Best Adventure & Visual Novel Games of 2019
Honorable Mention: Erica
Deputy Guides Editor Tom Hopkins: Shadow dropped during Gamescom’s Opening Night Live show, Erica was a surprise in a few ways. With a cast made up of mostly unknown British actors and a mysterious story, you have been forgiven for assuming that the game would join the ranks of other mediocre and forgotten FMV games.
However, Erica has what most other similar games don’t. The main actors, notably Holly Earl, provide excellent performances, the story is full of exciting twists and turns, and it is extremely well shot, looking a lot better than other budget FMV titles.
It may be lacking a little when it comes to gameplay, which is simple and a bit repetitive, but Erica is the perfect choice for a single evening’s entertainment or light gaming. Using a phone or Dualshock 4, you can jump into it for a couple of hours, making the story your own and getting to know some genuinely interesting characters. Future FMV games would do well to use Erica as inspiration.
