Best Action Games: The Most Satisfying Combat in Modern Gaming
The best action games — stylish character action, soulslikes, action RPGs, and the specific games that nail the satisfaction of precise combat.
"Action game" is broad enough to cover everything from Devil May Cry to Elden Ring to Halo. The unifying thread is combat that rewards skill — games where what matters most is the moment-to-moment flow of fighting. Here's what's genuinely worth your time in 2026 across the whole action game spectrum.
The character action genre
Devil May Cry 5 is the peak of modern character action. Three protagonists, deep combat systems, ridiculous style.
Bayonetta 3 is Platinum Games at their stylish peak.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is cyber-ninja parry-focused action.
Ninja Gaiden Black/Sigma defined modern character action difficulty.
Astral Chain from Platinum lets you control two characters simultaneously.
The soulslike tradition
Elden Ring is the genre's biggest modern hit. The games like Elden Ring post has more.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is parry-focused perfection. The games like Sekiro post has more.
Bloodborne is aggressive gothic action. The games like Bloodborne post has more.
Dark Souls III is the series' most polished entry.
Lies of P is the modern parry-focused soulslike.
Black Myth: Wukong is the 2024 Chinese action hit. The games like Black Myth Wukong post has more.
The action RPGs
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt combines action combat with narrative depth. The witcher 3 tips post has more.
Dragon's Dogma 2 is open-world action RPG with Pawn companions.
Nioh 2 is Team Ninja's Japanese soulslike with deep weapon systems.
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is Chinese-set action from Team Ninja.
Stellar Blade is stylish post-apocalyptic action. The games like Stellar Blade post has more.
The action-adventure masterworks
God of War (2018) and Ragnarok are Norse mythology action with emotional weight.
The Last of Us Part II has action combat that rewards skill and stealth.
Ghost of Tsushima is feudal Japan samurai action.
Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection is cinematic action with Naughty Dog polish.
Red Dead Redemption 2 has action combat inside its massive open world. The rdr2 tips post has more.
The fast-paced action picks
Hades and Hades II are roguelike action at its peak. The games like Hades post has more.
Sifu is Chinese kung-fu action with aging mechanic. Brilliant.
Returnal is third-person shooter roguelike. The games like Returnal post has more.
Hotline Miami is top-down murder-puzzle action. Short and intense.
Katana ZERO is 2D time-manipulation action.
The indie action picks
Hyper Light Drifter is atmospheric pixel-art action-adventure.
Dead Cells is metroidvania roguelike action. The games like Dead Cells post has more.
Hollow Knight has tight action combat. The games like Hollow Knight post has more.
Nine Sols is 2D action platformer with strong combat mechanics.
Neon White is first-person movement-action with card mechanics. Incredible.
The competitive action picks
Street Fighter 6 is fighting game excellence.
Mortal Kombat 1 is fatal-focused fighter.
Tekken 8 is 3D fighter peak.
Guilty Gear Strive is high-execution anime fighter.
The shooter-action hybrids
DOOM Eternal is action-combat-FPS perfection.
DOOM: The Dark Ages is the 2025 entry with medieval-flavored combat.
Titanfall 2 has one of gaming's best action campaigns.
Ultrakill is Quake-speed action FPS.
The recent notable releases
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is turn-based action RPG with heavy narrative. The games like Expedition 33 post has more.
Final Fantasy XVI is cinematic action RPG.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth has action combat with JRPG depth.
Helldivers 2 is co-op action shooter. The games like Helldivers 2 post has more.
What we make at Choost
Granny's Rampage is our bullet heaven action game — different pace from character action classics but shares the "every decision matters in a fight" philosophy. For more action-genre specifics, the best soulslike games, best roguelike games, and best fps games posts have more.
The short answer
For character action perfection: Devil May Cry 5.
For soulslike epic: Elden Ring.
For parry-focused: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.
For action RPG depth: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
For indie gem: Hades or Sifu.
For fast-paced: DOOM Eternal or Ultrakill.
For action-adventure: God of War Ragnarok.
Action is gaming's most varied genre. What unifies the best action games is commitment to making combat feel good moment by moment. Every recommendation here has that commitment. Pick based on the specific combat fantasy you want and dive in.