If you're looking to get swept up in the best adventure games around in 2026, then you've come to the right place.
Starring some of the best heroes in video games who we can fill the shoes of, there's a lot of crossover with other genres, but generally speaking, the best adventure games can draw you into memorable journeys filled with excitement, intrigue, action, and even on occasion, romance. Exploring some of the best game stories, too, there's all kinds of adventuring to be had.
25. Fallout 4
Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
Platform(s): PC, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4
Bethesda's post-apocalyptic landscape has reduced former major cities to ghost towns but there's still so much to discover and explore in the wasteland, which opens up to you after you thaw out and awaken in a now-abandoned vault.
Fallout 4 may be bleak at times, what with the whole nuclear devastation and that, but it ultimately presents us with lands to explore that are rich in detail, populated by unforgettable characters - robot detectives! Ghoulified radio lovers! - and ripe for the chance to build your own community on. While you wander through the scorched remains of a society devastated by an invisible enemy (in the form of radiation), you can bond with your followers and shape how your story concludes. Read more about its sense of freedom and role-play in our Fallout 4 review.
24. Split Fiction
Developer: Hazelight
Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch
Looking for one of the best adventure games to play with a buddy? Look no further than Split Fiction. The creators of It Takes Two and A Way Out brought their A-game in Zoe and Mio's genre-bending forays into their own creations, exposing not only each character's grand imaginations, but a big corp's insidious plot to raid them and steal their ideas for itself.
Expect a lot of platforming and teamwork in this split-screen action game, touted as one of the best co op games ever to boot. Whether you're exploring the galaxy as a Mass Effect-like sci-fi hero or donning a witchy robe in one of Zoe's high fantasy worlds, Split Fiction has no shortage of gorgeous, universe-spanning adventures to embark upon with your very own Player Two.
23. Starfield
Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
Platform(s): PC, Xbox Series X
If exploring the galaxy is your idea of a good time, you've probably at least heard of Starfield already. Bethesda's sprawling deep space RPG is a lot more than an open world adventure: it's an intergalactic one, and that means the sky's no limit at all.
With ship customization, a range of unique character backgrounds to choose from, and of course no shortage of winding journeys to take among the stars, Starfield is a veritable adventure playground.
22. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Developer: Insomniac Games
Platform: PS5
One of the finest duos to ever grace the gaming world, there are few pairs you’ll spend a better time with than this particular Lombax and his robot pal. The plot at heart is simple enough - our unlikely twosome travel from planet to planet in an attempt to keep the galaxy safe from the egotists that threaten it.
With plenty of laughs, puzzles to solve, and hoverboard races to take part in, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart's heroes serve as two of the most easily entertaining characters out there and joining them on their missions never once involves a dull moment.
21. Far Cry 4
Developer: Ubisoft
Platform(s): PC, PS4, Xbox One
The Far Cry series has always excelled at creating eccentric, deeply unhinged villains and this fourth offering is no exception. In fact, Far Cry 4 may contain the greatest antagonist these games have ever seen: I mean, how could anyone forget Pagan Min? The flamboyant lover of colourful suits may have been the head of a brutal tyranny but, boy, did he have one-liners to spare.
In your quest to free the fictional Himalayan country of Kyrat, you come across Min time and time again while you team up with rebel forces and ride elephants to your heart’s content. You’ll be hard pressed to find another villain quite as fun as Min in your other adventures, that much I can promise.
20. Avowed
Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X/S
If you're looking to step into a colorful fantasy world teeming with intrigue, unexpected dangers, and a cast of memorable characters, then you won't want to miss out on Obsidian's RPG, Avowed. Set in the Pillars of Eternity universe in the world of Eora, you take on the role of Envoy of Aedyr who's sent out to investigate a strange plague that's spreading through the Living Lands.
The only trouble is, you're also a Godlike, a being who's been blessed by a unknown deity, and your markings share some similarities with the signs of plague. More perplexing still, the deity has now starting talking to you, and their voice speaks clearly in your mind. With constant tensions between the two sides of yourself, it's up to you to decide what path you'll go down as you venture alongside a cast of memorable characters. With a flexible combat system that really lets you experiment, and plenty of freedom to explore and shape your journey, you'll get your fill of adventure and then some here. To learn more, head on over to our Avowed review.
19. Gone Home
Developer: Fullbright
Platform(s): PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, iOS
If you like your adventures with just a touch of tragedy and a thoughtful look at issues concerning gender and sexuality, then Gone Home is the indie title you should be exploring. It may not involve the use of heavy weaponry the way the other entries on this list do and it may not take you across sweeping lands, but it does invite you to seek out a gripping and bittersweet story of one girl’s reason for fleeing her family home.
Told through the lens of a young woman in search of her sister, Gone Home is devised of wandering through a big, empty house and slowly combing through clues to what has unfolded here. It may not sound like an adventure in the traditional sense but it is certainly fascinating enough to keep you as entertained as the aforementioned big budget games do.
18. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Developer: Sandfall Interactive
Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X/S, PS5
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 takes you on the kind of adventure you won't soon forget. Drawing inspiration from some of the best JRPGs, Sandfall Interactive brings to life a beautiful, action-packed experience full of twists that will catch you completely off-guard, and turns that will tug at your heartstrings and make you feel something.
Set in a unique world inspired by Belle Époque France, you'll take on turn-based battles against all manner of foes as you set out to put a stop to the Paintress, who curious, ominous being who decides at what age everyone will die. The characters are the game's beating heart, though, and venturing alongside your companions makes for one unforgettable experience. Find out more in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 review.
17. Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy
Developer: Eidos Montreal
Platform(s): PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
In this brilliantly entertaining and humor-filled adventure, you take on the role of Star-Lord as you set out across the galaxy with your rag-tag team. Filled with action and plenty of surprises along the way, you'll find yourself wrapped up in quest to save the day against an intergalactic threat - all in a day's work, right?
With a loveable cast of characters that form up your crew, each member will offer something different in the story, including fighting styles when you enter into combat. From chatting with your misfit crew aboard the Milano to landing on strange alien planets, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy takes you on an uproarious ride you won't want to miss. Learn more in our Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy review.
16. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Developer: Respawn Entertainment
Platforms: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is one of the best Star Wars games for good reason. Cal is back, the young Jedi at odds with the Galactic Empire, and this time he's brought friends. With five different lightsaber types and the option between a single or double-blade, wielding the Force has never looked snazzier.
And were would be be without an old-fashioned blaster? Expect memorable characters and a stunning story to boot when you load into Jedi Survivor the first time, just two reasons why we deem it one of the best action-adventure games ever. Get our original verdict in our Star Wars Jedi: Survivor review.
15. Stray
Developer: BlueTwelve
Platform(s): PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S
Stray takes you on one pawsome adventure as a little cat who, after getting lost, must find their way through a neon-tinted cybercity inhabited by robots. Along the way, you'll meet a little robot called B12 who accompanies you as you run along the streets, climb up buildings, and paw at paint cans to find your way through.
With plenty of mysteries wrapped up in its world, you'll puzzle your way through the city and experience everything from the perspective a fluffy. From pawing at paint cans to known them over, to curling up for a snooze, and scratching at rugs, you'll get to do all the things a cat would do as you explore. Oh, and there's a dedicated meow-button, of course.
14. Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus
Developer: MachineGames
Platform(s): PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
There is, perhaps, nothing more satisfying than taking down hordes of Nazis over and over again while also fusing your body with a souped-up supersuit. And you can quote me on that. Assuming the role once again of BJ Blazkowicz in this umpteenth entry in the legendary series, Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus might be the only game ever to feature an entire sequence in which you come face to face with Adolf Hitler on Venus. Yes, that really does happen.
Wolfenstein places you right in the belly of the beast (that is to say, a Nazi-occupied America) and lets you unleash hell on anyone that stands in the way of liberation. The New Colossus is not only a whole heap of absurd fun but also packs in plenty of inspired characters and moments of equal hilarity and even tenderness. All in all, it's a (literal) blast.
13. Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Developer: Ubisoft
Platform(s): PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One
Assassin's Creed Valhalla takes you on a sprawling adventure as Viking newly arrived in England. As Eivor, you'll be raiding for riches, growing your settlement, and journeying out into the vast open-world to uncover all of its secrets.
With a main story arc and plenty of side quests to keep you busy, there's no shortage of adventures to experience with an axe in hand. And with so much to see and explore in the base game, there's also a host of new DLC additions and updates to keep you busy for a long time yet. Leaning into the RPG side of the series more than ever, you'll also get to decide what actions to take as you progress.
12. Life is Strange
Developer: Don't Nod
Platform(s): PC, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, Switch
Life is Strange takes you on a journey through an extraordinary period of time in a teenage girl’s life, filled with moments where the choices you make are bound to have an unchangeable impact on the future. Set in a small town - a site which serves as a tentative and delicate exploration of identity - Life is Strange sees the protagonist Max rewind time, and forge and lose friendships in an attempt to solve the mystery that is engulfing her home of Arcadia Bay.
With expert storytelling and emotional intelligence both on display at all times here, Don't Nod's coming-of-age story offers up the perfect adventure for anyone in search of poignancy. And thanks to the remastered collection, you can experience the game that started the series with improved graphics. For more, check out our Life is Strange review.
11. Telltale's The Walking Dead
Developer: Telltale Games
Platform(s): PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Arguably the jewel in Telltale's crown, this take on the seemingly eternal comic book series is fraught with emotional devastation, sensitivity and near-on impossible choices to make; all while battling off hordes of walkers.
Don't make the mistake of thinking that just because The Walking Dead is deeply rooted in emotion that it isn't also a dynamic and often terrifying slice of action. You'll have to fend off the creatures clawing at your flesh just as much as you'll have to make difficult and strategic decisions. Look to this test of morals nestled in an unassuming zombie game you might otherwise overlook.
10. Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection
Developer: Naughty Dog
Platform(s): PS4
Is it even possible to have a discussion of the great adventure games without mentioning Nathan Drake's name at least once? In Naughty Dog's definitive series, you get to step into the old journeyman’s boots of Nathan - treasure hunter extraordinaire and all-round charming Indiana Jones type, with his own fascinating backstory to boot (if you can excuse the pun).
Across four installments, Nathan travels across the globe along with fellow ragtags in search of artefacts, truth and glories galore. Filled with puzzles, shoot-outs and plenty of stealth for those that prefer sneaking their way through decaying ruins, Uncharted is infinite in the joys it provides for anyone wondering if X really does mark the spot with all the spare time they have at home now.
9. Skyrim
Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
Platform(s): PC, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch
Skyrim is one adventure many keep coming back to since it was first released over a decade ago, and with good reason. While it's partly thanks to the fact that Skyrim has landed on so many platforms over the years, it's also mainly because it serves up a rich world where you have your own adventures.
As the Dragonborn the main campaign will keep you plenty busy, but the expansive world is ripe for all kinds of escapades to boot; with many secrets, side quests, and encounters to discover in Tamriel. With the release on new-consoles and an update that introduces fishing, there's never been a better time to step in the world of Skyrim - whether you're revisiting it or experiencing it for the first time.
8. The Last of Us
Developer: Naughty Dog
Platform(s): PC, PS5, PS4
It is difficult to decide what to classify The Last of Us as. Part searing tale of humanity, part classic tragedy and part terrifying test of survival; the story of Joel, Ellie and their journey through a desolate America provides some of the most moving moments in gaming history and is surely one of the greatest adventures there is.
Though they are not in search of hidden treasure but, rather, a life away from the infected that roam the overgrown streets, Joel and Ellie are no less adventurers than Naughty Dog's other lauded heroes, like Nathan Drake. Consisting of gameplay that often sees you counting your bullets and making 'em count, staying hidden from those infamous "clickers" and wandering through the ruins of former American states, The Last of Us is an incredibly well-paced and structured piece of work - just don't be afraid to have a cry every now and then.
7. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Developer: Nintendo
Platform(s): Switch, Switch 2
Nothing spells the freeing nature of open-world adventure quite like Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. From the minute Link ventures outside to look out over the vast expansive of Hyrule, the lands are yours to navigate, explore, and experiment in as you set out on a grand quest to recover your memories after slumbering for 100 years.
From building up your stamina to reach new heights, to trying out inventive ways to down foes with the environment and the arsenal of weapons you discover, it's so easy to sink into exploration as you journey on foot, or ride along the landscapes on horseback. You can learn more in our Breath of the Wild review, and of course, we recommend following this up with its excellent sequel, Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
6. Baldur's Gate 3
Developer: Larian Studios
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Widely regarded as one of the best RPGs of recent years, Baldur's Gate 3 is a winding adventure through the D&D universe. Set on the Sword Coast and spanning three stunning acts, the main campaign of BG3 is one fraught with magic, danger, and no shortage of mesmerizing characters to meet along the way.
In true tabletop fashion, BG3's combat is turn-based, but there's much room to experiment to see what you can do with your character's chosen class. Exploring is as easy as clicking on items, spots on the ground, or NPCs to converse with, and with fully-motion captured dialogue animations, there's something universally yet uniquely charming about Baldur's Gate 3.
5. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Developer: CD Projekt Red
Platform(s): PC, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, Switch
Sometimes you need a companion in your gaming whose humor is sardonic enough to keep you entertained. Enter Geralt the Witcher, who brings with him in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt one of the most wide-reaching and versatile adventures ever seen. You inadvertently end up caught in a battle between empires for control, and even solve a few murder mysteries involving elves and werewolves in the search for your adoptive daughter across a vast and unforgiving terrain.
The many quests of Geralt of Rivia are plentiful and emotional enough that you won't want for anything once you pick up a controller and put on his Witcher's medallion. For more, check out our The Witcher 3 review.
4. God of War
Developer: Santa Monica Studio
Platform(s): PC, PS5, PS4
Anyone that owned a console back in 2005 surely remembers the trials and tribulations of Kratos, the infamous Spartan god and harbinger of destruction in the ancient world, no? Even if you didn't play the original God of War series, the reboot made for the PS4 in 2018 is brilliant. In a touching story centered around father and son, you play as Kratos in what initially appears to be an unassuming journey to scatter the ashes of his late wife (and his son's mother). Soon enough, though, you'll end up embroiled in the wrath of Odin, the whispers of the World Serpent, and the stories of all sorts of other mythical figures.
Both an enthralling adventure and a tender study of the sacrifices we make for family, God of War is as thrilling as it is tear-jerking, and the sequel, God of War Ragnarok, is well worth playing to follow this one up. If you're keen to learn more, head on over to our God of War review.
3. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Developer: Insomniac Games
Platform(s): PS5
The first Marvel's Spider-Man was hard to top, but incredibly, Insomniac pulled it off in Marvel's Spider-Man 2. There are no bubbling volcanoes, arid deserts, or vast oceans to conquer, but the streets of downtown Manhattan prove perilous enough. Not only is it one of the best adventure games you can play right now, it's arguably one of the best PS5 games yet. It has everything a Peter Parker fan could want: dynamic swinging mechanics for traversing New York, skilful combat against tremendous (and familiar) foes, and even a spot of GTA 5-style character swapping for good measure when you want to step into the shoes of Miles Morales.
The city is a bustling jungle that's yours to explore, filled with side-quests and collectibles to keep you busy between main missions. The action-adventure elements balance each other out so perfectly, there's a reason our Features Editor Joe Donnelly says it's "quite simply the best superhero game yet" in his Marvel's Spider-Man 2 review.
2. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Developer: MachineGames
Platform(s): PC, Xbox Series X/S, PS5
Indiana Jones not featuring on this list would be a cardinal sin against explorers, and who better to star in one of the best adventure games than perhaps the embodiment of the genre itself? Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a rollicking joyride of a first-person action game, spanning the globe as the Wolfenstein studio takes us from the Vatican to the pyramids of Giza and over to Thailand in a single spellbinding experience.
Not only will you uncover what went on between the first two movies of the original film trilogy, you'll feel like you're living in one yourself. There's a reason we gave it a five-star rating in our Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review, and at least four and a half of those stars are down to the joys of adventuring as the most famous archeologist of all-time.
1. Red Dead Redemption 2
Developer: Rockstar
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox One
In one of the most ambitious and sprawling games in recent memory, you can strap on outlaw Arthur Morgan's stirrups and spend hour after hour journeying through the last days of the Western frontier in the company of your trusty horse and a few old friends. In this prequel to the much-loved Red Dead Redemption, weirdly named Red Dead Redemption 2, you find yourself playing as a member of Dutch van der Linde's legendary gang, alongside a younger version of the legendary Red Dead protagonist, John Marston, and are able to ride freely across a great American landscape.
You are faced with either taking the path of the honorable man as the era of the Wild West approaches its death, or spending your days being as terrible an outlaw as you can be - the choice is yours as you lasso your way through one adventure to the next in a rich open-world full of discovery that will constantly surprise you. See what we made of Arthur's unforgettable journey in our Red Dead Redemption 2 review.
For more recommendations, consider checking out our pick of the best open-world games around.
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