Imagine it’s the 1970s. The Internet is new, Google isn’t a thing, and electronic games are still in their infancy. Luckily, word processing is a feature of all personal computers. Words are the building blocks of stories, and what are most games if not interactive stories?
10 Classic Retro Games That Still Hold Up Today
Back in my day!
Beforegreat first-person shooters, next-gen consoles, voice acting, and 1920 x 1080 pixel graphics, a lot of games relied on text almost exclusively. The world may have evolved past the days when text-based games were all that was available, but the genre has never ceased to be captivating.
Some text-based games are virtually unrecognizable from the early days of Colossal Cave Adventure. Here are a few of the best modern text-based games available right now.
9A Normal Lost Phone
A Journey Of Identity And Self-Discovery
Suppose you find a lost phone. What’s your first instinct? If it’s locked, you might hand it in at the nearest lost and found location and move on with your day. What if it’s unlocked, though? Would you be tempted to forego privacy and snoop through someone else’s life?
In this cozy text-based adventure, you find a phone and snoop through its contents to discover who its owner might be. Whatever you find, you’re responsible for what happens next. This isn’ta conventional winter warmer of a cozy game, but there is some of that spirit to be found here.
You’ll need to uncover passwords, read through private conversations, and discover someone’s deepest secrets. In the beginning, you’re trying to figure out how to get a normal lost phone back to its owner, but by the end, you’ll have a far different, more sensitive, and overall more heartwarming cause.
Tissues don’t come standard, but you should have them handy. Try Another Lost Phone if you finish this game and want to play its spiritual successor.
8Heaven’s Vault
Translating The Past
Language isn’t static; it’s a complex ecosystem of comprehension and interpretation that keeps evolving. This game isn’t static, either. Text-based though it may be, Heaven’s Vault tells a story through its impactful design, too.
Collect artifacts, translate an intricate ancient language, and explore the bond between protagonist Aliya and her robotic companion, Six.
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Replayability is a core strength here, as the story’s full scope and Nebula’s history aren’t revealed in one playthrough. You’ll get to dive into it all again while retaining previous translations to explore deeper alternate narratives.
7Buddy Simulator 1984
Grappling With AI Ethics
The rise of AI has brought about some fascinating discourse about the ethics of different applications, as well as lots of Terminator-based jokes. This game has a vibe that’s very much in line with all of this.
Buddy Simulator 1984 starts as a simple, innocent text-based adventure with your new best buddy. It’ll impress you, flatter you, and entertain you. The game relies on your input and excels at fraying the edges of reality.
Don’t use your actual pet’s name at any point in this game. Save yourself the profound virtual pain.
The DOS-style interface draws you into the 1984 fantasy, the text-based interface scores major brownie points with fans of retro gameplay, and the slow devolution into torment, chaos, and an exploration of toxic friendships gives the title a significant edge that horror fans may appreciate.
Follow your buddy’s instructions as it creates increasingly complex games for you to play together, but be wary in the process.
6Subsurface Circular
Philosophical And Moral Dilemmas
Subsurface Circular
Have you ever wanted the opportunity to listen in on private artificial intelligence conversations? Well, now you can! Gulp and feel the irrational guilt catch in your throat as two robots sit on a never-ending train ride, discussing theories of human involvement in a spate of robot disappearances.
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Playing as a robot detective with certain rogue tendencies, you’ll hear how robots really feel about humans, themselves, each other, and the world they inhabit. At the same time, you try to piece together an intriguing caper capable of holding its own amongthe best mystery games.
Given the power to maintain the status quo or upend society for a more egalitarian future for all, which route will you take? This one takes the classic text-based adventure far into the future.
5Stories Untold
A Bleeding Note?
Stories Untold
If you remember Ludum Dare 36, the 72-hour game jam back in 2016, you’ll be familiar with the first narrative—The House Abandon. This game fully realizes that project, replete with retro computer graphics and an immersive environment that changes depending on your choices.
This text-based adventure combines first-person exploration withpoint-and-click mechanics rivaling the genre’s finest, offering a dynamic and varied experience.
Each episode feels distinct, different from the next, but there is a cohesive overarching narrative at play here. However, it’s your job to find out what that narrative is and, ultimately, how it ends.
4Sunless Sea
A Roguelike Voyage Of The Damned
Sunless Sea
Sunless Sea is an atmospheric journey into the dark, mysterious universe of Fallen London,dressed as a roguelike. Command your vessel across the sprawling Unterzee, keeping your resources balanced while keeping your terror in check (which is difficult to do with Eldritch monsters about).
Each port offers a fresh addition to the complex narrative, which is filled with Lovecraftian horrors, quirky humor, and the faint promise of potential answers.
Permadeath ups the ante, while the Legacy System ensures your story continues through generations. Explore uncharted depths, bargain with shadowy figures, and decide what your journey is worth.
Every captain faces terror. The question is, how far will you sail before it consumes you?
3The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante
Your Life, Your Choices, Your Suffering
In this title, you’re born into a rigid class-based society, where every decision defines not just your life but the legacy you leave behind.
The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante is a profoundly narrative-driven RPG where your choices — recorded in an in-game journal — chart a path through political intrigue, familial loyalty, and societal rebellion.
With its haunting monochromatic art and a lesser deathsmechanic that weaves mortality into the storyline, the game challenges you to navigate moral dilemmas that feel painfully real. Its branching paths and rich lore mean no two playthroughs are alike, making every life you lead uniquely yours.
2Roadwarden
Help Stricken Travelers On The Road
Roadwarden
Roadwarden doesn’t pull punches where choice-based narratives are concerned, chucking you a curveball almost immediately. Can you trust the very first people you meet?
You’ll establish more about your backstory and personality as you discover more of the extensive and varied world around you. The role of a Roadwarden is a difficult but crucial one, and you’ve answered the call.
The best text-based gamesoften rely on critical thinking and trying out less-than-obvious solutions, and Roadwarden is a shining example of the genre.
If you get stuck, keep in mind that a close inspection can show you the way.
Roadwarden is more action-packed than other games in this category, with life-and-death decisions backed by a soundtrack that grabs hold of your imagination and doesn’t let go.
1The Crimson Diamond
Geology-Fuelled Murder Mystery
The Crimson Diamond
Fans of classic 1980s text parsers will likely get a kick out of this one, particularly if they enjoyed The Colonel’s Bequest. Steep your soul in nostalgia while you delve into a text-heavy visual narrative that has you rifling through drawers, wardrobes, and strangers' family dynamics right off the bat.
A small has-been mining town is catapulted into the cultural zeitgeist of the day after a curious discovery. Play as Nancy Maple, a young clerk for the Royal Canadian Museum, as she furthers her aspirations of studying mineralogy by becoming an accidental sleuth.
Vibrant visuals, detailed characters, and a surprising amount to do set this game apart from shorter, simpler adventures.
