Telltaleis one of the most famous independent video game developers of all time. This is because, despite not being a huge studio, they’ve managed to acquire the right to use several major IPs for their games. Plus, they really helped to build and popularize the narrative adventure genre, especially in the 2010s.
It hasn’t all been smooth sailing for the company, as it did go out of business at one time. It’s back in some form now, though. And regardless of their financial troubles, there’s no denying that Teltale has made many great games in the past. The following ones are the best.
7Batman: The Telltale Series
Batman has a long history in gaming, but Telltale’s title feels a lot different from the others. The company’s signature brand of narrative-focused gameplay means it’s less about beating people up than other Dark Knight titles - there’s still some of that, though.
It’s more about how the titular character deals with being a vigilante and managing his two lives. So, there is more focus on Bruce Wayne than usual. Both personas have their uses as you go against a villainous group known as the Children of Arkham. It’s a compelling character-focused narrative experience.
Not every season of Telltale’sThe Walking Deadexcels, but the final one is really good. In it, Clementine is no longer a child. She is in her late teens, and living amid the apocalypse has molded her into a mature survivor. She also has little AJ by her side, whom she has to protect and teach.
The responsibility you feel to make sure you steer AJ down the right path adds an extra layer of difficulty to every decision you make and makes them feel more significant. That is the core of the tale, but the main story is about you and a group of young people facing off against a dangerous faction. While this isn’t as powerful or memorable as Clem and AJ’s relationship, it’s still engaging.
5Sam And Max: The Devil’s Playhouse
The Sam and Max series is the longest-running Telltale series ever, as the first game was released in 2006. Several years later, the world was treated to Sam And Max: The Devil’s Playhouse. It’s a humorous multi-episode adventure that revolves around magical Toys of Power.
The game provides a fine narrative, and the episodes actually feel distinct from one another. The episodic feel gives the game a nice pacing and helps make the episode format feel needed. More importantly, though, the writing is sharp and witty. As a result, the characters are really entertaining.
4Batman: The Enemy Within
In the second Telltale Batman game, the titular character has to spend more time as Bruce Wayne to infiltratea secret organizationfilled with classic Batman rogues. His goal is to discover and stop their plans. This makes for a unique Batman tale, as you spend most of the story playing as Bruce instead of the caped crusader.
That isn’t a bad thing, as being undercover and interacting with iconic villains, such as Harley Quinn, Bane, and Mr. Freeze, is great. The Joker is really interesting in this one, too, as he’s not a full-blown villain. In fact, your actions dictate who he becomes. This is a unique idea that works well.
The Wolf Among Usis set in a place called Fabletown, which is filled with all sorts of dark versions of classic fairytale characters and creatures. You play as the humanoid version of the Big Bad Wolf, who happens to be the sheriff of the town. The whole premise and setting are fascinating.
The story revolves around a murder mystery and involves plenty of twists and turns. It’s very well-paced as the mystery reveals itself slowly, but things never get boring. This is because enough big moments happen to keep you engaged while you begin to understand what is really happening. The game’s captivating characters help, too.
While it wasn’t the first game in Telltale’s stacked catalog, the first season of The Walking Dead significantly increased the popularity of the development studio. Lee and Clementine’s journey to find a safe place amid the zombie apocalypse is continually engaging and emotional.
It’s filled with impactful choices and likable characters. It’s particularly easy to fall in love with the lead duo and feel responsible for keeping little Clementine alive. This makes every perilous moment and major choice feel all the more nerve-wracking because the last thing you want to do is lose one of those two.
By the timeTales From The Borderlandswas released, there had already been severalgood Borderlands games. Yet, Telltale managed to put its own stamp on the series with this excellent adventure. It tells the tale of a corporate stooge and a con artist attempting to find a vault while facing the planet of Pandora’s many dangers.
Where the game truly excels is in its writing and characters. The script is generally clever and provides plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. But the jokes don’t undermine the more serious scenes. As for the characters, most of them are witty and easy to like. Plus, the two leads develop quite a bit during the story, which is nice to see.
