Top Adventure Games of All Time

Adventure conjures up only one thing in my mind – The Indiana Jones film trilogy, not counting The Crystal Skull. There's little else which comes close to delivering such a sense of adventure. So with that in mind which games fit the bill for best adventure?

Well, The Uncharted series – especially the brilliant second game "Among Thieves" – have to go down as some of the best. Naughty Dog manages to weave together likeable characters, wit, emotion, and some great action set pieces like no other studio has delivered. In fact, many have said that the series' lead Nathan Drake is the closest video games have come to creating an Indiana Jones hero.

Adventures aren't limited to those taking place on Earth, with many of the most acclaimed movies in the genre taking a sci-fi slant. Star Wars, Star Trek and even the recent Guardians of the Galaxy are prime examples of delivering edge of your seat action adventure. Move that over to video games and you've got BioWare's brilliant Mass Effect Trilogy which follows much of the same formula for mixed species, galactic exploration.

And to keep the movie comparisons going. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy brought fantasy adventure to the silver screen in a fashion many wouldn't have believed possible, much like Bethesda managed with its stupendous The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim. Console gamers picking up the game were wowed by the open-world exploration on offer.

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  • 30.

    8

    Point and click pixel puzzles from Norway. For more detailed thoughts on Milkmaid of the Milky Way check out the features listed below. Our picks for January indie games Milkmaid of the Milky Way is one of our featured... more

    Reviewed on:   Platforms: PC, iOS

  • 29.

    8

    Night in the Woods

    A series of unfurtunate events For more detailed thoughts on Night in the Woods check out the video and feature below Growing up is hard to do in Night in the Woods Twenty-year old Mae Borowski is back in Possum Springs... more

    Reviewed on:   Platforms: PC, PS4

  • 28.

    8

    Use money on Thimbleweed Park One of the most joyful things about point and click adventures is that you can construct the most wonderfully ridiculous sentences around them. Like: 'I can't figure out how to turn off the radio.... more

    Reviewed on:   Platforms: PC, Xbox One

  • 27.

    8

    In space, no one can hear you going through their stuff. I really liked Tacoma, but in the spirit of making this review as useful as possible to the largest potential number of people, I'll start by saying that if you didn't... more

    Reviewed on:   Platforms: PC, Xbox One

  • 26.

    9

    The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

    When playing Wind Waker, it's impossible not to succumb to its charm and unashamed freedom of imagination. Zelda: The Wind Waker is a work of genius. Make the most of it. Genius. Perfection. Magnificence. All words that have... more

    Reviewed on:   Platforms: Cube

  • 25.

    9

    Metroid Prime 2: Echoes

    Metroid Prime 2 is challenging in the very best way and it's a rare gem that reminds you just how great gaming can be People fear change. Especially within certain tried and tested genres. First person shooters, for instance,... more

    Reviewed on:   Platforms: Cube

  • 24.

    9

    Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney

    A fine example of the adventure game genre. Buying this game should be made law. Who would be a lawyer, eh? The Bard himself (that's Shakespeare, you philistines) was most uncomplimentary of their profession in several of... more

    Reviewed on:   Platforms: DS

  • 23.

    9

    Metroid Prime 3: Corruption

    Corruption may not be much of an evolution of the series, and it's not without its flaws, but remains one of, if not, the biggest reason to own a Wii. If for some bizarre reason you thought Retro Studios would pull a Sam... more

    Reviewed on:   Platforms: Wii

  • 22.

    9

    Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure

    With wonderfully varied levels, colourful, cel-shaded graphics and mind-bending puzzles Zack & Wiki triumphantly makes its debut on Nintendo Wii. Don't be put off by Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure's unwieldy title... more

    Reviewed on:   Platforms: Wii

  • 21.

    9

    Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts

    With spectacular presentation, highly entertaining Robot Wars style multiplayer and a lot of good hearted humour, the bear and bird are back. Comeback accomplished. Comebacks aren't easy. Just as with any form of media you're... more

    Reviewed on:   Platforms: Xbox 360

  • 20.

    9

    Professor Layton and the Curious Village

    It's not an epic adventure, like Phantom Hourglass, or polished platformer, like New Super Mario Bros., but in many ways Professor Layton is better than both those games. "What's that game?" my better half asked, staring... more

    Reviewed on:   Platforms: DS

  • 19.

    9

    Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars - The Director's Cut

    If you've finished Professor Layton and you're looking for something that combines decent puzzles with a ripping yarn, this is well worth a gander. "Paris in the fall. The last months of the year, and the end of the millennium.... more

    Reviewed on:   Platforms: DS

  • 18.

    9

    Beneath A Steel Sky – Remastered

    Whether you're an established fan of puzzle adventures or just a newcomer to the genre, Beneath a Steel Sky is an absolute delight. Earlier this year Revolution released a Director's Cut for the highly-acclaimed Broken Sword:... more

    Reviewed on:   Platforms: iPhone

  • 17.

    9

    Heavy Rain

    If you want a true indicator of the PS3's abilities, and of the true potential of what video games can do, I can think of no better candidate. To a greater extent than most games, Heavy Rain is a story-driven adventure. As... more

    Reviewed on:   Platforms: PS3

  • 16.

    9

    Alan Wake

    Alan Wake is a superbly scripted adventure and a technical showcase for the now-ageing Xbox 360 hardware. If you go down to the woods today you're sure of a big surprise, but this ain't no picnic. "It was Tuesday morning,... more

    Reviewed on:   Platforms: Xbox 360

  • 15.

    9

    Sly Collection

    The Sly Collection is a top-notch compilation of some of the most beautiful platformers ever made. Would somebody in the UK please buy it? Sony's attempts to include PS2 compatibility with the PS3 might have been an unmitigated... more

    Reviewed on:   Platforms: PS3

  • 14.

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    Alan Wake

    Alan Wake is still a superbly scripted adventure on PC. This review was originally published for the Xbox 360 version of Alan Wake, published by Microsoft in 2010. The PC version uses Steamworks and is being self-published... more

    Reviewed on:   Platforms: PC

  • 13.

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    Journey

    Journey is an immaculately constructed, expertly choreographed experience that tells a story in an intelligent way, exploring themes of faith and fate, death and rebirth with a rare delicacy of touch. Wonder: that's what... more

    Reviewed on:   Platforms: PS3

  • 12.

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    The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD

    A beautiful upgrade that makes an already wonderful game even better. If proof was ever needed that you shouldn't give a flying monkey's what your audience thinks, then the Wind Waker debacle of the early 00s is it. Remember... more

    Reviewed on:   Platforms: Wii U

  • 11.

    9

    Tearaway

    One of, if not the, best games on the Vita, and one of 2013’s most unforgettable adventures. Imagination is Tearaway's genius. Don't be fooled by its core simplicity: its inventive approach to puzzles, platforming and storytelling... more

    Reviewed on:   Platforms: PS Vita

  • 10.

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    The Walking Dead: Season Two Episode Two – A House Divided

    A superior episode, and one that bodes well for the rest of the season. You'll be especially thankful for the "Previously on..." introduction in this second episode, as it's been bloody ages (read: three months) since Telltale... more

    Reviewed on:   Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC

  • 9.

    9

    The Walking Dead: In Harm's Way

    Offers a proper bad guy for you to hate, but also asks how far you’ll go to escape. It's unsettling to look back at the choices I've made throughout my time in The Walking Dead. Over the course of the two seasons thus far... more

    Reviewed on:   Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC

  • 8.

    9

    The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D

    ABXY Moon (sorry) It's time for Majora's Mask to step out of Ocarina of Time's shadow. Comfortably the most innovative and arguably the best of the Zelda series, the condensed mission structure and three-day cycle makes it... more

    Reviewed on:   Platforms: 3DS

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    The Last Guardian

    Almost a decade in the making, The Last Guardian has issues but will surely go down in history as one of the best love stories in video games. The Last Guardian: Trico loves me, and I love him. But I also hate him Sony's... more

    Reviewed on:   Platforms: PS3, PS4

  • 6.

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    Link is out on his grandest adventure yet. For more thoughts on The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the wild check out the video and feature below Version tested: Nintendo Switch Hearing the call of the wild The untamed world... more

    Reviewed on:   Platforms: Wii U, Nintendo Switch

  • 5.

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    Scattered memories Most families have untold stories that are kept secret from younger members. It’s understandable, because certain memories can cripple the innocence of those whose main worry is whether or not George and... more

    Reviewed on:   Platforms: PC, PS4

  • 4.

    10

    The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D

    We knew then that Miyamoto and co had made a classic, but it's only now that we can see just how revolutionary Ocarina of Time actually was. I bought the gold cartridge edition of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time at its... more

    Reviewed on:   Platforms: 3DS

  • 3.

    10

    Ico & Shadow of the Colossus Collection

    Invest in each world - in the castle and Yorda, and the Forbidden Lands and Agro - and you'll be rewarded with an experience that will stay with you for a very long time. Back when I was at university, I tackled the subject... more

    Reviewed on:   Platforms: PS3

  • 2.

    10

    The Last of Us: Remastered

    The best version of one of the last generation's best games. Editor's Note: Below is a rundown of the technical accomplishments of The Last of Us Remastered, and how they affect the game itself. For a review of the PS3 version... more

    Reviewed on:   Platforms: PS4

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    Inside

    Inside delights from start to finish. Don't miss out on what will surely be one of the best games of this generation. Playdead's Inside, the studio's follow-up to indie darling Limbo, is very much in the mould of its predecessor:... more

    Reviewed on:   Platforms: Xbox One, PC