OGGENRE

Adventure games

Built on exploration, curiosity and story; a genre that invites you to work out a world without rushing you.

284 games 12 rated 2 recent stories
Adventure games

What is the adventure genre?

At the heart of an adventure game is curiosity rather than reaction. The player is dropped into a world and figures out, step by step, how it works, what is there and who is hiding what. The way forward usually comes from finding the right place, picking up the right object or asking the right question, not from reflexes.

The genre was born in text-based games, grew up in the point and click era and today lives on in big-budget action-adventure games and story-driven indie titles. The common thread has not changed: An adventure game encourages you to learn, not just to win.

What defines it?

Exploration first

The next step is rarely marked on the map; you find it by reading the world.

Story carries it

Mechanics serve the narrative, and the plot unfolds as you progress.

Puzzles and interaction

Objects, dialogue and clues in the environment are the real keys to progress.

Your own pace

Most adventure games apply no time pressure and leave room to think.

Landmark games

Well-known examples often used to explain the genre. For the list on our site, see the games section below.

The Legend of Zelda Uncharted Monkey Island Life is Strange Firewatch

At a glance

GenreAdventure
Games on our site284
Rated games12
Latest release2028

Latest stories on adventure games

Frequently asked questions

What does action-adventure mean?

It is the name for games that combine exploration and storytelling with sections that need skill, such as fighting, climbing and jumping. Uncharted and Zelda are the best-known examples of the mix.

Are adventure games hard?

The difficulty is usually about seeing the solution, not about reflexes. Getting stuck is normal in classic adventure games; modern titles tend to soften this with hint systems.

If you like this, try these genres