10) The Secret of Monkey Island

The Secret of Monkey Island gameplay video

Guybrush Threepwood wants to be a pirate. To start with, he has a puffy shirt and the ability to hold his breath underwater for ten minutes. But he’ll need a lot more than that to realize his dream - and to take on the sinister ghost pirate LeChuck, who haunts the seas…

Plot hole: how does the grog not dissolve the drinks machine? LAZY WRITING, that’s how.

The Secret of Monkey Island takes joy from tossing you into a thoroughly goofy and anachronistic world that looks less like the historical Caribbean and more like something a bunch of kids would make up on a playdate. But thanks to some sharp writing and a relatable protagonist to keep things grounded, you'll find the game's humor hasn't dated at all - and its moments of warmth and heart are surprisingly disarming.

Even if I never really figured out what the secret of Monkey Island was.

“The collar bone’s connected to the…neck bone…”

9) Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge

Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge gameplay video

Having failed to find much renown after defeating LeChuck, Guybrush Threepwood has set his sights on an even greater achievement - the recovery of a legendary treasure known only as Big Whoop. But in his youthful hubris, Guybrush inadvertently returns his old nemesis to (un)life. LeChuck also desires the secret of Big Whoop…and now he is out for vengeance.

“It all started when a remastered edition was announced…”

MI2 takes everything that made its predecessor great and runs with it, giving us greater scope, better visuals, and a less linear, more exploration-driven experience. And in addition to the humor being on top form, the story also expands the more menacing undercurrents of the first game. I'm not ashamed to say that being chased across corridors by LeChuck made my hair stand up on end as a kid.

Peak capitalism: an island with nothing to do but spit competitively.

8) Blade Runner

Blade Runner gameplay video

Detective Ray McCoy is tasked with hunting down a group of rogue “replicants”, genetically-engineered slaves with superhuman strength and intelligence. But this simple hunt will lead McCoy to question the foundations of the society he lives in - as well as his own sanity.

Fun fact: this level of visual quality was indistinguishable from films of the time.

Blade Runner's game adaptation preserves the grimy, glittering mood of the film while telling a original story that is compelling in its own right. The plot incorporates elements of randomness that keep the game spontaneous after scores of playthroughs - maybe it gave playtesters a headache, but it was stunningly ambitious for its time and it still impresses today. 

“What shade of paint did you use?” “Depression Blue.”

7) The Walking Dead

The Walking Dead gameplay video

As a zombie plague overwhelms the world, Georgia convict Lee Everett escapes imprisonment and finds himself burdened with a new chance at life. But the new world is not as forgiving as the old - and the choices Lee makes on the road to survival may drag him back to hell…

The most joyous moment in the game.

In many ways superior to the television series from which it spun off, Telltale's The Walking Dead went the extra mile to achieve the emotional depth and visual dynamism of a television episode. Engaging cinematography, conversations that flow, and a cast of characters with depth and dynamism make for an enthralling exercise in situational judgment.

“And you shoot Old Yeller for me too, y’hear?”

6) Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis

Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis gameplay video

As the Nazis close in on the fabled city of Atlantis, whose power they intend to use to become invincible, it’s up to Indiana Jones to get there first and save the civilized world. But not without a couple of misadventures along the way!

Real archaeologists get Nazis to do their digging for them.

The Fate of Atlantis doesn't have much in the way of traditional Indy fight sequences, but it more than makes up for it in other areas. The game really does give you the feeling of being Indiana Jones - not Indiana Jones the super-athletic action hero, but Indiana Jones the puzzler, the thinker, the historical detective with a cutting remark on his lips. The story has all the classic elements begging for a film adaptation - exotic locations, mystical artifacts, repulsive villains, and a world-spanning adventure.

I don’t KNOW, Indiana JONES!

5) The Last Express

The Last Express gameplay video

In 1914, an American doctor on the run boards the Orient Express. But instead of getting him out of trouble, the trip will entangle him in a web of intrigue. Everyone on the Orient Express has a secret. Everyone on the Orient Express has a goal. And they will do what is necessary to achieve their ends…

“It’s not what it looks like! He, uh…swooned with desire for me.”

Lots of point-and-click adventures tend to string players along a fairly linear path of fitting different types of keys to different types of locks. The Last Express opts for player choice, creating a marvelously non-linear and replayable experience that still retains depth and the ability to surprise.

“Let’s make it interesting. I’ll play for that grey arrow on your armrest.”