The adventure genre has always been a fan favorite in the gaming world. Since the late 90s, it has dwindled in popularity, but it still has a large fanbase tied to it. All three console platforms have stellar adventure titles, and Xbox is no different. There are some more interesting titles available due to backward compatibility.
Double Fine Productions and its founder, Tim Schafer, have a long history of stellar adventure titles. Since Double Fine is a part of Xbox Game Studios, many of its games and Tim's past work are available on Xbox. For action-adventure games to be considered, the adventure aspect must be a sizable portion of the title.
8 The Secret Of Monkey Island: Special Edition
The first game in the Monkey Island series is a landmark and classic adventure title by Lucasfilm Games. It was a PC exclusive back in the 90s, but in 2009 a special edition was released. A total graphics overhaul was offered, and voice acting got added. Many actors who played the characters in the sequels reprise their roles. You can switch between the new and old graphics on the fly, which is a nice addition.
The title has great puzzles and some of the most iconic running gags in the medium. A lot of adventure games on pc afterward tried to mimic the running gag of everyone mispronouncing the main character's name to little success. All of this, along with great writing, makes Monkey Island 1 an essential adventure game.
7 Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge
One year after the first Monkey Island special edition, the sequel got the same treatment. While the first game is a classic, the sequel is superior in a lot of ways. It's longer, bigger, and has more islands to explore. The puzzles are much more creative and satisfying to solve, as well.
Like the first remaster, you can switch between the old and new graphics at any time, but this version exclusively has developer commentary. It's fascinating to listen to if you're a fan of the series, especially regarding the latest entry, Return to Monkey Island. With the same amazing writing as the first title, Monkey Island 2 is another essential adventure game.
6 Stacking
Stacking is a legitimate hidden gem. Most 'hidden gems' still get talked about from time to time, but Stacking rarely, if ever, gets talked about anymore. This is a shame, as it's an excellent and unique adventure game. The title is about the famous Russian stacking dolls, a great concept for this genre.
You can go inside larger and larger dolls, can unstack at any time, and certain dolls have their own abilities. It's thoroughly enjoyable the whole way through, and if you want to play an adventure game like no other or just want a new unique experience, Stacking is a great choice.
5 Grim Fandango
One of the best adventure games ever made by Lucasfilm Games, Tim Schafer's Grim Fandango is a wonderful adventure into the afterlife. The game is based on the mythology of the Mexican Day of the Dead holiday (similar to the film Coco if you've seen it). It's longer than most adventure games at the time, and every part of the game is highly memorable and distinct.
There are no real absurd or out-there puzzles that get frustrating, which is in line with other Lucasfilm Games. The writing itself is superb, but your engagement with the story will depend on some degree of your interest in the holiday itself. Grim Fandango is a must-play adventure game, but it might not be one you go back to often.
4 Day of the Tentacle
Another title up there with the best Lucasfilm Games adventures has to be Day of the Tentacle. It's probably one of the best adventure game sequels and improves on the multiple-character aspect of the first game. In Maniac Mansion, it was very easy to end up in an unwinnable state. In Day of the Tentacle, that's no longer an issue, and playing with the multiple characters is much more fun due to the time travel system.
Each character is in their own separate place and time for most of the game, leading to some great puzzle-solving. A lot of the tasks can be completed in any order, making the game more fun to replay. Day of the Tentacle is a must-play due to the fun time travel system, nonlinearity, and funny writing that Lucasfilm Games always brings.
3 Prince Of Persia: The Forgotten Sands
After the weird 2008 Prince of Persia reboot, the series returned to the Sands of Time continuity in The Forgotten Sands. In a game like Uncharted, the platforming doesn't really test you and is more to break up the pace of the third-person shooting. Prince of Persia, however, actually does test you in its platforming and is a major part of the game.
The last platforming challenge, in particular, can take a while on your first run. Exploration is also important in finding and destroying every sarcophagus. The game's quite short and likely can be beaten within a day, but it's fun while it lasts. Out of the backward-compatible Prince of Persia games on Xbox 360, this entry is the best and can go on sale for really cheap.
2 Tomb Raider: Underworld
The last mainline entry in the Tomb Raider series before the franchise got the reboot treatment was Tomb Raider: Underworld. This game has aged the best out of three backward-compatible Xbox 360 entries. Playing Legend and Anniversary can be a little rough to go back to, but not so much with Underworld. Combat is in this game, but a majority of the title is platforming and exploration.
Unlike Uncharted, where finding a place to climb is rather easy, in Underworld, you must look deep to find out where to go. This title can make you feel like an idiot, but sticking with it can be very satisfying. The last third of the game does drag a bit, and the ending leaves something to be desired, but most of Underworld is a good adventure-filled time.
1 Somerville
An Xbox console exclusive, Somerville is a short but sweet adventure game by former members of Playdead who made Limbo and Inside. It is shorter than both of those, but it's still really good. Puzzles felt the best in this game, likely due to death being far less common. If you're stuck, the character is the same. This makes you concentrate more on the task at hand, and dying constantly would make you lose that focus.
The ending sections are a bit off the walls, and the rumble feature is broken on consoles. Near the end of the game, the rumble can glitch out and rumble endlessly until you turn vibration off. Nevertheless, this is a must-play Xbox-exclusive adventure title.