Best Adventure Games for Mac

Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla 

Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla continues the series’ tendency for expansive world-building and sprinkles it with axe-wielding, head-bashing charm. It doesn’t look, feel, or play like most other cloak-and-dagger affairs. You’ll still lurk in the shadows and assassinate your enemies, but now you are also the leader of a Norse clan and this comes with its own set of tasks. You must forge alliances, crush opposing clans, and expand your influence. The strongest selling point of AC: Valhalla is the way it combines ferocious combat, strategic settlement expansion, and a serviceable story that gives you the agency to alter the political landscape.

Game	Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla
macOS support	No
Alternative methods to play on Mac	GeForce Now, Xbox Cloud, Amazon Luna
Platforms and operational systems	Windows, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One/Series X/S
Genre	Adventure, RPG, Open World, Action, Vikings
Multiplayer	No
Single-Player	Yes
Modding support	Yes (a lot of visual and character customizations)
Performance on Mac (local workaround methods)	(The game runs well on all Apple Silicon Macs and on mid and high-range Intel Macs)
Graphics
Gameplay
Story
Soundtrack and Audio
Community and Support
Replay Value
Price/Value ratio

The gameplay brings back the trademark stealth and assassination mechanics of the AC series, but there’s also plenty of melee combat and naval expeditions. The issue here is repetitiveness and predictability. Let’s put it this way – once you’ve raided one monastery, you’ve raided them all. The combat is thrilling at the start but it soon starts to feel overly choreographed and without enough mechanical depth 

Valhalla has its flaws but we’d still say that fans of the AC series and people who like Norse mythology will enjoy it. So if you can forgive its pacing and the occasional predictability of its combat mechanics, we’d say it’s one of the best mac adventure games out there.

Firewatch

Firewatch is a gripping tale set against the backdrop of the Wyoming wilderness that’s as much a character as the game’s tiny cast. This title is often categorized as a walking simulator but this doesn’t do it justice because Firewatch turns something as ordinary as a solo hike through a forest into a compelling narrative that spins mystery and emotional depth around every tree. 

You play as a fire lookout named Henry and your primary interactions are through a walkie-talkie. You talk to Delilah, who’s your supervisor, and you also perform your duties and try to make sense of a grand mystery.

The gameplay is mostly about exploration and dialogue choices. What you choose to say to Delilah over the walkie-talkie will affect the tone and unfolding of your relationship. The navigation and object interaction are simple but immersive and will make you truly feel isolated in this vast, beautifully rendered open world. The game rewards curious and attentive players who like to go off the beaten path with plenty of environmental storytelling that lets you piece together a lot of what’s going on (or has gone on) in this forest. This type of storytelling further enhances the emotional landscape of Henry’s journey, which is at the heart of this game.

Game	Firewatch
macOS support	Yes
Alternative methods to play on Mac	Boosteroid, GeForce Now, Xbox Cloud
Platforms and operational systems	Windows, macOS, Linux, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Genre	Adventure, Atmospheric, Story Rich, Mistery
Multiplayer	No
Single-Player	Yes
Modding support	No
Performance on Mac	(The game runs great even on older and weaker Macs)
Graphics
Gameplay
Story
Soundtrack and Audio
Community and Support
Replay Value
Price/Value ratio

This is where we must say that this isn’t a game with multiple endings. The game will always end in the same way no matter what you say to Delilah. But your experience throughout can be vastly different depending on the tone of your interactions with her and this makes Firewatch a prime example of a game where the journey is more important than the destination.

Firewatch surprised us with its mature story that doesn’t hold back and doesn’t pamper the player. It’s a walking simulator that’s not about going from point A to point B. It’s not even about uncovering a mystery. It’s about taking a deep and honest look into yourself and facing what lies there.

Myst

Myst (2021) is the remake of the 1993 classic point-and-click adventure. It is the type of game that swaps gunfights and blood-spattered action for brain-teasing puzzles and serene solitude. The 2021 version of Myst maintains the slow investigative spirit of the first game, but now you get to actually walk around the island in first-person. This provides a lot more interaction options and a more immersive atmosphere, and it also results in more varied puzzles.

Game	Myst
macOS support	Yes
Alternative methods to play on Mac	Parallels, Boot Camp
Platforms and operational systems	Windows, macOS, Xbox One/Series X/S, iOS
Genre	Adventure, Exploration, Puzzle, Story Rich
Multiplayer	No
Single-Player	Yes
Modding support	No
Performance on Mac	(The game runs well on higher-end Macs. It can also run on older and weaker ones, but only if you use the lowest settings.)
Graphics
Gameplay
Story
Soundtrack and Audio
Community and Support
Replay Value
Price/Value ratio

The gameplay in Myst is about methodical investigation and puzzle-solving. Don’t expect any chasing sequences, combat encounters, or quick-time events. You’ll have to go from puzzle o puzzle and interact with a series of books that serve as portals to other worlds called “Ages”. You’ll have to face distinct challenges each time you go through a portal and passing these challenges will let you gradually piece together the overarching puzzle of why you are on Myst Island. Most of the puzzles balance well difficulty and accessibility, so they are a pleasure to solve, but a big draw of this game is the atmosphere. It enhances the sense of isolation and intrigue that are just as integral to the Myst experience as the puzzles.

The slower pace of Myst and the fact it doesn’t give you clear direction could deter the impatient player but to us, these are aspects of the game that make it better. It feels immensely rewarding once you uncover the secrets of its puzzles and thus also uncover the secrets of its narrative.

Batman Arkham City 

Batman: Arkham City is among the top superhero gaming titles, period. The game’s a dense, atmospheric dive into the dark world of Gotham’s through the eyes of its caped crusader. You’re not just playing Batman – you are Batman. You’ll get to sulk on gargoyles in the rainy nights before you swoop down on criminals with all the grace of a velvet-clad sledgehammer. The game takes all that’s best in its predecessor and expands upon it in a way that still impresses thirteen years later.

Batman Arkham City throws you into a sprawling super-prison where the city’s most vile gather and fester and tells you it’s vengeance o’clock. The gameplay is a tight combination of brutal combat, stealth sequences, and detective work. All three elements are both advanced enough to be challenging and fun, but never too complex to the point where they hurt the pacing of your progression. The combat system rewards rhythmic precision but isn’t burdened by overly complex combos. You’ll also often have the option to creep through the shadows to incapacitate guards silently. The devs also haven’t forgotten about the Bat’s gadgets that play a pivotal role both in battle and in puzzle-solving. They are all fun to use and make sense from a lore perspective.

Game	Batman Arkham City
macOS support	Yes
Alternative methods to play on Mac	Boosteroid
Platforms and operational systems	Windows, macOS, PlayStation 3/4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Wii U
Genre	Adventure, Action, Open World, Stealth, Superhero
Multiplayer	No
Single-Player	Yes
Modding support	Yes (Plenty of visual and costume customizations)
Performance on Mac	(The game runs well on higher-end Macs. It can also run on older and weaker ones, but only if you use the lowest settings.)
Graphics
Gameplay
Story
Soundtrack and Audio
Community and Support
Replay Value
Price/Value ratio

The writing in this game is also top-tier – it incorporates many of DC’s iconic villains into a dark, compelling narrative. The atmosphere is another highlight that complements both the gameplay and the story – from the chill of the night air to the eerie echoes of distant crimes. If you are fan of Batman but haven’t played this title before, do yourself a favor and get it right now because it is one of the best representations of the Dark Knight and his adventures both in gaming and as a whole. It is also THE best mac adventure game in my opinion.

The Long Dark

The Long Dark strips away zombies and other cliché threats from the survival genre and replaces them with the much more real and just as brutal cold of the Canadian wilderness. Don’t expect to build fortresses or craft weapons to fend off hordes. The survival experience here is about the quiet and desperate struggle against freezing temperatures, lack of food, and your own fragile hope.

The game is played in first-person and most of it is focused on your core survival needs like warmth, hunger, thirst, and fatigue. If you want to collect wood for a fire or repair your clothes, you use up precious “resources” like calories or daylight, so you have to be strategic and use foresight for even the simplest actions. This game also lacks a guiding HUD or glowing path to safety, so you must learn to navigate the wilderness on your own. The only things that can help you here are a map and whatever landmarks you can spot in the white expanse.

Game	The Long Dark
macOS support	Yes
Alternative methods to play on Mac	Boosteroid, GeForce Now
Platforms and operational systems	Windows, macOS, Linux, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Genre	Adventure, Survival, Open World, Simulation
Multiplayer	No
Single-Player	Yes
Modding support	Yes (There are some mods, that can change the gameplay of the game)
Performance on Mac	(The game runs well even on older and weaker Macs)
Graphics
Gameplay
Story
Soundtrack and Audio
Community and Support
Replay Value
Price/Value ratio

The setting and visuals do a great job of capturing the beautiful serenity and also the terrifying indifference of Mother Nature. The game never turns into a power fantasy about conquering the wilderness. It stays grounded in reality and only asks of you to endure the harsh nature. Each decision could mean life or death and this makes each play session a deeply personal narrative of survival.

Night in the Woods

Night in the Woods is a platformer adventure with cartoony graphics and a heavy dose of existential dread. There aren’t death-defying jumps or bosses in this unconventional title because the focus is on a deep story about coming of age in a small town that’s both cozy and suffocating. You play from the perspective of a college dropout called Mae who returns to her hometown of Possum Springs. You’ll navigate Mae’s daily life and her friendships all the while something sinister lurks beneath the town’s fading veneer.

You’ll spend most of this game in exploration of Possum Springs and conversations with the characters who live there. There are also some puzzles to solve and bits of light platforming, but your interactions with other characters are at the heart of the gameplay. The conversations will branch out as you are treated to witty, sharp dialogue that drives the story.

Game	Night in the Woods
macOS support	Yes
Alternative methods to play on Mac	GeForce Now
Platforms and operational systems	Windows, macOS, Linux, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, iOS
Genre	Adventure, Atmospheric, Story Rich
Multiplayer	No
Single-Player	Yes
Modding support	No
Performance on Mac	(The game runs well even on older and weaker Macs)
Graphics
Gameplay
Story
Soundtrack and Audio
Community and Support
Replay Value
Price/Value ratio

Night in the Woods an adventure game driven by dialogue and player decisions. Don’t go into it with expectations of flashy action or deep gameplay mechanics, because it’s just not that type of title. It is, instead, a really well-written game and one of the few ones that truly do a good job at making the player an active participant in the narrative and not just an idle observer.

Obduction

Obduction whips you off your feet and plonks you in the middle of a bewildering alien landscape, where you must solve puzzles and unravel mysteries. It’s kind of like Myst (the game’s from the same devs) but if it were abducted by its own puzzles and splashed with interstellar paint. You’ll spend the game playing tag while you explore a hodgepodge of Earth-like environments spliced together with alien widgets. At least your end goal is straightforward – to figure out why you’re playing extraterrestrial tourist and how to bugger off home.

Game	Obduction
macOS support	Yes
Alternative methods to play on Mac	GeForce Now
Platforms and operational systems	Windows, macOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Genre	Adventure, Puzzle, Exploration, Mystery
Multiplayer	No
Single-Player	Yes
Modding support	No
Performance on Mac	(The game runs well on higher-end Macs. It can also run on older and weaker ones, but only if you use the lowest settings.)
Graphics
Gameplay
Story
Soundtrack and Audio
Community and Support
Replay Value
Price/Value ratio

The gameplay brings together all the puzzle-solving and investigation mechanics you can think of – you’ve got to be observant, poke around, and think of ways to manipulate the environment. The devs have cleverly baked their puzzles into the world’s fabric so that solving them feels like discovering hidden Easter eggs in a sci-fi novel. Obduction doesn’t hold your hand – it wants you to think outside the box both regarding its gameplay and narrative. You must together the snippets of the story scattered across the varied settings if you want to know what’s going on by the end.

The atmosphere in Obduction is a feast for the senses thanks to inspired visuals and an auditory backdrop that subtly enhances the experience without ever taking over it. To us, the heart of this brain-tickling gem of a game is how it integrates its clever puzzles with a fantastical setting that both does and doesn’t look like anything we’ve seen before.

Life is Strange 

Life is Strange is a narrative-driven contemporary adventure that feels like being an active participant in a teenage high school drama series but with time travel. You play as Max Caulfield, a snapshot-happy student who stumbles upon her time-bending skills partly due to trauma, and partly because the plot demands it. The time travel mechanic is stitched tightly into both the plot and the gameplay and it functions as a tool to tamper with fate and shake up outcomes like a salad mixer gone rogue.

The gameplay wants you to nose around places, examine objects, and talk to other characters. Think of each action as a decision that can send ripples through the narrative like a rock in a pond. Every choice tinkers with the tale, but you’ve got your personal rewind button that lets you play god and test the waters of the future from the safety of the present. Fancy rewinding your mouth blunders before they explode? Here’s your chance. Only, in the moments you need this mechanic the most, the game will find a way to take it away from you, so you have to live with the consequences of your actions.

Game	Life is Strange
macOS support	Yes
Alternative methods to play on Mac	GeForce Now
Platforms and operational systems	Windows, macOS X, Linux, PlayStation 3/4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android
Genre	Adventure, Story Rich, Choices Matter
Multiplayer	No
Single-Player	Yes
Modding support	Yes (Some visual mods)
Performance on Mac	(The game runs well on higher-end Macs. It can also run on older and weaker ones, but only if you use the lowest settings.)
Graphics
Gameplay
Story
Soundtrack and Audio
Community and Support
Replay Value
Price/Value ratio

To be fair, Life is Strange is impressive at first, but once you play through it once, it comes off as a bit gimmicky and also a bit misleading. Your choices matter, but not as much as you’d think. Their consequences are felt throughout the gameplay, but seem meaningless at the end which somewhat fails to deliver on the game’s promise that everything you do matters. Despite that it’s a compelling narratively-focused game and it does a pretty good job at tugging at your heartstrings, so it’s still worth it. If you feel like immersing yourself in a schoolgirl’s life, then this is definitely one of the best mac adventure games out there.

The Walking Dead 

The Walking Dead is a zombie apocalypse game that has the audacity to stop you from gunning down zombies with the abandon of a kid in a candy store. It’s a Telltale Games title, so that should already tell that most of your time will be spent talking and making narratively-impactful choices and not disposing of undead people. Here, your arsenal isn’t made of guns and machetes but of choices tougher than a two-dollar steak and quick-time events that’ll have your fingers dancing like they’re on hot coals.

The game thrusts you into the shoes of Lee Everett who’s a convict that might as well wear a “Morally Ambiguous” sign. The gameplay will have you guide Lee through a minefield of decisions that shape the narrative and how other characters view you. It’s technically a point-and-click adventure and the biggest threats aren’t the zombies but the dialogue options that can spell bonding or doom.

Game	The Walking Dead
macOS support	Yes
Alternative methods to play on Mac	Xbox Cloud
Platforms and operational systems	Windows, macOS X, PlayStation 3/4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android
Genre	Adventure, Story Rich, Point and Click, Zombies
Multiplayer	No
Single-Player	Yes
Modding support	No
Performance on Mac	(The game runs well even on older and weaker Macs)
Graphics
Gameplay
Story
Soundtrack and Audio
Community and Support
Replay Value
Price/Value ratio

The Walking Dead sets itself apart not just through its focus on story over action but by how it makes every choice a gut-punch. The game is a series of moral quandaries that come in an episodic format and prove that the pen (or in this case, the dialogue tree) is mightier than the sword (or shotgun).

The Cave

The Cave is a platform-puzzler that drags you by the ear into an underground labyrinth where the walls themselves crack wise with dark humor and existential snarks. You pick a trio of oddball adventurers from a lineup that looks like a circus sideshow and enter the depths of a chatty cavern. The cave here is both a setting and a character (literally) who doles out sardonic commentary while you navigate puzzles that delve as much into personal vices as they do into its stony bowels.

Switcheroo is the name of the game here – you’ve got to juggle between the three chosen spelunkers to make the best of their individual bags of tricks. The Knight turns invincible, the Time Traveler zips through solid matter, and so on. The game likes to embed character-specific abilities into its puzzles with designs that range from medieval castles to sci-fi labs.

Game	The Cave
macOS support	Yes
Alternative methods to play on Mac	Xbox Cloud
Platforms and operational systems	Windows, macOS X, Linux, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, iOS
Genre	Adventure, Platformer, Puzzle
Multiplayer	Yes, but Local Co-op only (Up to 3 Players)
Single-Player	Yes
Modding support	No
Performance on Mac	(The game runs great even on older and weaker Macs)
Graphics
Gameplay
Story
Soundtrack and Audio
Community and Support
Replay Value
Price/Value ratio

The narrative doesn’t shy away from themes like greed or regret. Dodgy moral compasses and the irony-drenched setting and atmosphere only help reinforce the overall vibe. The Cave engages you with its narrative depth and puzzle complexity and achieves a rare balance between good gameplay and a story that compels the player.

Notable Mentions

We are shameless fans of some of these games and we are putting them as mentions because they are a certified good time that just warrant at least a couple of hours of your time. Most aren’t that long.

• It Takes Two
• Life is Strange 2 and Life is Strange Before The Storm
• Into the Breach
• Hollow Knight

You will notice we placed the Life is Strange games here, together, and the very first and original one is in the list above. These games are on the same level, but since we decided to include only separate games, we couldn’t place them as a series.