Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge 1991
Why it still holds upThe humour and the dialogue are the reason to play it now, with a lot of people to talk to and puzzles spread over a set of islands.
Point-and-click adventures that still hold up
Talk to everyone, pick up everything, think about it after
Games
Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge 1991
Why it still holds upThe humour and the dialogue are the reason to play it now, with a lot of people to talk to and puzzles spread over a set of islands.
Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis 1992
Why it still holds upThe three paths give it three routes through one story, which is why it still holds up today, in a tone close to the films.
Day of the Tentacle 1993
Why it still holds upIts comic writing and voice acting are the reason to play it now, since in the CD version every line of dialogue is spoken.
The Walking Dead 2012
Why it still holds upA story built around one relationship is why it still plays well: the voice acting carries it, and the choices come under time pressure.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward 2012
Why it still holds upRevisiting choices so that information from one route opens another still drives the game now.
The Wolf Among Us 2013
Why it still holds upIt is a detective story built on conversation choices rather than reflexes, and that is why it is worth playing now.
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective 2010
Why it still holds upEach puzzle is still one chain of small object changes inside a fixed room, with a mystery plot pulling it along.
The Curse of Monkey Island 1997
Why it still holds upA simplified interface and a hard mode option still make its puzzles easy to approach today.
Sam & Max Hit the Road 1993
Why it still holds upPuzzles that ask you to collect items and combine them with scattered objects, in a tourist trap setting that cannot dead end, still let you explore at your own pace today.
The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition 2009
Why it still holds upPuzzles where no choice is wrong, and a presentation you can switch back to the original at any time, still make the adventure easy to explore today.
The Longest Journey 1999
Why it still holds upThe slow pace of an adventure still suits clues that come from conversations and places, as each puzzle is a matter of paying attention.
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney 2001
Why it still holds upEach trial is a puzzle of attention: you spot the one statement in a testimony that your evidence contradicts, and the cases are fun to solve today.
Maniac Mansion 1987
Why it still holds upParties that change which puzzles can be solved still make a second run different today.
The Neverhood 1996
Why it still holds upA puzzle is a matter of what Klaymen can do in the room you are in, which is simple to follow 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.
Broken Sword: The Smoking Mirror 1997
Why it still holds upDescriptions on a right click, and conversation trees that give hints, still tell you what to try next.
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.
Full Throttle 1995
Why it still holds upOne menu for every action, and dialogue where you pick the answer, still keep the adventure easy to get into today.
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.
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.
Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers 1993
Why it still holds upChoosing exactly what to ask each person, one day at a time, still makes the investigation a slow puzzle of listening today.
Circle of Blood 1996
Also known as Broken Sword
Why it still holds upQuestioning every character and finding clues in your own inventory still makes each scene a small investigation today.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Toonstruck 1996
Why it still holds upWith nothing to lose, trying every item on every character is still the way to play it 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Hotel Dusk: Room 215 2007
Why it still holds upConversations that can go wrong still make a quiet mystery tense today.
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.
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.
Gemini Rue 2011
Why it still holds upThe investigation is still a puzzle of what each character knows, across two stories you move between.
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.
Slow games, in the best sense. Nothing here depends on how fast your hands are, which is a large part of why they hold up: there is no skill to have lost in the meantime.
Starter pack: ten of these, and why each one still plays today