Mystery games are one of those genres that are sometimes an acquired taste as they can have a slow tempo from time to time. But once hooked, the tension morphing into the unveiling of the actual events will keep you on the edge. Once in, there is no turning back for Mysteries. They can consume a large part of your mind and you can’t help but keep thinking about who the antagonist can be and what twist will the game take. To fuel this taste we have counted down the top 10 best mystery games of all time.
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Top Best Mystery Games of All Time
Here is our count down for the must-have mystery games that you need to try now!
10. Life Is Strange
Starting with number 10 on our top 10 mystery games list, Life Is Strange is a series of third-person episodic graphic adventure games which contains a number of chapters. Every chapter has its own central character and uniqueness in its own time. The first episode for instance has the storyline of Max Caulfield, who has the ability to rewind time and begins to investigate the murder of her childhood friend Chloe Price.
The second episode has the main character as Chloe Price herself and so on. The game focuses on everyday heroes and their personal life struggles making it easier to empathize with the character. The game features numerous quests, puzzle-solving, branch options in dialogues, and much more. It can be played on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox series X, and Xbox One.
9. Firewatch
Firewatch is a first-person adventure game with the plot revolving around your character Henry, a fire lookout in Shoshone National Forest, Wyoming in 1989. As the game progresses, he witnesses some strange and bizarre occurrences in and around his tower and is met with some disturbing `discoveries along the way. The only means of communication is a walkie-talkie that can be used to contact Delilah, the player’s supervisor. The game has the players shuddering with the creeping fear of being all alone under these mysterious circumstances and the only lifeline being the walkie-talkie.
The game also gives emphasis on the relationship between your character and his supervisor Delilah. They can be manipulated in the game through a series of conversations to choose from, which affect the turn that the game is going to take. The tension in the game is immense and the players feel like they can trust no one, making Firewatch a complete mystery package. The game is accessible on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows, Linux, Macintosh operating systems, and Classic Mac OS.
8. What Remains of Edith Finch
This is a first-person adventure game. The players have to proceed with the help of Edith Finch’s journal and can quickly step into her shoes. She believes that her family is cursed making all but one member die in very unusual ways. The narrative screams mystery and there are layers of unknown events that are conjoined together at the end of the game. The developers hit the bullseye with the perfect placement of an almost perfect storyline, the intense music complimenting the game, and the emotional power to make you a part of the game without realization.
From secret rooms to gloomy passages, the character explores a number of clues leading to the big climax. Not giving out the spoilers further, the game cis on Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
7. Fahrenheit Indigo Prophecy
Fahrenheit is a third and first-person action-adventure game that takes you inside the mind of our main character Lucas Kane who commits murders while being possessed by supernatural powers. The players can switch between the main character and the two detectives that are assigned to the case. The character experiences flashbacks and certain connections to the Mayan culture followed by AI resurrections that get the game together piece by piece for the finale.
The sharp contrasts between the ancient civilizations, the present time, and the futuristic world have their own place in the game without hindering the mysterious atmosphere and the continuity of the game. The players can expect to meet three different endings depending on the choices they make throughout the game. It is available on Windows, Android, iOS, Linux, and macOS in 2015, and PlayStation 4.
6. Gemini Rue
Gemini Rue is a cyberpunk graphic adventure game that is set in the 23rd century. The players can switch between two different characters Azriel Odin, who is an assassin turned law enforcer and Delta-Six with a wiped out memory. Both far across the galaxy with two completely different narratives, the players get to alter the narrative in a way that their fates combine as the game progresses. The game completely blindsides you with the direct and harsh truth of how cheap the value of human life can be which is a tone-setter for this game.
The game is said to have a film noir atmosphere which we agree on. It is a cinematic universe in itself with nail-biting suspense and mysterious quests to complete. A definite yes on our top 10 mystery games list. It is available on Microsoft Windows, Mac OS, iOS, Android, and Linux.
5. Her Story
Her Story is a Single-player interactive film video game set in 1994. The vibe is very 90s with old technology and realistic police interrogation videos of Hannah Smith, who is talking about her murdered husband. The game gives the players a total of 271 videos in no particular order to look from and find the pieces one by one. The players find themselves drowned in finding broken timelines and mismatched information, trying to make sense of the interrogations, and tend to go about in circles. The game progresses as you add keywords in the system database to find videos from the clues you gather from the previous videos.
It’s electrifying, the sheer possibility that you go from dead ends to possible leads and by the end of this mind-boggling find, you end up being lost. Lost in terms of not knowing what is true anymore. Searching and rewinding and creating a timeline and still unsure of the mere possibility of this being entirely false. The game is a personal favorite and we strongly recommend playing it. It is available on iOS, Microsoft Windows, OS X, and Android.
4. Paradise Killer
Paradise Killer is an open-world adventure mystery taking place in the 3D world of Paradise Island. This detective-based story lets your character Lady Love Dies (Who is an immortal by the way) explore and gather clues and pieces of evidence to solve a range of mystery murders taking place on the island. The game gives future-retro vibes. The irony of this island feeling like a dreamscape but being home to mass murderers and alien worshipping people just gives you twisted signals.
Throughout the game, your character will gather clues, bring people to trial, and perform every task that an investigator can in the gameplay with thrilling yet mesmerizing visuals. The game has huge positive feedback and can is available on Windows and Nintendo Switch.
3. The Room
The Room is a three-dimensional puzzle video game. The unique thing about this game is that it takes place around a box inside a room of a house. With no complex storyline or multiple branching all at once, the game is simple yet full of dreadful secrets. The mystery unveils itself at a pace that keeps the players on edge throughout the game.
Forming a visually pleasing world of its own, the room makes you feel trapped inside itself. The players solve the mysteries thrown at them to gain control. The game changes tones in the blink of an eye keeping you on your feet. From dark beautiful aesthetics to minimalism, the Room will make you feel all kinds of mixed emotions in a good way. It is available on OS, Android, Microsoft Windows, and Nintendo Switch.
2. Outer Wilds
Outer Wilds is an action-adventure game where the players take on the character of a solo astronaut. You are set out to explore a solar system that is stuck in a 22-minute time loop. As the plot progresses, the game feels like an ultimate do or die with finding the right clues that lead to the right answers. The time starts ticking and your feel the rush. From solving mysterious puzzles, an extinct alien race to saving the universe from exploding, the game puts you in a cape, here an astronaut suit, and just gives you the task to save the entire universe.
The storyline of the game is literally out of the world. It makes you question the basic fundamentals of existence which is hard if you ask us. It definitely earns its place on our top best mystery games of all-time list. The game is available to play on Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 4.
1. Heavy Rain
Heavy Rain is a third-person interactive drama and action-adventure game with a branching storyline. There are 4 protagonists in search of the Origami Killer whose modus operandi is the abduction of young boys during a heavy downpour. Using this to drown them, he leaves an Orchid on the victim’s chest and origami at the crime scene. This psychological thriller shifts the gameplay from character to character who somehow feel the same unsettling feeling yet have completely different tones of emotions and tactics to catch the killer.
The game makes the players deep-dive into this gloomy ominous environment. The presence of loss, avid confusion, and helplessness are prominent in the air. Your decisions in the game can dramatically change the storyline. With numerous awards under its belt, Heavy Rain is an all-time favorite mystery game. It is accessible on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and Microsoft Windows.
So these are our Top Best Mystery Games of all time that you need to try out now! The genre captures you fully and is a win-win to experience these games. If you are looking for amazing MMORPG games but cannot find the right pick, check out our Best MMORPGs.