Little Nightmares II 2021
Why it still holds upSlow stretches of sneaking that give way to desperate escapes, with a companion at your side, still keep the tension today.
Adventure games that still hold up
Somewhere to get to, and plenty in the way
Games
Little Nightmares II 2021
Why it still holds upSlow stretches of sneaking that give way to desperate escapes, with a companion at your side, still keep the tension today.
Alan Wake 2010
Why it still holds upBecause your flashlight is both your aim and your weapon, every dark stretch is a choice of where to point it, and the tension survives even now.
Myst III: Exile 2001
Why it still holds upAges that are easy to wander, with puzzles found by watching them closely, still make it worth exploring today.
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.
Off 2008
Why it still holds upThe fights still play at a rhythm of their own, with cooldowns instead of turns and elements made of materials.
Hotel Dusk: Room 215 2007
Why it still holds upConversations that can go wrong still make a quiet mystery tense today.
New Super Mario Bros. Wii 2009
Why it still holds upIt is friendly to play with a group now: a Super Guide helps with hard levels and bubbles bring back fallen players.
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.
Freelancer 2003
Why it still holds upFlying with the mouse, and a trade you can start whenever you like, still make it easy to jump in and fly.
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.
Sly 2: Band of Thieves 2004
Why it still holds upEvery job still has more than one way in, because three thieves with different skills let you pick the one that suits each heist.
Pokémon Pearl Version 2006
Why it still holds upEven now, battles that depend on each move's type and category reward planning a team on the climb to the Champion.
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.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword 2011
Why it still holds upEnemy defenses you answer with the direction of your swing, and a hub revisited with new goals, still make combat and exploring feel connected today.
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age 2017
Why it still holds upGambits you write yourself still make the party's behavior something you design.
Gunpoint 2013
Why it still holds upA cross section that shows every guard and circuit lets you plan a route before moving, and that planning still pays off.
Xenosaga Episode III: Also sprach Zarathustra 2006
Why it still holds upCombat that rewards planning a few turns ahead still keeps each battle tense today.
Darkest Dungeon 2016
Why it still holds upEach expedition still has real stakes, because heroes who are lost are lost for good.
Severance: Blade of Darkness 2001
Why it still holds upEven now, four fighters with different weapons give each playthrough its own style.
Gemini Rue 2011
Why it still holds upThe investigation is still a puzzle of what each character knows, across two stories you move between.
Wandersong 2018
Why it still holds upIt is easy to pick up now: you sing with a wheel of eight notes and every puzzle is a small piece of music you play.
Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly 2003
Also known as Project Zero II: Crimson Butterfly
Why it still holds upWaiting for a ghost to come close before you shoot still makes every fight a test of nerve.
Pathologic 2005
Why it still holds upA game that moves on whether or not a player keeps up is still worth meeting today.
LittleBigPlanet 2 2011
Why it still holds upA game that hands you the tools to make games still puts a maker behind every level today.
Skies of Arcadia 2000
Why it still holds upA blank sky map that you fill in by flying between islands still gives exploration a sense of discovery today.
Judgment 2018
Why it still holds upThe pace is still varied, as detective sections like tailing and lock picking give the brawls a reason to stop.
AM2R: Return of Samus 2016
Why it still holds upA fan remake of a handheld game is still worth a look today.
Kirby & the Amazing Mirror 2004
Why it still holds upA cellphone that calls other Kirbys to help, and a hub that leads to nine areas, make it easy to enjoy with friends today.
Sleeping Dogs 2012
Why it still holds upFights and chases set in a city you can roam between missions still keep it worth playing today.
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life 2016
Why it still holds upThe open world still has things to do between fights, from a hunger gauge that limits how much you can eat to arcade cabinets in the city.
Dino Crisis 2 2000
Why it still holds upToday, points that reward fighting without being hit turn every dinosaur into a score to chase.
Chaos on Deponia 2012
Why it still holds upPlayed now, it is still a box of puzzles: collecting, combining and plugging things in is how every problem gets solved.
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.
Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes 2004
Why it still holds upEvery sneak is still a matter of staying unseen, with soldiers who talk to each other and notice you by sight and sound.
Assassin's Creed Odyssey 2018
Why it still holds upChoosing what to say and which side to fight for still shapes the story, and that is a reason to replay it today.
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.
Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies 2009
Why it still holds upA hero of your own and side quests running in parallel still let you set your own pace today.
Neverwinter Nights 2 2006
Why it still holds upEvery roll is still something a Dungeons and Dragons player can read, with rules taken straight from the tabletop.
Limbo 2010
Why it still holds upEven now, hazards that show themselves only by killing you turn each death into a lesson about the next attempt.
Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead 2013
Why it still holds upBecause so many survival systems depend on each other, every run still sets its own problem today.
Parasite Eve 1998
Why it still holds upExploration and fighting still feel joined, because combat continues on the screen where you walk.
Beautiful Katamari 2007
Why it still holds upRolling up the world piece by piece is a goal that still works.
Pokémon White Version 2010
Why it still holds upEven now, a party of six chosen from hundreds you have caught gives every team a different shape.
Professor Layton and the Curious Village 2007
Why it still holds upWith puzzles given by the villagers and hidden in objects, every conversation is still a possible challenge today.
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist 2013
Why it still holds upEach level can still be played as the kind of operative you want, between silence and aggression.