Summary
For avid gamers, few things can feel more liberating and exciting than getting into a video game where a player’s choices matter. Branching narratives and experiencing the weight of one’s decisions in a game is such a big draw that many games promise to deliver on such a premise. Fans of narrative masterpieces such asMass Effect,Dragon Age, andDisco Elysiumare likely to relive the experience with a different playthroughto witness alternative pathswithin the game.
However, in reality, most games present an illusion of choice or follow a heavily scripted narrative. In such cases, players may feel disappointed and annoyed that they were promised a unique experience and were let down. Despite this, there are several games available where players can reallychoose their adventureand tangibly feel the consequences of their choices.
Updated on August 05, 2025 by Ritwik Mitra:Choose your own adventure games are a blast to play through for players who love to craft their own narrative, following a character’s journey across a well-written story that’s pretty engaging when its elements are executed properly. There are many fun CYOA games players can check out if they wish to immerse themselves in a story that is cozy, engaging, riveting, or a combination of all these elements.
The release ofTelltale’s The Walking Deadpropelled the studio to new heights, turning them into the masters of the modern adventure game that placed more of a focus on cinematic storytelling instead of moon-logic puzzles that were downright frustrating to interact with. However, there are times when these games can feel a bit too railroaded for their own good, which is a criticism that many people had for the second and thirdWalking Deadgames developed by Telltale.
Thankfully, the studio heard these criticisms and decided to focus on better hub worlds and longer episodes for the final season ofThe Walking Dead. Clementine’s journey ends on a satisfactory note, with players loving AJ and how he dealt with things in a post-zombie apocalypse world where any sense of decency has gone completely out of the window.
It takes something really special for a visual novel to become an indie gem, withSlay the Princessdefying genre tropes to make for a spectacular experience in every way. The fact that a princess that players should protect could be a demonic entity whose death could actually save the world makes for a fun twist. The game loops over and over again as players discover all the endings this title has to offer.
This horror game is not for the faint of heart but well worth checking out if players like unique twists on done-to-death genre tropes. The Lovecraftian influences present in this title make it quite riveting in its own right, and are a huge reason whySlay the Princessdeserves more credit for being such an imaginative and engaging title.
17Class Of ‘09
Metacritic Score: N/A
People who want to check out whatBoondockswould be like if the lead characters were perfect white girls who everyone swoons over will have a great time playing throughClass of ‘09.The sheer ridiculousness on display in this title makes it worth checking out for any fan of unique visual novels that are as edgy as they come.
The wacky scenarios present inClass of ‘09keep on ramping up the craziness, with players unlocking a wealth of endings as they go through a visual novel adventure for the ages. As long as players don’t mind dark humor and satire, this unique CYOA game will be right up their alley.
Larian Studios has hit the ground running withBaldur’s Gate 3, becoming one of the most popular video game developers in the process. The CRPG genre was considered to be a niche sector in gaming for so long, which is why the success of this game is particularly impressive to behold.
The sheer number of ways that players can influencethe stories being told inBaldur’s Gate 3is truly impressive—through dialogue, impulsive action, completing or ignoring certain quests (most of which have several ending options as well), etc. Larian has truly knocked it out of the park, and people will be singing praises about the open-ended nature of this RPG for many, many years.
Telltale’s adventure games elicit a variety of mixed opinions from players, who find some of their adventures to be passable while others can feel like a chore at times.The firstBatmangame by Telltaledefinitely impressed some people, even if the story didn’t seem like anything special.
So, whenBatman: The Enemy Withinrolled out, fans were genuinely amazed to see what a huge upgrade it was from the first game. The story was more engaging than ever before, exploring the characters of both Bruce Wayne and Batman as this one man struggles to maintain two identities without losing himself in the process.
The news that Telltale Studios was shutting down hit many players hard, especiallysince they loved a lot of the games this developer had released. Unfortunately, poor planning led to the studio biting off more than it could chew before eventually shutting its doors, withThe Wolf Among Usbeing one of the many IPs that ended up disappearing.
It was a shame since many people consider this game to be amongst one of Telltale’s finest offerings. While the future for its sequel didn’t look bright, fans were glad to hear that a second game was finally on the way. The story of Bigby as he served as the Sheriff of Fabletown made for a tantalizing tale full of twists and turns, with the noir style and striking visual design being some of the strongest things about this game that fans still love to this day.
Life is Strangeis one of the most emotional story-driven adventure games that anyone can check out. The game focuses on the story of Max Caulfield, a teenager who goes back to her hometown of Arcadia Bay to attend Blackwell Academy. However,despite how boring the premise may seem, things take a turn for the worse when Max discovers a vision where a tornado comes to lay waste to the entire town.
If this wasn’t spooky enough as is, Max also figures out that she has the ability to rewind time, allowing her to carry out multiple choices to see their effects in the game world. It makes for a wildly unique premise, and it’s easy to see whyLife is Strangebecame one of the most popular Western franchises under Square Enix before they sold the lion’s share of their IPs to Embracer Group. The series has seen multiple titles, but there’s still something magical about the first game that most players still adore to this day.
12Not For Broadcast
Metacritic Score: 82
Not for Broadcastis easily one of the most unique indie titles around, with the core gameplay loop centering around a person named Alex who is tasked with controlling a broadcasting room during a news show that takes some really wild turns. While this gameplay premise might seem rather odd, it’s the great way in whichNot for Broadcastemulates the idea of controlling what is shown to the people that makes it such a great game in every way.
However, in between these gameplay segments, players are tasked with making tough choices about their struggling family, deciding where to spend their funds and how to raise their children, among other such choices. The game doesn’t shy away from being hilarious at moments, but the core message of the title is a rather serious one that is communicated rather well, barring the odd poor joke and hamfisted dialogue.
The Walking Deadis one of the greatest adventure games ever made, catapulting Telltale’s name to the very heights of gaming popularity for obvious reasons. The emotionally charged story as Lee and Clementine struggled to survive in a world ravaged by the zombie apocalypse made for a great time indeed.
Thestory changes quite a bit depending on the choices Lee makes, ranging from deciding which character survives to who likes or dislikes Lee. Clementine can also be influenced by Lee’s decisions, with his teachings leading to Clementine’s behavior changing in later games.
10The Oregon Trail
Metacritic Score: 76
TheOregon Trailis easily the oldest game on this list but deserves its spot because of how deceptively complex the game’s writing is. Players control a wagon group as they journey acrossThe Oregon Trail, scavenging for supplies and navigating hazards as and when the game demands it.
The gameplay loop ofThe Oregon Trailwas surprisingly innovative for its time, and many other games have been inspired by it in one way or another. Attaining victory in this game without anyone in the group dying was a monumental achievement that only a few select players achieved.
