Text adventure games are a retro concept. Back then, graphics were much rarer for computers, much less the extremely niche realm of computer games. But as dull as what is essentially playing a book sounds, some are pretty good, even by current standards.

Some of the best text adventures are based on popular novels, but the benefit of being a text adventure game is the added element of choosing what you want to do. This interactive journey is sometimes complemented with images to better show where you are. However, like reading a book, your imagination will do most of the work. Still, as these titles show, text adventures are a lot of fun!

Updated January 9, 2024, by Chris Sanfilippo: Our latest update adds three compelling new games that showcase the diversity of the Text Adventure genre. In addition, we made spec boxes containing each game's developer(s), publisher(s), writer(s), platform(s), and release date.

17 The Hobbit

It is unsurprising that The Lord of the Rings, with its many video game adaptations, would translate well into a text adventure game. The same rings true for the trilogy's prequel, The Hobbit. Again, choice-making as Bilbo Baggins adds a fascinating new mystique.

The text adventure version of J.R.R. Tolkien's classic series cuts out much of the story, especially the number of characters. Still, being able to talk to Gandalf in a semi-believable way is worth the cost of entry to this fantasy text adventure. But, of course, the cost is free, as pretty much any DOS game like this can be found online and played in your browser.

16 Planetfall

In the 1980s, Infocom produced many text adventure games, also called interactive fiction. One of Infocom's best-received games was Planetfall, for several good reasons. First, this sci-fi text adventure game feels like you are playing out a good movie.

In addition to its successful world-building, Planetfall succeeded where other text adventures failed by offering plenty of progression options and tough-but-fair puzzles. In turn, Planetfall was praised for pushing the idea that video games can be a way to create art.

15 Spider And Web

Descriptive writing is the most important thing for a text adventure since you have to imagine the setting and characters yourself. Spider and Web takes this idea to another level, gradually revealing details about the world and characters, including your character, as you progress.

The gripping thing is the format of this text adventure game. It is similar to stories, like the novel Frankenstein, that are meta stories within a story. In this case, you must recount a story for your apparent captors that will convince them you are not lying, or they may end your story violently.

14 The Fellowship Of The Ring

This text adventure game is the sequel to The Hobbit and improves on several things that the previous entry to the series struggled with. Namely, this is in the number of words the program recognizes, going from 400 to 800. This makes the game less frustrating to interface with.

The triumph of The Fellowship Of The Ring is its numerous options for interacting with its world and characters. There is a reason these games are referred to as interactive fiction; you get to choose what you want to do, and the best text adventure games will let you do whatever that is.

13 Kyle Is Famous

Kyle Is Famous is one of the funniest text adventure games you'll ever play! This silly choose-your-own-path story follows Kyle, America's favorite late-night host, as he prepares to interview the world's most prolific people. But, of course, Kyle's life can be as professional or professionally odd as you wish!

In your first playthrough, you may prepare a thoughtful interview that charms your A-list guest. But, in another playthrough, you may uncover a secret about your neighbor that leads to one of the most viral moments in TV history! Or maybe you'll die and become a ghost. The possibilities are endless! Plus, with custom stories from the online community, you'll never run out of fun and outrageous scenarios!

12 Night House

Night House is an engaging game due to its subject matter and its recent release (2016). Set in a house in the early 90s, you play as a young child wandering about during the night. This spooky text adventure reminds us that retro and horror go hand in hand.

The meat of the game is spent exploring the house and finding that things do not seem right, at which point the horror elements start to appear. Being a modern game, much care is taken to make Night House less frustrating than early text adventure games. So plenty of quality of life features, like a map and compass, ease navigation.

11 The Leak

WARNING: The following game has intense depictions of depression, self-harm, and suicide.

A text adventure doesn't have to be an hours-long epic to have an impact. Fatih Mert's short story, The Leak, is proof. This nerve-wracking tale walks you through the experience of a man planning to take his own life. But can this plan get interrupted? That's the crux of this dark psychological horror.

We do not recommend The Leak for gamers suffering from mental illness. But if you can endure the experience, you'll discover an atmospheric journey with incredible presentation. The game's soundscape dwells in the emptiness of isolation. Minimalist pixel art contributes to this terrifying void. And the narrator's stoic yet forceful performance drives the tension of each story beat.

10 Stories Untold: The House Abandon

Another modern game, The House Abandon, is part of a collection of four games called Stories Untold. The game is played on a small computer on the player character's desk. The House Abandon was designed by one of the developers from Alien Isolation, and you can see the resemblance.

What starts as a simple text adventure game slowly begins to twist as the actions you take in the computer game start to happen in the real world of the player character. This text adventure provides solid horror. So, if you can't handle the spooky stuff, this one might not be worth the stress.

9 Roadwarden

Another text adventure game that keeps the genre fresh is Roadwarden, a hybrid text adventure/RPG that melds the two genres well. In this fantasy text adventure, you'll play a soldier-for-hire called a road warden, tasked with initiating research and diplomatic relations between the remote peninsula region and the region of Havlovan.

On the one hand, Roadwarden features several familiar fantasy characters and settings, including stoic innkeepers, heroic nights, mysterious forests, and more, described in stunning detail. But on the other hand, this text adventure includes a unique class system, equipable items, and other bells and whistles that make its gameplay equally strategic and novel-like.

8 The Pilgrimage

Never judge a book by its cover or a text adventure game by its title. The Pilgrimage takes you on a foreigner's journey, but not the one you think. In the prologue, you'll meet an immigrant headed to a new land surrounded by a sea of fire. However, this epic truly begins once the protagonist drinks his first pint of beer.

The Pilgrimage is compelling because it's a classic hangover comedy shrouded in a fantasy rogue's tale. You'll use text commands for tasks like shmoozing with the barmaid, making it to the bathroom before you puke, and evading the pub owner's bill from last night's bender. Vivid environments and fully developed characters make this dastardly 'morning after' come alive.

7 The Dreamhold

The main thing to know when playing a text adventure is that the road forward will not always be clear. Just imagine how hard it would be to tell a player what to do in a modern game without graphics. That is where The Dreamhold comes in.

The concept behind this text adventure is to be the most accessible text adventure possible. This means making puzzles clear and solutions easy to understand without being obvious. It also delivers commentary on the genre, especially the more egregious examples of obscure puzzle solutions in older text adventure games.

6 Will: A Wonderful World

Will: A Wonderful World is a visual novel that expertly reinvents the text adventure genre. In this title, characters pray to a young god named Myth from settings worldwide. These prayers appear in Myth's mailbox as letters. By re-ordering the text of the letters, the characters' fates change. You would be surprised how the slightest change in text arrangement significantly affects the story, sometimes with life-or-death consequences!

Will's vibrant and dynamic story will keep you invested throughout your playthrough. However, it's vital to note that this text adventure has several trigger warnings. There are instances of physical and verbal abuse, sex trafficking, kidnapping, and other traumatic situations. So, you'll have to decide if Will's intense text adventure is appropriate for you.

5 AI Dungeon

The most modern game on this list, due to the seriously advanced technology included, is AI Dungeon. As the name suggests, it's an AI-generated text adventure game. The usual format is a fantasy story in a kingdom with dragons and wizards, but there are infinite possibilities here.

The best part about AI Dungeon is how the program reacts to your choices, way ahead of other impressive AI in video games. For example, as a medieval farmer, you can say, "I fly away." Then, the game will roll with it and create a narrative where you can fly. There are issues, of course, but this text adventure game is both impressive and hilarious in the results of your decisions.

4 Causal Effect

Imagine if you could track the consequences of your future decisions in pursuit of the optimal choice. In Causal Effect, you'll play a young college student who can perform this feat. Sounds like a sweet deal, right? However, this tale transforms the familiar 'Butterfly Effect' concept into a formidable Rubik's Cube of causality.

3 The Life And Suffering Of Sir Brante

The Life And Suffering Of Sir Brante is a highly thoughtful and perceptive text adventure. In this epic tale, you'll live the life of Sir Brante, a man born to a noble father and lowborn mother. Throughout your life, you'll navigate the trials and tribulations of a civilization governed by a rigid caste system that rewards wealth and punishes poverty.

One of The Life And Suffering Of Sir Brante's most significant achievements is its spectacular presentation. Its story is told on the yellow pages of a worn book adorned with gorgeous animations. Furthermore, sound effects, voice acting, and a captivating score will enfold the player in Sir Brante's complex world. Detailed mechanics, including the consequential opening and closing of unique opportunities, make every choice in this text adventure feel weighty and satisfying.

2 Zork

Zork is the text adventure game. Met with international acclaim, the game is a reasonably straightforward text adventure but told with the benefit of letting you decide how you want to progress. It does an excellent job of introducing players to the game world and compelling them to play more.

The exciting thing about Zork is how early it was produced and ostensibly ahead of its time. It would be years before a text adventure game of the same level would be produced. You can even play the game on a secret computer in Call of Duty: Black Ops because Activision purchased Infocom, the company that made Zork.

1 The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is the perfect book to adapt to a text adventure due to its rich world and characters. This makes interacting with them feel real, at least more accurate than in a book, and all the more satisfying. Thus, this text adventure game exceeds expectations!

Though its faithfulness to the novel is limited, it is for the better, as certain puzzles differ from how the book presents them, preventing cheating. Overall, the richness of the writing and incredible detail make this text adventure one of the best pieces of interactive fiction ever produced.