Steins;Gate 2009
Why it still holds upThe writing and the cast keep it worth reading now: the story is detailed, and the voice acting carries the emotion even if you do not know Japanese.
2000s visual novels that still hold up
Mostly reading, and living with what you chose
Games
Steins;Gate 2009
Why it still holds upThe writing and the cast keep it worth reading now: the story is detailed, and the voice acting carries the emotion even if you do not know Japanese.
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.
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.
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.
Hotel Dusk: Room 215 2007
Why it still holds upConversations that can go wrong still make a quiet mystery tense today.
428: Shibuya Scramble 2008
Why it still holds upEach choice is still a clue for another character's chapter, across stories that run in the same timeframe.
Ever17: The Out of Infinity 2002
Why it still holds upA countdown beneath the sea makes every choice urgent.
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Justice for All 2002
Why it still holds upDefending a client by catching a contradiction is still a good reason to play.
Most of these are mysteries, where reading closely is the game: a contradiction in a testimony or a detail in a room moves things on. Where they are not, they ask for patience and repay it with their characters.