Best Action Games That You Need to Play This Winter

Playing video games based on the current season you're living in strikes me as a rather compelling activity, as it helps you connect in a more special way with contemporary events in your life.

Horror games for Halloween, cozy games for Christmas, soccer games during the World Cup… I've always seen it as a way to reinterpret reality at the most opportune moments, making them feel different from playing them at any other time.

Certainly, some celebrations or seasons have little formal representation within the vast world of interactive media, but that doesn't mean their diversity doesn't allow us to find points of connection between our reality and their fantastical themes.

Therefore, specifically to accompany the coldest time of the year, I invite you to discover the most fortuitous experiences through this article on the eight best action games you need to play this winter.

8 Assassin’s Creed III

A Natural Winter

Although it's never been my favorite franchise, I can't deny that Assassin's Creed III was the first time I was genuinely impressed by the depiction of a snowy landscape's realism.

I consider the game a poor representative of the series and a decent action game in its own right, but where it truly shines is in its natural terrain, which contrasts magnificently with the usual urban settings of its predecessors and successors.

When you're wandering among the trees, observing how the environment behaves based on your movements, you can almost feel the cold wind on your face, so I wouldn't be surprised if you spend more time doing parkour than fighting and sneaking around.

Despite my reservations about the game, Assassin's Creed III is a magnificent representation of the United States during the Revolutionary War, which helps to make the outdated combat system and the lackluster role of the Assassin Brotherhood in the story fade into the background, allowing for a truly enjoyable adventure.

7 Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Visiting the Himalayas

Following the trend of video games I consider average but which possess undeniable strengths, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves' diverse settings are more than worthy of praise.

The entire franchise has taken us through impressive environments with their respective degrees of mystery and magic, but none reach the heights of aesthetic fantasy and tone achieved by the second installment, with its mountainous and icy landscape that differs sharply from the fire of bullets.

Although it's not all snow, every moment the environment turns white is unforgettable, especially because Naughty Dog truly knows how to create spectacular set pieces that highlight all the game's audiovisual strengths.

As a third-person shooter, it's adequate, but as an action game set in so many international locations, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is an unmissable experience that should be on the gaming list of every player.

6 MIO: Memories in Orbit

The Cold of Space

As one of the best Metroidvanias I've ever had the chance to play (and I say this with genuine conviction that recency bias has nothing to do with it), MIO: Memories in Orbit is a title no fan of the genre should miss.

From my perspective, there's something inexplicably common between winter and games of this style, but I think it's a feeling that boils down to the ability of both to offer a comfortable experience within theoretically unpleasant circumstances.

In this sense, MIO: Memories in Orbit has few checkpoints, areas that are difficult to fully explore, challenging bosses to defeat, and overwhelming freedom from the start… And yet, everything combines smoothly so that what could be considered weaknesses end up being strengths.

The adventure feels authentic and risky, the combat is demanding, the discoveries are substantial, and, in general, not a single second goes by without something magnificent happening. Add to that its space setting, which includes numerous frozen areas, and you get a title that's perfect for the season.

5 God of War

Norse Mythology at Its Best

Far removed from the fiery atmosphere of the Greek trilogy, the first Norse God of War leverages its rich mythology to deliver one of the best stories and settings the AAA industry has ever seen.

Certainly, I don't think the same can be said for the gameplay, where I believe the game feels somewhat lacking compared to its predecessors, but it's still fun enough to make the journey of exploring every frozen corner of Midgard worthwhile.

With an ice axe, a world bathed in eternal snow, and lore based on freezing temperatures and impatient gods, God of War embodies winter in the most fantastical way possible, as does its highly recommended successor.

Furthermore, listening to Mimir's stories while traveling by boat is the closest thing I've ever experienced to the classic campfire conversations, so from the superficial to the most profound, it's an essential inclusion on this list.

4 The Last of Us

An Unforgettable Season

Boasting among the most iconic winter sections of all time, The Last of Us is a must-play, even if our time spent in the snow is relatively small compared to the other seasons.

Switching protagonists and going from feeling like an all-powerful survivor to a vulnerable youngster, lacking the same skill and strength, is a tremendous shift in pace that alters both the gameplay and the tone, especially due to the chilling subplot that unfolds.

Surviving in The Last of Us never feels easy, though it's at this point in the story that you get a glimpse of what the average experience would be like in real life. Plenty of fear, inexperience, escapes, and dangers, no heroic grandiosity or anything like it.

Therefore, even though it only represents a fraction of the game, The Last of Us' winter is a masterful example of how to depict the season, both in terms of its emotional impact and its audiovisual presentation, showcasing the developer's mastery in its execution.

3 Max Payne

The Coldest Night in New York

Despite having only recently played it for the first time, Max Payne captivated me so profoundly that there's no way I can leave it off any list I might include, much less one that fits it as perfectly as this one.

The entire story of fiction's most beloved noir detective revolves around the coldest night in New York, which lends itself to an absurdly relevant aesthetic and vibe that transcends its narrative impact to alter the player's experience.

Were it not for the omnipresence of snow, the perpetual darkness, the heavy clothing, and the empty streets, the experience of playing Max Payne would be very different, as you'd go from partaking in a somber, traumatic, and mature campaign to a far less spectacular and captivating third-person shooter.

Of course, the game stands on much more than just its theme, as it is among the genre's greatest references for a reason, but it is undeniable that this context greatly helps Max Payne to be what it is, which is among the essential classics that every action fan should try.

2 Metro 2033

A Different Type of Snow

Do you know what's better than playing a game in winter? A winter game set after a nuclear apocalypse that has devastated life on the surface, as the magnificent Metro 2033 so masterfully portrays through its immersive FPS experience.

In this regard, few video games are so dedicated to making you authentically feel the experience of the protagonist you control, but this particular work invests all its resources in putting you in the shoes of the silent Artyom.

The first-person camera, the diegetically integrated interface, the menus visible in-game, the weapons jamming… Everything is designed to put you in the shoes of a ranger in the midst of a post-apocalypse, and that includes venturing to the surface.

Snow means death, and Metro 2033 knows exactly how to explain it to you. Every time you go out, you feel your heart race because you recognize the danger that comes with seeing the white substance, as deadly as anything else in the environment.

It might not be the most cozy thing to play when you're stuck at home during a snowstorm, but if you're looking for a fantastic and stressful experience that might prepare you for something going wrong in real life, you're in the clear.

The Icy King

There's no game more representative of winter than The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, one of the greatest titles in history and the first thing that comes to mind for any gamer when asked what to play during a snowy season.

The icy landscapes of Skyrim are the most unforgettable thing the season has to offer, with dozens of frozen kilometers where points of interest abound, as do secrets and beautiful visual scenes, with something interesting always to discover around every corner.

Although not all the territory has succumbed to the snow, the Nordic feeling is maintained throughout its pixels, with lore linked to said mythology and scenery that respects the terrain, flora, and fauna of the mountainous and cold regions.

With its own fantastical twist, yet grounded in realism, no action game transports you to winter better than The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, as such a quest would require transcending not only the genre but perhaps even the entire video game industry.

Considering the survival mods you can integrate, which enhance aspects like food and temperature, you achieve the ultimate immersion an interactive experience can offer, though the base game is more than sufficient for that.