If you’re a fan of Point & Click adventures, the name Ron Gilbert along with the legendary Monkey Island probably rings a bell. While my personal favorite from his work has always been Thimbleweed Park, I recently came across a project that feels like a genuine shake-up of the genre. That game is Crushed in Time, which could easily be described as the first true “Point & Drag” adventure.
The story centers on Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, who unexpectedly find themselves caught in a time-traveling mystery. What sets this game apart is its core mechanic: instead of clicking on the environment, you actually drag it. Clicking doesn’t get you anywhere; puzzles are solved only by pulling and moving the screen itself. I played the demo on PC with a mouse, though I can’t help but wonder how this mechanic might work on consoles if the game eventually heads there.
It’s not the easiest feature to explain in writing, but once you try it, it feels surprisingly natural. The cartoon-like yet minimal art style makes everything easy to read and navigate, helping you focus on finding creative solutions. For an early demo, some of the puzzles were tougher than my expectations, but that challenge only made the experience more rewarding.
Adding to the charm are the humorous back-and-forth conversations between Holmes and Watson, which give the game a lively personality beyond the puzzles.
Solid voice acting, a clever time-travel narrative within the Sherlock Holmes universe, witty dialogue, a playful yet distinctive art direction, and the bold decision to replace clicking with dragging, all of these elements make Crushed in Time one of the most exciting titles on the horizon for fans of the genre.
The game is slated for release in 2026 on Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac, and mobile devices. For me, discovering it at the chaos of Gamescom felt like stumbling upon a hidden gem, and I’m thrilled to share that experience here.
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