Telltale Games was founded back in June 2004 and it is an independent video game developer, and publisher, based in California. When Telltale first came about, the team focused more on point-and-click adventures with puzzle elements. Nowadays, they make more adventure games that are based on popular films, television, comics and other video games.
Telltale make some of the most fantastic video games, which is helped by the popularity of the brands on which they base their games. Here is my pick of the best 10 Telltale games that you should be playing right now.
10. Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones sees you control House Forrester of Ironwrath, based in the North of Westeros. Their most valued material is ironwood from the ironwood trees in the forest surrounding their home. You must walk around and interact with your surroundings, as well as make some of the toughest choices, all to save the ironwood which is being taken away from you by other, more powerful houses.
There are several people you control whilst following the storyline – giving it that true Game of Thrones feeling. Some of the choices will have you screaming at your screen as you have to quickly consider all the consequences before making a really important decision, particularly with some of the extraordinarily difficult choices towards the end of the game.
The game consists of 6 episodes in total and you can get it for any major console, including for iOS and Android. A second season is currently in development, so you should get playing now before it’s time to move into part two of the gripping story.
You’ll come across some familiar faces
There are some truly gripping scenes!
9. Puzzle Agent 2
Puzzle Agent 2, a sequel to Puzzle Agent, was released in 2011 and is available for PC, Mac, iOS and Android. In this hilariously creepy story, you take the role of a puzzle agent or is trying to get to the bottom of very dark and mysterious happenings.
You are faced with a variety of different puzzles, from jigsaws to maths puzzles, all whilst working on your case. If you get stuck, don’t worry! You can always use a piece of chewing gum as a hint (though, be careful, there is only a limited amount of pieces of chewing gum available for you to use).
I played this game on my mobile, meaning it was a brilliant way to pass the time when out and about. The structure of the game allows you to play for short periods at a time.
The game offers some really challenging puzzles
There is some witty humour in the cut scenes
8. The Jackbox Party Pack
The Jackbox Party Pack (there are three in total) offers players 5 games per pack, which are hilariously commentated and wonderful designed. Depending on the game, you can play with up to 8 players (some offer more, some are limited to 6), and the best bit about it is that you can use your phone or tablet as a controller – you don’t need 8 controllers for your console! I found that very useful for those a little less fond of gaming, as they weren’t confronted with a load of buttons that they didn’t understand.
This game is great for parties and when you have a few friends around, but some of the games also offer a lot of fun with just two people. There is one game per pack that also offers one game that can be played one-player.
It’s a fantastic game that is made to be multiplayer. It gets everyone involved – from the more advanced gamer like you and me, to those who may have never had a game controller in their hand their entire life.
In Fibbage, players have to come up with a fake answer and try and trick the others into believing that their answer is the correct one
In Lie Swatter, players have to decide whether a statement is true or false
7. Tales of Monkey Island
Tales of Monkey Island is the fifth installment to the popular Monkey Island series. As with many Telltale games, this installment includes five episodes, all of which were released in 2009. The story follows on from the previous four games in the series, but it is also possible to play this game without having played the previous games.
Telltale did a great job making this installment to the fantastic series hilarious – helped by the amazingly funny characters you meet along the way. This game is more of a point-and-click adventure, just like the previous games in the series, so users who know the Monkey Island series won’t be disappointed with this fantastic game.
Roam around the area and interact with different objects
The characters are extremely funny to watch in the cut scenes
6. Tales from the Borderlands
Tales from the Borderlands is based on the well-known game, Borderlands. The Telltale game, consisting of five episodes, is the latest in the Borderland timeline, and is also playable to those who haven’t played the previous games in the series.
Your choices influence the outcome of the game, so choose carefully and consider all consequences. Unlike typical Telltale games, there is also some shooter elements to the game, which is featured in the Borderlands series itself. But the main part of the game is point-and-click, as well as walking around certain areas and interacting with certain characters and objects.
The game has been highly praised, particularly for its humorous writing and unexpected twists in the storyline – but I won’t give you any spoilers! Play the game for yourself to see what the praise is all about!
The game truly keeps you on your toes!
Your choices affect the outcome of the game
5. 7 Days to Die
7 Days to Die, as you can see from the trailer, is not for the light-hearted. It’s a survival game – a zombie survival game. Imagine Minecraft with less pixely graphics and more zombies! (But, if you don’t like the idea of zombies but love the idea of a building game, then you can always just turn off the zombies!)
Players are thrown into a huge world, either a pre-made world or a randomly generated one, and the aim is to, well, survive. You can break apart just about anything to get necessary materials to build things, such as tools and weapons, as well as walls and windows to make the perfect base – don’t forget your defences! The default setting is that zombies are slow during the day and they can run at night – you can also edit that to your pleasing if you’d like (I personally like it when they walk slowly day and night – the standard original kind of zombie).
This game is also perfect for multiplayer and has online play built into it. You can work together to make a base, or even go against each other if you want to! Let your creativity go wild and defend yourself from the zombies!
Build a base to protect you from the living dead
Zombies are unfortunately not the only enemy you will face
4. Batman – The Telltale Series
Everybody got truly excited when they heard that Telltale were making a game based on the famous Batman series. And they had a reason to get excited! The game was released last year in 2016, but there is no adaptation of the world in film or other media.In total, the series offers 5 episodes and it is available for many consoles, as well as iOS and Android. As with many Telltale games, your choices affect what happens in the game.
One thing I love about the Batman game is the introduction of “crowd play”. You can use this to allow other people to watch you and also participate in the difficult decision-making you are going to be faced with. When you are faced with a decision, your audience votes and you are offered their thoughts before you make your decision. Will you all agree or will you choose something different?
You decide how the story unfolds
The storyline is truly compelling
3. The Wolf Among Us
Another point-and-click game, The Wolf Among Us is based on the comic with the same name. This game is seen as a prequel to the comic. The game consists of a total of five episodes and is available for most consoles, as well as iOS and Android.
You control Bigby Wolf as he investigates the mysterious murder of a woman. Your choices affect what happens in the game – one big thing in this game being how the different characters see you as a person. If you make them happy, then they are likely to return the favour. But it’s not easy making every person you speak with happy, so be wary about what you say and do.
This game is truly action-packed and will keep you wanting more and more as you play through all the episodes in the series.
Meet a variety of interesting characters
How will your story unfold?
2. Minecraft: Story Mode
Who doesn’t love Minecraft? Well, Telltale took the series and made a fantastic point-and-click adventure game. The five episodes were released in 2015 and 2016, and there are also three extra episodes available to download.
This game is hilarious. Players walk around, collect items, solve puzzles, and other things, all with hilariously thought-out conversation trees with other unplayable characters. As with lots of Telltale games, your choices affect what will happen at the end of the game. Your choices are based on quick time events, meaning you don’t have too long to sit and decide which option to choose – so don’t think about it too much!
Minecraft: Story Mode also boasts some building and crafting elements, in a similar style to the Minecraft games, meaning lovers of Minecraft won’t be disappointed.
Decide what to say and do and see what effects that brings
Explore huge areas in Minecraft style!
1. The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead Telltale series very easily makes it to the top of my life of Telltale games you should be playing right now. The game consists, so far, of three series, each of which has five episodes. Series three is currently underway and three of the episodes are available to play, with the final two coming soon this year.
Your choices are crucial to the development of this game, and there are many moments in which I may have scream out loud due to being given such a difficult decision with only 10 seconds to consider it – some decisions are even questions of life and death for some of the characters in the game, so be careful!
There are definitely a few jumps in this game – but I guess you should probably expect that from a zombie game! Players need to be aware at all times, because you never know when something will happen which will require some button-smashing or decision-making – even when everything seems fine and the characters are having a nice, quiet conversation.
This is definitely the Telltale game you should be playing right now. And with three series available, all of which are connected, then you have a lot of gaming hours ahead of you! Don’t miss out!
Follow the story of Lee and Clementine as they try and survive in this new world
You have the choice on many occasions – and sometimes that choice is an extremely difficult one!
Telltale Games really know how to make some of the most gripping and exciting games out there. Regardless of your taste, there’s a game out there for everyone. So what are you waiting for? Go and decide and get playing!
You may also be interested in:
The Growing Popularity of Episodic Video Games
