The Drifter, the Melbourne-developed point-and-click adventure game inspired by Aussie exploitation films from the 70s, which we’ve also covered at several expos, including the most recent PAX Aus, has been confirmed to be releasing for PC on July 17.
It’s a brooding, seedy world put forward by local developers Powerhoof, who felt as though “all gas, no brakes” was the best approach for their pulp-inspired point-and-click adventure.
Having sampled the game’s demo, which is available now on Steam ahead of the game’s participation in Next Fest in June, the atmosphere is suffocating and you’re given little time to think – which is a fun subversion of expectations for a genre where time is, so often, your most plentiful resource.
Click here to try The Drifter’s demo on PC.
The game follows its titular drifter, Mick Carter, who witnesses a gruesome murder whilst travelling to his hometown in a rickety, old box car. He’s then pursued, fit for a pair of concrete slippers, and is drowned in a nearby river.
He unexpectedly wakes seconds before his death, having toed the precipice of the great beyond, and has to navigate both the fact that he’s been framed for the killing he witnessed and the feeling that something has followed him back from the other side. It’s a great twist on a tried and true sub-genre of adventure gaming, and I certainly recommend checking out the demo, at the very least. It features the game’s full first chapter, which is absolutely a scene-setter.
There’s also a Nintendo Switch version of The Drifter in development, however, it’s not expected to release until later this year.
The Drifter is out July 17, 2025, for PC.
