Which adventure games are the best? Few genres have survived as successfully as the adventure game, starting with the text-based adventure that gave the genre its name in 1976 and continuing through the point-and-click heyday of the 1990s and up to more contemporary material. It is difficult to compile a list of the top adventure games because their multi-decade existence has given rise to some of the most amazing works.
Because of their emphasis on plot and characters, adventure games have thrived. The absence of violence distinguishes the genre, as do a few challenging brainteasers. Characters often resolve conflicts via conversation or deliberation rather than physical conflict; however, Ben, the protagonist of Full Throttle, would disagree.
You can be sure that the titles we mention below are classics since we regularly check our lists to make sure they are as current as possible and reflect the finest that the genre has to offer.
Table of contents
- Grim Fandango
- Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge
- Broken Sword
- Day of the Tentacle
- Beneath a steel sky
- The Walking Dead: Season 1
- Night in the woods
- Kentucky Route Zero
- Technobabylon
- Life is strange
GRIM FANDANGO
Grim Fandango is one of the finest adventure games because of the dialogue, characters, environment, and inventiveness. The newly departed must atone for whatever misdeeds they may have done before making the perilous four-year voyage into the Ninth Underworld, which is set in the Mexican Land of the Dead, where everyone is a skeleton or a demon. It is a finely created universe with elements of cinema noir and plenty of crime and corruption.
The game’s protagonist, Manny Calavera, must attempt to save Mercedes Colomar, the lady he believes he wronged, one of the best fictional characters ever created. The amiable, car-obsessed demon Glottis fits right in with the greatest Disney and Pixar films, while Manny is one of the adventure game’s most effortlessly cool and endearing player characters. The pace might be slowed down by the frequently difficult puzzles, but just exploring and interacting with this stunning environment makes up for these drawbacks.
Just don’t bring up those miserable monster beavers. Tim Schafer’s voyage through Mexican legend continues to stand as the height of excellent movie-quality storytelling in video games.
Download Grim Fandango
MONKEY ISLAND 2: LeCHUCK’S REVENGE
Monkey Island 2 is an ideal enhancement in every way from The Secret of Monkey Island, which redefined the genre and elevated LucasArts to the throne of the adventure genre. One of the most appealing characters in video games is the lovable loser Guybrush Threepwood. He has a noble motivation for wanting to become a swashbuckling pirate and woo Governor Elaine Marley. The issue is that he is completely incompetent, has more confidence than skill, and is an expert at destroying lives. He also kills the spirit of LeChuck, a zombie pirate whose spirit he murdered in the prior game. Elaine is naturally unwilling to interact with him.
The end result is a game with clever language that frequently makes you laugh out loud, scenarios that are really memorable (remember the spitting contest, the skeleton dance, or the fish dinner during Mardi Gras), and puzzles that, while challenging, are always funny.
One of the top adventure games on the PC, Monkey Island 2 is the pinnacle of the absurd comedic adventure genre. They just don’t get any funnier than this, and the Special Edition of this point-and-click game manages to elevate it even further with its flawless voice acting, hand-painted scenery, and reworked music.
Download Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge
BROKEN SWORD
Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars is roughly comparable to Uncharted sans the leaping and shooting and with a narrative that suggests what a compelling Dan Brown novel may be like. Similar to the Monkey Island series, it might be tough to choose between the first two games, but in this case, the first game narrowly wins out.
A clown bomber interrupts easygoing American George Stobbart’s vacation in Paris, and from there he is drawn into the secretive world of the Templars. The tone is kept light by the game’s creators, Revolution, despite a few darker passages in the tale. The foundation of the series, though, is the relationship between George and French photojournalist Nico Collard.
Broken Sword is still among the top adventure games on the PC because of its excellent story and voice acting. It does, however, contain the iconic “goat puzzle,” which many adventure games—including all four Broken Sword sequels—have subtly parodied since. At the very least, self-awareness is half the battle.
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DAY OF THE TENTACLE
Day of the Tentacle is one of the top adventure games available when it comes to puzzles. When you consider that the player is required to control three people over three separate time periods, with their actions from one impacting the other, it is even more astonishing that it is never obtuse or malicious. As Doc Brown would say, you have to think in four dimensions, and it is a credit to Tim Schafer, Dave Grossman, and the rest of the team that this never seems overpowering.
Day of the Tentacle, the game to which it is a successor, incorporates the entirety of LucasArts’ prior adventure, Maniac Mansion, as an Easter Egg. It is still incredibly hilarious, gloriously weird, and timeless lovely. Even if the other point-and-click games on our list are fantastic, if you asked us to recommend one classic adventure for you to play, we would direct you here.
BENEATH A STEEL SKY
Cyberpunk is the one button that every game can press to get our attention. We are putty in anyone’s hands when you add it to an excellent original tale, the best UK adventure game company, and artwork by renowned comic book artist Dave Gibbons (Watchmen). Thankfully, Beneath a Steel Sky, one of the greatest PC games available, already exists.
We are happy the project did not go as planned, even though Revolution founder Charles Cecil initially wanted to adapt Watchmen with Gibbons’ help. Instead, they worked together to create this time-tested point-and-click game. Beautiful pixel visuals, hand-drawn cutscenes, and the story of Robert Foster’s attempts to flee dystopian Union City are all featured in this game.
The gloomy setting, which thematically tackles social tyranny and corruption, draws inspiration from films like Blade Runner, Judge Dredd, and Mad Max.
But Revolution makes sure that what may have been a dreary grind is instead a very enjoyable point-and-click adventure game. One of the finest adventure games available is made up of intriguing story twists, fantastic character moments, challenging puzzles, and an attractive setting. There is also no cost to playing it on GOG, so there really is no justification. Beyond the Steel, Sky is an excellent sequel that’s worth a look if you like it!
Download Day of the Tentacle
The Walking Dead: Season One
Despite stiff competition, the outstanding first season of Telltale’s most well-known series continues to be its finest. The Wolf Among Us and Tales From The Borderlands both come close, but neither can match Lee and Clementine from The Walking Dead in terms of charisma. As they endure a barrage of tragedies and catastrophes, kind-hearted lawbreaker Lee and recently orphaned Clementine forge a passionately close friendship. Of course, the zombie apocalypse ranks first among these, but the goals of each survivor they encounter also have an impact on the two.
The Walking Dead: Season One is one of the finest adventure games on PC because of Telltale’s ability to make the player feel in control of the narrative despite the fact that everything is a smoke and mirrors show. Scenes may develop differently, people can live longer, and Lee can act in the most outrageous ways. The primary narrative continues, but depending on who is in control of it, it might feel quite differently. It is still considered a modern masterpiece of a point-and-click game just for the unexpected ending of Episode 4. And speaking of endings, let’s hope that season one of Clem’s story, which was so beautifully introduced in The Walking Dead: The Final Season, comes to a close.
Download The Walking Dead: Season One
Night In The Woods
Night in the Woods is a difficult book to resist. One of the finest adventure games ever created was created by Infinite Fall, who also included humour, small-town Americana, a spooky conspiracy, gorgeous graphics, a piece of great music, and some of the most movingly realistic videogame sequences.
Night in the Woods addresses issues including despair, broken families, the economy, peer pressure, growing up, unemployment, escapism, and death, but does it in a lighthearted manner that keeps things from becoming bleak. Characters gently make fun of one other and engage in unsafe or dumb behaviour to divert their attention.
Although the story’s main character, Mae Borowski, an anthropomorphic cat and college dropout, initially comes across as an entitled jerk, you will grow to adore her as she shares her true feelings. All of the characters are quotable and likeable. Although it looks and plays like a platform game, there are no bosses to slay, heads to jump on, points to gather, or worlds to conquer. Instead, there are people to talk to, roads to go to, music to listen to, and a realization that we all live on the same, rapidly contracting planet. So, I’d better make the most of it.
Download Night in the woods
Kentucky Route Zero
Kentucky Route Zero is one of the most tranquil PC games because of its convoluted narrative, bizarre scenery, and soothing country music. You’re guaranteed to find something you like in this magical realist voyage if you enjoy just about anything directed by David Lynch, especially his surrealist Americana and detective mystery Twin Peaks.
Fans of the genre may enjoy the wonderfully orchestrated plot that develops through interactive fiction employing a spooky, minimalist style, without too many annoying puzzles, even if it isn’t your normal point-and-click adventure. Every individual you meet has a unique history, and you’ll switch between people frequently.
What starts off as a story about a man attempting to deliver an antique to a street he can’t find develops into a captivating epic about a group of individuals. Kentucky Route Zero is more than simply a game with five acts; additional intermission chapters give the environment of the game more depth through unconventional narrative techniques like utilising a phone to call individuals or scanning a bar for discussions. This game, which tackles issues of capitalism and the anxiety associated with taking on debt, is not inherently “enjoyable.”
Download Kentucky Route Zero
Technobabylon
Publishers Wadjet Eye has steadily elevated themselves to the position of current monarchs of the point-and-click adventure genre. Each of Wadjet Eye’s releases since 2006’s The Shivah is worthwhile to play, including the ones they did not create. All three books in the Blackwell series—Gemini Rue, Shardlight, and Primordia—are modern masterpieces, but Technobabylon by Technocrat is, in our opinion, the greatest of the lot.
The city of Newton is governed by Central, an AI that observes and manages everything with an unknowable goal in the year 2087. The internet has developed into a trance, an intoxicating virtual realm. The Mindjacker is a serial killer who kills inexplicably and with no consequences.
Charlie Regis, Max Lao, and trance junkie Latha Sesame are all assigned to the Mindjacker investigation. Each sheds light on a different aspect of the narrative, which brilliantly develops in this terrifyingly plausible universe. Technobabylon is raised to the high echelons of the finest adventure games by its riddles. Every answer to a conundrum makes enlightening common sense. Not sure about an address? Google it using your in-game phone. Can’t get a door open? Ask the all-seeing, all-controlling Central to open it for you, call the person who holds the key, or just kick it down. Additionally, it is cyberpunk, which is a plus in our book.
Download Technobabylon
Life Is Strange
With Life is Strange, creators Dontnod accomplished what seemed unattainable: they outdid Telltale. Life is Strange has meaningful decisions, a more attractive and expressive graphics engine, and—most importantly—a totally unique scenario.
principal figure Max Caulfield is a senior in photography who uses vintage Polaroid cameras instead of the pricey, top-of-the-line digital equipment that everyone else uses. She has the power to turn back time, which makes her instantly likeable. However, the fact that this game-changing talent is the least remarkable aspect of Life is Strange is a tribute to the literary abilities of the Dontnod team.
The game belongs to the exclusive club of the finest adventure games on PC because of Max’s friendship with his former best friend, Chloe, and how they reconnected after Max ran out on that life. You will sob. You will make poor decisions and even more when you meet Sean and Daniel in Life is Strange 2; you’ll go back in time and make a decision you regret in a different way. You’ll be friends with Max and Chloe till the end of time. Literally. Subsequently, Tell Me Why and Twin Mirror are two more recent titles, but we still favour Dontnod’s original.
Download Life is strange
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That’s it! Above is a complete list of the best adventure games of all time on PC. Which one of these adventure games did you enjoy the most?