63 Hand-Drawn PC Games Pre-2019 Worth Their Art in Gaming
It’s sometimes easy to forget the casual games of the past, because newer games tend to be bigger and better than their predecessors. But in this post I’d like to look back on the hand-drawn PC games pre-2019, in remembrance of the fantastic and cute artwork that reminds us not everything has to be related to realism to be fun.
I won’t speak about the games in question within this post, but if I’ve written a post on them personally, I’ll show the link itself. Also, if there are multiple games in a series, I’ll only state the first one, to avoid any kind of duplication.
Besides, you’ll want to play the first before you look for the ongoing games, right?
Personally, I feel I really need to go back and play some of them.
Hand-Drawn PC Games Pre-2019
A Raven Monologue
A Raven Monologue is a short experimental silent story about a raven that does not know how to croak and his relationship with the people in the town.
All You Can Eat
Meet a modern hero of our times, a man so lazy he decided to quit his job and just spend his life inside an All-you-can-eat diner. As years go by, his freeloading nature becomes legend, but then a tragedy occurs – the diner is about to close down! Will he settle down and get a regular job? Never!!!
Alter Cosmos
Experience comic book style adventure with Aliencat in a world taken over by a totalitarian system. Find a way through dangerous situations, gather your crew and prepare a ship and escape into cosmos – an infinitive space where everything is possible. Unlock the secrets of The Waves of Distortions.
The Amber Throne
After awakening from her coffin, Arra recalls little but the last words spoken by her father, “Destroy the Amber Throne.” Looking into the sky, she finds what was once his magnificent castle is now floating in the sky, far above the world below. Arra must find a way to reach the castle before others catch wind of it, lest the powerful Amber Throne fall into the wrong hands.
Bad Dream: Coma
Welcome in Bad Dream: Coma. A point&click game where unique minimalistic art style creates an unforgettable and atmospheric experience. Travel through the surreal and disturbing dreamland where everything depends on your actions. You can’t die but you can suffer greatly…
The Bridge
The Bridge is a logic puzzle game that forces you to reevaluate your preconceptions of physics and perspective. It is Isaac Newton meets M. C. Escher. Manipulate gravity to redefine the ceiling as the floor while venturing through impossible architectures.
Child of Light
Aurora, a young girl from 1895 Austria, awakens on the lost fairytale continent of Lemuria. To return home she must fight against the dark creatures of the Queen of the Night, who have stolen the sun, the moon and the stars. At stake is not only Lemuria, but Aurora’s true destiny.
CHUCHEL
CHUCHEL is a comedy adventure game from the creators of Machinarium, Botanicula and Samorost. Join the hairy hero Chuchel and his rival Kekel as they will be facing numerous puzzles and challenges in their quest to retrieve the precious cherry!
Crayon Physics Deluxe
Crayon Physics Deluxe is a 2D physics puzzle / sandbox game, in which you get to experience what it would be like if your drawings would be magically transformed into real physical objects. Solve puzzles with your artistic vision and creative use of physics.
Cross of the Dutchman
Cross of the Dutchman is an action adventure game based on the true story of the folk legend ‘Pier Gerlofs Donia’. The story takes place in medieval Western Europe, in the province of Frisia, near the turn of the 16th century.
Curious Alice
Experience a world created by illustrator Kristjana S. Williams as you follow your own personal White Rabbit companion, hunt for missing objects, solve the Caterpillar’s mind-bending riddles, visit the Queen of Hearts’ croquet garden, and experience classic moments from this legendary tale.
Dark Scavenger
Dark Scavenger is a bizarre point-and-click RPG adventure with a focus on exploration, gaining loot, and meaningful choices. Filling the role of a powerful space traveler, you find yourself stranded on a mysterious alien planet. Will you save the world or just yourself?
Disturbed: Beyond Aramor
A ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ themed sequel to the free-to-play ‘Disturbed’. Your journey begins with Gabriel, a depressed soul who has been banished away on Greyrock Island. Discover an unfolding world as you wander to fulfill the desires of your heart.
DRAGON: A Game About a Dragon
DRAGON: A Game About a Dragon is a colorful and lovingly hand-drawn Action RPG inspired by the 16-bit era. Finally, YOU get to play as the dragon! Breathe fire, fight knights, hoard gold, and find treasure! A refreshingly lighthearted game with an endearing story.
Dragon Rage
Fast-paced destruction! Tear the #!@$ out of a mountain-top village as the King sends out his royal army to try to stop you and protect his kingdom. The more villagers you devour, the stronger you get. Fill your belly and enter Rampage Mode where you can unleash mass destruction!
Draw a Stickman: EPIC
Draw a stickman, then guide him through a fantastic world of adventure! Using an assortment of pencils, draw elements, tools, and weapons to solve puzzles and overcome obstacles.
Drop Alive
“Happiness is only real when shared, especially with a water drop”. (Isn’t that how it goes?). Take a deep breath and immerse yourself in the greatest journey you’ll ever set out on with the cutest friend.
Earthworms
You play as a private detective named Daniel White, who is endowed with parapsychic abilities. Visions that he gets, help him to solve investigations. At first glance, the case that you are part of is about missing teenage girl who’s from a small fishing village. With every next location, you will experience more and more weird situations and discover that everything is leading to a big global conspiracy. If you think that is only summer walk through the fishing village, you are wrong. This is an epic adventure which will blow your mind.
Escape Doodland
Death and destruction came into Doodland. This happy and joyful land is going to change. You play as one of Doodlers, a peaceful inhabitant of happy doodle world, attacked by a merciless monster. There are only two options: run as fast as you can or die.
Figment
Figment is an action-adventure game that invites you to explore a unique surreal universe filled with music, humor and multi layered narrative. Join Dusty and his ever-optimistic friend, Piper, on an adventure through the different sides of the mind seeking to restore the courage that’s been lost.
Forgotten Anne
Forgotton Anne is a seamless cinematic adventure with a focus on meaningful storytelling and light puzzle platforming. You are Anne, the enforcer who keeps order in the Forgotten Lands, as she sets out to squash a rebellion that might prevent her master, Bonku, and herself from returning to the human world…
Gomo
Far away, in a hidden valley Gomo and his dog Dingo live in undisturbed peace; but serenity in this fairy tale vale soon comes to a violent end: an unknown alien force abducts Gomo’s companion. In exchange for his beloved pet, Gomo is supposed to obtain a rare crystal for the alien. This crystal lies well protected in a subterranean mine- getting your hands on this one won’t be easy!
However, there is no choice, but doing as the alien asks…
Gorogoa
Gorogoa isn’t just a game – it’s a work of art, expressing itself through soulful, charming illustrations and distinguished puzzle mechanics.
Gris
Gris is a hopeful young girl lost in her own world, dealing with a painful experience in her life. Her journey through sorrow is manifested in her dress, which grants new abilities to better navigate her faded reality.
Hostil
Hostil is a short emotional interactive tale about a young astronaut who has crashed on a extremely dangerous planet. No one will come to rescue him and his only hope is to move forward.
The Howler
Use gravity, tension, and wind currents to get your hot air balloon to its destination, dropping off cargo on your way, in this ultra-challenging physics-based game. All art used in the Howler was meticulously created by classically-trained experienced painters.
Inked
Inked is a tale of love and redemption told in ink on paper. You play as the Nameless Hero who sets out on a journey in a vast landscape filled with puzzles for you to solve. Each puzzle takes you closer to your lost love, unraveling a story that will forever change you.
Journal
Enter the pages of the hand painted world of Journal. A journey through the life of a young and troubled girl as she tries to face up to the choices and responsibilities that come with childhood. An experience that questions the reliability of how we choose to remember events and explores the truth…
Juanito Arcade Mayhem
Arcade Mayhem Juanito is a retro experience about arcade-hopping. Teleport into different video games, play with unique mechanics inspired by well-known arcade games, face stunningly animated bosses and join the fight against the clonocell invasion.
JuVentures
A pure hidden object game with lovely detailed artwork hand-drawn by JujiBla. Accompany our heroes Nita and Snek on their journey through the land, explore strange places and discover magical things.
Karma Incarnation 1
This multi-award winning adventure game explores a love story between two beautiful souls through ingenious humour, mind bending puzzles and a bizarre, hand-drawn, frame-by-frame animation style.
Legend of Homebody
The simple game of a shut-in learning from home and earn money. (The game is purely fictional, do not try this out in reality. This is a somewhat serious and heavy game, so don’t be fooled by appearances.
Little Briar Rose
An ancient legend, a cursed castle surrounded by brambles, a forest inhabited by funny enchanted creatures and a sweet princess sleeping in it. And, obviously, a fearless prince!
This is what Little Briar Rose is made out of. In this particular stained glass-styled graphic adventure the player will help a whole dynasty of princes complete their quest. Be careful though, many will try, but only one shall prevail!
Lonely Astronaut
Pilot the corpse of a long-abandoned astronaut floating in a cosmic graveyard in this one-button arcade game. In the process, you might find out something about the human condition. But probably not.
The Low Road
Lie, blackmail, and steal your way down The Low Road. Rookie agent Noomi Kovacs must navigate her way through the world of corporate espionage in this dark spy comedy set in the 1970s.
Lucid Dream Adventure
Lucid Dream is the story of little Lucy, who goes on an adventure into the world of dreams with the mission to save her mother.
Machinarium
A little robot who’s been thrown out to the scrap yard behind the city must return and confront the Black Cap Brotherhood and save his robot-girl friend.
Message Quest
Message Quest is a tiny stained-glass point-n-click adventure about laziness and her herald. Imagine yourself as the main hero’s conscience, the one that must make him work when all he wants to do is sleep.
Mimic Hunter
Unsheathe your sword and your hardcore platforming skills to climb forsaken towers, fight nefarious Mimics, and solve unforgiving puzzles in an attempt to uncover the grim truth behind the nature of the Unbound and stop an ancient demonic force from devouring the mortal world. En garde!
Munin
Imagine you could move mountains – literally! With realistic physics, Norse runes, rotating platforms and a lot of gray cells you’ll help Munin, Odin’s messenger in her very own 2D-adventure, to reclaim her power on a journey through Yggdrasil.
My Memory of Us
My Memory of Us is a moving fairy tale about friendship and hope in the darkest moments of our times. Enter hand-crafted, gorgeously animated 2D world full of adventure, exploration, stealth and puzzles. Meet the kids brought up in different worlds and help them survive during times of occupation.
NAIRI: Tower of Shirin
NAIRI: Tower of Shirin is a graphic adventure that is as cute as it is captivating. Taking cues from the classic visual novel set-up, the game crafts a rich ‘Ghibli’ inspired oasis city where animals and humans live side-by-side.
Old Man’s Journey
Old Man’s Journey, a soul-searching puzzle adventure, tells a story of life, loss, and hope. Interacting with the world around you, you’ll shape the landscape to create the old man’s path forward. Experience heartache and hope as you embark on a heartfelt journey through a sunkissed world.
Plankton
Minimalist style game : plankton simulation, an electronic pet generated by math codes. Under your care it will slowly grow up and evolve.
Plastiland
Plastiland is a puzzle-platformer set in a unique hand-made plasticine world. Guide our lovely clay characters through 48 levels of three worlds. Save as many of plastiballs as you can, reach far corners of each level by transforming them into one of eight roles, like cruncher, crusher, builder, and others.
The Purring Quest
Have you ever wanted to be a cat? You will be able, thanks to the aventure platformer The Purring Quest. Take on the role of Kimchi the cat and meet famous cat of the internet in a journey full of humor.
Puzzle Agent
Created with indie comic artist Graham Annable’s unique narrative and visual sensibilities, delivered with the distinctive Telltale storytelling style, Puzzle Agent is sure to challenge, thrill and engage in more ways than you can shake a cryptogram at!
Rocket Blasters
Rocket Blasters is a fast paced, action packed shoot-em-up set during the invasion of the Dread Pizza Armada. Its hand-drawn art gives it a unique style. Blowing stuff up has never been so fun!
Sally Face
Delve into a dark adventure following the boy with a prosthetic face and a tragic past. Unravel the sinister mysteries of Sally’s world to find the truth that lies hidden beneath the shadows.
The Secret of Tremendous Corporation
Explore the deepest SECRETs™ of the Tremendous Corporation®. Find out what happened to indie devs and save the gaming industry!
Spitkiss
Spitkiss is a colorful platformer that lets you enter into the lovely world of the Spitkissers, tiny creatures that communicate through body fluids and emojis.
Sprout
Embark on a casual, botanical-puzzle-adventure. Make friends, learn new skills, solve puzzles, and become the mighty oak that you were always meant to be.
Star Story: The Horizon Escape
The archaeological research mission faced some unexpected difficulties. Your spaceship crashed. Can you escape from this planet? But how? No one can help you. You are here all alone. Or not? Do you have a plan? Will you find what it takes to be a hero?
State of Anarchy
Simplistic top-down shooter that will put a smile on your face. Fulfill your inner sociopath as you mow down enemies with guns and cars alike, in a bid to pull off the world’s largest heist!
Super Fancy Pants Adventure
Super Fancy Pants Adventure is a wild free-running adventure with buttery smooth platforming and a slick fountain pen!
The Swords of Ditto: Mormo’s Curse
Now reimagined and expanded in the new Mormo’s Curse update, The Swords of Ditto is a roguelite action RPG that creates a unique adventure for each new hero of legend in the relentless fight against the evil Mormo.
The Tiny Bang Story
Life on Tiny Planet was calm and carefree until a great disaster occurred – Tiny Planet was hit by a meteor! The world fell apart and now its future depends only on you!
Use your imagination and creativity: in order to restore Tiny Planet and help its inhabitants you will have to fix a variety of machines and mechanisms as well as solve puzzles in each of the five chapters of this game.
TSIOQUE
TSIOQUE (pronounced: “chiock”) is a dark but playful Point & Click adventure, hand-animated in meticulous, frame-by-frame 2D. Escape the clutches of an Evil Wizard and discover the secrets hidden within the spellbound castle of your ancestors.
TurnOn
“TurnOn” tells the spellbinding tale of a brave alien creature and its striking journey through blackout world, in an incredibly colorful and detailed platformer without platforms.
Under Leaves
Journey into the forest, the jungle or the depths of the deep blue sea. Find chestnuts for the pigs, a caterpillar for the crocodile or a starfish one, two three. A color-filled hidden object game from the world of animals.
Viktor, A Steampunk Adventure
“Viktor, a Steampunk Adventure” is a comedy adventure game set in a cartoonish steampunk world. The story follows Viktor, a wild boar who tries to cope with the loss of his job by going on a quest to become a new Emperor of Austria-Hungary.
WILOO
Guide Wiloo in this adventure to take back your buddy and save other animals from Dr. ETvaldo evil hands.
Wunderdoktor
Step into the role of the Wunderdoktor, a traveling doctor whose daily work is to cure rare and exotic diseases. Explore a world full of quackery, ghosts and addictive potions.