7. Tesla Effect: A Tex Murphy Adventure

Tesla Effect: A Tex Murphy Adventure gameplay

In a futuristic San Francisco, old-school hard-boiled detective Tex Murphy wakes in his office with a hangover and no memory of the last seven years. Unfortunately, booze isn’t the cause of Tex’s memory loss as mysterious markings on his body and the disappearance of his love Chelsee suggest something more treacherous is afoot. Mixing live action video and explorable 3D environments, Tesla Effect: A Tex Murphy Adventure is a classic detective game full of murders, femme fatales, swindlers, and previously unseen Nikola Tesla inventions. If you’re still not sold, the game also features a performance from Larry Thomas, best known for playing The Soup Nazi in Seinfeld. Enough said.

The stylistic influence of Blade Runner is seen in yet another game on this list.

Surprisingly, this scene featuring a lens flare emitting from a literal lens was not directed by J.J Abrams.

6. Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair gameplay

There’s nothing better than a nice, relaxing getaway with friends on a tropical island. That is until your high school headmaster, Monokuma (who also happens to be a psychopathic living teddy bear), traps you and your classmates on the island. Leaving the island is impossible unless you agree to Monokuma’s game: you must kill one of your classmates and not be caught in the subsequent investigation and trial. Gameplay is split into three sections: interacting with other characters and advancing the story in Daily Life, investigating murder scenes in Deadly Life, and identifying culprits in Class Trial. With a truly unique tone and style, Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair is a real treat for fans of anime and detective games alike.

I’m hella stoked for more gamers to discover the deliciousness that is Danganronpa 2.

I long for the day when courtroom trials are enhanced with dramatic “COUNTER” graphics.

5. Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony gameplay

Set in a new school with a new cast of students, Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony continues the murderous adventures of the maniacal Monokuma. This time, Monokuma has trapped 16 students in a school with another twisted game. Each student must kill another student and get away with the murder. If no one is killed in the first two days, Monokuma promises he will kill all the students. The game features much of the same style and gameplay from the previous entry with plenty of brand new minigames to enjoy in between the mayhem. 

Monokuma is the greatest stuffed serial killer since Chucky.

The game’s colorful environments are explored in a first-person perspective.