
Release Date: July 17, 2025
A point-and-click adventure game, made by the indie studio Powerhoof, also known thanks to Crawl. In The Drifter we play as a person who's been framed for murder and then killed. The protagonist is brought back to life and his new goals are to clear his name and solve the crime.
The independent development studio Powerhoof became known to players thanks to the game Crawl, released back in 2017. The production described here, titled The Drifter, is one of the next works of this team. This time, the creators have prepared a point & click adventure game, maintained in the convention of a thriller inspired by the works of Stephen King and John Carpenter, as well as the Australian grindhouse productions from the 1970s.
The Drifter allows us to follow the action from the side.
During the game, we explore locations, engage in conversations with characters, as well as solve puzzles and complete tasks that push the plot forward. Unlike in many adventure games, the puzzles here have a "down-to-earth" nature, requiring us to do things like breaking a window, digging up a grave in a cemetery, or setting spilled gasoline on fire. There are also more exciting events in which we participate, such as shootouts or interrogations.
The main character of The Drifter is Mick Carter. He is the titular drifter who, after witnessing a murder, is himself murdered and then framed for committing this crime. The protagonist's problems do not end there, because under unexplained circumstances, he is brought back to life a few seconds before his death. From now on, Carter's task becomes clearing his name, as well as discovering if something else didn't return with him to the world of the living...
The graphic design of the game was made in pixel art technique.
Platforms:
PC Windows
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System Requirements for The Drifter Video Game:
PC / Windows
Minimum System Requirements:
CPU SSE2, 4 GB RAM, graphic card DirectX 10, 4 GB HDD, Windows 10 64-bit.
Game Ratings for The Drifter Video Game.
Gameffine: 86 / 100 by Farzeen K H
I’ve played a lot of point-and-clicks. Some innovate, some imitate. The Drifter does both, but with intent. It honors the classics while carving out its own identity. It doesn’t waste your time with obtuse puzzles or bloated dialogue. It delivers a tightly constructed mystery, grounded in human fear, and pushes it through sci-fi terror and gritty realism. Is it perfect? No. But it’s smart. It’s polished. And it’s interesting something I can’t say about half the games trying to cash in on ‘retro’ adventure nostalgia.
Try Hard Guides: 10 / 10 by Erik Hodges
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.
WayTooManyGames: 9 / 10 by Heidi Hawes
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.
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