Most of the games by Wadjet Eye are great. I specially recommend Gemini Rue.
Also, almost anything by Ben Chandler[2], but that's usually short form. My favorite is Eternally Us[3]( I know, yucks at the name, but it's a beautiful game).
And Donna[4] is one of the best games I played las year, so there is that.
I consider "L.A. Noire" the modern equivalent of an adventure game. Much of your time is spent walking around crime scenes picking up everything that isn't nailed down. The rest of the time consists of solving the game's "puzzles", which are all in the form of conversations, and sometimes involve using objects (evidence) to solve, while otherwise requiring careful observation. The combat and chase sequences are actually very incidental, with the foot chases in particular having extremely simplified controls (just hold "up" to climb a whole set of fire escape ladders and stairs) and if you screw them up enough then the game will simply let you skip them. Unlike old adventure games, there are multiple ways to solve each case, and there are no instances of "Moon Logic Puzzles".
I enjoyed LA Noire except for the conversations. Maybe there's something wrong with me, but I could never figure out the right responses when interrogating someone.
Wadjet's latest, Primordia [1], is really good, especially if you are into postapocalyptic scifi. (Windows, but runs perfectly on Macs via Wineskin.) Retro graphics, looks like it was made cirka 1990. There is also their earlier cyberpunk game, Gemini Rue [2], also great.
There is also Machinarium [3] by Amanita (of Samorost fame). No dialogue, so less like MI, but still one of the finest games ever made.
Classic Adventure games are a cross between a puzzle game and a story - often using inventory or area switches to get past..
Walking Dead instead used an illusion of choice as it's core mechanic. It focuses on story more, and it works well, but it's not identical.
That said, TellTale's Sam and Max games and Tales of Money island are highly reminiscent of such old school works, as is Machinarium and quite a few others.
Daedalic Entertainment makes great adventure games. Checkout The Whispered World for instance. But beware, those are real adventure games not your typical arcade/3d-camera/jumping-puzzle/console/casual/mainstream "adventure" game.
Seconded - I've found and played some of the King's Quest remakes by ADG and Infamous Adventures, then started wondering if there are more recent games along these lines.
Also, almost anything by Ben Chandler[2], but that's usually short form. My favorite is Eternally Us[3]( I know, yucks at the name, but it's a beautiful game).
And Donna[4] is one of the best games I played las year, so there is that.
[1]http://www.wadjeteyegames.com/ [2]http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/author/Ben30... [3]http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/1303/ [4]http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/1523/