The Drifter Reviews
The Drifter is a point‑and‑click adventure that adapts the genre very well to modern sensibilities. Despite a few trial‑and‑error moments and some rather obtuse puzzles, its campaign is extremely engaging, as it blends a unique art style with a fantastic and highly impactful narrative.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
The Drifter is a fine demonstration of what a narrative adventure can still achieve when it knows where it’s going.
Review in French | Read full review
The Drifter has the two main qualities of its kind: to offer a solid scenario and not to propose capillotracted interaction to solve its puzzles. It is also carried by a particularly well-worked artistic direction for the proposed adventure.
Review in French | Read full review
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.
Review in Finnish | Read full review
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
And I think that sums up The Drifter nicely. “Effective” is the best word I can find to describe it. Everything it does, it does with style and confidence. Even the few missteps it makes just melt into the overall picture. Just a sterling poink adventure all around. Straight gilded. I’m not sure if or when I’m ever going to play it again, but damn, I’m impressed.
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!
The Drifter is a thrilling adventure from beginning to end, with an almost flawless pace and a web of mysteries that will make you not want to put down the controller anytime soon. Beyond its overall artistic quality, it's great to see a game of this type respect the console and its specific characteristics so much, creating what could become a foundation for making the Nintendo Switch 2 a great home for point-and-click adventure games.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
The Drifter stands out by masterfully intertwining its narrative depth with compelling gameplay and atmosphere. The game is driven by a powerful story about grief, estrangement, and redemption, which is elevated by Adrian Vaughan’s phenomenal and expressive voice acting.
The Drifter is a graphic adventure like no other. The combination of its intriguing story, excellent voice acting, and control system makes it a must-play for fans of the genre, and it might even win over those who have never played one of these games before. Some puzzles are a bit obtuse, and others too simple, but it maintains a good balance that makes this game a great experience.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
The Drifter is the demonstration of how the graphic adventure genre, albeit with some variations, still has a lot to say even today.
Review in Italian | Read full review
The Drifter is a stunning achievement in narrative game design.
The Drifter is an outstanding graphic adventure that is finally available in Spanish. Death as a narrative mechanic works well, the puzzles are logical and accessible, and the science fiction story with hints of thriller and drama is captivating from start to finish. Highly recommended for any lover of point-and-click games and good stories.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Powerhoof deliver one of the most engaging and compelling tales you're likely to experience this year. Joining Mick on his journey filled with emotional stakes, peril and thematic intrigue is a pleasure, and one I'd encourage you to embark on for yourself. Aside from the occasional technical issue, The Drifter is a wonderfully crafted noir point-and-click adventure from start to finish.
The Drifter is part of a class of modern classics for point and clicks, joining 2025's other great adventure game, Old Skies, in both honoring and advancing the genre. With a compelling, tension-filled narrative and a cinematic presentation style, it becomes one of my easiest recommendations — not only as one of the best games this year but as an all-time point and click must-play.
In summary, The Drifter offers accessible yet not simplistic gameplay, where every interaction serves to heighten the atmosphere and support the narrative. It stands as proof that, in an era when graphic adventures seemed destined to remain a nostalgic memory, titles like this one mark a vibrant revival of the genre, especially within the indie scene. The protagonist is a tormented man, closed off from the world, a prisoner of his own ghosts and haunting regrets. He is portrayed with remarkable depth: hopeless, crushed by past mistakes, and reluctantly forced to start over. It’s a surprisingly intimate portrayal for a graphic adventure that is just as surprising, beautiful, and absolutely unmissable.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Adventure game fans should absolutely not miss what The Drifter has to offer.
I was optimistic about The Drifter just from seeing the trailer, but I was unprepared for just how remarkable the game truly is. From gorgeous pixel art, to fantastic vocal performances, to a truly bonkers and melancholy storyline, The Drifter is one of the most memorable and unique experiences I’ve had in a point-and-click adventure in a long time. If you’re a fan of the genre, The Drifter is undeniably a must-play.
Fast, brutal, emotional—The Drifter is the point-and-click game you didn't know you were waiting for—one of the best narrative adventures in years.
What I thought would be a quick review I’d check off the backlog turned out to be one of the most emotionally gripping and atmospherically rich games I’ve played in a long time. It’s got heart, horror, puzzles that actually made me feel smart without being frustrating, and a story that had me hooked from start to finish. Powerhoof has made something special here, and The Drifter absolutely deserves your attention.