date: 2016 | Genre: Adventure / Casual | Website: Official Website | Purchase: Steam

Adam Wolfe is a man on a mission to locate his sister, Allie, who disappeared under mysterious circumstances. After leaving the police force to dedicate more time to finding Allie, Adam makes ends meet by working as a private investigator specializing in the paranormal. Although it is a dangerous line of work that frequently places him in jeopardy, the cases that land on his desk also appear to contain clues to his sister’s disappearance. With everything from demons and cults to restless spirits standing in his way, it will not be easy to find Allie, but Adam has no intention of stopping until he does.

The first thing we noticed about Adam Wolfe is the amount of care and detail lavished on it by the developers, Mad Head Games. Although dismissing this title as just another casual hidden object game would be easy, there is much more to it. While it shares the love that the genre seems to have with the supernatural, you won’t simply be spending your time scanning heaps of garbage for obscure items. Instead, Adam Wolfe feels more like a point-and-click adventure, thanks to the setting and characters. In fact, anyone who enjoyed the game Gabriel Knight: Sins of The Father should definitely check out Adam Wolfe as they share the same brilliant atmosphere.

Unlike traditional point-and-click adventures and keeping more in line with the hidden object genre, Adam Wolfe is played entirely from a first-person perspective. However, this doesn’t mean you have free reign to move around in 3D. Instead, scenes are displayed as static 2D areas, where you must get to work uncovering clues, talking to people of interest, or solving puzzles. The artwork is extremely stylish and detailed, making it an absolute joy to move from one location to the next. In total, you get to visit more than 50 unique locations, and even the most mundane ones are bursting with detail. In addition to the areas of interest in and around San Francisco, Adam’s cases also take him to a few very unique places, to say the least. Unfortunately, the animations for the characters are a little stiff in comparison, which clearly shows that the artists had to work within a strict budget. It is still above average for the genre, especially for a smaller developer, but noticeable enough to mention it. Punctuating the action are also some nice graphic novel style cut-scenes, the tone of which reminded us a lot of the cut-scenes used in the original Max Payne.

The game is divided into four episodes, each featuring a self-contained story and some overarching elements that tie it all together. For example, Adam’s first case sees him investigating mysterious fires breaking out all over the city, while the second features a sick girl with a very mysterious disease. Although the episodes are linear and can be completed in less than two hours each, they are quite varied and very engaging. It did feel like the episodes became shorter towards the end, but the story remained engrossing throughout.

Most games in this genre are simply a succession of hidden object scenes tied together with flimsy puzzles, but Adam Wolfe loves straying out of this mold. There are puzzles, of course, as well as some very cool mini-games, but they are all relevant to the story, and none of them feel like they were tacked on as padding. The game has an interesting cast of characters, and your numerous conversations with them have a very visual novel style feel. Adam also carries a weapon, and there are a few occasions where you are called upon to use it. These scenes feature a simple cross-hair aiming method but definitely make the game feel more action-packed and dynamic. Next is the “Intense Focus” button, where Adam must piece together clues to discover what occurred at a crime scene. Last up is the ability to take a peek into the past using a unique watch Adam receives at the start of the game. For the rest, plenty of items are scattered around, which you must collect, combine, or use to progress. You can’t lose or misuse things, and their purpose is usually self-evident, so don’t expect to be stuck for too long while playing. If you struggle with anything, the game also features “Hint” and “Skip” buttons to help you out. The game also features four difficulty settings, three of which are preset and one that can be customized to ensure it caters to players of all skill levels.

Adam Wolfe is a very atmospheric title, and the audio has a large part in this. The tunes playing in the background sound very somber and brooding, while the voice acting is quite solid overall. Considering the interesting cast of characters, including crazy hobo mystics, cult members, and demons, this is quite a feat. The interface is also very straightforward and user-friendly, so even newcomers should have no trouble with this game.

The hidden object game genre is pretty crowded, so it is usually just the more prominent names that get any attention. However, it would be a mistake to overlook Adam Wolfe as it genuinely feels like a breath of fresh air for a genre. It is by no means perfect, and the story isn’t immune from many cliches that regularly crop up in hidden object games, but that doesn’t prevent it from being very entertaining. Even if you are not a fan of the hidden object game genre, Adam Wolfe is packed with so many additional elements that we still wholeheartedly recommend checking it out. The game’s first season consists of four episodes, and while you can buy episode 1 on its own before committing to the rest, we recommend springing for the whole season, as once you are hooked, you’ll definitely want more.

*Review originally published in 2016.