Amanda the Adventurer

Welcome to the surreal madness that is Amanda the Adventurer! Prepare for an astonishing horror gameplay experience developed by MANGLEDmaw Games that takes things to a brand-new level. With its finger on the pulse of horror genre, the atmosphere that this game produces is utterly brilliant, bordering on addictive, thanks to its freaky visuals, amazing sound design, and eerie vibe. If you are looking for a scary game that tries something new and interesting, look no further.

Gameplay

Amanda the Adventurer is a first person point and click style game that operates like a blend of genres. In one hand, it’s a first-person horror like Outlast, but in the other it’s like Dora the Explorer: Journey to the Purple Planet. The mixing of themes is excellently implemented in this and it is sure to keep you engaged from tstart to finish. The mechanics primarily focus on clicking on your surroundings and interacting with the things that you may find. You will get ahold of tapes which can be placed in a VCR that show you old episodes of a kids show, and you must use information gathered from them and the environment to solve many puzzles that are presented to you.

This game plays quite straightforward so players of any skill level should be able to enjoy it. If you are a fan of scary games, this is an excellent addition to your collection.

Visuals

Visually, this title is a standout, with the bulk of the game spent in a spooky attic that is brilliantly rendered. When it comes to the tapes, you will be pleased to find that they are strongly reminiscent of old TV shows or math games that you played in your youth. At a glance, this game may seem like it is designed for children due to its character designs, but it is not and it is crucial that no child plays this as its themes and visuals can be very upsetting for younger audiences.

Story

The story of the game is simple enough. Riley Park begins exploring their recently diseased aunts house and finds an old stack of VHS tapes next to an old TV in the attic. The tapes are episodes of an early 2000s era cartoon and something immediately seems off about them. Watching Amanda, the Adventurer and her loyal yet shy friend, Wooly the Sheep, Riley begins to suspect that the characters in the show are talking to her directly. However, Riley is compelled to continue watching the tapes, as Amanda seems to need something and Riley wants to ensure that Amanda doesn’t get upset. It’s not a good thing when Amanda gets upset. There are multiple endings in this game so make sure to try a few different things as you play and be sure to collect all the hidden tapes.

Pros

• Excellent visuals and characters designs
• Brilliantly upsetting and well executed horror
• Great voice acting and sound design

Cons

• Once you have all the endings, there is no replay value
• Feels a bit like they are sequel-baiting by not providing all the context