It’s fair to say that Stranger Things is one of the biggest shows of 2016 — the show’s overnight popularity has already prompted Netflix to confirm that a second season is in the works. Now, there’s a fan-made adventure game to tide viewers over until its sophomore run.
Indie developer Infamous Quests has put together a point-and-click adventure based on Stranger Things that’s freely available from itch.io for Windows, Mac, and Linux. Anyone who’s familiar with LucasArts SCUMM titles from the 1990s, particularly the Monkey Island series, will feel right at home.
The game casts players as Chief Jim Hopper as he looks for the missing Will Byers in the depths of the forest, according to a report from The Next Web. Gameplay is largely centred around dialogue choices and exploration of the environment, staying true to the classics of the point-and-click genre.
The game resembles the show that it’s based on in one respect that’s sure to frustrate fans — you’ll be left wanting more by the time that it comes to a close. The taut first season of Stranger Things was only eight episodes in length, and likewise its point-and-click companion focuses in on one location, and is over very quickly.
Stranger Things isn’t the only hit television series that’s received a throwback video game adaptation this summer. NightSchool Studios produced a text-based mobile game set within the universe of USA Network’s Mr. Robot, although that was an officially sanctioned project rather than a fan game.
It remains to be seen whether Netflix will be inspired to commission a full game based on Stranger Things. Dungeons & Dragons is the focus of the most prominent references to gaming in the show, and its 1980s setting would certainly make a retro video game seem like an appropriate marketing tie-in.
