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Colywoly is back and bringing you something a bit different for this week’s Sunday Scary. Today’s about one of my favorite episodic indie-horror games: Amanda the Adventurer

FYI you can watch a full series, no commentary playthrough from The Game Archivist on YouTube (highly recommended if you’re a scared lil baby like me who can’t play horror games).

If you’re a seasoned horror veteran like me, then it’s pretty rare for a movie to genuinely scare you these days. Jump scares have become all too predictable and, frankly, the stakes when watching a movie are very low. Most movies don’t even run a full two hours and we, as the audience, don’t have to participate to drive the story forward. Even if there are uncomfortable or scary moments, you can just cover your eyes and the plot will progress with or without you.

That’s where video games come in.

You have to participate. If you don’t then you’re trapped. The story will not continue. There is no safety-net. No relief. You can either turn-off the console and walk away or you can lock the fuck in and face it yourself.

Don’t get me wrong, I still LOVE horror movies… but if I’m looking to be genuinely horrified then there’s nothing like the full immersion of a horror video game. Even then, there are games that clearly stand above the rest in terms of atmosphere, storytelling, and gameplay.

Enter Dora the Explorer’s demonic cousin: Amanda.

Similar to, but somewhat less viral than, Poppy’s Playtime (another terrific execution btw), Amanda the Adventurer is genuinely one of the most creative and terrifying video games I’ve ever encountered. It’s a dark blend of tension, humor, and real terror with some truly unexpected twists and turns that make unraveling the story such a rewarding experience.

The gameplay is primarily puzzle-based – interacting with the videos and your environment to uncover more tapes and learn about Amanda and her partner-in-crime, Wooly the sheep. You play as Riley who recently inherited her Aunt Kate’s house after her abrupt disappearance. What you’re left with is property taxes and the legacy of her investigation into a seemingly benign children’s TV series: Amanda the Adventurer.

Though it quickly becomes apparent that Amanda is more than just a silly cartoon… and she is a little too aware of the fact she is being watched. No spoilers.

Simply put: this game is a masterpiece.

Though part 1 is far and away the best of the series, part 2 and 3 build a much more compelling universe around Amanda, her show, and how they came to be. We’re talking demons, cults, kidnapping, conspiracies, corporate existential dread(!!!). Amanda truly has it all.

Beyond the fact that children’s toys and shows are genuinely horrifying in their own right… what I love most about this series (and part 1, in particular) is how it goes about telling a story. These games are basically escape rooms. You’re in a singular location, rummaging through old VHS tapes, trying to piece together a sinister story and why you have a connection to it.

As for the gameplay, the puzzles and progression in part 1 are by far the best of the series. Solving part 2 is incredibly obtuse (frankly don’t see how someone could do this without a guide or an obscene amount of free time). And part 3, while a return to form in puzzle quality, suffers from the classic dilemma of needing to provide some sort of clean resolution to a series that thrives on mystery.

Still, I really admire what the developers were able to do in a trilogy here. Amanda’s transformation from a sinister and seemingly omniscient presence to helpless victim in a conspiracy far larger than herself is captivating. This is an excellent first stop if you’re new to the media of horror games or just looking for something a little less mainstream than Poppy’s playtime or Five Nights at Freddie’s.

The Game Archivist’s commentary-free, full playthrough is just over 4 hours long and is excellent viewing for those who want the full story, sans the overlay of obnoxious streamer reactions.