Looking for the best point and click games on the PC?
Point and click games are a timeless genre that have found a recent resurgence among the indie game scene. These casual games forgo complicated controls and high-paced action in favor of storytelling, puzzles, and a unique art style. If you are in the mood for a game with engaging characters and simple exploration, this list is some of the best the point and click genre has to offer.
1) The Walking Dead – A Telltale Games Series
Telltale Games’ The Walking Dead has been credited with revitalizing the adventure game genre. Based on the original comic book series but with original characters, you play as Lee, a convicted criminal thrust into the middle of the zombie apocalypse. Early on you rescue a little girl named Clementine who you take under your wing, vowing to protect her in this strange and deadly world.
Lee and Clementine. Will he succeed in keeping her safe in this zombie-filled world?
Unlike most games in its genre, The Walking Dead focuses less on puzzles and more on player decisions, in the form of dialogue choices and quick time events. These decisions can affect how characters respond to Lee throughout the game, and can even determine who lives and who dies. Play consists of action sequences where you must press a series of buttons within a time limit and choosing what to say to the multiple characters you encounter on your journey.
Beloved characters from the comics make special guest appearances in Lee’s quest to survive.
The Walking Dead has won numerous awards for Game of the Year and sold over 8.5 million units the year of its release. The game comes in two 5-episode seasons, with a third season rumored to release this fall.
2) Grim Fandango Remastered
The classic LucasArts game puts you in the skeletal shoes of Manny Calavera, a travel agent at the Department of Death. Your job is to escort the recently deceased to the Land of the Dead, through which all souls must travel before reaching their ultimate destination: the Land of Eternal Rest.
Manny: just your ordinary skeletal businessman.
Grim Fandango combines elements of film noir with Mexican folklore, the characters resembling those you would see during the Day of the Dead. As Manny travels through the Land of the Dead you collect objects that can be used to advance the story and solve puzzles throughout the game. Grim Fandango is best known for its witty script and memorable characters, brought to life by what is considered by many to be the best voice acting ever heard in a video game.
Explore a variety of environments in the Land of the Dead.
Originally released in 1998, Grim Fandango took several Game of the Year awards and is included in GameSpot’s list of greatest games of all time. The remastered version includes high-resolution character textures, new lighting, improved controls, and a re-recording of the iconic score with a live orchestra.
3) The Journey Down
In The Journey Down, you play as Bwana, a struggling gas station owner who is compelled to help a mysterious woman named Lina reach the mysterious Underland. The game follows traditional point and click mechanics, with items to collect and puzzles to solve, but featuring a unique Afro-Caribbean twist. The art style makes the game a delight to look at, featuring a blend of hand painted 2D and 3D graphics with a notable score that mixes elements of Jazz and Reggae.
Bwana, Kito, and Lina.
Travel across the unique and stylized world of The Journey Down.
The Journey Down was created as a result of a successful kickstarter campaign. The game currently has two chapters, with the third and final part expected to be released September of this year.
4) King’s Quest
The most recent reboot of the classic series lets you play through memories from King Graham’s past, from when he first became a knight to his current position on the throne. The game is told through stories that the aging King is telling his granddaughter, Gwendolyn. These recollections reimagine adventures from the original games and follow King Graham through new exciting quests.
Follow King Graham through the retellings of his many grand adventures.
During the game players are able to make decisions based on three different “pillars”- bravery, wisdom, and compassion- each of which have a different effect on gameplay events in the story. Puzzles are also able to be solved in multiple ways, and certain actions can unlock new dialogue choices for the many characters you meet on your journey.
Solve puzzles in a multitude of ways.
Currently three out of five chapters are released, with the first chapter available to play for free on Steam.
5) The Dream Machine
The Dream Machine is an episodic adventure where you play as Victor Neff, a man who is recently married and moving into a new apartment with his wife. However, the building and its owner aren’t quite what they seem, and Victor discovers a strange machine that grants him access to the other tenants’ dreams and their subconscious.
Your new bedroom! …It still needs a little fixing up.
In the game you are able to explore the entire apartment complex and complete certain events in any order you choose. The characters and environment are all built by hand, using a variety of materials like clay, cardboard, and broccoli. In each tenant’s dreams you must solve puzzles to learn more about the character and come closer to solving the mystery of what exactly the Dream Machine is.
The mysterious Dream Machine.
The Dream Machine was a finalist in several independent game festivals. There are currently 5 episodes available, the sixth and final episode not yet having a release date.
6) Broken Age
In Broken Age you can choose to switch between two playable characters, each inhabiting different worlds in the game. You may choose to play as Vella: a teenage girl who is being offered as one of several sacrifices to a giant sea monster, or as Shay: a teenage boy living alone on a spaceship that is controlled by a computer claiming to be his mother. Both seek to escape the life they are told they must lead, looking for new adventures and a more fulfilling purpose.
Broken Age is known as Tim Schafer’s first return to the adventure genre since his last role as game director for Grim Fandango. It follows staple mechanics of the genre, with puzzles to solve and items to collect, combine, and use on characters and objects.
Shay and his dull life in space, overseen by his Mom-comp.
Vella: so not into being sacrificed.
Broken Age is hand-animated and features the voice talents of Elijah Wood and Jack Black. It was developed as the result of one of the highest-backed crowdfunded projects of all time, raising over $3.45 million dollars within a month. Gameplay consists of two acts, both of which are available now.
7) D4: Dark Dreams Don’t Die
You are David Young, a detective with the ability to use specific objects to travel back into the past. David is on a quest to find his wife’s killer and hopefully alter the past to save her. Gameplay consists solely of talking to characters, exploring the environment, and completing quick-time events. Additional lines of dialogue and minor sub-quests can be unlocked through thorough investigation of the world, filling out the story and earning you bonus achievements and credits.
A quick-time action event in D4: Dark Dreams Don’t Die.
A unique feature of the game is David’s stamina bar. Every item that is interacted with depletes his stamina, and must be refilled periodically by consuming food or drink. You also have the ability to buy accessories and outfits to change the appearance of your character.
Amanda, a girl who thinks she is a cat.
D4: Dark Dreams Don’t Die is known for its unpredictable story and strange, offbeat cast of characters. The game currently consists of one season that includes a prologue and two episodes.
8) Back to the Future: The Game
Taking place six months after the end of the third film, the unexplained disappearance of the DeLorean Time Machine forces Marty to go back in time again and seek the help of a teenage Emmett Brown to prevent the past from changing and altering the present forever.
To the past once again.
Back to the Future: The Game was developed by Telltale Games, with Bob Gale, the film trilogy’s co-creator, co-writer, and co-producer, as a story consultant. The developers created gameplay events based on input from fans through an online survey and worked carefully to ensure that what happened in the game did not interfere with the original films’ timeline. Playing as Marty, and reteaming up with the eccentric Doc, gameplay involves exploring and solving puzzles by using found items on characters and objects in the game.
Solve puzzles with the help of Doc and other old friends.
The game is split into five episodes and features voice acting from some of the original actors, as well as cameos from characters in the movies.
9) Full Throttle (1995)
Full Throttle is set in the year 2040 and tells the story of Ben, a leader of a biker gang who is framed for the murder of a famous motorcycle manufacturer. You must discover who the real killer is and restore both you and your gang’s reputation.
Ben and Maureen, who is helping him find the real killer.
The game follows the classic LucasArts formula for the point and click genre. Objects in each scene can be examined, picked up, or used, and can be combined with other items in your inventory. Dialogue choices are also important, as choosing the right line will provide hints and advance the story. Scenes are either explored on foot by Ben or while he is riding his motorcycle.
The unique item wheel that lets you interact with objects and characters in a scene.
Full Throttle is Tim Schafer’s first game as head writer and designer, and has become a cult classic for fans of the genre. A remastered version by Double Fine Productions is set for release in 2017.
10) Technobabylon
Technobabylon is set in a cyber punk dystopia, following three different characters through their lives in a city run by a super powered AI called Central. At different points in the game you will play as Latha, a secluded younger woman who spends all of her time plugged into the game’s version of virtual reality, called the Trance; Charlie Regis, an aging cop who despises this world’s reliance on technology; and Max Lao, Charlie’s younger partner. All three’s stories become intertwined in a larger mystery behind a series of murders where the victims have their memories violently taken out of their heads.
Max, Charlie, and Latha, the game’s three protaganists.
Latha as her avatar in the online virtual reality called the Trance.
Puzzles are solved through inventory items and two different endings are available based on your choices in the game. Technobabylon’s focus is on storytelling and puts a great effort into the details of its sci-fi world, with conversations full of dialogue choices and options to learn more about each character you meet.
The game has received critical acclaim for its story, engaging characters, and ability to capture the style of early 90’s point and click adventures.
11) The Longest Journey
April Ryan, an 18-year old art student, discovers she is a Shifter, capable of traveling between parallel universes and responsible for maintaining balance between the two. When this balance is disrupted, April sets out on a dangerous journey to restore it and reunite the two worlds. Puzzles are solved through interactable objects found in the environment and multiple dialogue choices are available with each character you meet.
April traveling to a different world.
Explore the alternate world of Arcadia.
The Longest Journey was originally released in 1999 and won Adventure Game of the Year by both IGN and PC Gamer, due to its memorable female protagonist and its complex, fleshed out story. The game has two spin-offs- Dreamfall: The Longest Journey and Dreamfall Chapters: The Longest Journey- as well as a direct sequel called The Longest Journey Home, announced in 2013 but with no set release date.
12) Tales from the Borderlands
Tales from the Borderlands is set after the events of Borderlands 2 and follows the adventures of Rhys, an ambitious company man, and Fiona, a con artist, as they are forced together on a mission to recover cash they both feel is rightfully theirs. You will embark on a new adventure in the original Borderlands world of Pandora, with returning characters and both new and familiar locations.
Follow a new cast of characters in a familiar world.
Choose your responses wisely- they have consequences.
Like other games by Telltale, Tales from the Borderlands is all about player choices, each of which influences future events and variations in the story. The game’s first episode received an honorable mention at the 2015 GDC Awards for Best Narrative and is followed by 4 additional episodes.
13) The Detail
The Detail is a crime noir game that alternates play between a jaded veteran detective who is trying to solve a gang murder and a reformed criminal who once belonged to a gang. As you attempt to solve this murder mystery, you will discover how the lives of these two characters intertwine.
Explore crime scenes for hidden clues in the environment.
The comic book art style of The Detail.
In game you explore locations and investigate crime scenes, as well as choose between multiple dialogue choices that have an effect on future storylines. The Detail features a dark, brutal story, presented through a comic book art style. It is available in three episodic parts.
14) The Testament of Sherlock Holmes
Play as legendary detective Sherlock Holmes in his darkest and most gruesome adventure yet, when the main suspect in his investigation is Holmes himself. In The Testament of Sherlock Holmes you will investigate crime scenes, examine clues, and solve a number of difficult puzzles that put your problem solving skills to the test.
Sherlock and Watson- together forever.
A unique feature of the game is the deduction board, which stores all the clues you collect throughout your investigation. In order to progress the story these pieces of information must be correctly linked and used to select the right deductions.
The deduction board.
The Testament of Sherlock Holmes has been praised for its difficult puzzles and the dark, dubious nature in which it presented the familiar character of Sherlock Holmes.
15) Sherlock Holmes versus Jack the Ripper
This 1999 Sherlock Holmes game follows his investigation into the infamous Jack the Ripper murders, taking place in London in 1888. Players can switch between playing as Sherlock Holmes and his associate Dr. Watson as they investigate the crime scenes where each murder takes place, trying to uncover whom Jack the Ripper really is.
Investigate crime scenes to discover where Jack the Ripper is hiding.
Explore a rundown 1888 London as it is ravaged by a series of brutal murders.
Clues are collected at crime scenes and deductions can be chosen from a list depending on how the player is able to link the information together. Gameplay also occurs at Sherlock’s flat, where players must search through documents and put together torn notes to form theories about the motive behind the murders.
Sherlock Holmes versus Jack the Ripper features a wide variety of puzzles and detective work to solve and fans of the original Sherlock Holmes will enjoy references to the Arthur Conan Doyle story that started it all.
16) Batman - The Telltale Series
Telltale’s version of Batman is set in modern times and takes place a few years after Bruce Wayne first becomes Batman. This version of the comic book hero has no relation to any of the films or other media and instead tells the story of Batman trying to save Gotham from a crime boss called Falcone, who is attempting to stage a revolution to overthrow the city.
Expect familiar faces to make an appearance during your adventures.
As is Telltale’s signature, in Batman you will be faced with a series of decisions that will alter events and characters later in the game. There are also action sequences that are played through quick time events and times where Batman must use his detective skills to investigate a scene. Players can switch between Bruce Wayne and Batman, and in some instances the player can choose which character to approach a situation with.
Decisions you make will effect future events.
Batman also has a feature called crowd play that caters to players who stream their gameplay online. Through crowd play, viewers can participate online and vote for what decision they want the player to make. The player can then decide for themselves what action to take or set it to where the most popular action is automatically chosen.
Batman’s first episode was released at the beginning of the month, with four more planned to be released at future dates.
17) Fran Bow
In this psychological horror game you play as a ten-year-old girl named Fran who finds herself in a mental institution after witnessing the brutal murder of her parents. In the asylum, Fran gets put on medication that causes her to hallucinate about a dark parallel world, and discovers that her ability to alter the parallel reality will help her escape her prison.
Fran’s hallucinations lead to a strange alternate world.
Fran Bow features a variety of puzzles, scenes to explore and items to find and use. Fran’s ability to switch between worlds can be used to change the way a scene looks and find items that were not previously available.
Solve environmental puzzles to progress the story.
Fran Bow was the result of a successful kickstarter campaign and won the IndieDB Editor’s Choice award in 2015. It has been well received for its mature, psychological themes and distinct art style.
18) Broken Sword 5 – The Serpent’s Curse
Broken Sword 5 follows the adventures of an American lawyer named George Stobbart and a French journalist named Nicole Collard, as they try to track down a stolen painting and stumble upon an ancient conspiracy in the process. Switch between the two characters as they travel across Europe, solving puzzles and exploring areas for clues that lead to the culprit.
George Stobbart and Nicole “Nico” Collard.
A unique feature of Broken Sword 5 is the ability to solve puzzles or progress the story by clicking on objects in a certain order, which makes George or Nicole perform a specific action. There are also several dialogue options to choose from when talking to characters and a wide variety of reactions that can be viewed by using items on people and the scenery.
Explore vibrant scenes in cities across Europe.
Broken Sword 5 is the fifth entry in the Broken Sword series and consists of two episodes. It has been credited with a memorable script, well-developed characters and quality voice acting.
19) The Cat Lady
The Cat Lady is a dark, psychological horror game that follows the life of Susan Ashworth, a 40-year-old woman suffering from chronic depression. On the night she takes her own life, Susan is visited by a strange being in the afterlife that gives her the task of destroying monsters hiding among the living in exchange for finally finding peace.
Help Susan fight through her depression.
Explore scenes for items to collect.
The Cat Lady features mature themes on top of the familiar point and click mechanics. You must solve atmospheric puzzles with objects you collect in various scenes and talk to a number of different characters throughout your journey. The Cat Lady won Adventure Gamers Best Story Award in 2012.
20) Riddles of the Past
A girl wakes up with no memories of her past except her name – Emily Hansen. She is soon drawn to the town of Riverside, a mysterious place that she hopes will reveal her lost past. Search the town for clues to discover it’s grisly fate and find out who Emily Hansen really is.
Solve puzzles to unlock the mystery of Emily’s lost memories.
Riddles of the Past is a hidden object game with over 50 locations and a number of puzzles to solve and objects to uncover. The game also features two levels of difficulty available and a post apocalyptic atmosphere.
Explore the mysterious town of Riverside.
21) Hope Lake
Several years after the accidental drowning of a teacher at Hope Lake Boarding School, female students begin to disappear one by one. As detective Kelly Wells, you must return to the now abandoned boarding school and search for clues to find the culprit before he strikes again.
Can you solve the mystery of Hope Lake Boarding school?
Hope Lake is a hidden object game with an unusually dark and intense story for the genre. It features several mini games and hidden object scenes, along with two levels of difficulty.
Explore dozens of locations on your search for the culprit.
22) The Wolf Among Us
In The Wolf Among Us you play as Bigby Wolf, sheriff of Fabletown, as he attempts to solve the murder of a young woman. Fabletown is a small refuge in Manhattan city where characters from fairytales have fled and are attempting to live hidden among the humans.
Play as Bigby Wolf, the big bad sheriff of Fabletown.
In the game you will explore environments for objects to interact with or store in your inventory, as well as complete action quick time events. There are also several characters to interact with, and the dialogue choices you make will affect their relationship with Bigby and change the way future events play out.
Interact with iconic characters from familiar fairytales, myths, and legends.
The Wolf Among Us is another production from Telltale and is set as a prequel to the Fables comic book series. It consists of five episodes and was nominated for Best Story at both the BAFTA Game Awards and by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences.
23) I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream
An evil computer named AM has taken over the world. All of humanity has been destroyed except for five people, sentenced to a lifetime of psychological torture by AM. You play as each of these people, trying to outsmart AM in the simulated scenarios it creates and discovering why these humans were chosen by AM in the first place.
Help the cursed humans be free of their prison.
Interact with objects by choosing a command for the character to follow.
In the game, characters can interact with the environment by selecting an action from a list of commands and then hovering over an object in the scene or the inventory with the cursor. Each character also has a spiritual barometer, which is used to keep track of the good and evil acts the player chooses to perform. The level of this gauge affects how the game will end.
I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream was originally released in 1995 and is based on the short story by Harlan Ellison, who is also the in-game voice of the evil computer AM.
24) Day of the Tentacle Remastered
Day of the Tentacle is the sequel to Maniac Mansion, taking place five years after its events. You will play as Bernard, Laverne, and Hoagie, roommates who accidentally get sent to different places in time when trying to defeat the evil Purple Tentacle. You must get all characters back to the right time and reunited with their friends before it’s too late.
Bernard, Laverne, and Hoagie.
Gameplay consists of choosing from a set of commands on screen and then selecting an object in the environment. At a certain point you can switch between all three characters at will and transfer specific objects between the three.
Explore scenes by choosing commands and selecting objects.
The remastered version of Day of the Tentacle features new artwork and remastered audio, with the ability to switch back and forth between the new and old version of the game. The original has become a cult classic and is featured on a number of top game lists.
25) The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition
Guybrush Threepwood dreams about being a pirate and sailing the high seas. In order to prove himself a true pirate, he sets out on an adventure to find the rumored secret of Monkey Island. Set sail to experience the memorable characters and quirky storyline of one of the LucasArts classics.
Join Guybrush on his quest to become an infamous pirate.
In game objects are collected and characters are spoken to by choosing from a list of commands on screen. The objects can be used to solve puzzles that progress the game and characters can respond to multiple dialogue choices.
Explore ports and other seedy pirate hangouts.
The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition features a completely new art style, a remastered score, and has been completely voice acted with the original cast. There are four sequels to the original game, which is widely regarded as one of the best Adventure games of all time.
Point and click games have been a staple since the early days of video games and contain a number of gems, both new and old. From the classic style to the modern, one of these games is sure to satisfy your need for a good story and characters that you’ll remember long after you put the mouse down.
If you like point and click games, check out these related topics:
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