Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana 2016
Why it still holds upSwitching between three characters with damage type weaknesses keeps combat active, and the village loop ties exploring to progress today.
2010s adventure games that still hold up
Somewhere to get to, and plenty in the way
Games
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana 2016
Why it still holds upSwitching between three characters with damage type weaknesses keeps combat active, and the village loop ties exploring to progress today.
Rayman Origins 2011
Why it still holds upAbilities and play styles that keep arriving still give familiar platforming a new twist today, with controls that answer quickly.
Super Meat Boy 2010
Why it still holds upVery short levels, unlimited attempts and a near instant restart make every failed try cost seconds, and the replay turns repetition into part of the fun today.
VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action 2016
Why it still holds upA world told through confessions and small details, rather than exposition, still makes each shift a conversation worth listening to today.
Soma 2015
Why it still holds upWith no way to fight, the threat is being caught, and that still gives the setting its pressure today.
Transistor 2014
Why it still holds upWith so many ways to combine functions, the choice of build and of which enemy to hit first still matters today.
Devil May Cry 5 2019
Why it still holds upA style rating that rewards varied play, and three characters with different mechanics, still keep the same arenas from feeling the same today.
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate 2014
Why it still holds upHunts built on learning a monster's patterns and committing to each attack still reward patience today.
Star Citizen 2013
Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair 2012
Why it still holds upA loop of investigating a scene and then matching evidence against testimony in a trial still keeps each case a puzzle of whose claim does not fit today.
L.A. Noire 2011
Why it still holds upWith interrogation as the core loop, reading faces and backing accusations with evidence, the detective work still rests on the cases rather than on shooting today.
Spec Ops: The Line 2012
Why it still holds upOrdinary shooter systems turned toward the protagonist's choices, with missions, hints and environment all pushing one theme, still make it play as one argument today.
Tomb Raider 2013
Why it still holds upBalancing stealth, action and puzzles, with fast travel that turns backtracking into a reward, still lets you set the mix today.
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age 2017
Why it still holds upBattle formulas that stay stable while new layers are added, and zone timing that rewards experimenting, still let you set your own difficulty today.
Yakuza Kiwami 2 2017
Why it still holds upA serious story set among this much optional content, in two districts with no loading in between, still gives you plenty to do today.
Luigi's Mansion 3 2019
Why it still holds upA new theme to search on every floor, with tools that turn searching into small puzzles, still pulls you up the hotel.
Child of Light 2014
Why it still holds upA firefly that slows enemies and heals allies, and a surprise strike for whoever reaches an enemy's back first, still give every battle a small tactical choice.
The Witness 2016
Why it still holds upEach puzzle is a small discovery: you work out the rules yourself, and you can still leave a region when you are stuck.
Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight 2016
Why it still holds upA leaf for melee, a bow for range and a boss in every area give it a simple rhythm of exploring and then fighting that is easy to learn even now.
Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc 2010
Why it still holds upThe reason to play it now is having to find the contradiction in the testimony yourself and fire the right evidence at it.
Wolfenstein: The New Order 2014
Why it still holds upChoosing between silent takedowns and open fights still makes each encounter your own call today.
Monument Valley II 2017
Why it still holds upSingle screen perspective puzzles with simple touch controls, and a new idea in every level instead of a reused one, still keep each screen worth solving today.
The Last Guardian 2016
Why it still holds upA creature that has to be worked with, not simply ordered, still gives each puzzle its own pace today.
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening 2019
Why it still holds upIf you come to it now, expect a world that opens as you pick up tools, and dungeons you can build yourself.
Papers, Please 2013
Why it still holds upHolding the day's rules in your head while a line of travelers waits still turns each shift into a small puzzle of speed and care.
Pokémon Black Version 2 2012
Why it still holds upA journey with this much around it, and a harder way to play it again, still leaves plenty to do after the story today.
Gyakuten Kenji 2 2011
Also known as Ace Attorney Investigations 2: Prosecutor's Gambit
Why it still holds upCombining clues and pressing witnesses in turn makes each case a chain of deductions you work out yourself, which is still a pleasure.
Kirby's Return to Dream Land 2011
Also known as Kirby's Adventure Wii
Why it still holds upFour players can drop in and everyone shares the lives, so it is still easy to pick up with friends or family.
Mafia II 2010
Why it still holds upToday you still get a period feel from a city dressed in cars and music of its years, with cars that handle differently on ice.
Pathfinder: Kingmaker 2018
Why it still holds upEven now, a kingdom you run through advisors, and combat you can pause or play turn by turn, give you two kinds of decisions to make.
Faith 2017
Why it still holds upIf you come to it now, expect a cross as your only defense and a priest who dies if attacked, which makes every demon something to avoid.
Heavy Rain 2010
Why it still holds upCharacters who can die, in a story that carries on without them, still give each decision weight today, and a second playthrough shows what changed.
Supraland 2019
Why it still holds upPuzzle ideas that rarely repeat, and landmarks to navigate by instead of a map, give you a reason to explore it today.
A Hat in Time 2017
Why it still holds upLevels without a timer, and hats that each add a new move, still let you explore each stage at your own pace today.
Forza Horizon 4 2018
Why it still holds upThe same roads still look different through the year, in a world that turns through four seasons.
Doki Doki Literature Club! 2017
Pathologic 2 2019
Why it still holds upA day too short for everything still makes each choice a trade today.
Rise of the Tomb Raider 2015
Why it still holds upReasons to explore every corner remain today, from optional tombs with physics puzzles to hubs full of crafting materials.
Monkey Island 2 Special Edition: LeChuck's Revenge 2010
Why it still holds upA new player can still try every verb on every object without worry, because you cannot die in it.
AI: The Somnium Files 2019
Why it still holds upA six minute clock on every dream makes each puzzle a question of which object to try first, so the pressure is still there from the first dream.
Unavowed 2018
Why it still holds upCompanions who change what you can say and solve make each mission worth replaying with a different party today.
Assassin's Creed Origins 2017
Why it still holds upA free Discovery Tour mode removes combat for guided historical tours of ancient Egypt, a reason to visit it today even if you skip the story.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night 2019
Why it still holds upWith every defeated enemy a possible new skill, exploring still pays off today.
Hypnospace Outlaw 2019
Why it still holds upWith every clue sitting on a page you have to read and follow, each case is still a search that absorbs you today.
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus 2017
Why it still holds upDual wielding any pair of weapons, and a hatchet for silent kills, give you your own way to clear a room today.
Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth 2018
Why it still holds upDrawing your own map and steering around visible Shadows make each floor a small puzzle of routes, worth working through today.