Telltale Games has been an established name in the gaming industry for years, creating some truly fantastic titles. They’ll make you laugh, and they’ll make you cry. Some may even leave you struggling to make a choice, torn in half!
While they have plenty of well-known releases over the years, they’ve also created a lot of hidden gems that fans, both new and old, may not be aware of. In this list, we are going to rank every single Telltale game.
S Tier – Tales From the Borderlands
Tales from the Borderlands has some phenomenal storytelling, and some moments will have you tense and reconsidering every decision you ever made in the game. It combines the great comedy seen throughout Borderlands with some gut-wrenching storytelling that Telltale pulls off repeatedly.
Tales from the Borderlands is one of the best games that Telltale has made, and it will undoubtedly keep you on your toes.
S Tier – Tales of Monkey Island
Released in 2009, this game is the fifth in the franchise and remains an iconic game to this day. Bringing chapters to the franchise gave players a chance to return to the fun world of Monkey Island after almost a whole decade of no Monkey Island games.
A fun point-and-click game that introduced new players to the genre and gave returning players that nostalgic feeling, Tales of Monkey Island was on many platforms and contained head-scratching puzzles. Even today, this game is worth a playthrough.
S Tier – The Walking Dead: The Telltale Definitive Series
Telltale Games.
The Walking Dead was one of the best franchises Telltale Games created and is one of their most well-known works. It’s not hard to see why, with a gripping story that will have you feeling every emotion from doubt to heartbreak to frustration. Not only are there some incredibly lovable characters in this story, but some are just so hatable simultaneously.
With four lengthy seasons, as well as including the two side stories 400 Days and The Walking Dead: Michonne, this game was reasonably priced for the hours and hours of content it contained and allowed players to experience the game from the very start, all the way to the gut-wrenching end.
S Tier – The Wolf Among Us
A world full of fables and crime, The Wolf Among Us has a vibrant yet grungey art style that adds to the stories told throughout this game. You play Bigby Wolf, a redeemed detective who works with some very unsavory characters to uncover the truth.
This may not be the game for you if you don’t like unsettling crime. However, there are fun mysteries to solve and some fantastic plot twists worth giving the game a go.
S Tier – Sam and Max: The Devil’s Playhouse
This one is the most notable of the original IPs that Telltale owns. With some adorable characters, explore the world of Sam and Max: The Devil’s Playhouse and follow them on their adventures. With plenty of puzzles to solve, you need to navigate the environment and interact with objects in your surroundings to get the answer to your puzzles.
The characters are incredibly charming, and the gameplay is fun for all ages, so make sure to give this game a go.
S Tier – Strong Bad’s Cool Game for Attractive People
Based on the web series Home Runner, Strong Bad’s Cool Game for Attractive People features a lot of surreal comedy, similar to the web series. Like many other Telltale games, this one was also broken up into episodes and is very much a lighthearted game to enjoy.
From interacting with characters and learning more about their lives to playing the built-in mini-game, this game has plenty to do and complete.
S Tier – CSI: Deadly Intent
Developed by Telltale and then published by Ubisoft, this game stands out more than others. Coinciding with the ninth season of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, plenty of the usual cast members were involved in this game.
This is the perfect game for those who want to feel more involved in the crime scene investigation. Overall, there are five cases in the main game and four cases in the Nintendo DS version.
A Tier – Batman: The Enemy Within
A sequel to Batman: The Telltale Series, players can control Batman and Bruce Wayne, and gave The Joker a new lease of life. He had a much different portrayal than the ones before him, and critics appreciated this.
This also gives a very sympathetic portrayal of the Joker and allows you to make decisions. Between Bruce Wayne and Batman, you get to make decisions that will test your morality and will have long-lasting effects.
A Tier – Batman: The Telltale Series
The first in the series of Batman games made by Telltale, you get to embark on a variety of adventures both as Batman and Bruce Wayne. Players get to meet a more human side to Bruce Wayne, which is often hidden away from the audience. This helps massively with Batman’s characterization and understanding of his human side.
A Tier – Minecraft: Story Mode Season Two
Minecraft: Story Mode Season Two is better than the first Telltale Minecraft game. Compared to the first game, this story really goes in depth. You can also customize Jesse as much as you want, whether you want to be male or female.
The second season takes you into a fantastic adventure with mystery and tense moments within Terminal Space.
A Tier – The Expanse: A Telltale Series
Based on the TV show, The Expanse is the newest Telltale game to be released. Of course, this is also an episodic game. Played in a third-person view, there are many different characters to interact with. By conversing with them, you can influence decisions made throughout the game, which can have a long-lasting effect on the game.
The Expanse: A Telltale Series takes place before the TV show and has fantastic graphics and effects, making it a perfect game for those who enjoy Sci-Fi games.
A Tier – Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy
Released in 2017, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is another episodic experience. The game has a fast-paced story and fantastic voice acting throughout. Despite that, it received a lot of criticism for not taking any risks with the gameplay and not breaking free from the typical Telltale mold.
A Tier – Bone: The Great Cow Race
This sequel to Bone: Out from Bonesville is based on the 1996 comic of the same name. While the game is fun and has a great adventure within, it, unfortunately, is a concise game. In total, it has an average of 3 hours.
A Tier – Sam and Max: Beyond Time and Space
Another episodic adventure created by Telltale Games is based on the comic books Sam & Max by Steve Purcell. This game features more lively NPCs to interact with and includes a hint system for those needing it to get past those really tough puzzles.
It is a rather comedic game as you journey through new areas such as Easter Island, Hell, and Bosco’s Store, and this is a lot of fun for players new and returning to the Telltale series.
A Tier – Sam and Max: Save the World
The first Sam and Max game in the franchise, this was a brand new adventure game created by Telltale Games that took you on the wacky and wild adventures of lovable characters Sam and Max. Solve puzzles in a point-and-click 3D adventure and follow them to many brand-new locations throughout the fun world.
B Tier – Wallace and Gromit’s Grand Adventures
Using the same loved claymation style that Wallace and Gromit usually carries, this was a wonderful game for those who love British humor and those who are fans of the TV show. The game comes with a lot of content in each scene, making it feel as lively and as lived-in as possible for that comforting effect that Wallace and Gromit always have.
B Tier – Poker Night 2
A standard run-of-the-mill Poker game, it features many different characters from many franchises, including Borderlands, Portal, The Walking Dead, and more. If you’ve ever wanted to play Poker with some of your favorite game characters, this game gives you that chance.
As a sequel to Poker Night, it features the typical Texas Hold Em style of Poker but also introduces Omaha Hold Em. Although this game is just a Poker game, there are a lot of quick-witted lines shot between characters that give this game a lifelike feel.
B Tier – Back to the Future: The Game
A lot of thought and effort went into creating the Back to the Future game by Telltale. They tried to ensure that casual and die-hard fans of the franchise would have their input by posting surveys to ask them what they wanted. They went as far as hiring Bob Gale, a co-writer for the franchise, to be a consultant on the game.
Overall, Back to the Future: The Game is a very well-thought-out and loved game by the fans, and a lot of effort was put into it.
B Tier – Poker Night at the Inventory
A very simple Poker game and one of the lesser-known titles created by Telltale Games, Poker Night at the Inventory shows off what it’d be like if characters from well-known IPs all sat down and played Poker together.
You get to see characters from Sam and Max and Team Fortress 2 all sit together, share quick-witted banter, and play Poker. It’s very simple fun.
B Tier – Bone: Out From Boneville
An adorable game, Bone: Out from Boneville, was Telltale’s first excursion into adventure games, and they did it pretty successfully. In an episodic adventure game, you have to help reunite three characters who were run out of their hometown due to their robbery schemes.
These fun characters are called Fone Bone, Phoney Bone, and Smiley. It’s a very cute and fun game without many high stakes, so it’s worth trying.
B Tier – Minecraft: Story Mode
Minecraft: Story Mode was for adults and children who are fans of Minecraft and want to experience an in-depth story from the game. This family-friendly adventure was where you played as Jesse and went from zero to hero.
This game included fun Minecraft elements such as combat, crafting, and Telltale’s infamous QTEs.
B Tier – The Walking Dead: Michonne
For fans of the TV show, this game takes place as Michonne exits the show. While it isn’t as popular as the other Walking Dead game by Telltale, this game is still worth giving a shot, and the story really ramps up during the second episode.
Michonne was always very mysterious in The Walking Dead, and this game gives her some excellent character development so fans can get to know her a little better.
B Tier – CSI 3: Dimensions of Murder
Rather than being split into episodes, this game is divided into cases with five to complete. This game used a brand-new 3D engine to give it a better aesthetic, allowing players to understand the cases better and solve the crimes more reliably.
Although there are better detective games, this game is still fun and worth trying.
B Tier – Game of Thrones
Telltale acquired the license to produce an episodic adventure for Game of Thrones at the height of the TV show. While it isn’t the best game out there, you can see some of your favorite (and hated) characters reprise their roles for this video game and participate in some fun combat and court drama.
B Tier – Puzzle Agent 2
The sequel to Puzzle Agent, this Telltale game combines adventure and puzzles, allowing you to travel through the mid-west as an investigator to solve mysteries in the area with your accomplice, Agent Tethers.
Some of these puzzles can be tricky, as dialogue can prompt puzzles of all kinds: Jigsaws, mathematical problems, and even riddles. If you aren’t a fan of brain teasers, this might not be the game for you.
B Tier – Hector: Badge of Carnage
In a comedic adventure game made by Telltale, you get to play as a “hard-nosed and soft-bellied Detective Inspector.” This game was well received by the public and was well-loved on iPods and iPhones, having the most success on cell phones.
The cutscenes are funny, the graphics are enjoyable, and there are lots of fun puzzles to participate in.
C Tier – Jurassic Park: The Game
Using plot points from the movies, Jurassic Park: The Game is another episodic adventure created by Telltale Games. That being said, this game disappointed fans, as the voice cast wasn’t the same as in the movies, and instead, they used relatives or new voice actors completely.
However, there were still some great moments in the game where you had to fight for survival against the dinosaurs.
C Tier – CSI: Hard Evidence
Created by Telltale and published by Ubisoft, they made another CSI game. This was a monumental move for Telltale as it served as their first console game and was released on PC.
However, while there were some fun crime-scene elements to the game, it was very repetitive in places and didn’t have a lot of spark to inspire players to keep playing it.
C Tier – Puzzle Agent
Solve puzzles and complete dialogue trees with other characters in a linear adventure game. Like Puzzle Agent 2, there are jigsaws, mathematical puzzles, and many more. You can use a piece of chewing gum if you need a hint. However, there is a shortage, so be careful how much you use.
To understand the story for Puzzle Agent 2, you do need to play this one first, as the narrative is continued in the sequel.
C Tier – Law & Order: Legacies
In this episodic adventure, solve crimes that pertain to the TV show Law & Order. This game has seven episodes to navigate, with plenty of crime-solving and justice-serving moments with fan-favorite characters.
However, this game isn’t fantastic and has received many mixed and negative reviews since its release.
D Tier – CSI: Fatal Conspiracy
Out of all of the CSI games that Telltale has created over the years, CSI: Fatal Conspiracy was the one that fell the flattest. While some of the roles were reprised by those who were originally in the TV show, the cases weren’t all that exciting, and overall, it received a very mixed reception.
D Tier – Telltale Texas Hold’Em
There isn’t much going on in this game, and this game served as a test to see whether digital distribution was viable for Telltale. This game was created before they made their first-ever adventure title.
Compared to the other Poker games created by Telltale, this is very bare bones, and there really just isn’t much to enjoy here.
That concludes our list of the best (and worst) Telltale Games to play. Let us know which one is your favorite and why!
