It could be argued that Telltale Games were responsible for bringing adventure games in the point-and-click genre back into fashion with modern audiences. Their games like The Walking Dead and Back to the Future were a financial and critical success, and some still remain some of the best-licensed games on the market.
RELATED: Every Halo Game, Ranked From Worst To Best (According To Metacritic)
Their brand of interactive storytelling intuitively blended visual novels, interactive movies, and old-school point-and-click adventure game mechanics became synonymous with the genre, and the benchmark for similarly styled games like Life is Strange. Unfortunately, Telltale Games ran into financial troubles, and the studio closed in 2018.
Updated on June 3rd, 2021, by Jack Pursey: Telltale Games may have closed its doors in 2018. However, the strength of its games live on, thanks to the studio's wonderfully crafted narratives. These games tell engrossing stories that players are often able to heavily influence with their choices. To ensure that the studio's legacy lives on and their excellent story-driven games don't get lost in time, we've updated this list to include five more of their most critically acclaimed titles.
15 The Walking Dead: Michonne - 67
The Walking Dead: Michonne released in 2016 for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. It was comprised of three episodes that were set during the events of Michonne’s departure from the TV series.
It didn’t quite receive the critical acclaim of the main series. However, many fans thought that the second was one of the best in the series. The game did a great job in providing some strong character development for a popular character from the TV show.
14 Back to the Future: The Game - 73
Back to the Future: The Game is one of many games on this list that had its Metascores separated into episodes. The 73 score featured here is an average of its five separate scores.
Telltale Games tried its best to ensure that its fanbase would be happy with Back to the Future: The Game by asking for their input via online surveys. The studio clearly wanted to stay true to the IP's roots, as the film trilogy's co-writer Bob Gale was hired as a story consultant for the game. The care and concern for the Back to the Future franchise was evident in the final product, making the game a great choice for fans of the films.
13 Wallace & Gromit's Grand Adventures - 74
From one beloved film series to another, the Wallace & Gromit franchise has warmed the hearts of many over the years with its wholesome tales of an inventor and his highly expressive dog. The franchise isn't only beloved for its quintessential British humor, but also for its clay animation. The series is meticulously crafted to pack each scene with as much life as possible.
RELATED: The Best Crash Bandicoot Games According To Metacritic (& Worst)
Telltale Games' Grand Adventures does a fantastic job of replicating the weird and wonderful world of Wallace & Gromit. It ensures that the episodes never take themselves too seriously and are packed with over-the-top humor.
12 Sam & Max: Save The World - 74
Sam & Max: Save The World was originally released in episodes for the PC between 2006 and 2007, but was later released for the Nintendo Wii and Xbox Live in 2008. It was based on the comic book series of the same name, and was developed by former members of LucasArts along with Telltale Games.
The game managed to capture all the magic that fans of LucasArts’ previous works loved. In addition, the visuals and writing perfectly captured the essence of the comics, and the game’s tough puzzles had much of the same charm as the classic Monkey Island series.
11 Sam & Max: Beyond Time And Space - 75
Sam & Max: Beyond Time And Space was the second episodic adventure based on the Sam & Max comics. The complete series of five episodes released for the PC, Xbox Live, and the Nintendo Wii in 2009.
Even though the game ran on the same engine as its predecessor, it featured several improvements, such as smoother animations and more interactivity with the game’s world and its NPCs. Many critics praised the game’s story, with every episode improving upon the quality of the last.
10 Bone: The Great Cow Race - 76
Bone: The Great Cow Race initially released in 2006 as the sequel to Bone: Out from Boneville from the previous year. The Great Cow Race is based upon Jeff Smith's 1996 comic of the same name and lets players control all three Bone cousins in a similar way to LucasArts' iconic graphic adventure Day of the Tentacle.
Unfortunately, Bone: The Great Cow Race is over very quickly for a mid-2000s game, with a runtime of just 3 hours. Still, the game is worth checking out for fans of the genre. It crams tons of entertainment into its limited time.
9 Marvel’s Guardians Of The Galaxy - 78
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy was based on the comic book of the same name. It built upon the success of the blockbuster movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The game released in 2017 across 5 episodes on the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and the PC.
The game received praise for its voice acting and fast-paced plot. However, it also received criticism for not taking any risks with the usual Telltale formula. Furthermore, by the final episode, Don’t Stop Believin', many Marvel felt that they didn’t quite live up to the game’s strong opening or the films and comics.
8 Batman The Telltale Series - 79
Batman: The Telltale Series released in 2016 on the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, and mobile devices. It was the first game from the developer to feature Crowd Play, which allowed players to get an audience online help with making decisions in the game’s branching story.
RELATED: Every Rayman Game, From Worst To Best (Ranked By Metacritic)
Being a Telltale game, the main draw of playing Batman in this title is the detective and investigation sequences as Batman. However, it's refreshing to play the story from Bruce Wayne's perspective. This aspect helps show a more human side to the man, which is especially satisfying since fans don't often get to see that in video games.
7 Batman: The Enemy Within - 79
Batman: The Enemy Within was a direct sequel to Telltale’s 2016 outing and released on the PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices. Just like its predecessor, players control both Batman and Bruce Wayne, depending on the situation of the story.
However, the game’s biggest draw is the characterization of The Joker. Because of the game's unique take, critics praised his portrayal and the complexities of the story. The Enemy Within is also praised for being one the best and most sympathetic portrayals of The Joker character, long before the Joaquin Phoenix film.
6 CSI: Deadly Intent - 80
CSI: Deadly Intent differentiates itself from the majority of games on this list, as it wasn't published by Telltale Games themselves. Instead industry giants Ubisoft handled the publishing side of things, while Telltale Games worked on development.
CSI: Deadly Intent coincided with the ninth season of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. It featured an impressive amount of cast members, including Laurence Fishburne, Lauren Lee Smith, and Robert David Hall, who all reprised their roles.
5 Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People - 80
Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People is based on the web series Homestar Runner. Like its source material, it features a similar brand of surreal comedy that the show is known for.
Like many games on this list, Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People was broken up into numerous episodes. However, the timescale between releases was considerably shorter than some of the other games. All five episodes released between August and December in 2008.
4 The Wolf Among Us - 83
The Wolf Among Us released on the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Vita, Xbox 360, and Xbox One in 2014. The game was based on the Fables comic book series by Bill Willingham. The story is a prequel set twenty years before the events of the graphic novel.
RELATED: The Best Games In The Final Fantasy Franchise, Ranked (According To Metacritic)
The game’s dark story takes place in a world where fantasy and mythical characters like Beauty and the Beast, The Big Bad Wolf, Snow White, and more are living in an enclave called Fabletown. The characters stay hidden from human eyes by using the Glamour enchantment, which makes them appear human. Fans of shows like Supernatural and Grimm will have a great time with The Wolf Among Us.
3 The Walking Dead: The Telltale Definitive Series - 85
The Walking Dead: The Telltale Definitive Series released in 2019, and included the entire Clementine series from start to finish. The compilation was released by Skybound after the closure of Telltale games. For many fans, it really is the definitive Walking Dead series.
Many fans of the franchise praise the games for having a more consistent and compelling story than The Walking Dead series on AMC. This definitive collection contains over 50 hours of gameplay. Additionally, it includes features like the developer’s commentary, a music player, and behind-the-scenes featurettes.
2 Tales Of Monkey Island - 86
Tales of Monkey Island released in 2009 for the PC, Nintendo Wii, PlayStation Network, and iOS. It was the fifth game in the series and was still under license from LucasArts. The latter company oversaw development to ensure that the spirit of its predecessors continued.
Tales of Monkey Island was developed by Dave Grossman, who directed the first two games, The Secret of Monkey Island and Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge. Additionally, many of the game’s original cast reprised their voice roles. It marked a great return to the series after nearly a decade of absence and helped bring classic point-and-click adventure games to modern audiences.
1 Tales From The Borderlands - 88
Tales from The Borderlands is a spin-off from the post-apocalyptic FPS action series. It released on the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC, and mobile devices. It’s Telltale's most critically acclaimed title – despite not selling as well as Telltale’s other games – and is an essential purchase for fans of the Borderlands series.
The game features a great voice cast with returning actors Troy Baker, Dameon Clarke, and Laura Bailey. Additionally, actors Nolan North, Chris Hardwick, Erin Yvette, and Patrick Warburton appear to play new characters in the game.