The PC is the home of the adventure game: point-and-click classics were born here, and today's indie scene keeps reinventing how stories, puzzles and exploration fit together. Mouse precision suits inventory puzzles and investigation, while a huge back catalogue puts LucasArts-era comedy next to modern narrative experiments. The picks below run from deduction and dialogue-driven games to atmospheric journeys and story-first episodic series.
1. Return of the Obra Dinn#
Lucas Pope's Return of the Obra Dinn, released in 2018, asks you to work out the fate of every person aboard a ghost ship using a magical pocket watch that replays the moment of each death. The one-bit visual style is striking, and the deduction loop of naming who died and how feels unlike anything else. It respects your intelligence and never hands out answers. The downside is that it is slow and note-heavy, and it can frustrate anyone who wants guidance or a stronger story pull.
2. Disco Elysium#
ZA/UM's Disco Elysium, from 2019, puts you in the shoes of an amnesiac detective investigating a murder in a decaying district. There is no combat; skills argue inside your head, and dialogue and a thought cabinet drive everything. The writing is sharp, political and often very funny, with enormous freedom in how you build your character. It is also text-heavy to an extreme, and players who want action or quick pacing should look elsewhere. The Final Cut later added full voice acting.
3. Outer Wilds#
Mobius Digital's Outer Wilds, released in 2019, sends you around a tiny solar system caught in a 22-minute time loop. There are no upgrades; the only thing you gain is knowledge, and every discovery comes from your own curiosity. It is beautiful, moving and built around one of the best reveals in the genre. Piloting the ship can be fiddly, and some players get stuck or bounce off the early hours, so patience helps. Go in knowing as little as possible.
4. The Walking Dead#
Telltale's The Walking Dead, released in 2012 as an episodic series, follows Lee Everett and a young girl named Clementine through the early days of a zombie outbreak. Puzzles are light; the focus is on tense conversations and choices with emotional weight. It made episodic narrative games mainstream and still lands hard thanks to strong performances. The interaction is limited, and your choices change less than the game implies. It is best for players who want story above mechanics.
5. Life Is Strange#
Dontnod's Life Is Strange, released in five episodes in 2015, follows Max Caulfield, a photography student who discovers she can rewind time. Rewinding lets you take back choices, test conversations and solve small puzzles in a Pacific Northwest town. It balances coming-of-age drama with a mystery that becomes darker over time. The dialogue can feel dated and awkward in places, and the ending splits opinion. Its mix of warmth and melancholy made it a landmark in narrative adventures.
6. What Remains of Edith Finch#
Giant Sparrow's What Remains of Edith Finch, released in 2017, sends you through a strange family house to learn how each member of the Finch family died. Every story is told through a different gameplay idea, from a swing to a comic book, and each feels inventive. It is short, about two hours, and closer to an interactive anthology than a puzzle game. Anyone wanting challenge or length will be disappointed, but its imagination and emotional punch are hard to forget.
7. Machinarium#
Amanita Design's Machinarium, released in 2009, follows a little robot who is trying to return to a rusty city and stop a gang of bullies. There is no dialogue; everything is told through thought bubbles and hand-drawn art, with a soundtrack by Tomas Dvorak. Its puzzles are classic point-and-click logic with inventive contraptions, and the atmosphere is gorgeous. Some puzzles can be obscure, which is why the game includes a hint system. It remains an essential indie adventure.
8. The Curse of Monkey Island#
LucasArts released The Curse of Monkey Island in 1997, the third game in the series, and it introduced hand-drawn cartoon visuals and full voice acting for Guybrush Threepwood. The pirate comedy, insult sword fights and inventive puzzles are a high point for the genre. Its pacing is excellent and the writing stays funny. Some puzzle solutions are illogical by modern standards, and the original low resolution looks small on modern monitors. It remains a joyful, quotable classic.
9. Grim Fandango#
Tim Schafer's Grim Fandango, from LucasArts in 1998, follows the travel agent Manny Calavera through the Land of the Dead in a blend of Mexican folklore and film noir. Its writing, jazz-inflected score and art deco design are exceptional. A Remastered edition in 2015 improved the visuals and added modern controls. The original tank controls are awkward, and some puzzles rely on strange logic. It is still one of the most distinctive worlds ever made in an adventure game.
10. Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis#
LucasArts' Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis, released in 1992, is an original adventure rather than a film tie-in. You can choose between three paths, favouring puzzles, fists or teamwork, which gives unusual replay value. The story of a hunt for the lost city is globe-trotting and confident, and it captures the spirit of the films well. The graphics are dated and the interface is clunkier than in later games, but the design is sharp.
11. Inside#
Playdead's Inside, released in 2016, follows a nameless boy through a sinister industrial landscape in a wordless puzzle-platformer. It is tense, carefully paced and full of memorable set pieces, with a lot of story told through the environment. The puzzles are clear and rarely frustrating. It is short, roughly three to four hours, and its ending is divisive. Anyone who enjoyed Limbo will find a more polished and unsettling evolution.
12. Stray#
BlueTwelve Studio's Stray, from 2022, lets you play as a cat exploring a neon-lit cyberpunk city populated by robots. You jump, climb and nudge objects, befriend a drone companion and uncover what happened to the city. The feline animations are lovingly done and the world is beautiful. It is fairly short and gentle, and the puzzles and chase sequences are simple, so players wanting depth may find it light. As an atmospheric, accessible adventure it is excellent.
13. The Wolf Among Us#
Telltale's The Wolf Among Us, released in 2013, is a noir mystery set in the Fables comic universe, where fairy-tale characters live in hiding in New York. You play Bigby Wolf, the sheriff, investigating a series of murders. The writing, art style and moral choices give it a distinctive tone. Interaction is mostly dialogue and quick-time events, so it is light on puzzles. It is a stylish short series for players who enjoy atmosphere and character.
14. To the Moon#
Freebird Games' To the Moon, released in 2011, is built in a retro RPG Maker style and follows two doctors who alter a dying man's memories to fulfil his final wish. It is essentially a short interactive story with light puzzles, carried by a superb piano soundtrack. Expect to cry. Gameplay is minimal and the puzzles are simple, so it suits players who value writing and emotion above challenge. Several sequels and side stories extend the world.
15. Night in the Woods#
Infinite Fall's Night in the Woods, released in 2017, follows Mae, a college dropout who returns to her declining hometown of Possum Springs. The game is about small conversations, part-time jobs, odd locals and a mystery that grows more unsettling. Its writing captures anxiety and aimlessness with humour and heart. The plot can feel slow, and some minigames are more charming than deep. Those who enjoy character-driven stories will find it memorable.
16. Gris#
Nomada Studio's Gris, released in 2018, is a wordless journey through a watercolour world as a young woman processes grief. Each area unlocks new abilities and a new colour, and the art and orchestral score are stunning. There is no failure state and the puzzles are gentle. It is short, about two to three hours, and the platforming is mild, so players seeking challenge will want more. It is a beautiful experience that works well as a relaxing evening.