Are you a mystery fanatic or a detective? These best mystery games for Windows PC will keep you hooked. From stretching your detective muscles to interrogating suspects, these games have all the mystery elements baked into them.
Mystery games have come a long way, they aren’t made especially for detectives, lawyers, or crime fighters. These games are great for curious minds and people who want to exercise their intelligence. And if you own a Windows PC, you’re in for some thrilling adventure.
This article racks up some of the most-played mystery games for Windows PC. You’ll find some of them to be free PC games you can play without any paid subscription. Also, you can explore our gaming category for different categories of games available on Android, iPhone and other platforms.
Table of Content
List of The Best Mystery Games For Windows PC
From the list of games below, you’ll find the perfect mystery game to download on your PC. Some of them offer high graphics and open-world gameplay. With that said, let’s explore the finest mystery games for Windows PC below.
1. Disco Elysium
This RPG game spots an open-world environment with sprawling cities and diverse districts featuring lots of hidden secrets. Each character has a unique skill and personality traits like composure, empathy, intelligence, etc.
Like most mystery games, this game has a heavy focus on dialogue that influences the story and the city’s past. What sets Disco Elysium apart from other mystery games is its multiple-ending feature. The choices you make throughout the game influence the fate of the city and the detective.
2. Return of the Obra Dinn
Return of the Obra Dinn is a first-person perspective game that immerses you in a ghost ship’s eerie atmosphere. This game also lets you experience the crew’s final moments firsthand. You’ll also get to enjoy a unique time travel mechanism that lets you relive and analyze critical moments from the crew’s perspective.
When it comes to visuals, the black and white vignettes give a distinct tone and add to the mystery. This deduction-based game uses clues and environmental storytelling to keep you hooked and uncover the cause of the disasters.
3. L.A. Noire
If you’re looking for a mystery game quite vintage, L. A Noire is the right game for you. Set in 1940s Los Angeles, this game lets you relive a world filled with vintage cars, neon signs, and old soundtracks. There are also lots of dialogues and crime.
L.A. Noire features an impressive storyline with captivating cutscenes and interrogations. It also features an advanced facial motion capture technology that creates realistic expressions like in the movies. In this game, you’ll be faced with interrogating suspects, solving puzzles, and gathering evidence.
4. What Remains of Edith Finch
This game slaps in a lot of storytelling that’s focused on unveiling a family’s tragic history. It features unique gameplay mechanics and a ton of adventure and lets you dig up a lot of history about the Finch family. As you progress through the game, you’ll encounter themes of mortality, loss, and familial bonds.
What Remains of Edith Finch is both a melancholic and uplifting game that would take you on an emotional journey. This game also spots stunning environments with beautiful landscapes and underwater visuals. The game also features multiple endings providing closure however you want and understand it.
5. The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
This game offers you a thrilling haunting experience in the horrifying landscapes of Red Creek Valley, a remote wilderness. The Vanishing of Ethan Carter features strong environmental storytelling and, of course, is also centred on the disappearance of Ethan Carter. To learn more about the family’s dark past, you must pay close attention to sounds, objects, or construct remnants.
This game also takes things up a notch by featuring time-travelling mechanics that let you witness the final moments of a victim. But that’s not all. You get to also experience supernatural elements in action and get to interpret events however you deem fit.
6. Her Story
Her Story follows a non-linear database-driven narrative where you explore a police interrogation video to find a missing woman, Lisa. This game packs in live-action performances, including emotional and facial expressions. In Her Story, you’ll find yourself trapped with themes of manipulation, guilt, and memory.
This game features a strong narrative that can be followed from multiple perspectives. The story unfolds through interviews with multiple characters, including Lisa. Unlike other games, Her Story is highly replayable and features more hidden secrets even in areas you have passed.
7. Outer Wilds
Outer Wilds also features environmental storytelling where the mysteries of the universe are hidden in planets and the objects you encounter. In this game, you’ll have a space adventure where you explore ancient alien ruins, decipher cryptic messages, and study celestial phenomena.
In Outer Wilds, you have to navigate your spaceship through gravitational anomalies, pilot through asteroid fields, and also land and explore diverse planets. This game also features a non-linear progression and lets you explore the solar system at your own pace.
8. Oxenfree
This game follows a supernatural narrative where you investigate a paranormal radio signal on a deserted island with a group of high school friends. Get ready to uncover hidden secrets, face ghostly encounters, and also navigate through the emotional complexity of being a teenager.
Oxenfree is a dialogue-driven game where conversations branch between characters. Your choices also impact your relationships and the overall narrative of the game. There are a lot of reasons you’ll want to stay engaged playing this game.
9. Night Call
Night Call features a noir atmosphere where you play as Theo, an undercover investigator moonlighting as a taxi driver in 1940 Paris. This game throws you into a world filled with shady crime places. It is also dialogue-driven and features diverse casts.
In Night Call, you have to analyze crime scenes, interrogate suspects, and gather evidence. You have to put pieces of information together and uncover the truth from deception. If you want to test your mystery-solving skills, this is one of the best games for you.
10. Paradise Killer
Paradise Killer is an open-world murder mystery game that pitches you on the crime scenes of Paradise Island. This game throws you into a hard-core investigation where there are multiple suspects with unique motives. With a unique 3D-like graphics, it’s a top mystery title you won’t want to miss.
This game follows a non-linear investigative format where you conduct investigations at your own pace and prioritize leads. It’s up to you to interview witnesses, gather evidence, and come up with your theories to determine the truth.
Conclusion
Although only a few of the best mystery games for Windows PC offer an immersive open-world experience, they still offer other features that foster exploration and multiple endings. These games are premium and they are worth every bit of your dollar.