Action Games That Helped Shape Modern Gaming

The landscape of modern gaming is as diverse and eccentric as it has ever been, but it's easy to forget that the foundational cornerstones which built this phenomenon were developed very recently and, for many of us, within living memory. It wasn't too long ago that simple cover systems, survival mechanics and basic parkour were actually cutting-edge innovations.

The following games, while each being masterpieces in their own right, led the way in many respects and gave rise to countless popular titles which are still played today. On top of that, they're all completely action-packed titles which will never leave you short of entertainment.

10 Peter Jackson's King Kong

The Birth of Cinematic Immersion

It's hard to describe to younger generations just how cinematic the original Peter Jackson King Kong game looked when it first released back in 2005. Alongside the Hollywood epic, this game defined an era for many people and is one of the most highly requested games to receive a modern remaster.

In addition to its intense action sequences, the game had incredible level design and really made you feel as if you had entered directly into the world of the Peter Jackson movie. Games like ARK: Survival Evolved and the more recent Deathground undoubtedly took inspiration from several themes in this original King Kong game.

9 Borderlands

Style Over Substance

The original Borderlands was billed as a hyper-stylized, action-packed looter-shooter, but few people could predict just how much it would go on to influence an entire formula of FPS games for years to come. While there were certainly already games out there which had loot mechanics and plenty of action, Borderlands' focus on continually upgrading weapons for the sake of pure damage would inspire the likes of the Dead Island series and even Cyberpunk 2077 with its massive arsenal of diverse weaponry.

Sure, Borderlands had a story too - sort of, but the main appeal was charging through a chaotic world and racking up as many kills as possible, whether they be flying mutants, bandits, or any one of the game's numerous bosses. Not only is the series still going strong today, but its unique hand-drawn art style is something that many games have since tried to replicate.

8 True Crime: Streets of L.A.

Procedural Generation in Action

True Crime: Streets of LA was undoubtedly one of the coolest games of its time. Combining an undercover cop narrative with an open world L.A. and non-stop martial arts, shooting and racing action, it would be easy to think that it was a game too ambitious for its time.

One thing you might not know about True Crime: Streets of LA is the fact that it pioneered procedural generation techniques. That's right, it wasn't No Man's Sky, but this old-school police story introduced the technique of randomly generating environments, in order to have a considerably larger map than would otherwise be possible. Personally, I think it worked pretty well, and some of my fondest memories from the game were the epic car chases that resulted from this larger map.

7 Ninja Gaiden

Mainstream Gore

The original Ninja Gaiden will be fondly remembered by old school gamers for the way it revolutionized cinematics and storytelling within the action genre. However, one way in which the series also made a lasting impact was with its unforgiving difficulty and brutality.

The Ninja Gaiden series has never shied away from gore, and uses it as a cinematic prop almost in a Tarantino fashion. This trend has gone on to influence whole genres of games, most notably in survival horror. Fortunately for players on modern systems, the Ninja Gaiden games can still be experienced thanks to the recent remastered series, and the action has lost none of its visceral impact.

6 Rainbow Six: Vegas

Take Cover!

It might not seem like a huge deal today, but Rainbow Six: Vegas was truly a revolutionary FPS when it first launched back in 2006. As well as its gritty story and spectacular environments, it was also the first game to really utilize a solid cover mechanic, something which has since been replicated by everything from Grand Theft Auto 5 to Resident Evil 5.

In addition to pioneering this staple modern mechanic, Rainbow Six: Vegas was also one of the first true tactical shooters. Later games ranging from Ready or Not to the Ghost Recon series all borrowed elements from the foundations built by Rainbow Six: Vegas, and personally I found it to be one of the most fun campaigns to play in co-op that Ubisoft has ever made.

5 God of War

Unleash Kratos' Fury

The God of War series has certainly left its mark on the gaming industry and still remains one of the most recognizable IPs today. When the original released back in 2005, it was a combination of fast-paced action, mature storytelling and cinematic gameplay which simply hadn't been done before.

In the same way that the later titles have pushed the boundaries of visual fidelity, fluid combat, and scale within gaming, the earlier games similarly forged a path for high-quality storytelling within the medium. Even now, the visual quality of the original PS2 game would not be out of place among modern indie titles, and really set the benchmark for what cutscenes can achieve in a game too.

4 Mirror's Edge

A True Parkour Pioneer

Mirror's Edge was undoubtedly a pioneer in the parkour genre, and was one of the first games to utilize a first-person perspective for martial arts and free-running. The flowing animations and fast-paced, close-quarters combat would go on to influence titles as varied as Dishonored and the Dying Light series.

Couple all of that with an incredibly constructed cyberpunk setting, a unique minimalist aesthetic and a tense, emotional storyline, and you'll see why Mirror's Edge remains a beloved cult classic today. While follow-up Mirror's Edge: Catalyst didn't quite live up to the expectations set by the first game, the widespread influence of the series can be found in plenty of modern titles.

3 Splinter Cell

Stealthily Does It

Splinter Cell really did revolutionize the stealth video game, in the sense that it was such a core gameplay component. If you've played any of this series then you'll know it is criminally underrated in modern times. The first entry, Splinter Cell, lives fondly in the memory of old-school gamers like me who had really encountered nothing like it at the time.

This mechanic of completing missions unseen and utilizing the environment in strategic ways has gone in the influence the likes of the Hitman and Assassin's Creed series, as well as many other titles since. Stealth features are now so common in games that we almost take them for granted. Titles like Hitman, Dishonored and others put these elements at the forefront of their gameplay, to the point where stealth is now considered an entire genre within itself.

2 Assassin's Creed

Ascending New Heights

It's hard to understate just how influential the first Assassin's Creed game was. Up until this point, parkour systems were a rarity in gaming, let alone ones embedded in a deep, lore-rich narrative set during the third crusade. Not only would it go on to give birth to the massive Assassin's Creed franchise, but it would reshape the course of Ubisoft and open world gaming as a whole.

From the Watch Dogs series to far more recent games like Cairn, parkour systems were introduced to almost every action game imaginable, and all thanks to Altair's free-running abilities. Coupled with the majestic scenery the series came to be defined by, this system and its influence on gaming as a whole cannot be underestimated, no matter what state the series is in today.

1 Dark Souls

Kicking Off FromSoftware's Incredible Legacy

The chances are that if you're a gamer in 2026 you've played a 'soulslike' by now - whether you know it or not. That's right, Dark Souls and predecessor Demon's Souls were so influential that the former now has its own entire genre, and multiple subgenres, named after it.

What Dark Souls did better than practically any other game before it was to revolutionize the concept of the boss fight. In fact, almost every fight in a Dark Souls game is a boss fight, and it turns out players quite enjoyed the format. Games ranging from Lies of P and Elden Ring to Black Myth: Wukong and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 are all modeled on the Dark Souls formula, requiring players to master skills and learn attack patterns in order to defeat complex opponents and proceed through hostile areas.