Australian-made pulp adventure thriller The Drifter is officially set to launch on 18 July 2025, after several years in development. Whether you’re a fan of point-and-click tales, or you’re just looking for a game with bright, creative ideas, this one should absolutely be on your radar.
To set the scene, The Drifter is all about a man who’s murdered, and then immediately wakes up seconds before his death occurred. With the knowledge of what’s to come, he must plot an escape, and live to unravel the mystery of his death.
Not only does The Drifter rock a killer premise, it’s also a very cool-looking adventure, buoyed by sharp, vivid pixel art and dynamic animation. That’s not to mention how heavily it leans into Aussie grindhouse cinema and pulp visuals. It’s a grim, gritty-looking game that uses art, as much as gameplay, to tell its looping story.
It’s also fully voice acted, with titular drifter Mick Carter and the many folks he meets brought to life by a talented voice cast. It’s a real novelty to have an adventure game like this buoyed by Aussie actors, but based on the game’s trailer, and an early demo preview, it adds such flavour and depth to each scene.
The Drifter – Release Date Trailer
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Here’s the official game description, per developer Powerhoof:
“Mick Carter’s been drifting a while now – moving from job to job, never staying one place long. Jumping a box-car to his old home town, he witnesses a violent murder, is pursued by hi-tech soldiers, thrown in a reservoir and drowned. And that’s just the start of Mick’s problems.”
“His consciousness ripped away, thrust back into his own body seconds before his death… Framed for the killing he witnessed, tormented by his own past, and haunted by the feeling that something followed him back from the other side… Follow Mick as he’s sucked headfirst into a lunatic web of shadowy corporations, murder, and the thousand-year obsession of a madman.”
With such a powerful premise, and the talents of Powerhoof backing this new release, we expect big things from The Drifter. After years of watching and waiting, it’s nearly time to get hands on, and discover the big mystery at the heart of this tale.
The Drifter is set to launch on 18 July 2025. You can now wishlist the game via Steam.
