Genre: Casual Adventure
Release date: October 7, 2016

Mad Head Games is a Serbian development studio founded in 2011 by a group of friends with a passion for software and gaming. They remain united around a singular vision of “making immersive, atmospheric and fun titles – with attention to detail, unique style and – most importantly – heart…” This team is best known for casual, hidden object adventures with beautiful graphics that are often published through Big Fish Games. Recent titles by Mad Head include Beyond – Star Descendant, Dawn of Hope – Skyline Adventure, and Dark Realm – Lord of the Winds.

Adam Wolfe is four-episode game that is described as a “Casual, Hidden Object Adventure.” The term “casual” indicates that a game is designed for those who are not “hardcore” (that is, for those who occasionally play computer games and not for those of us who always have one or more games in process and a mental list of the games we are going to play next.) 

A few years ago, I played an embarrassingly large number of casual games because I did not have a PC that would support high end graphics. I grew weary of the genre and, as such, was a bit reluctant to play Adam Wolfe. I am happy to report that, with this title, Mad Head has raised the bar for casual adventures. Adam Wolfe is an innovative game with enough complexity to keep most players paying attention and enjoying the ride.

The protagonist, Adam Wolfe, is a detective of the supernatural who works out of San Francisco.  Although he takes on new and unusual cases, his overriding passion is an ongoing search for his missing sister. She vanished two years ago and he has tirelessly pursued her case, always believing that she is still alive and can be found if he follows the right trail. He is a handsome hero that you can’t help but like. The plot twists and turns with elements of mystery and horror as the battle between good and evil rages. All-in-all, it is a good story and the four episodes build on each other to a surprising conclusion.

Adam Wolfe is presented with detailed graphics, pounding music and professional voice-overs. What I like most about the game is its variety. There are interactive point-and-click areas, animated cut scenes, and segments that use still pictures to accompany narration. The game is fast-paced and changes constantly, which kept me engaged and held my interest. Early in Episode 1, I found myself wanting to play into the wee hours so that I could see what came next.

There are LOTS of puzzles that come in a multitude of formats. Inventory find-and-use puzzles abound but, unlike many casual games, you can usually find what you need close by. There are a limited number of areas open at any point in time so you do not spend hours traipsing around in search of an elusive missing part of something. There are action scenes (with weapons), evasion sequences, driving simulations, mechanical puzzles and hidden object searches. I admit that I am not a fan of the hidden object genre and abhor staring at a single screen in search of a miniscule object in a pile of junk. My eyes glaze and my patience wears thin, waiting for the “hint” button to reactivate! However, Adam Wolfe puts a twist on this framework and most of the hidden object puzzles feel like something new and different. Some use audio clues instead of lists and your job is to identify which object in the scene is being referenced. Others require matching symbols to concepts/people and others require assembling objects from a set of parts.

A “magic watch” allows you to step back in time and recreate a crime based on crime scene clues. And an “intense focus” vision mode permits you to see supernatural objects in some settings. All-in-all, Adam Wolfe arms you with the tools needed to explore the paranormal and solve several mysteries along the way.

The game provides a range of difficulty settings from “Easy” to “Expert” which control hot spot indicators, puzzle skipping and hint timing. I found the mechanical puzzles to be extremely easy and the combat to be winnable (after a few tries) by an action novice. You do have the option of skipping puzzles, but what’s the fun in that? And, if you are truly stuck, you can use the Hint button. A map is provided for navigation which makes changing locations quick and easy, and your current objective is spelled out so you do not have to wonder about what you should do next.

As a casual game, Adam Wolfe may have been intended for those who do not play adventure games on a regular basis. However, Mad Head has broken with tradition and created a game experience that has something for all gamers. It took me just over 7 hours to play through all four episodes. For me, Episode 1 was the best of all, with Episodes 2 and 3 shorter but equally engaging. Although Episode 4 wraps up loose ends and comes to a dramatic ending, it felt a bit rushed and included one or more traditional “hidden object junk pile” puzzles (ugh…).

I recommend Adam Wolfe for those seeking a fast-paced adventure with a good story. Don’t be put off by the “casual” categorization, as this game is way ahead of its stated genre.

+ Diversity of activities will keep you engaged + Graphics, soundtrack and voice-overs are excellent and create an overall sense of fun + Good story with a likable hero and a traditional “good vs. evil” quest   – The experienced gamer will blow through most puzzles with ease – Although not the focus of the game, be prepared for some Hidden Object Searches

System Requirements