Atom RPG 2018
Why it still holds upA Soviet wasteland after a nuclear war gives the journey a flavor of its own today.
2010s adventure games that still hold up
Somewhere to get to, and plenty in the way
Games
Atom RPG 2018
Why it still holds upA Soviet wasteland after a nuclear war gives the journey a flavor of its own today.
Pillars of Eternity 2015
Why it still holds upReal time with pause still lets you stop a fight to plan each order.
BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle 2018
Why it still holds upWith the same simple options across the roster, a new character costs little to learn, which still makes the whole mixed cast easy to try.
A Plague Tale: Innocence 2019
Why it still holds upEach room is a puzzle of where to stand, since light holds rats back and darkness lets them through, and the tension holds today.
Astral Chain 2019
Why it still holds upThe same companion serves investigation, puzzles and combat, so the game stays one idea and not three, and that is why it still hangs together.
Shantae: Risky's Revenge 2010
Why it still holds upEvery gated door is still a question of which animal to be, with transformations that open new areas.
Sunless Skies 2019
Why it still holds upInvesting in stat points unlocks opportunity checks, and siding with a faction in a large scale war opens some ports and closes others.
Guacamelee! 2 2018
Why it still holds upCombat and platforming share the same moves, so exploring and fighting still feel like one thing today.
The Forgotten City 2015
Why it still holds upThe loop is still why it is worth playing now: a mystery you solve with what you carry from one day to the next.
Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth 2017
Why it still holds upA story told in three books is still a good fit for a patient player.
Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition 2013
Why it still holds upThe Mexican setting still gives the adventure a style of its own.
Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden 2018
Why it still holds upYou still choose where a fight begins, which makes every encounter a planned one.
NieR 2010
Why it still holds upA game that changes its camera between styles still has a surprise for a player today.
This War of Mine 2014
Why it still holds upHard choices about who to help keep a player's attention today, and that has not worn off.
Shantae: Half-Genie Hero 2016
Why it still holds upStages that hold more each time you return with a new form still give a reason to replay them today.
Gears 5 2019
Why it still holds upWith every mode built for playing together, it is still a game for company today.
Whispers of a Machine 2019
Why it still holds upThe game can be finished in two to three hours, with little challenge, and it is still worth a second run today to see what another trait would have changed.
Puppeteer 2013
Why it still holds upHeads with abilities of their own, and scissors that cut through the scenery, still keep each curtain varied today.
Xenoblade Chronicles X 2015
Why it still holds upA planet this big has plenty to find, and a player has to explore it to see it all, which still draws players today.
Dreamfall Chapters 2014
Why it still holds upA story that spans two worlds is still worth following to its end today.
Hyper Light Drifter 2016
Why it still holds upA world told without words still asks you to piece it together as you go.
Kirby: Triple Deluxe 2014
Why it still holds upEvery enemy is still worth swallowing, since copy abilities change how Kirby moves.
Hitman 2016
Why it still holds upBig levels with room for improvised kills are what keep it replayable today.
Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen 2013
Why it still holds upClimbing onto a giant monster to hit its weak spot still makes every big fight feel like scaling a mountain.
Yakuza 5 2012
Why it still holds upEach of the five characters has their own side activities, which still spread the game out.
Salt and Sanctuary 2016
Why it still holds upWith so many ways to build a character, a second run can feel new now.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2010
Why it still holds upAlternating healing and attack magic mid fight still makes every combat a balance you choose.
Yakuza Kiwami 2016
Why it still holds upSide stories that take up most of the play still make the neighborhood feel worth walking.
Shantae and the Pirate's Curse 2014
Why it still holds upEach new item still opens up parts of the map you could not reach before.
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 Full Burst 2013
Why it still holds upBoss fights that play out as events give the story set pieces.
Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma 2016
Why it still holds upThe fragments are still a mystery whose order you choose, about people who have lost theirs.
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirit of Justice 2016
Why it still holds upCatching a witness in a contradiction is still the heart of each trial today.
Blaster Master Zero II 2019
Why it still holds upSwitching between tank and on foot levels still keeps each planet from repeating itself.
Enslaved: Odyssey to the West 2010
Why it still holds upA road trip across a ruined world has a pull that is still strong for anyone who likes a journey with company.
Evoland 2 2015
Why it still holds upJumping through time to change styles is the idea at its heart, today as when it launched.
SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech 2019
Why it still holds upBuilding a deck of your own cards makes each fight a small puzzle.
Gravity Rush 2012
Why it still holds upFlipping gravity to cross an open city is the hook, and it is still worth trying.
Quern: Undying Thoughts 2016
Why it still holds upA puzzle island with no enemies still leaves time to wander and think.
Hob 2017
Why it still holds upExploration and combat grow together with every power you unlock, and that steady widening still gives the world its pull.
The Dark Eye: Memoria 2013
Why it still holds upThe two tales still run across 450 years, with a princess and a young man taking turns.
Thimbleweed Park 2017
Why it still holds upFive characters to switch between keep the puzzles asking who should do what, and they still do.
Shin Megami Tensei IV 2013
Why it still holds upPlayers who plan carefully are still rewarded by turn-based tactics built around exploiting weaknesses.
Blasphemous 2019
Why it still holds upEvery enemy is still a pattern to learn and a parry to time.
Manifold Garden 2019
Why it still holds upIts space is the reason to play it now: with gravity you choose and buildings that repeat forever, getting from one place to another is the puzzle.
Pokémon Alpha Sapphire 2014
Why it still holds upA region reworked with modern features is still a pleasant trip to take.
Ghost of a Tale 2018
Why it still holds upToday, because hiding is both your defense and where you save, each stretch of the map is a plan from one hiding spot to the next.
West of Loathing 2017
Why it still holds upToday the choices still make it worth a second run: your class and what you say open different paths, so a new character sees different scenes.