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.
Adventure games that still hold up
Somewhere to get to, and plenty in the way
Games
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.
Mega Man ZX Advent 2007
Why it still holds upBringing the right form to each new boss, from forms taken off the last ones, still gives it variety today.
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.
Machinarium 2009
Why it still holds upPuzzles stay in one place and the world is told without words, so each room is a self contained riddle that is easy to dip into now.
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.
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time 2003
Why it still holds upA hard jump that can be retried at once, by rewinding, still keeps its acrobatics easy to enjoy today.
Clannad 2004
Why it still holds upRoutes that unlock one another give a long read a structure that still pulls you forward today.
Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors 2009
Why it still holds upDoors that open only for the right combination of people make each puzzle also a decision about who goes where, so replaying it still pays off.
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.
We Love Katamari 2005
Why it still holds upRolling from the smallest things to the largest, an idea anyone gets at once, still makes every level easy to pick up today.
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.
SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom 2003
Why it still holds upThree characters with different moves, and areas that the spatulas open, make a stage worth revisiting with a new ability 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.
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.
Star Wars: Republic Commando 2005
Why it still holds upSquadmates you can order and revive give each fight a team feel, which a first mission still shows.
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.
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.
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.
Toonstruck 1996
Why it still holds upWith nothing to lose, trying every item on every character is still the way to play it today.
Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey 2009
Why it still holds upNegotiating with demons and fusing them into new ones make every battle also a way to build your party, which still keeps its draw.
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.
Super Mario Sunshine 2002
Why it still holds upOne water backpack with several movement modes drives every level, while the secret courses without it test pure platforming, which still gives the game two kinds of jumping 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.
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.
P.T. 2014
Tyranny 2016
Why it still holds upEvery choice is a question of whom to side with: the world is already conquered and the character is built from how you play, which is worth replaying now.
NBA Street Vol. 2 2003
Why it still holds upTricks feed a meter that can turn the score around, and that keeps it worth playing today.
Edna & Harvey: Harvey's New Eyes 2011
Why it still holds upWith so little interface in the way, the puzzles are still about what to combine today.
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia 2017
Why it still holds upA game you can set to be as forgiving as you like still suits more than one kind of player today.
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.
Professor Layton and the Unwound Future 2008
Why it still holds upWith no time limit and hints paid for with coins you find, each puzzle can still be taken at your own pace today.
OneShot 2016
Why it still holds upPuzzles that reach into your own computer still keep the solutions surprising today.
To the Moon 2011
Why it still holds upWith no combat and no inventory, the puzzles are about what you notice in the memories, so the story keeps your attention today.
Pokémon Omega Ruby 2014
Why it still holds upA region with places you can only reach by flying still gives you a second reason to explore today.
The Great Ace Attorney: Adventures 2015
Why it still holds upEach case can still be argued from both sides, with a trial where several witnesses speak at once and a detective whose theories you correct.
The Evil Within 2 2017
Why it still holds upEven now, a town you can explore freely, with scarce ammunition, makes every trip between buildings a decision about risk.
SteamWorld Dig 2 2017
Why it still holds upDigging down for resources and coming back to spend them makes every trip a loop of risk and reward today, with a choice of how far to go each time.
Star Ocean: Till the End of Time 2003
Why it still holds upA second game inside the fights keeps your attention today, because an item creation system lets you craft, patent and recruit inventors.