The Secret of Monkey Island 1990
Why it still holds upIt stays playable because its puzzles avoid dead ends and deaths, and because the dialogue is still witty.
Adventure games that still hold up
Somewhere to get to, and plenty in the way
Games
The Secret of Monkey Island 1990
Why it still holds upIt stays playable because its puzzles avoid dead ends and deaths, and because the dialogue is still witty.
Pokémon HeartGold Version 2009
Why it still holds upTwo regions of badges, laid out with both freedom and direction, make it worth playing now.
Batman: Arkham Knight 2015
Why it still holds upCombat of counters and takedowns, in a city crossed by gliding and grappling, is still the draw today.
Omori 2020
Why it still holds upA story that moves between a cheerful dream and the real world, and from comedy into psychological horror, is still the draw today.
Persona 4 2008
Why it still holds upA calendar in which daily life and dungeons feed each other still makes it worth playing today.
The Talos Principle 2014
Why it still holds upPuzzles that reward finding alternate uses for a small set of tools, with several solutions to many, are the reason to play it now.
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind 2002
Why it still holds upA world that sets no required order, kept alive by the people who mod it, still makes it worth playing today.
Resident Evil 2002
Why it still holds upAmmo, inventory and saves are scarce, so you keep deciding what to fight, what to carry and when to backtrack, and that tension is the reason to play it now.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 2017
Why it still holds upLayered combat across large worlds packed with hidden items and side quests still makes it worth playing today.
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D 2015
Why it still holds upA small town run on a schedule you learn and replay is the reason to play it today.
Gothic II 2002
Why it still holds upA compact, hand placed world where exploring pays off is still the reason to play it today.
Pokémon Gold Version 1999
Why it still holds upTwo regions on one cartridge keep the adventure going past the first Elite Four, and that is the reason to play it today.
Yakuza 0 2015
Why it still holds upIt is worth playing now for a dense, hand built city where serious crime drama sits beside absurd comic side stories, in a prequel that needs no earlier game.
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess 2006
Why it still holds upNine dungeons with distinct themes and tools, joined by a large overworld, and two ways of moving and fighting in one adventure, are why it is worth playing now.
The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings 2011
Why it still holds upChoices with delayed consequences, and build choices that change how you fight, are the reasons to play it today.
Grand Theft Auto III 2001
Why it still holds upA city built as a place rather than a level, where what you do is your choice and the world carries on around you, is still worth playing today.
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain 2015
Why it still holds upWhat it still offers is a big sandbox where you choose how each infiltration goes, and where the base, the soldiers and the weapons you research feed into the next mission.
Alien: Isolation 2014
Why it still holds upA creature driven by systems rather than scripts still turns every room into a risk today.
Pokémon Blue Version 1996
Why it still holds upThe loop of catching, training and battling is simple enough to pick up now, and the version differences make trading with friends part of the design.
Ōkami 2006
Why it still holds upPlay it now for an ink painting look and a brush that keeps opening up old areas of the world.
Shovel Knight 2014
Why it still holds upEasy to learn platforming with modern ideas of risk and reward, on an 8 bit look, is still why it is worth playing today.
Cuphead 2017
Why it still holds upBoss fights built on learning patterns, in that style, are still the reason to play it today.
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception 2011
Why it still holds upIts set pieces blend climbing, shooting and escape in single sequences rather than separate modes, and that is why it is still worth playing now.
Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony 2017
Why it still holds upIf you play it now, it is for the investigate then argue structure, with the trial as the core system.
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow 2003
Why it still holds upIts castle opens up as you gain abilities and its soul system offers many ways to fight, which keeps it worth playing now.
Gothic 2001
Why it still holds upExploring without markers, in a world of rival camps, is the reason to play it now.
Dishonored 2 2016
Why it still holds upLevels with many routes let a stealth run, a lethal run and a power mixing run all work, which keeps it worth replaying today.
The Cat Lady 2012
Why it still holds upA tense, atmospheric adventure whose dialogue choices change what you see later is the reason to play it now.
Paper Mario 2000
Why it still holds upPartner choice and timing keep every battle engaged in a streamlined role playing formula, and that is why it is worth playing now.
Tales from the Borderlands 2014
Why it still holds upWriting and voice acting that balance comedy against drama in varied scenarios are the reason to play it now.
Persona 3 2006
Why it still holds upDaily life, relationships and dungeon fighting feed each other, so choices outside the tower matter inside it, and that is the reason to play it now.
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth 2014
Why it still holds upItem combinations that differ every run, from a large library to unlock, keep giving it new runs today.
Bayonetta 2 2014
Why it still holds upFast combat built on dodging and combos, with varied set pieces and challenge portals, is the reason to play it now.
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard 2017
Why it still holds upPlay it now for the anxiety that builds in one confined location with limited vision.
Lisa: The Painful 2014
Why it still holds upResources and party members are scarce and can be lost, so the systems push the same way as the story, and that is the reason to play it now.
Grim Fandango 1998
Why it still holds upPlay it now for a Day of the Dead inspired afterlife styled as film noir, in a game where you cannot get stuck.
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim 2019
Why it still holds upThe way its story is told is the reason to play it now: you choose whose chapter comes next and put the mystery together as you go.
Braid 2008
Why it still holds upOne idea, rewinding time, with a fresh rule in each world, makes every mistake part of solving the puzzle, and that is the reason to play it now.
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Trials and Tribulations 2004
Why it still holds upThe whole game rests on one loop, spotting the contradiction between testimony and evidence, and that is why it is worth playing today.
Inscryption 2021
Why it still holds upNew rules keep arriving as you play, so every run still has something new to learn.
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice 2017
Why it still holds upPlay it now for sound that places voices around you and visuals that distort to convey the character's state.
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story 2009
Why it still holds upTwo linked layers of play, Bowser outside and the brothers inside, each affecting the other, are the reason to play it now.
Demon's Souls 2009
Why it still holds upLarge, distinct and believably connected areas, and careful stamina based fights with gradual improvement as the core loop, are the reason to play it now.
Pokémon Red Version 1996
Why it still holds upA journey past eight gyms with a collection to complete along the way is still the reason to play it today.
Psychonauts 2 2021
Why it still holds upThe minds are why it is still worth playing: each level is a new place drawn from someone's head, and most end with Raz helping that person.
Far Cry 3 2012
Why it still holds upFive core systems, sneaking, shooting, driving, exploring and hunting, all feed the same leveling system, so the same encounter plays out differently depending on stealth, firepower and wildlife, and that is the reason to play it now.
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars 1996
Why it still holds upVisible enemies and timed button presses keep you acting in every turn, which is the reason to play it now.
Banjo-Kazooie 1998
Why it still holds upWith every world a themed space full of different tasks, the collecting stays varied, and that is still the reason to play it today.