Many adventure games hang on at least in part because of their reputation, and so can feel a bit outdated when played today. It lacks the depth of stuff to point and click on that Sam & Max Hit The Road offered, but what it has is always worth seeing. It all just flows, the vivid cartoon graphics making the setting feel far larger than simply one house, and a huge cast of crazy and recurring characters across the three time periods ensuring there’s always something new to be discovered or a new joke to find. Thus is the evil Purple Tentacle slowly defeated, even as you walk round the future he’s conquered. It’s the ultimate puzzlebox: three characters in past, present and future worlds working together on headscratchers such as putting a bottle of wine from the future into a time capsule in the past so that hundreds of years later it becomes vinegar and can then be sent back. Day of the Tentacle doesn’t have too much in the way of story, but no other game has quite encapsulated everything else so well. What is an adventure game? It’s a question many people have a different answer for, but it’s usually based on a love of story, of comedy, of puzzles, of character, of writing, of stepping into a different world for a while and seeing something new. Release date: 1993 | Developer: LucasArts | GOG, Steam, Humble Store

While many modern adventure games offer controller support or keyboard controls for navigating 3D worlds, the classics were all point-and-click games, relying on the trusty old mouse and (usually) an array of commands like 'Open' and 'Look.' These are the best old and new point-and-click adventures. It’s not something I’d want to become the standard for adventures by any stretch, but few others have the charisma, the wit, and the soundtrack to pull it off with such style. Treat its occasional generosity in letting you choose an option as forgiveable. What originally looked like the most ridiculous, random tie-in ended up being one of the funniest games in years. Probably best not to think about that too carefully. Tales From The Borderlands is simultaneously one of Telltale’s least interactive games, and one of its best. Release date: 2014 | Developer: Telltale Games | Steam, Humble Store

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