Amanda the Adventurer is a psychological horror video game presented as a 90s children's cartoon show with an increasingly dark and creepy storyline.
You play as Riley, the heir to her mysterious aunt's house. In the attic, you find a stack of old VHS tapes containing episodes of a cartoon show called "Amanda the Adventurer", starring the brave Amanda and her timid sheep friend Wooly. At first, the tapes seem completely normal, but the more you watch, the more you realize that something is wrong. Amanda and Wooly seem to be communicating directly with you through the screen, and their requests become increasingly strange, scary, and dangerous.
At first, you will watch episodes of the cartoon "Amanda the Adventurer" on an old TV. You will need to perform tasks given by Amanda, such as answering questions or performing actions as requested. For example, she may ask "What is this?" while pointing at an apple, or ask you to "spell the word...". You must enter the answer or perform the corresponding action by interacting with the game environment (for example, typing on a virtual keyboard, or finding items in the room). If you answer incorrectly or don't do what Amanda wants, she may become angry, transform, and cause scary moments.
The game is presented as an educational children's cartoon from the 90s, with simple graphics, bright colors, and cute characters like little Amanda and Wooly the sheep. This evokes childhood memories for many players.
The stark contrast between the cute, harmless appearance and the horror and horror content that follows is the strongest element. It creates a deep sense of unease when what you once considered safe and fun becomes distorted and scary.
The game faithfully recreates the image of an old VHS tape with effects of static, broken images, distortion, and crackling sounds. This not only creates a sense of nostalgia but also adds authenticity, as if you are watching a cursed tape or a secret, forbidden document.
The story is not told explicitly, but is revealed piece by piece through VHS tapes, notes, and puzzles. This forces the player to piece together the clues and deduce the mystery behind the "Amanda the Adventurer" program and the fate of those involved.
