The 25 best action games to play right now

This ranking brings together the 25 best action games around right now across all platforms.

Delivering some of the most thrilling journeys that sure can pack a punch or two, the best action games often get the balance right between the bringing to life a memorable story that propelled forward by its action. With some of the best shooters among our selection, you'll also find some of the best adventure games that feature satisfying combat, progression, movement, and exploration.

From long-time favorites that are always worth exploring, we've also included some of the latest new games that stand out for their action-packed goodness. So, if you're ready to explore the best action games, read to find our top 25 ranking below.

The best action games to play today, starting with...

25. Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is a shiny Unreal Engine remake of 2004's Metal Gear Solid 3, and while its improvements aren't too drastic, it's already working with an excellent base to begin with. Following the stealthy action of Naked Snake as ventures out on a risky mission to Russia in the '60s, you have to try and reach a defecting scientist, and put a stop or a nuclear threat and a traitorous foe.

Naturally, though, Naked Snake doesn't have much to work with equipment wise, which means you'll have to keep your wits about and use stealthy moves to pull off your high-stakes objectives. Packing some cinematic action, it also features the welcome option to play in the style of the original experience if you so choose. For more, you can check out our Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater review.

24. Elden Ring

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. If you need more information, you can also head over to our five-star Elden Ring review.

23. Resident Evil 2 

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. We also loved its remake, which you can read more about in our Resident Evil 2 Remake review.

22. Doom Eternal

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 of forward momentum, 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 against 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. Check our Doom Eternal review for more details!

21. Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is non-stop action and is not only the best Warhammer game made yet, but is also one of the greatest third-person shooters to come out in 2024. It's brutal and intense, and as you slay hordes of Tyranid enemies and Chaos, it's impossible not to feel like you've stepped into a grand sci-fi opera.

Using a mix of shooter mechanics and hack-and-slash melee attacks, you and your squad will be sent on various missions across various planets. As we mentioned in our Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 review, there's also a grueling story campaign packed with stunning visuals and some of the best fights you'll ever encounter in a sci-fi game. Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 fully deserves its spot on our list and is 100% worth your time and attention. For the Emperor!

20. 007 First Light

From the developer behind Hitman, 007 First Light puts you in the role of a young Bond as he joins the MI6's training programme. Filled with gadgets, car chases, and plenty of firepower, it brings to life all the espionage action you could want, with some freedom to approach missions in the way of your choosing. Sneak your way past guards, use your dart phone to make them fall ill and leave, or do a spot of hacking with your Q watch.

With plenty of missions to tuck into across various locations, there's a bit of Uncharted flair to the action, too, with plenty of cinematic spectacle and thrilling events that keep the action moving forward. If you've ever wanted to embody the famous secret agent as he learned to become Bond, then this really is a must. For more, you can head on over to our 007 First Light review.

19. Assassin's Creed Valhalla

Assassin's Creed Valhalla is not only one of the best open-world games but one of the best action games, too. Marking the third of the initial Creed RPG trilogy titles, Valhalla proves that the stealth series' grounding in fascinating world histories lays the perfect foundations for an RPG. 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. While we also love the new Assassin's Creed: Shadows, this one just comes out on top in terms of action. You can read our Assassin’s Creed Valhalla review for more insights as to why that is.

18. Monster Hunter World

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. The latest game in the series, Monster Hunter Wilds, is also a great pick-up in terms of action games. But as our Monster Hunter World review reflects, it's hard to top an "incredible achievement" like this title.

17. Phantom Blade Zero

If you're looking for a great action RPG that features some damn good combat, then Phantom Blade Zero is well worth considering. In the Wuxia experience, you follow the journey of Soul, a warrior who gets framed for the murder of his master. With just 60 days to live, you set out to unravel the conspiracy you find yourself caught in. While the story isn't really the Phantom Blade Zero's biggest strength, the way you experience it is: through satisfying Martial Arts-infused battles that see you deliver combos, with blocks, parries, and dodges galore.

With a variety of weapons to discover in the world that are all upgradable, every one has some unique trait attached to it that only gets better the more you use it. With two equippable weapons at a time, you can easily switch between your arsenal, too. If you're curious to learn more, check out our Phantom Blade Zero review.

16. Super Mario Odyssey

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 sank 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. Need more convincing? Just head on over to our five-star Super Mario Odyssey review to learn all the reasons why this is a must-have addition to your Nintendo collection.

15. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

When Titanfall developer Respawn announced that it was shifting its attention away from first-person shooters to look toward 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. Check out our Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order review for more information on this one.

14. Dying Light: The Beast

Of course, Kyle Crane would be the frontman of one of the best action games of 2025. Dying Light: The Beast is the latest in developer Techland's zombie-slashing saga, with the first game's iconic hero returning after 13 years spent enduring experimentation. As a half-human, half-sentient virus, Kyle's mission to seek vengeance against his captor in the beautiful valley of Castor Woods is Dying Light at its purest.

Night times are scarier, the storyline is tighter and more focused, and with one of the most satisfying endings of any game I've played this year, The Beast is more than deserving of usurping Dying Light 2's claim to this spot on the list. Check out our 4.5-star Dying Light: The Beast review for more on why it's worth your time (and the $60 price tag).

13. Dead Cells

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. It's also one of the best Steam Deck games you can pick up if you have that console, so be sure to check it out.

12. Bayonetta 2

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. In our Bayonetta 2 review, we also point out how the game has an "excellent online co-op side mode," so it's an action game that can be enjoyed as one of the best couple of games as well.

11. Nier Automata

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. Head on over to our Nier: Automata review for more information on this iconic title.

10. Horizon Forbidden West

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.

Like we mentioned in our Horizon Forbidden West review, this game 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 2

Hades 2 achieves what many thought impossible: a staggering improvement on one of the best roguelikes ever. Playing as Princess Melinoe, you'll be fighting your way down into Hell and back up to Mount Olympus on a race to kill Time (literally) and rescue your family. Yep, that includes your big brother and hero of the first Hades game, Zagreus.

Hades 2 is not only more than twice the size of its predecessor in terms of playable locations, but it's also got more gods, titans, and other iconic characters drawn from Greek mythology than you can shake your witch's staff at. And that's before we even get to all the weapons, boons, keepsakes, incantations... you know what? Our Hades 2 review will better outline why it's one of the best action games, so read that first and thank me later.

8. Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy

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 (just read our stellar Guardians of the Galaxy review for proof on that). 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

Remedy Entertainment has built itself quite a 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. Read our Control review for more details!

6. The Last of Us 2

The Last of Us: Part 2 isn't for the faint of heart. We choked up more than once while writing our The Last of Us Part 2 review. Naughty Dog effectively unleashed a 25-hour gut punch upon an unsuspecting world, and we still haven't recovered. It is part-adventure game chronicling two characters on intertwining tracks of revenge and a 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

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. Check out our Devil May Cry 5 review next.

4. Bloodborne

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.

As we point out in our Bloodborne review, 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 2

If you thought the first game had it all, think again. Marvel's Spider-Man 2 sees Peter Parker teaming up with Miles Morales to explore whole new areas of the Big Apple in a character-swapping, web-shooting, bad guy-busting adventure. Deploying one of many newly-added abilities is simply the cherry atop the power fantasy cake, because I could spend hours upon hours simply traversing the busy Manhattan cityscape and still never get bored.

Also, did we mention that both Venom and Kraven the Hunter make an appearance here? These are just a few reasons why Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is undoubtedly one of the best action games ever, never mind one of the best Marvel games to boot. If you've yet to pick up this game, here's your sign. You can also read our Marvel's Spider-Man 2 review if you are still wary of whether it's worth your time.

2. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End

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. Head on over to our Uncharted 4 review for more information on one of the best Uncharted games around.

1. God of War

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.

As we mentioned in our God of War review, 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 game, as is its thunderous sequel God of War Ragnarok if you can't get enough of Kratos.

For more recommendations, check out the best fighting games.