Circle of Blood 1996
Also known as Broken Sword
Why it still holds upQuestioning every character and finding clues in your own inventory still makes each scene a small investigation today.
1990s adventure games that still hold up
Somewhere to get to, and plenty in the way
Games
Circle of Blood 1996
Also known as Broken Sword
Why it still holds upQuestioning every character and finding clues in your own inventory still makes each scene a small investigation today.
Star Control II 1992
Why it still holds upAn open galaxy, crossed by talking as much as by fighting, still makes each session worth playing today.
Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee 1997
Why it still holds upIt still plays as a careful puzzle platformer: rescued Mudokons follow your commands and checkpoints are the only saves.
Wizardry: Bane of the Cosmic Forge 1990
Why it still holds upEleven races and fourteen professions still let a party be built in many ways today, which gives a long dungeon crawl its replay.
Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus 1998
Why it still holds upAllies in different moods that need different handling make each rescue a small puzzle of its own, and the variety still lasts.
Ultima VII: The Black Gate 1992
Why it still holds upA world made of objects to move, stack and use still gives it something to poke at today.
Toonstruck 1996
Why it still holds upWith nothing to lose, trying every item on every character is still the way to play it today.
Trials of Mana 1995
Why it still holds upThere is still more than one way to play through it, with six characters and class changes that split into light or dark paths.
Discworld Noir 1999
Why it still holds upAn investigation still keeps moving without leaving you stuck, as leads are crossed out in a notebook and a missed clue arrives later.
Blade Runner 1997
Why it still holds upSuspects who differ each new game, and clues that change what others do, give every case a reason to start again today.
Jagged Alliance 2 1999
Why it still holds upSquads built around who gets along with whom, and towns you can attack from any side, still make each choice of mercenary a commitment today.
Sanitarium 1998
Why it still holds upWith no game over, and chapters that each change the look and mood, it is still easy to follow into every new place.
The Dig 1995
Why it still holds upIt is easy to approach even now, because each puzzle is a matter of what to carry where, with items you collect and use on the environment.
Discworld II: Mortality Bytes! 1996
Also known as Discworld II: Missing Presumed...!?
Why it still holds upThe puzzles are still about finding the right item for the right person, with a Luggage that holds everything and four attitudes for every conversation.
Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber 1999
Why it still holds upLeading an army where how you win is counted as well as whether you win still makes each march a decision today.
Riven: The Sequel to Myst 1997
Why it still holds upA vaguely explained goal and cursors that tell you what a click will do still make exploring each place a matter of observing.
Homeworld 1999
Why it still holds upA fleet that has to last the whole campaign, moving in three dimensions, still makes every battle in space worth planning today.
Parasite Eve 1998
Why it still holds upExploration and fighting still feel joined, because combat continues on the screen where you walk.
Suikoden 1995
Why it still holds upToday, a cast you can gather one warrior at a time gives the journey a goal beyond the main story.
The Beast Within: A Gabriel Knight Mystery 1995
Why it still holds upToday, two playable characters who each take half the chapters give the investigation two angles.
Space Quest IV: Roger Wilco and the Time Rippers 1991
Why it still holds upIt still has a lively look, from hand painted scenes and a click that tastes or smells things.
StarTropics 1990
Why it still holds upEach chapter ends on a solved local trouble, which still keeps the quest easy to follow.
Flashback: The Quest for Identity 1992
Why it still holds upEven now, a hero with human limits and a shield for health makes every drop and jump a measured risk.
Sid Meier's Colonization 1994
Why it still holds upColonists you can train into specialists, and prices in Europe that keep moving, still turn every colony into a small economy to tune on the road to independence.
Might and Magic VII: For Blood and Honor 1999
Why it still holds upToday, classes that cap each skill make the party you choose shape what it can become.
Tex Murphy: Under a Killing Moon 1994
Why it still holds upYou are still the one searching a 3D world for clues, at your own pace.
Metal Slug 2 1998
Why it still holds upA fight that never stops, in scenery you can blow apart, still makes each level a rush toward the boss.
Dragon Warrior IV 1990
Also known as Dragon Quest IV
Why it still holds upFive chapters with different leads still let the story be told from several sides.
Valkyrie Profile 1999
Why it still holds upEach outing still has two rhythms, platforming through a dungeon and then switching to battle.
Pilot Brothers 1997
Why it still holds upA pair of detectives who take turns in a zoo case is a way to play a puzzle story that is still easy to follow today.
Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom 1991
Why it still holds upWalls to climb and pipes to hang from still make every level a space to move through vertically today.
Star Ocean: The Second Story 1998
Why it still holds upA party that differs on every playthrough still gives a reason to start again today.
Kirby's Adventure 1993
Why it still holds upEvery enemy is still a possible tool, since swallowing one takes its power.
Disney's DuckTales 2 1993
Why it still holds upYou can still plan your own route, tackling levels in any order and revisiting them with new gear.
Tobal 2 1997
Why it still holds upA Quest Mode with dungeons and a town, and a roster that grows with captured monsters, still gives it more to do than the ring fights.
Discworld 1995
Why it still holds upChoosing a tone for each conversation, joking or angry, still gives every puzzle a social side.
Bucky O'Hare 1992
Why it still holds upThe opening still gives you freedom, with four planets in any order and a team you can switch between.
Pirates! Gold 1993
Why it still holds upA pirate's life, fought three ways and planned between fights, still leaves every voyage open today.
Centurion: Defender of Rome 1990
Why it still holds upBuilding up an empire with these side shows remains a reason to give it a go now.
Kirby's Dream Land 3 1997
Why it still holds upEvery enemy is still a possible key, because abilities open parts of a level.
Shadowrun 1993
Why it still holds upJobs you choose and a crew you hire yourself still let every run be planned your own way.
Castlevania: Rondo of Blood 1993
Why it still holds upAlternate routes and a second hero still give each run through the castle a different shape today.
ToeJam & Earl 1991
Why it still holds upEach escape still has its own route, since the levels are different every time.
Fantastic Dizzy 1993
Why it still holds upA puzzle quest with a star hunt is still a good thing to play through.
The Last Express 1997
Why it still holds upA train full of people living on their own schedules, in a short game, still makes it worth replaying today.
Resident Evil 3: Nemesis 1999
Why it still holds upManaging a limited inventory under pressure is a tension that players can still feel.
Sonic the Hedgehog 1991
Why it still holds upZones built for looking around as well as running still make it worth a try today.
Pajama Sam In: No Need to Hide When It's Dark Outside 1996
Why it still holds upA game with a sock hunt and a quiz show is an easy one to share, and it still is today.