10 Best Action Games of the 2020s (So Far)

Action is a highly prevalent concept in video games, with a considerable percentage of the industry containing some form of violence.

From the bloody, visceral, and realistic to the suitable and cartoonish, making use of swords, fists, axes, staffs, and more, it's easy to see how action games have been a dominant force since... forever.

However, it's also true that, as time has passed, the genre has mutated in various ways, incorporating other gameplay styles that, ultimately, have moved them away from being pure action titles and turned them into amalgamations that are as good as they are different from their origins.

Therefore, if you're looking for experiences that actively embrace the idea of ​​fighting without any restraint, I recommend you read this list of the ten best action games of the 2020s (so far).

10 Ninja Gaiden 4

PlatinumGames in Their Element

People often underestimate PlatinumGames' reigning dominance in the action genre, though thankfully they reminded everybody of their supremacy with Ninja Gaiden 4.

Koei Tecmo entrusted the talented developer with continuing the series' main iterations after more than a decade's absence, and the studio responded with what they do best: a highly gory, fast-paced, and thrilling title that won't let you blink for a second.

Yakumo allows us to not miss (too much) Ryu Hayabusa's role as protagonist thanks to a fully improved formula, vastly superior to the unfortunate result of Ninja Gaiden 3, and delighting both veterans and newcomers to the franchise.

I will always recommend enjoying Ninja Gaiden from its origins because they are unyielding classics of the hack and slash genre, but I also don't think it's a bad idea to discover through Ninja Gaiden 4 why the IP is what it is and why PlatinumGames are the best.

9 Bayonetta 3

The Queen on Her Throne

Talking about underestimating PlatinumGames, Bayonetta 3 is a curious case due to the stark dissonance between its quality and its popularity, surprising me by how little this superb sequel has been discussed even within the niche.

I understand and agree that it's somewhat inferior to its predecessors, and that the reduced public discussion surrounding it stems from its constant restructuring and delays, but that doesn't detract from the fact that it's Bayonetta at its finest.

It's more experimental, which generates resistance, though it also creates unique and exciting gameplay situations with great diversity, providing solid entertainment while you enjoy different pacing changes that keep you glued to your seat throughout the entire campaign.

I completely comprehend the disdain it generates in some players, yet I think most of us will agree that Bayonetta 3 forms an impressive trilogy, so much so that you don't care about the narrative oddities and the outdated graphics.

8 Hi-Fi Rush

Violence to the Rhythm of Music

Before being acquired by Krafton, Tango Gameworks' outcome was among the defeats that have saddened me most because it was,and is, a studio brimming with brilliance, and the magnificent Hi-Fi Rush is a prime example.

In an era when the genre is increasingly devoid of fresh ideas and ambitious projects, the studio dared to create a highly imaginative title whose combination of a hyper-stylized aesthetic and an iconic soundtrack intertwined with the gameplay made each fight a true spectacle.

It came out of nowhere and surprised the entire world, becoming one of the best games of 2023 thanks to its absolute refinement; from the voice acting and performance to the very execution of the combat, movement, and platforming mechanics, everything works like a perfect symphony.

It's a short experience and may not appeal to everyone, though for those of us who have tried everything there's to try and were lacking an action game that really changed things up, Hi-Fi Rush fell straight from the sky.

7 Shinobi: Art of Vengeance

A Triumphant Return

After one of the most notable periods of dormancy the video game industry has ever experienced, Shinobi returned in dazzling fashion with Shinobi: Art of Vengeance, and what a masterpiece it was.

Adapting a Metroidvania structure to a side-scrolling format, coupled with a divine hand-drawn visual style, the combination of 2D action and platforming with hack-and-slash combo mechanics works flawlessly.

Thanks to its superb progression of both movement and combat, you feel your power grow as the adventure unfolds, putting your abilities to use in a myriad of compelling situations that truly allow you to unleash unparalleled and spectacular beatdowns.

Great bosses, tremendous level design, perfect length, tight difficulty... Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is exactly what you expect from an excellent action title, nothing more, nothing less.

6 Black Myth: Wukong

The Best Journey to the West

Journey to the West is a work that has been adapted into countless comedies throughout history, but when it comes to video games, none reach the heights of Black Myth: Wukong.

Game Science achieved an unprecedented level of aesthetic, musical, symbolic, atmospheric, and tonal fidelity, both in this and other mythologies, wholeheartedly respecting the legendary tales that precede it to create a true power fantasy.

Embodying the Monkey King on his path to redemption, defeating colossal bosses whose movesets and attacks seem lifted straight from the most bombastic anime imaginable, provides immeasurable satisfaction when it clicks, allowing you to take advantage of the incredibly overpowered abilities at his disposal.

Black Myth: Wukong feels practically like a boss rush with extra steps, which is phenomenal. Giant dragons, ancient warriors, chimeric entities, ghosts from beyond, indescribable abominations... Fighting them all is brutal, and it never stops being exciting even on your tenth NG+.

5 God of War Ragnarök

Reborn Hopes

I'm among those who constantly praise the Greek trilogy over the Norse approaches to the franchise, but it's undeniable that God of War Ragnarök is simply phenomenal.

Santa Monica Studio takes the reboot's excellent but still improvable foundation and elevates it to the next level, adding more moves, systems, and possibilities without losing the over-the-shoulder combat's visceral feel.

I prefer traditional hack and slash games, though Ragnarök's more enclosed and claustrophobic formula, along with complex but addictive weapons to master and more varied bosses than its predecessor, offers tremendous immersion, especially thanks to the superb audiovisual design that supports it.

Although the story concludes somewhat abruptly, what Kratos builds in his final adventure is truly impressive, making it one of the most awarded titles in the history of The Game Awards in its respective year, and deservedly so.

4 Sifu

Fists as Artistic Expression

Martial arts games have lost some regularity and consistency over the years, though Sifu arrived to remind us that, when done well, they can provide the necessary foundation for building an action game with few pairs.

Aside from Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, I can't think of another title with such a strict and precise combat system, yet one that is also so deep and elegantly invites you to master it completely, urging you to become a true master of the fists.

The game's narrative itself reinforces Sloclap's intention to guide you down the path of discipline, which involves numerous practices with its pristine method of offensive and defensive movements, stage management, and enemy handling that makes each sequence feel like an excerpt from Oldboy.

The bosses with their choreographed spectacles, the minions with their numerical skirmishes, the stages with their corridors that encourage fighting to the point of exhaustion... Sifu screams action from every pore, and it's intoxicating.

3 Monster Hunter Wilds

The Ultimate Hunting Fantasy

If action games are historically known for giving you grotesquely weak excuses to beat everything that moves, it's clear why Monster Hunter Wilds is one of the genre's heavyweights.

Nevertheless, if you manage to tune out its empty but insistent narrative component, what awaits you is an adventure of biblical proportions in which you truly feel like you're embodying a hunter of mythological creatures.

From your first encounter with the iconic Chatacabra, you know that what's coming is a string of exotic and titanic beasts that, when hunted, will give you such a dopamine rush that you'll overheat, even more so if you enjoy the grind and endgame content.

Otherwise, as in my case, you can stick with the basic experience of roaming its world, fighting the wildlife of every biome, stalking them like the imposing prey they are, and enjoying mastering each weapon, which completely changes how the game feels.

With a halfway decent story, Monster Hunter Wilds would be an unparalleled masterpiece, but Capcom decided to focus its efforts on gameplay, and I applaud the result wholeheartedly.

2 Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon

FromSoftware's Underrated Gem

When we talk about FromSoftware, many video games from the last couple of decades could be invoked as candidates for their most distinguished work, but I'm both surprised and saddened by how little Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon is included in the conversation.

While I understand that it belongs to a very specific niche, even though it comes from the company's longest-running series, I'm still struck by the absurd difference between how much we should be praising this title and how little it's actually discussed.

The studio demonstrates its excellence in creating immersive worlds, customizable and extremely complex combat systems, and hysterically difficult yet satisfying bosses in a completely different context, where their mastery of the Soulsborne formula isn't easy to replicate.

If you push me, especially for those of us who come from the developer's other line of products, Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon may be their most demanding creation to date, although consequently, that also makes it a candidate for the most rewarding of all.

1 Hades 2

From Olympus to Hell

After years of thinking that what Supergiant Games achieved in 2020 was completely unrepeatable, they proved why they are the absolute geniuses they are and showed me I was wrong with the magnificent Hades 2.

By replicating almost all the elements that made Zagreus's adventure an icon of the indie scene, the studio came back with more and better in every way: bosses, weapons, environments, music, designs, replayability, characters, jokes, questlines, systems...

In a truly exhaustive sense, Hades 2 becomes a perfect sequel by adding what's needed to refresh the formula, but ensuring that the core elements didn't change to maintain the frenetic, massive action in a mythological adaptation worthy of the history books.

Whether ascending to Olympus or descending to Hell, what awaits you is a series of exhilarating battles with unparalleled depth given its Roguelike nature, allowing you to become the most powerful being in Greece through a myriad of mechanics perfectly interconnected.

By the time you feel satisfied with the game, you'll realize that hundreds of hours have passed, you've connected with dozens of characters, and overcome seemingly insurmountable difficulties with each playthrough, generating a profound sense of accomplishment difficult to contest.