The Best Telltale Games, Ranked

Key Takeaways

• Investigative games such as CSI often failed to hit the mark for Telltale Games in terms of critical reception and player enjoyment.
• Despite struggles with licensed games, Telltale’s original IPs like Puzzle Agent and Sam & Max were better received by critics and fans.
• The success and impact of Telltale’s The Walking Dead series solidified its position as a major game studio in the industry.

It could be argued that Telltale Games was responsible for bringing point-and-click adventure games back into fashion with modern audiences. Games like The Walking Dead and Back to the Future were incredibly successful – both commercially and critically – and remain some of the best-licensed games on the market even to this day.

The studio’s brand of interactive storytelling intuitively blends visual novels, interactive movies, and old-school point-and-click adventure game mechanics and quickly became the benchmark for similarly styled titles like Life is Strange. Despite facing some turbulent times in recent years, Telltale Games continues to pump out top-tier titles on a fairly regular basis.

Updated on November 12th, 2024, by Mara Cowley: Telltale is a long-standing game studio that has a surprisingly extensive library of games in its history. Most gamers will undoubtedly be familiar with their recent and popular titles based on other IPs, such as The Walking Dead, Batman, or The Wolf Among Us, which are all among the best Telltale games of all time. While fans are still waiting for the next release, which looks to be season 2 of The Wolf Among Us, it’s time to revisit some older games or discover them for the first time. This article has all Telltale games ranked with brief descriptions of what makes each game so great, or why it might not stand as tall against other games in the studio’s vast library.

30 CSI: Fatal Conspiracy

Great Casting in a Mediocre Experience

• Release Date: October 26th, 2010
• Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, PS3, Nintendo Wii
• Genre: Adventure

Developed by Telltale and published by Ubisoft, these two great studios weren’t enough to save Fatal Conspiracy, nor was the casting of Laurence Fishburne in the role he plays on the TV show.

Set across five episodes, each containing a different case, what could have been an exciting game unfortunately falls short of delivery, making it one of the worst Telltale games to have ever been released. Only die-hard fans of the series are likely to derive any joy from this particular Telltale title.

29 CSI: Hard Evidence

Fall Slightly Short Compared to Other Games

• Release Date: September 25th, 2007
• Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii
• Genre: Adventure

Telltale seems to struggle when making CSI games, as Hard Evidence proved only to be a little better than Fatal Conspiracy and still falls short of the just barely average Deadly Intent. Though it uses a few characters from the shows, their actors were not brought in to do the voice acting, something which die-hard fans are sure to pick up on.

The game is episodic in typical Telltale style, with each of the five episodes featuring the investigation of a unique case. Die-hard fans of the show and those who like investigative gameplay may find some enjoyment out of this, but other than that, it is less likely to appeal to gamers in general.

28 CSI: Deadly Intent

Many Cast Members Reprized Their role

• Release Date: October 20th, 2009
• Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS & Nintendo Wii
• Genre: Adventure

CSI: Deadly Intent differentiates itself from the majority of games on this list, as it wasn’t published by Telltale Games themselves. Instead, industry giant Ubisoft handled the publishing side of things, while Telltale Games worked on development.

CSI: Deadly Intent coincided with the ninth season of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. It featured an impressive amount of cast members, including Laurence Fishburne, Lauren Lee Smith, and Robert David Hall, who all reprised their roles.

27 Law and Order: Legacies

The Middling Investigation Game is Unfortunately Unavailable to Buy

• Release Date: December 22nd, 2011
• Platforms: PC, iOS
• Genre: Adventure

Another episodic game based on the famous Law and Order TV show, with some famous faces to go with the name. Though this will undoubtedly please fans, as will the generous length of seven episodes, which is longer than most of Telltale’s usual affairs, it, unfortunately, does miss the mark in delivering a game of the studio’s normal caliber.

Players will take to the streets investigating crimes, and then engage in the subsequent courtroom hearing, but unfortunately, with it taken down from stores, gamers will no longer get to experience this adventure themselves.

26 Poker Night 2

A Simple Poker Game for Those Not Looking for Intricate Stories

• Release Date: April 30th, 2013
• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, iOS
• Genre: Card Game

Along with their exciting adventure games that take players through intricate stories, tasking gamers with QTEs and making decisions, Telltale has also made some more simple games perfect for sinking in a few casual hours in here and there, such as their card games.

Poker Night 2 is one such card game, a follow-up to the Poker Night at the Inventory. Those familiar with this title will know it was a simple poker video game featuring famous video game characters, such as Heavy from Team Fortress. The player takes control of an unseen participant, facing off against other players, such as Ash from Evil Dead, the eponymous protagonists from Sam and Max, Claptrap from Borderlands, and many more. The inclusion of these famous characters elevates this game to new, fun heights.

25 Jurassic Park: The Game

Familiar Story but Brand New Characters

Like most of Telltale’s games, Jurassic Park: The Game was released as an episodic adventure that players experienced through multiple playable characters and their exploits within the famed IP of the same name, hooking players in with the name and the promise of some familiar scenes.

The game is derivative of the movies, using plot points from the films in the game, but having the PCs as relatives of the main cast, or introducing new ones, which arrives as a disappointment for most fans. However, the game still provides heart-racing confrontations with dinosaurs that fans would hope for, including a confrontation with a T-Rex. With a new Jurassic Park game on the horizon, this title might serve to whet appetites until it releases.

24 Texas Hold ‘Em

The Classic Card Game

• Release Date: February 11th, 2005
• Platforms: PC
• Genre: Card Game

Who doesn’t love a game of poker? This must be the sentiment Telltale had when they decided to make their very first card game, Texas Hold ‘Em, which aided in the development of other games such as Poker Night at the Inventory, and its inevitable sequel, Poker Night 2.

Four characters partake in a fictional poker tournament based in the City of Gambling itself, Las Vegas, pitting the player against computer-controlled characters for the thrill of gambling without the risk of bankruptcy. However, the game does lack what could have been a crucial element to elevate this game to higher levels of entertainment: the implementation of multiplayer. Allowing players to play against friends would have been a huge boon.

23 Puzzle Agent 2

A Challenging Puzzle Game for Fans of the Genre

• Release Date: June 29th, 2011
• Platforms: PC & Mac
• Genre: Adventure

The sequel to the first Puzzle Agent game, Puzzle Agent 2 is a mix between a puzzle game and an adventure game, where ace puzzle investigators will travel to the Midwest to meet up with Agent Tethers and help him solve the mystery that surrounds the area.

Players will follow a linear adventure story, solving puzzles while interacting with the world and speaking to the other characters that populate it. Dialogue can sometimes lead to puzzles of various kinds, from jigsaws to mathematical equations to logic puzzles. Players will need a sharpened mind to bypass all the puzzles and win the game, and doing so will award them hours of fun. Puzzle game aficionados should definitely check this game out, but fans of the more adventure-focused titles may not enjoy this one as much.

22 Back to the Future: The Game

A Mast-Play for Fans of the Classic Movie Series

Back to the Future: The Game is one of Telltale’s episodic games based on a cinematic classic, the famed 80s time-traveling movie that has garnered many fans over the years. Fans of the movies would have been excited to see a game finally based on their favorite film. Though it wouldn’t quite reach the same levels of quality, Telltale treated this IP and its fans with the utmost care.

Telltale Games tried its best to ensure that its fanbase would be happy with Back to the Future: The Game by asking for their input via online surveys. The studio clearly wanted to stay true to the IP’s roots, as the film trilogy’s co-writer, Bob Gale, was hired as a story consultant for the game. The care and concern for the Back to the Future franchise were evident in the final product, making the game a great choice for fans of the films.

21 CSI 3: Dimensions Of Murder

The Strongest Contender in the CSI Game Series

• Release Date: March 14th, 2006
• Platforms: PC & PlayStation 2
• Genre: Adventure

Telltale took up the mantle of developing a CSI game, based on the TV show it shares a name with, resulting in CSI 3: Dimensions of Murder. With the use of a new 3D game engine, this title had improved visuals compared to the previous entries and was an all-around better game.

Rather than split into five episodes, the game is split among five cases, with the fifth case tying all the previous ones together. Players will need to don their investigator hats as they work alongside Gil Grissom and Catherine Willows to try and solve the cases and arrest their suspects. While not on the same level as LA Noire, it is still a mildly impressive game, especially considering the time of its release.

20 Game Of Thrones

Though it Could Not Match the Prowess of the Show, it was a Solid and Rewarding Effort

At the height of the HBO show’s popularity, Telltale secured the license to create their own spin on the dark fantasy show, resulting in an above-average Game of Thrones episodic game, bringing with it court intrigue, combat, and even performances by some of the series cast members such as Lena Heady, Kit Harrington, Emilia Clarke, and Peter Dinklage reprising their roles.

Game of Thrones also brought in a host of original characters for the player to experience their story through, scattered across the Seven Kingdoms, and like the main characters from the show, some aren’t as trustworthy as others. The efforts of the original cast were nothing short of fantastic, immersing fans back into the world of Game of Thrones with some new perspectives on events from the series.

19 Bone: Out From Boneville

A Light-Hearted Game for some Mild Fun

• Release Date: September 15th, 2005
• Platforms: PC & Mac
• Genre: Adventure

Telltale’s first foray into adventure games arrived in the form of Bone: Out From Boneville, which was split into multiple episodes as fans have come to expect from the studio. The three characters are known for robbery and are run out of their hometown, Boneville, by the citizens fed up with their racketeering. Once split up by a swarm of locusts, the player must help Fone Bone and Phoney Bone reunite with their cousin, Smiley.

It’s a simple and light-hearted adventure game that won’t necessarily blow anyone away, but it will provide some mild enjoyment and fun for those who give this lost diamond in the rough a try.

18 Minecraft: Story Mode

Combines Iconic Gameplay from Both IPs

• Release Date: October 15th, 2015
• Platforms: PC, Mac, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Nintendo Wii U, Nintendo Switch, iOS & Android
• Genre: Adventure

Minecraft: Story Mode provided a fun, family-friendly frolic through the pixillated world of Minecraft, following the story of the playable character, Jesse, and their rise from zero to hero with a little help from their friends along the way. The premise is simple, but there is plenty of fun and laughs to be had along the way.

The gameplay brought elements central to Minecraft gameplay such as combat, crafting, and building, but with the mechanics of QTEs that Telltale is known for. And with the power of the Minecraft IP behind it, this game was viewed very favorably by its fans, even if the critics don’t necessarily agree.

17 Puzzle Agent

Less Punishing Than it’s Successor

The very first Puzzle Agent game brought players the story of Nelson Tethers, an agent from the US Department of Puzzle Research. Nelson has been summoned by the White House for help looking into the Scoggins Eraser Company.

The premise itself is simple but serves as a nice enough backdrop to lead the players into a game of solving challenging but fair puzzles. Its more approachable puzzles mean that even just casual fans of the genre should be able to play through Puzzle Agent without having to seek out a walkthrough every time they encounter a new one.

16 Poker Night At The Inventory

Play Poker as Some Iconic Game Characters

• Release Date: November 22nd, 2010
• Platforms: PC & Mac
• Genre: Card Game

If anyone has ever wondered what video game characters play in their downtime, Poker Night at the Inventory might hold the answer to that. This lesser-known Telltale title brings the simple and well-known card game of poker to computer game form while featuring a host of familiar faces.

Characters from franchises such as Sam and Max and Team Fortress 2 gather in this game for some friendly rounds of poker. It’s a simple premise but one that is sure to appeal to poker players and fans of the games featured here.

15 Bone: The Great Cow Race

Short But Sweet

• Release Date: April 12th, 2006
• Platforms: PC
• Genres: Adventure

Bone: The Great Cow Race was initially released in 2006 as the sequel to Bone: Out from Boneville from the previous year. The Great Cow Race is based upon Jeff Smith’s 1996 comic of the same name and lets players control all three Bone cousins in a similar way to LucasArts’ iconic graphic adventure, Day of the Tentacle.

Unfortunately, Bone: The Great Cow Race is over very quickly for a mid-2000s game, with a runtime of just 3 hours. Still, the game is worth checking out for fans of the genre; it crams tons of entertainment into its limited time.

14 Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Adventures

A Game Full of Charm and Humor

• Release Date: March 23rd, 2009 – July 30th, 2009
• Platforms: PC, Mac & Xbox 360
• Genres: Adventure

From one beloved film series to another, the Wallace & Gromit franchise has warmed the hearts of many over the years with its wholesome tales of an inventor and his highly expressive dog. The franchise isn’t only beloved for its quintessential British humor, but also for its clay animation. The series is meticulously crafted to pack each scene with as much life as possible.

Telltale Games’ Grand Adventures does a fantastic job of replicating the weird and wonderful world of Wallace & Gromit. It ensures that the episodes never take themselves too seriously and are packed with over-the-top humor. Both those who enjoy classic British movies and those totally new to the IP will find a charming and humorous game they will definitely enjoy.

13 Strong Bad’s Cool Game For Attractive People

Its Surreal Comedy was the Main Draw

• Release Date: August 11th 2008 – December 15th, 2008
• Platforms: PC & Nintendo Wii
• Genres: Adventure

Strong Bad’s Cool Game for Attractive People is based on the web series Homestar Runner. Like its source material, it features a similar brand of surreal comedy that the show is known for.

Like many Telltale games, Strong Bad’s Cool Game for Attractive People was broken up into numerous episodes. However, the timescale between releases was considerably shorter than some other titles. All five episodes were released between August and December 2008.

12 The Walking Dead: Michonne

Play as a Fan Favorite from the Show

The Walking Dead: Michonne was released in 2016 for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. It was comprised of three episodes that were set during the events of Michonne’s departure from the TV series, allowing fans to control one of the fan-favorite Walking Dead characters in an entirely new adventure.

It didn’t quite receive the critical acclaim of the main series; however, many fans thought that the second episode was one of the best in the series. The game did a great job of providing some strong character development for a popular character from the TV show, and there are no more fans loyal than those of TWD, which grants it a higher ranking than one might expect

11 Sam & Max: Save The World

Captured the Essence that Made the Comics so Beloved

• Release Date: October 17th, 2006, April 26th, 2007
• Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Wii & Nintendo Switch
• Genres: Puzzle

Sam & Max: Save The World was originally released in episodes for the PC between 2006 and 2007 but was later released for the Nintendo Wii and on Xbox Live in 2008. It was based on the comic book series of the same name and was developed by former members of LucasArts along with Telltale Games.

The game managed to capture all the magic that fans of LucasArts’ previous works loved. In addition, the visuals and writing perfectly captured the essence of the comics, and the game’s tough puzzles had much of the same charm as the classic Monkey Island series.