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The Best Adventure Game

Last updated on September 10, 2019

We looked at the top 9 Adventure Games and dug through the reviews from 68 of the most popular review sites including and more. The result is a ranking of the best Adventure Games.

Best Adventure Game

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Our Picks For The Top Adventure Games

Show Contents
Our Take
Experts Included
Pros
Cons
  Best Overall

Nintendo The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Don't Waste Your Money Seal of Approval

Nintendo Switch

The Legend of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild

Overall Take

It’s no surprise Nintendo’s “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” is the best overall choice for best adventure games. Nintendo just keeps improving their world of Zelda, and in this particular game, you will find improved landscapes, challenging puzzles, outstanding background music and excellent mechanics that will keep... Read More

Experts Included
DWYM Electronics Experts plus GameSpot, Metacritic, IGN, The Verge, Kotaku, Trusted Reviews. Along with user reviews from Amazon.
Pros
" This adventure game is packed with a wide variety of perplexing puzzles and a delicate soundtrack that expertly punctuates the world's many moods."
Cons
"This lack of direction can be disorienting at first."

Sony God of War 4

PS4

God Of War 4

Overall Take

“God of War 4” offers excellence in combat mechanisms and character upgrades. This adventure game will take you to a creepy world filled with monsters and survival techniques that you never knew about. You also won’t find better action elsewhere.

Experts Included
DWYM Electronics Experts plus Metacritic, IGN, Trusted Reviews, GameSpot, Polygon, CNET and 5 more. Along with user reviews from Amazon.
Pros
" The Leviathan Axe acts just like Thor's hammer, and it's So. Damn. Satisfying."
Cons
"Change of pace certainly won’t be for all."

XBOX ONE Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy

XBOX ONE

Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy

Overall Take

The “Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy” for Xbox One users offers colorful graphics, original character traits and updated features that enhance the game. If you are looking for a familiar character with new scenes and improved character options, this is the one for you. Find simple fun and adventure around... Read More

Experts Included
DWYM Electronics Experts plus Xbox Tavern, Xbox Addict, ZTGD, The X Box Hub, True Achievements, Digital Chumps and 3 more. Along with user reviews from Amazon.
Pros
" Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy stays remarkably faithful to the originals in nearly every way, warts and all."
Cons
"Hit detection still awkward. Games are extremely hard."
  The Best Value

Square Enix Final Fantasy XV

PS4

Final Fantasy XV

Overall Take

The results are in, and PlayStation 4’s “Final Fantasy XV” is the best value for your buck. It offers outstanding missions, challenging dungeon designs, and character improvements. With all its fun features, “Final Fantasy XV” will give you hours of adventure.

Experts Included
DWYM Electronics Experts plus Metacritic, Trusted Reviews, GameSpot, IGN. Along with user reviews from Amazon.
Pros
" There are some well-designed dungeons and missions in here too, even if some leave you wondering why Noctis doesn’t make more use of his Warp abilities to sneak past guards or get through chainlink fences and over walls. The set-piece..."
Cons
"Astrals are needlessly difficult to summon"
Don't just take for granted what one reviewer says. Along with our own experts, DWYM analyzes the top expert reviews of the leading products and generates a score you can actually trust.
16

Products Considered

We identified the majority of the adventure games available to purchase.
9

Products Analyzed

We then selected the leading and most popular products for our team to review.

View All Product Rankings

68

Expert Reviews Included

In addition to our expert reviews, we also incorporate feedback and analysis of some of the most respected sources including: PC Gamer, The Guardian, Screen Rant, Dark Station, GameSpot.

8,217

User Opinions Analyzed

We also incorporate user reviews from the leading retailers including

Our experts reviewed the top 9 Adventure Games and also dug through the reviews from 68 of the most popular review sites including and more. The result is a ranking of the best of the best Adventure Games.

DWYM is your trusted roduct review source. Our team reviews thousands of product reviews from the trusted top experts and combines them into one easy-to-understand score. Learn more.

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The Best Overall

Nintendo The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild


Our Expert Score

9.9
6 expert reviews

User Summarized Score

9.6
3,027 user reviews

Our Take

It’s no surprise Nintendo’s “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” is the best overall choice for best adventure games. Nintendo just keeps improving their world of Zelda, and in this particular game, you will find improved landscapes, challenging puzzles, outstanding background music and excellent mechanics that will keep you playing for hours. There is plenty of exploring to do in this great world of Zelda.

What other experts liked

This adventure game is packed with a wide variety of perplexing puzzles and a delicate soundtrack that expertly punctuates the world's many moods.
- GameSpot
March 2, 2017 | Full review
Where it takes mechanics from others in the industry, it improves upon them; where it introduces new ones, you slap your forehead in amazement that it hasn’t been done before. Breath of the Wild is development done right, and damn...
- Metacritic
That paraglider is easily one of the most useful tools in Breath of the Wild because it's so versatile. You can use it to effortlessly glide across lakes and gaps or ride updrafts into new areas, and I often used...
- IGN
March 2, 2017 | Full review
Zelda games have always been large, but Breath of the Wild feels uniquely grand, a massive open world filled with so much to do that I suspect most players — even those who complete the main story — will miss...
- The Verge
March 2, 2017 | Full review
Breath of the Wild also wants you to feel like exploring is a worthwhile use of your time, which it accomplishes in several ways. First, by letting Link choose from a wide variety of weapons and gear. Second, by sprinkling...
- Kotaku
March 2, 2017 | Full review
This is also the largest Hyrule Nintendo has ever created, in both breadth and depth. Having a simply massive open world wouldn’t mean much if there wasn’t so much to do within it, but there’s tons. There are the 100...
- Trusted Reviews
April 7, 2017 | Full review

What other experts didn't like

This has occasional frame rate issues.
- GameSpot
March 2, 2017 | Full review
This lack of direction can be disorienting at first.
- The Verge
March 2, 2017 | Full review
Can't remap buttons. Some frame rate drops.
- Kotaku
March 2, 2017 | Full review
Only a couple of niggles might put you off. One is the somewhat hammy voice acting, though it’s only used in cut scenes so doesn’t impact the game too much. It’s the first time a Zelda game has had voice...
- Trusted Reviews
April 7, 2017 | Full review

The Best Bang For Your Buck

Square Enix Final Fantasy XV

Our Expert Score

8.1
4 expert reviews

User Summarized Score

8.2
1,799 user reviews

Our Take

The results are in, and PlayStation 4’s “Final Fantasy XV” is the best value for your buck. It offers outstanding missions, challenging dungeon designs, and character improvements. With all its fun features, “Final Fantasy XV” will give you hours of adventure.

What other experts liked

There are some well-designed dungeons and missions in here too, even if some leave you wondering why Noctis doesn’t make more use of his Warp abilities to sneak past guards or get through chainlink fences and over walls. The set-piece fights and boss battles are often surprisingly strong, the monster...
- Trusted Reviews
January 24, 2018 | Full review
This game has impressive open-world that's equally beautiful and haunting.
- GameSpot
November 28, 2016 | Full review
Speaking of mass devastation, it wouldn’t be a Final Fantasy without Summon spells, and Final Fantasy XV’s are positively spectacular-looking.
- IGN
November 28, 2016 | Full review

What other experts didn't like

No save points in some dungeons and not the most comprehensible or well-told story.
- Trusted Reviews
January 24, 2018 | Full review
Astrals are needlessly difficult to summon
- GameSpot
November 28, 2016 | Full review
It just comes with some changes and compromises that were, at times, difficult for this long-time Final Fantasy fan to come to grips with.
- IGN
November 28, 2016 | Full review

Overall Product Rankings

1. Nintendo The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Overall Score: 9.8
Reviews Included: 7

2. Sony God of War 4

Overall Score: 9.3
Reviews Included: 12

3. XBOX ONE Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy

Overall Score: 9.0
Reviews Included: 10

4. PS4 Shadow of the Colossus

Overall Score: 8.9
Reviews Included: 12

5. PS4 A Plague Tale: Innocence

Overall Score: 8.4
Reviews Included: 12

6. Square Enix Final Fantasy XV

Overall Score: 8.1
Reviews Included: 5

7. XBOX 360 Minecraft: Story Mode

Overall Score: 7.0
Reviews Included: 9

8. PS4 Adam’s Venture Origin’s

Overall Score: 6.3
Reviews Included: 10

Our Adventure Game Buying Guide

Looking for the best adventure game for your game day with friends? Whether you play on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One or Nintendo Switch, there are adventure games galore. You may find it a bit overwhelming, so let’s make it easy for you and show you some top-rated options for those consoles. Let’s first take a look at the different consoles and what they have to offer the adventure game-lover in you.

PlayStation 4 is a pioneer in original, exclusive titles for console game players. With outstanding ratings for their exclusive games, players will surely find a unique, intriguing game experience through the PlayStation 4 console. For PlayStation 4 players, there are two fantastic recommendations for adventure games. “God of War” by Sony takes the player through the experience of Kratos, who lives and has to survive in the world of monsters and Norse Gods. This game is packed with unparalleled graphics and incredibly realistic, unique monsters that may make you shake in your boots. Another such adventure game for the PS4 fanatic is “Final Fantasy XV.” In this game, the player can explore freely through the world in multiple modes of transportation, use incredible action moves such as double jumps and enjoy realistic graphics.

If you are an Xbox One owner, you will find a great selection of games. In addition to games designed for Xbox One, the console also allows for Xbox 360 and Xbox games. This makes your choice of games much wider and more diverse than the PS4. Besides the games, Xbox One has a leg up on other console games with endless access to entertainment apps and media servers, including Kodi, which PS4 does not offer. For an excellent Xbox One adventure game, check out “Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy.” This game has it all, from old-time game features to improved graphics that impress even the toughest critics.

Both PS4 and Xbox One allow for compatibility with third-party games. Some of those games include “Red Dead Redemption 2,” “Mortal Kombat 11” and “Resident Evil 2.” This creates an even bigger pool of options for console game players.

Now throw in the Nintendo Switch for comparison. The Switch has exceptional controller choices and super portability. With the option to use it as a home system or an on-the-go handheld system, the competition has nothing on it in that category. While it has awesome gamepads of its own, the Switch also offers compatibility with third-party gamepads if you so choose.

In terms of game selection, Nintendo is extremely exclusive with its trademark games, such as the “Mario” series. The item does support third-party games, which has been a huge selling point for the console. In addition, the Switch is accommodating to the indie genre of games, including “Night in the Woods”.  This is a huge plus for Nintendo Switch users.

One highly recommended adventure game for Switch players is “The Legend of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild.” This super popular game is a favorite because of its open-air roaming that allows you to explore a beautiful kingdom with all different landscapes available.You will happen upon adventures as you switch from each climate and landscape.

When comparing the console games, it’s important to note the subscriptions that may be needed to access the games and all their fabulous features. Every console has its own service, and some are better than others in terms of what they offer. For PS4, players will want access to and subscribe to the PlayStation Network; the Xbox One users will want access to Xbox Live; and Nintendo Switch Online services the Switch users. The PS Network and Xbox Live offer substantially more services than the Nintendo Switch Online, but players will also pay quite a bit more for the subscription. These services are absolutely essential if players want to connect online with friends or fellow gamers when playing their favorite adventure game.

DWYM Fun Fact

“The Brown Box” was created in 1967 by a team led by Ralph Baer. This was the first video game system used in the home. It was sold with the name “Odyssey” in 1972 after Baer sold it to Magnavox. This would, as most video game consoles do, phase out over just a few years. During those years, it had 28 games that the player could choose from, one of which inspired the uber-famous “Pong” that would later be seen on the Atari systems in 1975.

“Space Invaders” came out in 1978, and in 1979, Activision was the pioneer in console game creation without making a console, or as some would call them, ‘third-party’ game developers. This opened the door for many other companies to get into the business.

The early 1980s welcomed the still-popular “Pac-Man,” “Donkey Kong,” and Microsoft’s first “Flight” simulator game, before the crash of 1983. The crash was a direct cause of oversaturation in the industry. Consoles were being released by new companies constantly. The games were extremely low-quality and not very captivating to players, and the competition between third-party developers was causing the market to dive.  It caused multiple home console creators to go into bankruptcy, which ultimately brought the market back up in 1985. Nintendo was a huge contributor to bringing the video game market back to the United States. It offered the incredibly long-lasting games “Super Mario Bros.,” “The Legend of Zelda” and “Metroid”.

In 1991, Genesis created the “Sonic the Hedgehog” game that finally gave Nintendo some competition in the market. The game became super popular, and Nintendo and Genesis entered a rivalry. That year, Nintendo released a new console to compete and thus began the console war that is still happening today between several companies.

The Adventure Game Tips and Advice

  • Always keep in mind the ratings on adventure games, especially when looking for kids. Many of them have explanations for their ratings, such as violence or crude image, so you can make a well-informed decision on the right adventure game for your player.
  • Getting a subscription to the console service networks will make gaming super convenient. You will have countless games at the click of a button. Having the subscription will allow you to track your progress and see how you match-up against the competition.
  • Try multiple different types of games in the adventure game genre. Diversify your library of games so you never get bored of playing.
  • Create your dream team within the online networks with friends or fellow gamers and set up game times for you all to meet and play together. This keeps things interesting and fun.
  • Stay on top of the best adventure games for your console through your subscription. You will get updates about new games coming out and how they compare to the most popular adventure games today.

About The Author

Genevieve Nino 

Genevieve Nino is a professional writer located in the Topsail Island area of North Carolina. Genevieve loves to explore and thoroughly research electronics that will help make life easier.