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Play the (Very Unofficial) Stranger Things Game

Oh hell yeah I’m gonna click to continue

If you’re just starting to realize that Netflix’s Stranger Things may not be back on the air (“air”) until well into President Trump’s first term, and need something to tide you over, there’s this fan-made point-and-click adventure, made by Steven Alexander, James Mulvale, and Jon Taylor-Stoll of Infamous Quests. In it you play Chief Jim Hopper, seemingly slightly drunk and taking constant smoke breaks, as you begin to look into the disappearance of Will Byers.

A good police chief carries everything he needs with him: cigarettes, a flash light, a bit of torn cloth in case he needs to wipe up a lil’ bourbon vomit off his lips.

The game should be instantly recognizable to anyone who played the early-’90s LucasArts classics like The Secret of Monkey Island, Day of the Tentacle, or Sam & Max Hit the Road. (Our only criticism would be that the game’s pixel graphics are a bit too advanced for 1983, back when stuff like King’s Quest was seen as cutting edge.) Click to look at things, talk to people, and examine objects. There’re some clever nods to the show, such as this little exchange with science teacher Mr. Clarke.

“You know that’s mainly melted plastic and microwaved bubblegum.”

After finding the drainpipe where (spoiler if you haven’t seen Stranger Thing, though if you haven’t seen Stranger Things I’m very curious why you’re still reading this) Eleven makes her escape from Hawkins Labs, Chief Hopper takes a peek inside.

There’s a real poetry to Chief Hopper’s language.

With the drainpipe explored, Chief Hopper decides it’s time to head back to the station and hope Flo has made some coffee — it’s gonna be a long one. This is also the end of the game; Infamous Quests seem to have simply done this more as proof-of-concept and labor of love than trying to re-create the entire world of Stranger Things.

“As long as Flo has made some coffee and that bottle of Four Roses is still in the trunk, I think we can crack this case wide open.”

And that’s the end of Stranger Things. Nothing left to see here, may as well check your e-ma — aw Christ!

“It’s the jaw, right? Everyone gets so scared by the jaw. And the child abduction.”
Play the (Very Unofficial) Stranger Things Game