The Best PC Action Games for 2022
Once upon a time, the PC was the thinking person’s video game platform. There, you’d find deep strategy games, such as Civilization or StarCraft, or groundbreaking first-person shooters, such as Doom or Half-Life. For flashy action games, you played at the arcade or on console. Fortunately, you can now play pretty much anything you could want on a personal computer. Today’s top PC games include action-packed hits.
The action genre is surprisingly tricky to define. Action games contain a lot of combat, but they’re aren’t quite fighting games or beat ‘em ups. An “action-adventure” game may have narrative, exploration, or puzzle-solving elements, but too many tip the title into the role-playing game or adventure game territories. The lines are blurry, and more than a little subjective.
Video game genres are more fluid than ever, but for this list we focused on the PC games that best prioritize action-packed thrills above all else.
Playing Action Games on Steam Deck
Action games work especially well on Valve’s high-powered Steam Deck handheld. After all, they control best with buttons and sticks, not a keyboard and mouse. As single-player affairs, you don’t have to worry about anti-cheat engines that render some competitive games unplayable on Deck. Short chaotic bursts of high-intensity gameplay feel great on the go, too. And the Steam Deck’s raw power means games can run with the high performance needed for skillful play on harder difficulty levels. Many games on this list are Steam Deck verified, but be sure to check Valve’s compatibility tool before you make a purchase.
Here are the best PC action games that you should download right now.
Batman: Arkham City
$16.95 at Walmart
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The middle chapter of Rocksteady’s Batman: Arkham trilogy does the best job balancing dense, thoughtful level design with an open-world Gotham City for the Caped Crusader to patrol. You’ll encounter recognizable villains, including Mr. Freeze, Hugo Strange, and the League of Shadows. The game’s still-revolutionary combat system makes it a joy tearing through mobs of generic goons and henchmen.
Batman: Arkham City Review
Bayonetta
$19.99 at Humble Bundle
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Hideki Kamiya basically invented the stylish, character-action game formula with the original Devil May Cry. Alongside the crew at PlatinumGames, the infamous Twitter troll took the genre to new heights with Bayonetta. You play as a sassy witch who sadistically slaughters angels with attacks conjured from her hair. Don’t let the ridiculous tone fool you. You must master the deep and varied combat system if you want to stand a chance (and look fabulous while doing it).
Bayonetta (for PC) Review
Daemon X Machina
$59.99 at Steam
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Giant robots make everything better, and that includes video games. Daemon Ex Machina is a modern take on classic, mech action. You fight mechanical foes on gorgeous, stylized battlefields with guns, missiles, and the occasional laser sword.
Once one battle ends, collect new gear from downed opponents and customize your mech for the next mission.
Daemon X Machina (for PC) Review
Darksiders III
$34.99 at Amazon
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The original Darksiders was an excellent mashup of Zelda-style adventures, God of War-like combat, and enough lore to put Doom to shame. The hellish legacy continues with Darksiders III, a game that sees you play as Fury, the Horsewoman of the Apocalypse. Taking inspiration from recent Souls games, Darksiders III focuses on brutal battles with small enemy groups, rather than mindlessly murdering huge hordes.
Darksiders III (for PC) Review
Devil May Cry 5
$39.99 at Humble Bundle
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Devil May Cry 5 returns the series to its roots after Ninja Theory’s polarizing series reboot. Three heroes—Dante, Nero, and newcomer V—offer vastly different combat styles to master as you destroy demons.
Powered by Capcom’s excellent RE Engine, the infernal mayhem has never looked better. If you’re a longtime franchise fan, you’ll appreciate the steep challenges.
Devil May Cry 5 (for PC) Review
For Honor
$9.89 at Humble Bundle
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Underneath For Honor’s grim tone beats the heart of an excited child. This combat game is all about making knights, vikings, and samurai fight each other, like smashing your favorite historical action figures together. However, For Honor is far from brainless. Wielding these weighty melee weapons takes patience and strategy, as one wrong move spells your doom. Test your mettle in the solo campaign or in online multiplayer skirmishes.
For Honor (for PC) Review
Ghostrunner
$29.99 at Steam
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In this first-person, cyberpunk, action game, you’ll leap around arenas as you cut down enemies with your katana.
If you take one hit, however, you’re back to square one. The unforgiving punishment doesn’t always pair well with the inherently disorienting first-person platforming and combat controls, but when everything clicks there are few games more satisfying.
Ghostrunner (for PC) Review
God of War
$49.99 at Steam
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The new God of War brings many changes to Sony’s iconic action series. Kratos is older, wiser, and more mature. The game trades the Greek gods for a gloomy take on Norse mythology. Instead of fighting to avenge his dead daughter, Kratos guides his very much alive son. The action is more measured and methodical than in previous GoW games, even if you can still pull off some nifty moves with your magic axe. All these changes reinvigorated the franchise for a new generation.
God of War (for PC) Review
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
$29.99 at Steam
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Ninja Theory can craft solid combat systems in its sleep.
If all Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice had going for it was its intimate and tactical combat encounters, we would still recommend it. What makes this a truly special game, though, is how fighting your way across the ancient Celtic and Norse hellspaces ultimately serves as a raw and powerful metaphor for the mental health issues plaguing the main character, brilliantly performed by Melina Juergens.
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
$49.99 at Steam
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Just like its predecessor, PlayStation’s Spider-Man spin-off has swung onto PC via another marvelous port. As new hero Miles Morales, you take on bad guys using familiar and spider powers. Wall-crawling through a revamped Harlem is just as fun as exploring Manhattan in the first game. Besides, who doesn’t love a little more diversity in the superhero video game genre?
Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered
$59.99 at Steam
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If you want a video game to make you truly feel like the wall-crawler, Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered is it.
Web-swinging across the open-world Manhattan feels pitch perfect. Combat turns you into a chatty, acrobatic trickster as you trip up goons with web blasts, gadgets, and good old-fashioned punches. Epic set pieces let you pull off superheroic feats with ease.
Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered (for PC) Review
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
$29.99 at Humble Bundle
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Forget the sneaky stealth that have defined the Metal Gear games. In Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, you’ll cut and tear through foes with your sword and cyborg powers. This time, no one will complain that you play as Raiden instead of Snake. Even without creator Hideo Kojima at the helm, the plot includes plenty of bonkers conspiracy theories. The wilder, funnier tone fits perfectly with the fast-paced action.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (for PC) Review
Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection
$39.
99 at Steam
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Ninja Gaiden was a trendsetting action game when it was rebooted for the original Xbox, and the Master Collection (which includes Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, and Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge) marks the series’ first official release on PC.
The Ninja Gaiden games feature a unique combat system that incorporates branching combos, fighting game-like stun states, and tight controls, creating challenging titles that are genuinely unique compared to its contemporaries. If you like your action rich and demanding, the Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection is what you need, despite its flaws.
Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection (for PC) Review
Nioh 2: Complete Edition
$49.99 at Steam
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Nioh 2 is an excellent action title that combines brutal combat, stat-rich RPG elements, and gear-based character builds. It tosses you into a demon-riddled, Sengoku-era war that’s filled with thrilling combat.
Featuring many weapons, potent magic spells, and awesome demonic abilities to employ, Nioh 2 is a fantastic action game with tremendous replay value that can hold your attention for hundreds of hours.
Nioh 2: Complete Edition (for PC) Review
Okami HD
$8.50 at Green Man Gaming
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Okami HD is a gorgeous, high-definition port of the beloved PS3 action-adventure game. In it, you play as the goddess Amaterasu, reborn as a white wolf, in this utterly charming quest across fantasy Japan.
Okami is structurally similar to The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time, with expansive zones to explore, new powers to unlock, and clues to uncover to move to the next area. The combat is surprisingly rich, letting you swap between two weapons, and utilize powerful brush techniques to expose enemy weaknesses. The visuals are unashamedly Japanese, using a watercolor-like graphical style to depict a world quite unlike any other in the genre.
Okami HD (for PC) Review
Resident Evil 2
$39.99 at Humble Bundle
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If you’re hunting for an action-horror game to keep you on the edge of your seat, look no further than this gem. Capcom delivered a remake that feels modern and new, while being endearingly faithful to the original PS1 classic.
You battle ferocious abominations within the Raccoon City Police Department using satisfying and powerful weapons, all while taking in the impressive visuals that breathe new life to the iconic locales. Resident Evil 2 is easily one of 2019’s best games, and a must-own title that belongs in your library.
Resident Evil 2 (for PC) Review
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
$39.99 at Amazon
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Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice proves that FromSoftware’s beloved brand of brutally difficult action isn’t going anywhere. In some ways, Sekiro is somehow even tougher than Demon’s Souls, Dark Souls, and BloodBorne.
At least those games are RPGs that occasionally let you grind your way through a fight. Sekiro, on the other hand, is a pure action game. To move forward, you must submit yourself to the intricate sword-fighting system. You can revive yourself after death, so get ready to die a lot more than twice.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (for PC) Review
Soulstice
$39.99 at Steam
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Soulstice makes a name for itself as a solid new entry in the character-action genre. You control two characters at once, a pair of spiritually conjoined sisters, and you’ll need to aptly cycle between one sister’s melee and the other sister’s magic abilities on-the-fly. The dark fantasy themes add weight and atmosphere.
Soulstice (for PC) Review
Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection
Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection combines two acclaimed entries in the Uncharted series. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End brings closure to Nathan Drake’s story, while Uncharted: The Lost Legacy follows Chloe and Nadine as they embark on a new adventure.
Few games come closer to becoming full-on interactive action movies, and now PC players can enjoy these globetrotting thrills.
Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection (for PC) Review
Warframe
$0.00 at Steam
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Warframe has continued to grow and evolve since its 2013 launch. That’s how the free-to-play, pseudo-MMORPG has fostered such a passionate fan base. What holds Warframe together, though, is the wickedly fun combat that blends stylish swordplay, powerful gunplay, and incredibly nimble movement. You must grind to make significant progress, but it’s the most enjoyable grinding you’ll ever experience.
Warframe (for PC) Review
Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner Mars
$29.99 at Humble Bundle
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Need even more mech action in your gaming life? Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner Mars is a 4K update of a PlayStation 2 Konami cult classic.
The fast battles, awesome weapons, and stylish anime visuals remain timeless, even if some issues reveal the game’s true age. Still, whenever an old game as good as this gets an unexpected new lease on life, you owe it to yourself to give it a spin.
Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner Mars (for PC) Review
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25 best action games you can play right now
(Image credit: FromSoftware)
The best action games promote good combat systems. Listen, we don’t make the rules, we just rank games according to them. Whether you are staring down the barrel of a gun, peering over a protagonist’s shoulder, or guiding a character through a sprawling open world, the best action games can take many different forms in the modern era.
But one thing ties all of the best action games together, and it’s the variety that their combat systems can deliver.
The action genre is one of the most popular, which means iteration and evolution is quick to occur. And so while there are a lot of truly fantastic action games from the past, we have kept our attention focused on the 25 best action games that still feel great to play today.
25. Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
(Image credit: Konami)
Developer: Kojima Productions
Platform(s): PC, PS4, Xbox One
There’s a very good chance that Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain is the last MGS game we get, following the dissolution of Kojima Productions, and what a legacy it has left behind. It’s the pinnacle of stealth action, taking the classic rhythms that the Metal Gear Solid series was founded upon and stretching them out across a truly dynamic open world. You’re giving the space and freedom to play against a web of interconnected systems, leading to an experience that feels as if it is constantly evolving – forever pushing back against your best laid plans for espionage and infiltration.
The Phantom Pain is a weird, one of a kind monster.
24. Elden Ring
(Image credit: FromSoftware)
Developer: FromSoftware
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
Elden Ring is a lot of things. Grand adventure, deep RPG, challenging dungeon crawler, and, if you get your character build right, a pretty excellent action game. One of the strengths of FromSoftware’s fantasy epic is that it’s pretty malleable – you have universal freedom to pick weapons and define a fighting style. The result of this means that you can play Elden Ring as an action experience if you want to – storming into battles with dual blades held high, dodge-rolling through encounters, and wielding weapon arts with precision to maintain combos. Elden Ring features of the best boss battles around, so don’t skip out on this thunderous experience.
23. Resident Evil 2
(Image credit: Capcom)
Developer: Capcom
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
Capcom has proven itself to be the masters of the remake.
2002’s Resident Evil was an excellent trip back to the Spencer Mansion, but it’s 2019’s return to Racoon City in Resident Evil 2 that ultimately makes this list of the best action games. It’s a truly phenomenal game, generating an incredible sense of time and place through its beautiful environments, haunting sound design, and heavy third-person combat – bullets shred through infected flesh in a way that makes you feel truly powerful, which is forever offset by a vulnerability created by dwindling ammo supplies. Resident Evil 2 is one of the more slowly paced action games on this list, but it’s an undeniably excellent experience from start to finish.
22. Doom Eternal
(Image credit: Bethesda)
Developer: id Software
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
Rip, tear, and shred: that’s the foundation of Doom Eternal’s hyper-active, hyper-violent combat. And it’s all the better because of it! Doom Eternal is so successful as an action game because it understands the value in forward momentum, in constantly pushing you within slashing distance of enemies.
It forces you to engage with enemies to replenish your health and ammunition, and the harder you fight, the longer you can last out waves of towering demons that rush you from all angles. It’s a powerful system that turns Doom’s quickening rhythms into a form of blood-soaked magic.
21. Rise of the Tomb Raider
(Image credit: Square Enix)
Developer: Crystal Dynamics
Platform(s): PC, PS4, Xbox One
While there’s good value to be found in the entire rebooted Lara Croft trilogy, Rise of the Tomb Raider is undoubtedly the most exhilarating of the bunch. It captures this pervasive feeling of isolation and uses it to propel us through a wonderful, lengthy adventure that’s full of action and suspense. While developer Crystal Dynamics clearly learned a lot of lessons from the Uncharted series, there’s a broader focus on survival here than in Nathan Drake’s travels, lending Rise of the Tomb Raider a pretty unique rhythm. Explore, fight, survive with one of gaming’s best heroes, in one of the last generation’s best action games in Rise of the Tomb Raider.
20. Middle-earth: Shadow of War
(Image credit: Warner Bros)
Developer: Monolith Productions
Platform(s): PC, PS4, Xbox One
If you’re feeling a little burned out on more traditional open-world action games you might want to consider giving Middle-earth: Shadow of War a go. Developer Monolith Productions delivers combat and exploration that will be familiar to any Assassin’s Creed or Batman: Arkham fans out there, but Shadow of War is able to carve out its own unique space with its Nemesis system. It generates a steady stream of rivalries with just about any Uruk you come into contact with, making it feel as if the world is constantly reacting to your presence and pushing back against your progression. It’s a really fun way to inject variety into your journey to forge a new Ring of Power.
19. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
(Image credit: Ubisoft)
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is not only one of the best open world games, but one of the best action games too. It’s been a couple of years since Ubisoft Montreal shifted the Assassin’s Creed series into action-RPG territory, and Valhalla is the ultimate proof point of why that was such a wise decision. It builds smartly on the combat revisions introduced in Origins and Odyssey as it pushes you out across England in the Dark Ages. You have all the tools you need to conquer the land, fight armies of enemies, and go toe-to-toe with an array of mythical beasts. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is the ultimate viking simulator, and its awesome combat reflects that.
18. Monster Hunter World
(Image credit: Capcom)
Developer: Capcom
Platform(s): PC, PS4, Xbox One
If you’re after an action game that can hold your attention for months at a time, you can stop your search at Monster Hunter World. At a top line level, the appeal is obvious: venture out into beautiful sprawling open areas alone or with friends, track screen-dwarfing beasts, prepare yourself for battle, and then use comically oversized weapons to kill down in combat – once the monster has been felled, use its bones and scales to create even more absurd swords, hammers, and axes.
Monster Hunter World has a fairly steep learning curve, but if you’re willing to invest time into this loop you’ll find a complex and moreish action game unlike anything else out there.
17. Gears 5
(Image credit: Microsoft Studios)
Developer: The Coalition
Platform(s): PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
If you’re after an Xbox exclusive action game, you shouldn’t look any further than Gears 5. The Coalition expanded the scope of its battlefields to deliver a much bigger experience, a nice twist on Gears of Wars’ classically claustrophobic level design. The result is an action game that knows when to up the ante and when to let you breathe, settling into an exciting rhythm of challenging shootouts and contemplative exploration. And it’s still gory as all hell too – it’s been over a decade since this series made its debut, but the Lancer and its chainsaw underbarrel attachment remains one of the most effective weapons in video game history.
16. Super Mario Odyssey
(Image credit: Nintendo)
Developer: Nintendo
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch
Alright, hear us out on this one: great action games don’t necessarily need to be focused on bashing skulls. Super Mario Odyssey is an all-ages action game, eschewing the traditional focus on surmounting challenges in favor of something a little more relaxing. Odyssey is a tightly designed action game with fun platforming, good puzzles, and excellent boss battles – it’s the sort of experience you’ll be happy that you sunk time into. Super Mario Odyssey is considered to be one of the best Switch games for good reason, it’s a genuinely enjoyable adventure from its opening moments through to its last.
15. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
(Image credit: EA)
Developer: Respawn Entertainment
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
When Titanfall developer Respawn announced that it was shifting its attention away from first-person shooters to look towards a galaxy far, far, away few knew what to expect.
The studio channeled its penchant for smooth movement, excellent set-piece design, and considered storytelling into what is undoubtedly one of the best Star Wars games of all-time. Jedi: Fallen Order is a fun romp, with a great structure and truly awesome lightsaber combat. One of the best weapons in entertainment history is given a new lease on life here, making us feel like a Jedi unlike any game before it.
14. Dying Light 2
(Image credit: Techland)
Developer: Techland
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
How do you think you’d fare in a zombie apocalypse? Dying Light 2 will let you put that bravado to the test, dropping you into a sprawling city and leaving you free to survive with whatever weapons and equipment you can get your hands on. Dying Light 2 is so effective as an action game because of its willingness to shift its cadence between brutal melee combat and the ability to move about freely; navigating towering rooftops can feel just as suspenseful as swinging a spike-covered baseball bat into a crowd of fast-approaching zombies, and that’s all a part of its charm.
13. Dead Cells
(Image credit: TwinMotion)
Developer: Motion Twin
Platform(s): PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Dead Cells is the perfect pick-up-and-play action game. It’s the sort of experience that creates an unshakable ‘just more try’ dynamic, forever willing you deeper into its worlds. Dead Cells is certainly challenging, but it’s so perfectly designed – from its generated level design to precise combat and aggressive enemy AI – that you’ll be only too happy to try and try again. Don’t let its retro aesthetic fool you either, this is a roguelike built for modern audiences to appreciate. It’s an action game that’s overflowing with variety, a gauntlet stacked with ever-surmounting challenges, and an experience that always feels as if it’s testing, and improving, your ambition to succeed.
12. Bayonetta 2
(Image credit: PlatinumGames)
Developer: PlatinumGames
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch
PlatinumGames has always had a penchant for stylish action.
The studio has a keen understanding of the action genre and nowhere is that more evident than in Bayonetta 2. It’s silly, and absurdist, pushing you into battles with angels and demons that tower beyond the borders of your television, all as you take control of a witch with pistols affixed to the bottom of her boots, but that’s all part of the appeal. Bayonetta 2 is a pure video game, unwilling to take itself too seriously and the sort of bold, bombastic action sequences that’ll make you fall in love with this genre all over again.
11. Nier Automata
(Image credit: PlatinumGames)
Developer: PlatinumGames
Platform(s): PC, PS4, Xbox One
Nier Automata is one of those games that, if you spend enough time with it, you’ll soon find yourself trying to convince your friends that it’s one of the greatest games of all time. That’s because there’s far more than meets the eye with this styling action game. While it certainly follows in the footsteps of PlatinumGames’ previous works – Bayonetta and Vanquish in particular, which are each sterling works in their own right – Nier Automata is this weird little beast.
It’s a transformative experience, shifting effortlessly from caustic combat to frantic bullet-hell to open-world RPG, and it’s all the better because of it. Tough to master, great to play, and surprising until the end, Nier: Automata… it has to be played to be believed.
10. Horizon Forbidden West
(Image credit: Guerrilla Games)
Developer: Guerrilla Games
Platform(s): PS4, PS5
One reason Horizon Zero Dawn and its sequel, Horizon Forbidden West, are so utterly enthralling is that they are able to take sublime action and thread it carefully through a sprawling open world. As expansive as these games are, combat remains at the heart of the experience – Aloy is free to explore, but battling humongous robotic dinosaurs with all manner of melee weapons, electronic traps, and environmental effects is always the focus. Horizon Forbidden West isn’t just a showcase for the power of the PS5, it’s a stunning look at the future of the action genre, melding great combat design with a world you’ll be desperate to spend time in.
9. Hades
(Image credit: Supergiant Games)
Developer: Supergiant Games
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch
If you play Hades, you will fall in love with it. That’s a deal you make with the devil – well, developer Supergiant Games – should you put this game in your hands. While it’s classed as a roguelike, that genre branding comes with decades of baggage attached to it that belies the action mastery at the heart of Hades. While Hades is undoubtedly challenging, its combat is indisputably impressive. Death equals rebirth equals a chance to try, try again. Hades pulls off this wonderful trick where it always feels as if you’re improving, learning something new about the parade of loveable villains openly mocking you, even as you’re being put on your ass. It’s a damned good time.
8. Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy
(Image credit: Square Enix)
Developer: Eidos Montreal
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
I’ll tell you what’s rare: an action game with a heart.
And I’ll tell you what’s like gold dust in an industry renowned for its poe-faced protagonists: an action game that can have you genuinely laughing out loud. Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy has both of these qualities, packaging them together with a kinetic adventure that delights from its first combat sequence through to its last. Eidos Montreal delivered a real sleeper hit in Guardians of the Galaxy; this is one of those games players and developers alike will talk about with real reverence in a couple of years due to its unique combat system and masterful world-building, so why not get into it now – you know, before it was cool.
7. Control
(Image credit: Remedy)
Developer: Remedy Entertainment
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
Remedy Entertainment has built itself quite the reputation. Through games like Alan Wake, Max Payne, and Quantum Break it has become known for creating weird, energetic, and contemplative adventures.
With Control, it felt as if Remedy put all of that expertise into a single experience – an action game that isn’t afraid to embrace the supernatural and shift its gears to accommodate waning attention spans. Whether you’re blasting through waves of Hiss agents, trying to navigate ever-shifting combat spaces, or sifting through paperwork to get a better understanding of the world-state, Control always rises to meet the moment.
6. The Last of Us 2
(Image credit: Naughty Dog)
Developer: Naughty Dog
Platform(s): PS4, PS5
The Last of Us: Part 2 isn’t for the faint of heart. Naughty Dog effectively unleashed a 25-hour gut punch upon an unsuspecting world and we still haven’t recovered. Part-adventure game, chronicling two characters on intertwining tracks of revenge, and part-action experience, featuring some of the most meticulously detailed shooting and stealth mechanics you’ll ever hope to see. The Last of Us 2 is a true achievement, visually ambitious and sonically imposing, pushing fidelity and performance in a way that few studios can.
It’s sad, somber, exhilarating, and awe-inspiring; an action game that will get your blood pumping before it rips your damned heart out.
5. Devil May Cry 5
(Image credit: Capcom)
Developer: Capcom
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
Devil May Cry is the action genre incarnate. The series has always been audacious and outlandish, planting its tongue so firmly in cheek that it’s a surprise it doesn’t pierce the skin. That’s on the power of Dante alone, the silver-haired fox who is as happy wielding dual-pistols as he is bloody huge swords, motorbikes, and any other objects he can get his demonic hands on. Devil May Cry 5 is a hell of a good time as a result, even as it shifts gears between a roster of characters – a pure adrenaline rush of climbing combos and suffocatingly tight combat mechanics, a heavy metal rhythm action game in all but name.
4. Bloodborne
(Image credit: FromSoftware)
Developer: FromSoftware
Platform(s): PS4
FromSoftware’s gothic adventure is unlike any other.
While it may draw from the same demonic force as Dark Souls, and be just as capable at wearing down the patience of any players that dare step into its gauntlets, Bloodborne succeeds on the power of its action. On that carefully balanced cadence between attack and defense, full-throated assaults and perfectly-timed retreats. Bloodborne isn’t for everyone, but those who are willing to put in the time and energy to crash through its skill ceiling will find an action game that is uncompromising, exhilarating, and utterly enthralling.
3. Marvel’s Spider-Man
(Image credit: Insomniac Games)
Developer: Insomniac Games
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5
For years, anytime Insomniac released a video game it was met with a ‘yeah, this is good, but I’d bet they’d make one hell of a Spider-Man game.’ Well, the studio finally got its chance and it absolutely knocked it out of the park. Combat mechanics refined through Ratchet & Clank, open world systems road tested in Sunset Overdrive, and a pitch-perfect sense of comedic timing all contribute to Marvel’s Spider-Man being the absolute monster of an action experience that it is.
It’s pure fan-service, a keen reflection of the agility of Spider-Man as a hero and the humanity of poor Peter Parker behind the mask.
2. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
(Image credit: Naughty Dog)
Developer: Naughty Dog
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5
Nathan Drake couldn’t have hoped for a better send-off. With a Thief’s End, Naughty Dog embraced the legacy of PlayStation’s most important mascot in a generation and delivered a truly seminal adventure. Uncharted has always felt as if it were this smooth blend of Tomb Raider’s action and Indiana Jones’ attitude, and nowhere is that better represented than in Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. Whether you’re new to the series or have been following along from the beginning, this is cinematic action at its finest – leading you from one heart-stopping set-piece to another with heart, humor, and an atmosphere of swashbuckling resilience that you can’t help but fall in love with.
1. God of War
(Image credit: Sony Santa Monica)
Developer: Insomniac Games
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5
Few believed that Sony Santa Monica would be able to make Kratos relevant again.
Times had changed, and the industry had moved on from the glorious, senseless aggression that helped define his original trilogy of games. And then God of War arrived, a title that straddled the line between reboot and sequel and delivered a definitive experience of the PS4 era in the aftermath of its action. It’s a truly wondrous experience, capturing a sense of fluid motion and control in its combat that few games have ever achieved. God of War is a truly must-play action again, particularly ahead of God of War Ragnarok on PS5.
Josh West is the UK Managing Editor of GamesRadar+. He has over 10 years experience in online and print journalism, and holds a BA (Hons) in Journalism and Feature Writing. Prior to starting his current position, Josh has served as GR+’s Features Editor and Deputy Editor of games™ magazine, and has freelanced for numerous publications including 3D Artist, Edge magazine, iCreate, Metal Hammer, Play, Retro Gamer, and SFX. Additionally, he has appeared on the BBC and ITV to provide expert comment, written for Scholastic books, edited a book for Hachette, and worked as the Assistant Producer of the Future Games Show.
In his spare time, Josh likes to play bass guitar and video games. Years ago, he was in a few movies and TV shows that you’ve definitely seen but will never be able to spot him in.
Best Action Games on PC (PC) — Top Action Games List on PC (PC)
51410
according to the game of gambling
from high to low to high
on the release date
at first the old
rating
from high to high to high
in alphabetical
A-ZZ -A
Half-Life 2
Android, Linux, Mac, PC, PS3, Xbox 360, Xbox
FPS, Action
Batman: Arkham City
Mac, PC, PS3, PS4, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Adventure, Action, Platformer
Max Payne
Android, GBA, iOS, Mac, PC, PS2, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox, Classic Macintosh
FPS, Action
Half-Life
Linux, Mac, PC, PS2, Sega Dreamcast
FPS, Action
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
Nintendo Switch, PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series
RPG, Action
Portal
Android, Linux, Mac, Nintendo Switch, PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Adventure, Action, Puzzle, Arcade
Heavy Rain
PC, PS3, PS4
Adventure, Action
Star
5 Craft5 Mac, N64, PC
Strategy, Action, RTS
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Mac, PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Adventure, Action, Platformer
Silent Hill 2 — Directors Cut
PC PS2, Xbox
Adventure, Action, Horror
XCOM: Enemy Unknown (2012)
Android, iOS, Mac, PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Strategy, Action, RTS
Guardians of the Galaxy (2021)
PC, PS4, Xbox One , PlayStation 5, Xbox Series
Adventure, Action
Borderlands 2
Mac, PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
FPS, RPG, Action
Left 4 Dead 2
PC, Xbox 360
FPS Batman Arkham Knight, Action
PC, PS4, Xbox One
Adventure, Action
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Action games on PC — top of the best Action
GTA
Grand Theft Auto games are the quintessence of everything we want to see in action adventure games: fights, shootouts, chases, explosions. The fifth part was especially successful in this field, where the developers managed to realize a huge region with three heroes, exciting missions and multiplayer. However, the previous releases of the line should also not be discounted — especially GTA IV with a unique physical model and San Andreas with a giant world and a dramatic story.
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Assassin’s Creed
Another outstanding representative of the genre is the Assassin’s Creed series, dedicated to the eternal confrontation between the Assassins and the Templars in different time periods. A fascinating story, spectacular combat, parkour — these components have made AC one of the largest gaming franchises of our time, and the developers do not even think of slowing down. Now the series contains many parts, of which Assassin’s Creed II is worth highlighting for the amazing atmosphere of Renaissance Italy, Black Flag for pirate romance, Unity for the best graphics, Origins and Odyssey for bold innovations.
Buy
Warframe
This session MMO project attracts, first of all, with its setting: not every game allows you to get into a space ninja costume and fight enemies throughout the solar system. In addition, this is also a high-quality cooperative slasher, sharpened for endless action and constant character improvement, and besides, it does not require a penny of cash investment.
Play
Tomb Raider
The Tomb Raider series is perhaps one of the most important for the genre, having done a lot for its development and popularization. Yes, over the years of its existence, it has experienced many upheavals, ups and downs, however, it still remains a favorite for many gamers. The reason for this is the charismatic heroine and the impressive adventures that fall to her lot. Among the variety of games in the Tomb Raider line, we can recommend two trilogies: 2006-2008 and 2013-2018.
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Batman: Arkham
With the debut of Batman: Arkham Asylum, Rocksteady ascended to the top of the gaming Olympus, and subsequent parts of the series only strengthened the star status of igrodelov.
Batman: Arkham is the story of the greatest detective in the world of comics, desperate fights with bandits and bosses, intense stealth missions and amazing plot twists. And also exciting flights over Gotham and, perhaps, the best implementation of the Joker among the game and film incarnations of the crazy clown.
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Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor / War
A wonderful action-adventure dilogy from Monolith, known for Blood and F.E.A.R. The unique Nemesis system innovates gameplay and delivers a unique experience. For this reason alone, Middle-earth can be forgiven for some borrowings from its brothers in the genre.
Buy
NieR: Automata
An action role-playing game that famously changes genres on the fly: depending on the mission, it can be a platformer, a scrolling shooter, or a mecha action game. But most of the time it’s still an action-slasher with a pretty android girl in the title role and a heart-rending story about the Earth lost by mankind.
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Prince of Persia
This franchise was the forerunner of Assassin’s Creed: it was the Prince of Persia who paved the way for Desmond Miles and his many ancestors to the screens of PC and consoles. Prince of Persia is an oriental fairy tale with a charming hero, an evil vizier, a beautiful princess, exciting jumps and fights. Fans of the series (and we, to be honest, too) hope that someday Ubisoft will put aside Assassin’s Creed and return to the adventures of the Prince.
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Watch Dogs
A series of hacker games very similar to GTA, but with some differences in the form of the ability to hack into any electronic device within reach. This very feature is actively used in the gameplay, which adds a pinch of cyberpunk to Watch Dogs. Whether you choose an extremely serious first game, a frivolous sequel or a dystopian third part, in any case, you will get a quality project with a good plot and interesting missions.
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Dishonored
A first-person stealth action game that players will remember for its unusual visual design (responsible for Viktor Antonov, art director of Half-Life 2) and diverse gameplay that allows you to use covert and open play styles equally effectively, and also a stunning story of love and betrayal.
The subsequent sequel became no less interesting, so we recommend both games in the series for passing.
Buy
Hitman
A line of stealth action games that has been delighting gamers with the adventures of the same protagonist since 2000. The so-called «social stealth» is implemented here, when the killer hides in front of everyone, using disguise as a way to get into protected locations and eliminate targets.
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Dying Light
Zombie action game with parkour, melee combat and co-op, dedicated to survival in a local apocalypse that has swept the metropolis. The game is interesting not only for the ability to climb anywhere, but also for the variety of enemies that change their behavior depending on the time of day.
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Quantum Break
An interesting experiment by Remedy (Max Payne) to create a project that will combine a video game and a TV series. The result is a gripping action game with Hollywood actors, a twisted plot, and time management mechanics that fit perfectly into fast-paced gunfights.
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Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
Ninja Theory’s action/slasher game is a good game, a work of art, and a powerful social statement. All thanks to a well-realized story about a crazy warrior, whose voices in her head are both a sign of a mental disorder, and interlocutors, and helpers in battles with mythical creatures.
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Gears of War
A series of the most brutal third-person shooters with unbending protagonists and bloodthirsty enemies — the merciless Locust, with which humanity is at war on a distant planet. The story is full of sharp turns and drama, and the co-op makes the battles with enemies even more intense and uncompromising.
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control
An exciting shooter with a charismatic girl protagonist and supernatural abilities as a weapon (the usual firearms, however, is also present), dedicated to repelling the attack of otherworldly forces that have penetrated the Earth from another dimension.
buy
star wars jedi: fallen order
Souls-like and Metroidvania based Star Wars slasher that tells about the events that unfolded between episodes III and IV of the movie saga. It stars Padawan Cal Kestis as he travels the galaxy in search of possible ways to revive the Jedi Order.
buy
Remember Me
A cyberpunk game that equally delights with the wonderful scenery of Neo-Paris and impresses with the creepy slums that hide the underclass. Remember Me tells a memorable story, offers an interesting strike-line combat system, and allows you to delve into the memories of the characters, changing them to your liking.
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Darksiders
The Darksiders franchise contains elements of several genres: slasher, 3D platformer, puzzle, and, of course, action with RPG elements. And this series is also made in a very curious setting: the world after the biblical Apocalypse, in which the four horsemen are trying to restore the balance between Good and Evil and revive humanity.
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ReCore
A futuristic post-apocalyptic action game in which the main character takes on hordes of robots that have occupied the planet. In this she is helped by conditionally «good» robots, from which the girl receives new abilities. ReCore also contains elements of platforming and metroidvania: it is important here not only to fight enemies, but also to jump on platforms and explore already visited places after discovering new game mechanics.
Buy now
Alan Wake
Remedy’s gripping thriller tells the story of the nightmares an ordinary writer has to face when he arrives in a sleepy American town to draw inspiration for future books. The game is interesting with unusual gameplay mechanics and a thick «King» atmosphere.
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Sleeping Dogs
A GTA-style action game with an emphasis on hand-to-hand combat: the game takes place in Hong Kong, which means karate is indispensable. In addition to the brutal fights, Sleeping Dogs boasts a great story that revolves around an undercover cop who has infiltrated one of the largest gangs in the city.
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Resident Evil
The Resident Evil games challenge gamers to fight the biological threat spread by a variety of villains. The lineup spans many titles, including first- and third-person action, horror-influenced action and fast-paced combat that take players on thrilling journeys around the world, where zombies, mutants, and powerful bosses await.
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Red Dead Redemption 2
One of the best gaming westerns, an adventure game dedicated to the life of a gang trying to survive in the twilight years of the Wild West. Boundless spaces, a huge number of gaming activities, an impressive scenario, and finally, a measured, but mood-setting pace — everything here works for maximum immersion in the atmosphere.
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Maneater
Not quite the usual adventure action — here the main role is played by a shark, who seeks revenge on the people who prevent her and other inhabitants of the aquatic world from living a normal life.
Maneater features good humor, and the gameplay balances between the brutal extermination of vacationers and battles with the Coast Guard.
Buy now
Mafia: Definitive Edition
A remake of the iconic mafia game with improved graphics, some gameplay improvements, and an updated scenario. Mafia: Definitive Edition tells the story of a simple taxi driver who, by coincidence, became a gangster, and does it honestly, without embellishment and romanticizing the image of a mafia: it quickly becomes clear here that there will be no good outcome of events.
Buy now
Ghostrunner
A fast-paced parkour game, a first-person cyberpunk action game in which you have to run and fight a lot, explore the gloomy corridors of a large-scale complex, overcome obstacles and finally fight a terrible tyrant. The game is notable for its neon-futuristic style, lightning-fast skirmishes with enemies, as well as an amazing sense of freedom, which provides the opportunity to get used to the role of a cybernetic ninja of the future.
