The AGS Must-Play List

[Makeout Patrol]

So, according to the full games list, there are, at the time of my writing, 939 AGS games available for download. Basically, there is no way to ever play them all. So why not have a thread where we post a short list of our all-time favorites that some of the newcomers to the community (such as this guy) may not have come across yet?

Just for shits and giggles, let's make it a rule that nobody can post their own game. If you made some peripheral contributions such as music or beta testing or whatever, the we'll say that it's not your own game and you're free to recommend it. If the core of the game or a substantial portion of it is your work, let's leave it alone.

Let's also all assume that everybody's already played the Trilby games, because... well, they have. I'm hoping that we'll get some older suggestions in here, but more recent games that you really, really love are welcome, too. And again, I know it's tempting to make a long list of every AGS game you've ever liked, but please try to keep it short.

I'd like to start out by recommending these two:

Charlie Foxtrot and the Galaxy of Tomorrow - this game is genuinely funny, and it proved to me once and for all that inventory puzzles can, in fact, be fun. If you're looking to get someone into adventure games, this game is probably the best gateway drug I've yet come across.

Reactor 09 - when I finished this game, I looked at the clock and realized that it was 3 in the morning; I played the whole thing in one sitting. It's not flawless, but it was very engaging.

Your turn.

[InCreator]

Just another point'n'click adventure - Funniest AGS game of them all.

[Ghost]

Apprentice, as a nice display of how to make a challenging game with very little rooms, and also a nice showcase for quality animations.

Shoot I Got Abducted, for almost the same reasons, but more recent. Also, hilarious plot.

Nanobots- need I say more?

[jetxl]

This is the content of my desktop game map.

A Friend Indeed
Apprentice
Ben Jordan
Flashbax
Just Another Point & Click Adventure
Keptosh
La Croix Pan
Larry Vales
Pirate Fry
Pleurghburg - Dark Ages
Richard Longhurst and the Box that Ate Time
Rob Blanc
Silent Knight
Tulles World
X Days

There is also a game map 2. Obviously.

[olafmoriarty]

Let's see, games I really recommend (somewhat alphabetical):
- Art of theft
- Ben Jordan case 1 deluxe, case 2, case 3, case 4, case 5, case 6 and case 7 (in that order: The first two cases aren't really my favorite games, but they're worth playing through to get backstory for the rest)
- Cayanne Pepper
- Cedric and the Revolution
- Chatroom
- the Chzo series (5 days a Stranger, 7 days a Skeptic, Trilby's Notes, 6 days a Sacrifice - in that order)
- Meta
- Nanobots
- Odot Tamat On
- Once upon a crime
- The Vacuum
- Trance-Pacific
- Two of a kind

[GarageGothic]

Dave Gilbert's  Blackwell series. They're commercial but well worth the money if you're into mystery and  Gabriel Knight-style investigative gameplay.

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

Asking other people about advice on what you personally should/would like to play is generally a bad idea since tastes vary at least as much as opinions.  The best advice anyone can give you is to focus on a genre of game you like best and check the database for those games, perhaps giving more attention to those that are highly rated by many people (though that's also subjective). 

The short answer is the only must-play list is the one you personally make.

[Andail]

I'd also advice against threads like this one. Eventually they'll turn just as cumbersome as any other directory, since people's tastes vary so much.
Usually they'll just end up praising games that have already enjoyed praise and attention sufficient to reach even the most ignorant newcomer to the genre (like BB's mentioning of Blackwell).

Besides, if people really want to find good games, they can just browse the database and ignore the lowest-rated games.

The only redeeming factor of this thread is that Jet mentioned Tulles World, which I am as grateful as I'm surprised to learn about.

[Makeout Patrol]

Well, if the mods don't like it, I guess I can get rid of the thread, but maybe you'd prefer if we made it a place specifically for older games that haven't received much discussion recently? I recommended Reactor 09 because I only came across it in a passing mention in the WYGIB thread, and I really enjoyed it, and I never would have found it otherwise.

[TheJBurger]

Well, if the mods don't like it, I guess I can get rid of the thread, but maybe you'd prefer if we made it a place specifically for older games that haven't received much discussion recently? I recommended Reactor 09 because I only came across it in a passing mention in the WYGIB thread, and I really enjoyed it, and I never would have found it otherwise.

That's very true, but the point Andail made still stands. If you're looking for more AGS games, a similar thread to this one was made here, whence it was also "shot down" in a similar manner. 

[jetxl]

Yes, lets never discuss adventure games again. It's just not worth it.

[Stupot]

I see Andail's point that it risks becoming a list of people's personal opinions... so how about this, Makeout:

If you are willing to keep an eye on this thread, you could encourage discussion.  If someone mentions a game that not everybody agrees with, then use your discretion and if enough people agree on a game then include it in the list... the list, by the way should be regularly updated in your first original post so that newcomers find it easily.

Also, I reckon the list should be limited... when it gets to, say, 40.  So if a new game comes out that is absolutely blinding, a lesser game from the list should be dropped to make way... this way, we can ensure that the list really is the creme-de-la-creme of AGS games and not just a list of good games that most people slightly enjoyed.

I'm not going to reel off a bunch of titles now... but one that I believe should definitely be on the list is What Linus Bruckman Sees When His Eyes Are Closed for sheer

[bicilotti]

Cedric and the Revolution
Bernard's Room
Tiltor
Hallway of Adventures
_Access
Unbound / HeartLand Deluxe
Tropic of Capricorn
Gesundheit!
Chicken VS. Road
Nanobots
Automation
the Bunker
The Young Gabriel King Chronicles
Melrin: The disciple ordeal
Cirque De Zale
A Friend Indeed : The Adventures of JP & Cosmo

I usually like short games, witty games and innovative games. The above list reflects those preferences; plus, some of these flew under the radar a bit, so you may discover an "hidden gem" or two you might enjoy much.

to Andail and ProgZMax: ok, opinions are opinions and people's tastes vary much, but I feel it is extremely enjoyable and rewarding to be guided / pointed towards new horizions. Lists are a great place to start the journey: they are generally compact, you can discard them as soon as you see the first handful of suggested titles don't please your taste, they sometimes include titles which are not widespread known but nontheless worthy;  they may allow you to follow the gaming experience of a comrade you deeply respect, too.

So, horray for Makeout Patrol, horray for all-time favorites lists!

[Makeout Patrol]

I think maybe I'm being unclear - I'm not saying we should compile an actual list, I'm saying we should point each other to the classics that we might not otherwise be aware of. Should we perhaps limit it to only games that are more than a year old?

I understand that if we leave it open without any guidelines that everybody is going to recommend Nanobots and the Trilby Games, which are good games, but everybody already knows them because they're still in the 'forum consciousness,' if you will; if we limit to the games that have been buried by the avalanche of games that were released later than them - say, those that are more than a year old - can we agree that this thread might be useful?

[magintz]

Here's what I can think of:

The Rob Blanc series - Some older Yahtzee games
Book of Spells series - Good puzzles, decent length
Just Another Point n Click Adventure - Funny
Perils of Poom - Funny, enjoyable
Larry Vales - Some of my favourite dialogue
Reality on the Norm: Purity of the surf - My favourite RoN game

[Dualnames]

permanent daylight - simple easy , yet funny game.(has one glitch)
Once upon a Crime - Got to love the tinkerbell.
Barn Runner - Well, Forever Friday..
La croix pan - Wish it was bigger.
Colourwise - Well, I really think the game owns, and not because i made levels for it.
Automation (by Mister Colossal) - Funny game.
6days a sacrifice - For sucking despite being totally owning at the beginning till a certain part.

[Ubel]

Secret Of Hamster Island

[Ultra Magnus]

Most of my list have already been mentioned, some several times, but with one glaring omission...

Nelly Cootalot, dammit!

[Nlogax]

2 games which I haven't seen recommended so far but which are in my all-time top 10 would be:

Spooks
Emily Enough - Imprisoned

But I would say that you need a dark sense of humour to appreciate these (expecially the latter). Enjoy.

[Mr Flibble]

I haven't read the whole thread so I'm not sure if someone suggested this or not, but I did read as far as the criticism of a "Must Play" list.

I'd suggest instead some kind of.. "under-appreciated" list instead? Games you played but don't get the feeling anyone else did. It'd probably be more helpful than a conventional "top games" list.