The Best Mystery Games

Update : Saltsea Chronicles added at rank #31.
1

Outer Wilds (2020)

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90
Review score
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Xbox One Android Nintendo Switch Playstation 5 Xbox Series X PC Windows Playstation 4

Unravel the mysteries of the universe in Outer Wilds, an award-winning open world game. Explore an ever-evolving solar system, uncover alien secrets, and enjoy a thought-provoking narrative. With no enemies to fight, you're free to discover at your own pace. Get ready for an unforgettable adventure in space!


What we like:
  • Unique and immersive gameplay experience
  • Beautiful and intricate world-building
  • Thought-provoking narrative
  • Encourages fearless discovery
  • Captures the mysteries of the universe
What could be improved:
  • May cause motion sickness
  • Game's physics can lead to unexpected deaths

  • exploration
  • mystery
  • puzzle
  • discovery
  • open-world
  • space
  • sci-fi
  • adventure
  • endless
  • first-person
  • story
  • day

2

The Forgotten City (2021)

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89
Review score
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Playstation 5 Xbox One PC Windows Playstation 4 Xbox Series X Nintendo Switch

Unravel the mysteries of The Forgotten City, a time-looping adventure set in an ancient Roman city. Engage with well-crafted characters, navigate ethical dilemmas, and uncover secrets that will keep you hooked. Despite its humble origins as a Skyrim mod, this game offers a captivating experience with multiple endings, making every decision count.


What we like:
  • Gripping story with clever twists
  • Immersive, detailed visuals
  • Strong voice performances
  • Thought-provoking themes and ethical dilemmas
  • Multiple dialogue options and quest-solving approaches
What could be improved:
  • Backtracking can be tedious
  • Limited impact of player's chosen backstory
  • Occasional slowdowns and glitches
  • Fixed map despite vast experience

  • mystery
  • narrative
  • adventure
  • rpg
  • story
  • historical
  • exploration
  • skyrim
  • combat
  • crime
  • thought-provoking
  • discovery
  • puzzle
  • first-person

3

GHOST TRICK: Phantom Detective (2023)

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86
Review score
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IOS iPhone PC Windows Playstation 4 Xbox One Nintendo Switch

In Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective, you're a ghost solving your own murder mystery before sunrise. With time manipulation, object possession, and mind-bending puzzles, you'll uncover a story full of twists and turns. This HD remaster offers an upgraded visual experience, new music arrangements, and a gallery of artwork, making it the ultimate version of this classic adventure.


What we like:
  • Engaging story with satisfying twists
  • Endearing, unique characters
  • Fantastic art style and graphic upgrades
  • Fun voice acting
  • Intriguing puzzle-solving mechanics
What could be improved:
  • Puzzles can be frustrating and require trial-and-error
  • Unhelpful hint system
  • Lack of bonus content

  • puzzle
  • mystery
  • detective
  • cult
  • adventure
  • narrative
  • supernatural
  • classic
  • assassin

4

Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins (2021)

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86
Review score
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Playstation 4 Xbox One Nintendo Switch PC Windows Android IOS iPhone

Enter the thrilling found-phone mystery of Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins and uncover the chilling truth before it's too late. Help solve cryptic puzzles and interact with authentic characters as you navigate through an eerie abandoned house. But watch out for the Weeping Angels! Immerse yourself in this unique blend of horror and sci-fi elements that will leave you wanting more.


What we like:
  • Immersive storytelling
  • Challenging puzzles
  • Impressive graphics and sound design
  • Replay value
  • Unique blend of horror and sci-fi elements
What could be improved:
  • Short length compared to other games
  • No Steam achievements

  • mystery
  • horror
  • puzzle
  • sci-fi
  • interactive
  • simulacra
  • adventure
  • narrative
  • visual-novel
  • immersive
  • fiction
  • investigation
  • detective

5

Paradise Killer (2020)

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87
Review score
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Nintendo Switch PC Windows

Paradise Island, a world outside reality. There’s been a murder that only "investigation freak" Lady Love Dies can solve. Gather evidence and interrogate suspects in this open world adventure. You can accuse anyone, but you’ll have to prove your case in trial. It’s up to you to decide who’s guilty.


  • crime
  • mystery
  • detective
  • open-world
  • exploration
  • psychedelic
  • investigation
  • visual-novel
  • first-person
  • surreal
  • multiple-endings
  • story
  • demons
  • choices
  • stylized

6

Pentiment (2022)

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87
Review score
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Xbox One Xbox Series X PC Windows

Pentiment can be seen as a educational game set in the 15th century, combining point-and-click adventure with role-playing elements and a branching narrative. It follows Andreas Mahler as he tries to clear his friend's name while uncovering the secrets of a small Bavarian town.

Buy

What we like:
  • Captivating story
  • Immersive atmosphere
  • Beautiful visuals and sound
  • Interesting characters and dialogue
  • Deep RPG elements and replayability
What could be improved:
  • Limited number of puzzles which are not particularly challenging

  • historical
  • narrative
  • mystery
  • medieval
  • choices
  • rpg
  • book
  • crime
  • adventure
  • detective
  • story
  • fiction
  • stylized
  • local
  • education

7

Return of the Obra Dinn (2018)

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96
Review score
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Xbox One Mac OS PC Windows

Return of the Obra Dinn is an adventure puzzle game set in a supernatural maritime world. Players assume the role of an appraiser for a maritime insurance company and are given a pocket watch that reveals the fates of the ship's unfortunate passengers. The game features stunning foley work, voice acting, and score to set its tone. Players must use their deductive reasoning to unravel what happened to all passengers on board.


What we like:
  • Mystery elements require sound deductive reasoning
  • Brilliant foley work and voice acting
  • Innovative visuals inspired by early computer games
  • Supernatural angle adds intrigue and suspense
  • High replay value
What could be improved:
  • Simulated assistance may make some tasks too easy
  • Minimalist aesthetic can be off-putting to some players
  • Limited area surrounding each scene restricts exploration

  • detective
  • mystery
  • puzzle

8

Strange Horticulture (2022)

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91
Review score
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Xbox Series X PC Windows Nintendo Switch Mac OS Xbox One

Strange Horticulture is an occult puzzle game in which you play as the proprietor of a local plant store. Find and identify new plants, pet your cat, speak to a coven, or join a cult. Use your collection of powerful plants to influence the story and unravel Undermere’s dark mysteries.


  • mystery
  • investigation
  • puzzle
  • nature
  • detective
  • relaxing
  • lovecraftian
  • exploration
  • multiple-endings
  • choices
  • 2d
  • alternate-universe
  • simulation
  • clue
  • lovecraft

9

Overboard! (2021)

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89
Review score
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IOS iPhone Nintendo Switch Android PC Windows Mac OS

Overboard! is an exciting mystery game where you play as Veronica Villensey, a 1930s femme fatale who throws her husband overboard on a boat eight hours away from New York. You must help her get away with her crime by getting her off the boat scot-free when it docks. With visuals and music that evoke the 1930s, and the ability to direct your own story with multiple endings, this game is sure to keep you entertained.


What we like:
  • Open world visual novel gameplay
  • Multiple endings
  • Replayable
  • Short playthroughs
  • Fun 1930s visuals & music
What could be improved:
  • Short playthrough times may be a con for some players

  • visual-novel
  • crime
  • mystery
  • choices
  • detective
  • narrative
  • fiction
  • comedy
  • novel
  • interactive
  • adventure
  • conversation
  • sailing
  • cover
  • puzzle

10

The Case of the Golden Idol (2022)

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91
Review score
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Mac OS Nintendo Switch PC Windows

In The Case of the Golden Idol, you take on the role of a detective tasked to investigate a string of cases related to a mysterious golden idol. You must piece together evidence from the frozen tableau at each crime scene and solve puzzles in order to explain what happened.


What we like:
  • Innovative puzzles
  • Elegant execution
  • Trial-and-error approach and pure deduction available
  • Sherlockian texture that plays out in imagination
  • Captivating 18th century thriller
What could be improved:
  • Rudimentary artwork
  • Requires feats of deduction that may be difficult for some players

  • detective
  • mystery
  • crime
  • fiction
  • pixel
  • puzzle
  • investigation
  • thriller
  • conspiracy
  • point-and-click

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