21 Best Point and Click Adventure Games

Point-and-click adventure games were once the dominant genre in the gaming world. While they aren’t as popular as before, there are still plenty of games to try within the genre.

#21 The Murder of Sonic The Hedgehog

Platform: PC
Release Date: March 31, 2023

Steam

What happens when one of the most beloved gaming icons ever is brutally murdered at a friend’s birthday party? You’ll have to find out in the point-and-click adventure epic known as The Murder of Sonic The Hedgehog!

Ok, not really. Well, it is called that, but it’s not as dramatic as we made it sound. The game was an April Fool’s joke, so bear with us.

Anyway, Amy Rose has her birthday party on a “murder mystery train,” and Sonic is the one who’s killed. That means you, a new character in the series, must figure out who “murdered” him! Good luck with that, and have fun!

#20 Syberia

Syberia is a world-spanning journey that follows the exploits of Kate Walker. She’s a lawyer who is tasked to help oversee a deal of a rediscovered factory.

But in the course of trying to complete the deal, everything gets turned on its head. She’s suddenly surrounded by a variety of colorful characters, and Kate has to question everything she believes. Why is this factory so important? Who is the inventor that is the key to all that’s going on? What is the destiny that Kate Walker will find at the end of her journey?

These questions, and more, will be answered as you play.

#19 Machinarium

Machinarium turned a lot of heads when it was released. It had a unique art style, sound effects, and story.

You play as Josef, a robot who was kicked out of his hometown by the Black Cap Brotherhood. Just as bad, they took your girlfriend!

Now you must get back into town and fight them off to save her and the rest of your robot friends! Throughout the city are puzzles that need to be solved, see what happens when you solve them, and you might be surprised.

Through all that in with a beautifully composed score and you’ll see soon enough why so many people loved this game.

#18 Unavowed

The game Unavowed makes you a very atypical protagonist. How so? Well, you’re a person who was possessed for over a year. You did terrible things through that possession, leaving everything you know in shambles.

The only reason you get out of that possession is because of a society that is dedicated to fighting such threats. So you’ll join them and seek to hunt down other evils and prevent people from suffering like you have.

The game’s story has many branches and multiple customization elements. So dive into one part of the story, then start over and see where another path leads you!

#17 Tales from Borderlands: A Telltale Game Series

Whether it’s an FPS or a point-and-click adventure game, there ain’t no rest for the wicked.

Tales from Borderlands: A Telltale Game Series is a canonical entry in the beloved looter-shooter franchise. The twist here is that you’ll take things from a different perspective via these five episodic stories. Through the eyes of two “unreliable narrators,” you’ll start on a journey that will lead you to fame, glory, danger, and possibly death. But that shouldn’t stop people as good as you, right?

You’ll see classic characters and meet new people who flesh out the world. So are you ready to go on an adventure?

#16 The Darkside Detective

Welcome to Twin Lakes City, a peaceful place where nothing happens. We kid, it’s a place where paranormal events happen all the time, and the only one who solves them is The Darkside Detective.

You play Detective Francis McQueen, a man who is called on to solve the “dark cases” that plague the city. Alongside his partner, he’ll tackle nine cases with paranormal ties and attempt to rid the town of such influences.

Investigate crime scenes and see what you can turn up. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when the time comes, and enjoy the comedy within the title too.

#15 Sanitarium

Welcome to Sanitarium. We’re all mad here. But how “mad” you get depends on how clever you are.

You were in a car accident that left you heavily bandaged. But you don’t wake up in a hospital. You wake up in an asylum. Trapped there, you must wander around, figure out the mysteries of the place, and solve the riddles to unlock the truth about why you’re there and whether you can get out.

The game was praised by many for its “captivating experience,” and if you’re in for an adventure that’ll test your mind and ability to hold onto your sanity, the game might interest you.

#14 Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge

Don’t worry. We’ll talk about the original title later on in the list, but Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge is worth talking about first because many people loved it just as much as the original. Plus, like the original game, it got a “special edition” that helped it look presentable in modern gaming times.

You’ll return to the Caribbean as Guybrush Threepwood, who feels on top of the world after defeating the ghost pirate LeChuck. Only one problem, the pirate isn’t gone! He’s become a zombie! So now, Guybrush has to overcome a new set of trials, puzzles, and dangers if he’s going to make it out alive and not a victim of LeChuck’s plans!

#13 Indiana Jones and the Fate of the Atlantis

How appropriate that not too long ago, “Dr. Jones” had his latest movie title revealed, and now we’re talking about a classic adventure game from the 90s. Indiana Jones and the Fate of the Atlantis was one of many titles that LucasArts made to coincide with the popular movie trilogy.

The title puts you in the role of Indiana in 1939. The Third Reich desire to use an ancient mystical power to sink their enemies as Atlantis sank long ago.

Indy must stop them and keep that power out of their hands and the world’s hands. Set across two hundred locations, and with a dynamic score, you’ll have a blast swinging your way through this adventure!

#12 Twelve Minutes

Twelve Minutes is a fresh spin on the genre while adding much suspense and intensity. The game starts simply enough. A married couple enjoys dinner alone. But when a cop breaks in and beats you to death after accusing your wife of murder, things go south.

Then, things play in reverse as you go right back to the beginning of a 12-minute time loop. You’ll have to figure out how to break the loop and use the new information you obtain in each loop to stop things from happening as they would.

Keep your wits about you, you’ll never have enough time, yet you’ll have all the time in the world.

#11 Broken Age

From the brilliant mind of Tim Schafer, whom you’ll hear from many times on this list, we have Broken Age.

The title puts you not in one world but two. Specifically, you’ll see the lives of two kids, Vella and Shay. They live on two entirely different planets yet somehow have similar experiences. You’ll swap between their two worlds and figure out what’s happening with them. You’ll guide them on adventures and witness a loaded voice cast deliver emotional beats as the world unfolds around them.

It’s a modern take on the point-and-click adventure saga. You should try it if you have the time.

#10 Sam & Max Hit the Road

Oh, you want another title from LucasArts? Yeah, we can help with that.

Here we have Sam & Max Hit the Road, a detective point-and-click adventure game that focuses on two friends and mystery solvers. They’re hired to find a missing sasquatch who escaped from a carnival. Their journey will take them all across the country, meeting many weird people along the way.

You’ll control Sam & Max and guide them to where the clues are. Interacting with the locals can help you get information that might be useful later. Will you be able to find Bigfoot? Or will the road hit you and stop you from trying?

#9 Thimbleweed Park

Thimbleweed Park is a title that subverts many expectations and delivers a unique experience that’ll leave you with many questions about what you partook in.

The game focuses on five characters drawn to a small town where a dead body was recently found. But as they go through the night together, more questions begin to pile up. Each of them doesn’t know the others, yet they are linked. How is that possible? Why were they all brought here on this night?

These are only a few of the questions you’ll need to answer for yourself. Whether you’re ready or not, things will get intense and funny.

#8 The Wolf Among Us

If we told you that The Wolf Among Us features you as the legendary “big bad wolf” from fairy tale lore, you’d probably think you’re the bad guy. But the world that TellTale crafted here isn’t your typical fairy tale. Instead, it’s based on the Fables franchise that DC Comics made, and these fairy tale characters don’t always act how you feel they will.

You play as Bigby, the big bad wolf, and protector of Fabletown. When a murder happens on your watch, you do whatever it takes to get to the truth. But where the truth leads might not be what you expect. So make your choices carefully in the game, as they’ll affect the story’s outcome.

#7 Day of the Tentacle

Day of the Tentacle was another title from LucasArts that helped redefine what point-and-click adventure games could be. The title puts you in the role of three friends with a daunting task ahead of them. There’s an alien tentacle trying to take over the planet, and they’re the only ones who can stop it!

They’ll solve puzzles, travel through time, and more to get things done.

The best part is that a remastered version of the title is available for you to play, and it’ll let you switch between the original and remastered modes whenever you want. So if you’ve never played the game before, now is the perfect opportunity.

#6 The Secret of Monkey Island

Hailed as one of the best point-and-click adventure games of all time, The Secret of Monkey Island originally came out in 1990! The game took players on a journey to the titular island to discover its secrets and become an infamous pirate!

But that’s not all you’ll do. You’ll have to solve puzzles, fight the ghost pirate LeChuck, potentially win the heart of a certain governor, and more!

While you can play the original title to this day, the game got a remake via the “Special Edition.”

Either way, once you dive in, you’ll want to enjoy it from start to finish and see how far you can take this swashbuckling adventure!

#5 Batman: The Telltale Series

Another Telltale title makes the list; this time, it’s Batman: The Telltale Series. Their take on the Dark Knight wasn’t what people expected, but that made it all the more interesting to play.

You play the Dark Knight, but in a version of Gotham, that is different from the norm. Bruce Wayne used to be best friends with Oswald Cobblepot. Also, Bruce’s parents weren’t outstanding citizens, as you’d expect. That’s not even getting into the situation with Joker and Harley Quinn!

Through the game, you’ll tailor your experience based on the decisions you make as Bruce. Think fast and be decisive. Of course, you’ll have to deal with the consequences later. What will Gotham be like after you’re done with it?

#4 Papers, Please

Papers, Please won a lot of people over with its clever story and use of game mechanics to put the player under a lot of stress. The title is set within the nation of Arstotzka. They are a Communist nation and have been at war with their neighbors for six years. When the war ends, immigrants try to enter the country, and that’s where you come in.

While some of these immigrants are regular people, some are people of ill intent. Your role as an immigration inspector is to check their official paperwork and see if it passes muster or is fake.

That may sound easy, but over time, it gets more challenging, and you’ll need to justify whether you let someone in and risk everything or reject them out of caution.

#3 Grim Fandango

Putting another classic point-and-click title near the top of the list is only fitting. Grim Fandango was the 1998 classic by Tim Schafer that told the tale of Manny Calavera. Manny was a grim reaper and “travel agent” for the dead. But in a bid to get ahead in his job, he gets wrapped up in a conspiracy that affects all of the afterlife!

Now, he seeks to expose everything and save the life of a woman who also got caught in the conspiracy. The unique setting blends perfectly with the humor of the title. The remastered version of it is available should you want the improved look.

#2 The Walking Dead: A Telltale Game Series

Our final entry from Telltale is the one that put them on the map for this style of storytelling. The Walking Dead: A Telltale Game Series is set within the world of the beloved comic books, but with original characters and a story that is both haunting and heartbreaking.

Throughout much of it, you’ll play as Clementine, a young girl trying to survive the zombie apocalypse. Through your choices, you’ll have to decide her fate and the fate of those around her. The game does not hold back on the consequences you’ll face or the dangers everywhere.

But be warned, your greatest enemy might not be the dead. It’s the living.

#1 Myst

The original, the one that helped set the tone for all point-and-click adventure games to come, etc. Myst is the game when you think of this genre, and it’s still heralded to this day. A team even “reimagined” the original title for the modern age via the 2021 release.

In the game, you’ll be taken to an island with puzzles and mysteries everywhere. Only by solving them can you advance, and by learning more, you see the truth about all around you on this island.

The question is, will you be ready for what else is revealed about the island and possibly you?