Once upon a time, the PC was the thinking person’s video game platform. There, you’d find deep strategy games, such as Civilization or StarCraft, or groundbreaking first-person shooters, such as Doom or Half-Life. For flashy action games, you played at the arcade or on console. Fortunately, you can now play pretty much anything you could want on a personal computer. Today’s top PC games include action-packed hits.The action genre is surprisingly tricky to define. Action games contain a lot of combat, but they aren’t quite fighting games or beat ‘em ups. An “action-adventure” game may have narrative, exploration, or puzzle-solving elements, but too many tips the title into the role-playing game or adventure game territories. The lines are blurry, and more than a little subjective. Video game genres are more fluid than ever, but for this list we focused on the PC games that best prioritize action-packed thrills above all else.
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30XX recalls the classic robot-blasting action of Mega Man X, but it’s more than a mere clone. It flips the formula by adding multiple play modes, custom stage creation, and randomly generated weapon drops. If you’re hungry for 16-bit style Blue Bomber platforming, but can’t hold out for Capcom to make a new game, check out this fun-filled indie release.
30XX Review
Tic Toc Games’ Adventures of Pip is a side-scrolling, action-platforming game that has an interesting premise: evolving and devolving a pixel-based hero between his 1-bit and 16-bit forms to fight through level after level of goons and bosses. The unique premise, rich environments, and fun gameplay combine to form a title with a lot of heart and charm, despite the limited scope of its weapons and power-ups.
Adventures of Pip (for PC) Review
FromSoftware shifts gears from the Souls games to revitalize its long-standing mech-focused action franchise. Customize your mech to suit your playstyle, with tremendous RPG-like customization and loadouts. Dash, glide, and blast your way through five action-packed chapters and face down robotic sentries, mech-piloting mercenaries, and brutal bosses. Combat is an omnidirectional affair that incorporates aerial mobility into your core move set. It’s a great game if you love mech battles and don’t mind the occasionally frustrating difficulty spike.
Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon Review
Assassin’s Creed Mirage is a smaller, tighter title than recent series entries, one that recalls its earlier, groundbreaking releases. You play as Basim, a young assassin who tries to overthrow an oppressive regimen in Ubisoft’s take on Baghdad. Mirage has fun returning features such as eavesdropping and pickpocketing that were sorely missing from Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Origins, and Valhalla. Yes, the controls are a bit stiff, but Mirage is a compelling play.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage Review
The Assassin’s Creed series has taken us to numerous historical settings since its 2007 debut, including Ancient Greece, Renaissance Italy, and Revolutionary War-era America. The newest installment, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, details the Viking invasion of 9th Century England from the perspective of history’s most notorious raiders. Though Valhalla doesn’t introduce anything wholly new to the series, it’s an excellent PC game that follows in the footsteps of its equally exceptional predecessors, Origins and Odyssey.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (for PC) Review
Developer Tom Happ, who is known for his work on EA Sports’ Tiger Woods PGA Tour and NFL Street franchises, has gone indie and crafted a delightful tribute to the exploratory action (AKA Metroidvania) genre. This 2D platformer combines the best aspects of classic side-scrollers like Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and Metroid to deliver a refined experience for newcomers of the genre and seasoned vets alike. Axiom Verge is a fun, engaging title, but plodding story elements and seemingly pointless weapons mar the experience a bit.
Axiom Verge (for PC) Review
The middle chapter of Rocksteady’s Batman: Arkham trilogy does the best job balancing dense, thoughtful level design with an open-world Gotham City for the Caped Crusader to patrol. You’ll encounter recognizable villains, including Mr. Freeze, Hugo Strange, and the League of Shadows. The game’s still-revolutionary combat system makes it a joy tearing through mobs of generic goons and henchmen.
Batman: Arkham City Review
Hideki Kamiya basically invented the stylish, character-action game formula with the original Devil May Cry. Alongside the crew at PlatinumGames, the infamous Twitter troll took the genre to new heights with Bayonetta. You play as a sassy witch who sadistically slaughters angels with attacks conjured from her hair. Don’t let the ridiculous tone fool you. You must master the deep and varied combat system if you want to stand a chance (and look fabulous while doing it).
Bayonetta (for PC) Review
The Castlevania-inspired Blasphemous 2 doesn’t push the popular Metroidvania genre forward into new realms, but it delivers satisfying gothic action. The abstract religious imagery, snappy combat, precise platforming, and clever puzzles form a terrific title that’s greater than the sum of its parts. Even better, the haunting pixel art gives this sequel a unique vibe you don’t often find in the genre.
Blasphemous 2 Review
Simply put, the JoyMasher-developed Blazing Chrome is one of the best run-and-gun shooters ever made. In its Terminator-like world, one wrecked by a robot apocalypse, you control characters toting high-powered weaponry designed to obliterate legions of mechanical enemies. Across the games’ six stages you experience chunky explosions, wild multiplayer action, and hulking bosses. It doesn’t do much to push the genre forward with fresh gameplay features, but Blazing Chrome’s does nearly everything right.
Blazing Chrome (for PC) Review
Bomb Rush Cyberfunk caters to an audience that Sega abandoned more than two decades ago. An obvious spiritual successor to the beloved Jet Set Radio Series, this hip-hop-inspired skating game has the style, beats, and tagging energy last seen in 2002’s Jet Set Radio Future, but don’t mistake it for a mere clone. Bomb Rush Cyberpunk adds modern design sensibilities to the cult classic formula, making it a release that appeals to anyone who likes arcade-style action.
Bomb Rush Cyberfunk Review
Carrion is a Metroid-like, 2D platformer published by Devolver Digital in which you play as a gruesome, alien parasite. That statement contains all the information you need to understand exactly how the PC game plays. There’s the genre: Metroid-like 2D platformer. Then there’s the subject matter: playing as a gruesome, alien parasite. Finally, there’s the game’s scope and style: published by Devolver Digital. In other words, Carrion is a wonderfully stylized, indie platformer with plenty of bloody violence.
Carrion (for PC) Review
Cuphead is a charming run-and-gun/shoot-’em-up hybrid that channels Konami’s iconic Contra series, while also taking heavy inspiration from the rubber-hose animation style that was prominent during 1920s- and 1930s-era cartoons. If you’re familiar with the Contra series’ fast-paced gameplay, then Cuphead should be right up your alley. The titular protagonist and his brother Mugman must best a wide variety of perilous stages and bosses to complete their quest. Cuphead lacks the expansive level design featured in Contra and other genre classics, but the hardcore action game gives you a beefy list of complex and satisfying boss fights to overcome, in the style of Treasure’s beloved Alien Soldier.
Cuphead (for PC) Review
Giant robots make everything better, and that includes video games. Daemon Ex Machina is a modern take on classic, mech action. You fight mechanical foes on gorgeous, stylized battlefields with guns, missiles, and the occasional laser sword. Once one battle ends, collect new gear from downed opponents and customize your mech for the next mission.
Daemon X Machina (for PC) Review
The original Darksiders was an excellent mashup of Zelda-style adventures, God of War-like combat, and enough lore to put Doom to shame. The hellish legacy continues with Darksiders III, a game that sees you play as Fury, the Horsewoman of the Apocalypse. Taking inspiration from recent Souls games, Darksiders III focuses on brutal battles with small enemy groups, rather than mindlessly murdering huge hordes.
Darksiders III (for PC) Review
Death Stranding baffled PlayStation 4 owners who weren’t quite prepared for a plot involving extinction, isolation, mortality, and humanity’s remnants trying to piece together a broken world. The controversial console game is now a PC game that sports enhanced graphics, platform-specific Half-Life themed missions, and a photo mode. Taking gameplay cues from the action, stealth, and survival genres, Death Stranding is a more daring affair than the typical mainstream video game title. After all, not many games feature a delivery person who fights flying whales one minute, and then discusses the afterlife with Guillermo del Toro the next. It’s an odd, slow burn.
Death Stranding (for PC) Review
Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition takes everything that made Capcom’s original 2008 release an impressive action game and expands on it. The game includes the Legendary Dark Knight enemy horde mode that was added to the original PC port, as well as three new playable characters, improved visuals, and subtle gameplay tweaks. Some of the weaker aspects of the original release, such as the repetitive story campaign, remain and slightly tarnish an otherwise brilliantly polished title. Overall, Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition is a rock-solid action game that is well worth picking up for fans of the series and action buffs alike.
Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition (for PC) Review
Devil May Cry 5 returns the series to its roots after Ninja Theory’s polarizing series reboot. Three heroes—Dante, Nero, and newcomer V—offer vastly different combat styles to master as you destroy demons. Powered by Capcom’s excellent RE Engine, the infernal mayhem has never looked better. If you’re a longtime franchise fan, you’ll appreciate the steep challenges.
Devil May Cry 5 (for PC) Review
Disney Afternoon, the mega-popular 1990s animation block, spawned some of the best platformers on the Nintendo Entertainment System, thanks to developer Capcom. And, 20 years later, those games are back in the excellent Disney Afternoon Collection. The six games—Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers, Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers 2, Darkwing Duck, DuckTales, DuckTales 2, and TaleSpin—feature a crisp 1080p resolution, the ability to save your progress at any time, and a useful rewind feature that helps combat the infamous difficulties associated with old school Nintendo games.
The Disney Afternoon Collection (for PC) Review
Few weapons inspire as much awe as the sword, especially in the video game world. Indie title En Garde turns swordplay’s purity into an action-packed, Spanish-themed beat ‘em up. Although it has a brief runtime, it delights with fast-paced blade battles and clever environmental attacks.
En Garde Review
Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout, 2020’s biggest surprise hit, is loads of chaotic, obstacle-course-navigating fun. The bright, cheery, game show-inspired title sees you bounce through candy-colored obstacle courses and take on other challenges, while competing against 59 online contestants. Beware the Big Yeetus!
Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout (for PC) Review
With Far Cry Primal, developer Ubisoft abandons all political pretenses and focuses on what made Far Cry stand out from its peers when the series debuted: the open-world sandbox. You play as a Stone Age hunter named Takkar, and your goal is to secure a safe haven for your people, the wandering Wenja tribe, in the prehistoric realm of Oros. Melee combat and beast companions set Primal apart from past Far Cry games and make exploration feel much more personal and engaging. Primal’s story is simpler and more straightforward, so if you were hoping for eccentric villains and outlandish melodrama, you may be left a tad disappointed.
Far Cry Primal (for PC) Review
Underneath For Honor’s grim tone beats the heart of an excited child. This combat game is all about making knights, vikings, and samurai fight each other, like smashing your favorite historical action figures together. However, For Honor is far from brainless. Wielding these weighty melee weapons takes patience and strategy, as one wrong move spells your doom. Test your mettle in the solo campaign or in online multiplayer skirmishes.
For Honor (for PC) Review
GalaxyTrail’s Freedom Planet is a retro-platformer that looks and feels like a long-lost 16-bit mascot game. Freedom Planet’s 14 levels are large, colorful, and varied. Almost all have Sonic the Hedgehog-style loops, ramps, and corkscrews. Each level also introduces its own unique elements, such as disappearing blocks, colored switches, and keys. These elements sound like basic platforming obstacles, but they’re so well-crafted and diverse that they always feel fresh and don’t overstay their welcome. The downside? Some cringe-worthy voice acting.
Freedom Planet (for PC) Review
In this first-person, cyberpunk, action game, you’ll leap around arenas as you cut down enemies with your katana. If you take one hit, however, you’re back to square one. The unforgiving punishment doesn’t always pair well with the inherently disorienting first-person platforming and combat controls, but when everything clicks there are few games more satisfying.
Ghostrunner (for PC) Review
The new God of War brings many changes to Sony’s iconic action series. Kratos is older, wiser, and more mature. The game trades the Greek gods for a gloomy take on Norse mythology. Instead of fighting to avenge his dead daughter, Kratos guides his very much alive son. The action is more measured and methodical than in previous GoW games, even if you can still pull off some nifty moves with your magic axe. All these changes reinvigorated the franchise for a new generation.
God of War (for PC) Review
There are many Metroidvania games in the indie game scene, but Gunbrella’s compelling revenge tale, challenging platforming, and genre twists make it an entertaining title that stands out from the pack. In it, you control a man toting a gunbrella, a gun-umbrella hybrid weapon that lets you mow down foes or gracefully float your way through stages.
Gunbrella Review
Hi-Fi Rush was a surprise drop by Bethesda during the Xbox & Bethesda Developer Direct Showcase that delivers awesome comic book visuals, rhythm-based action, and campy humor. The protagonist, Chai, is a wannabe rock star with a music player accidentally grafted into his chest, and he powers up whenever he fights to the beat of the music. Wreak havoc across Vandelay Campus, smash robotic sentries and outrageous bosses, and unravel the mystery behind the company’s mind-controlling robotic prosthetics. It’s fun, it’s dumb, and it’s full of heart.
Hi-Fi Rush Review
Horizon Zero Dawn stood as one of the PlayStation 4’s premier exclusives, alongside Bloodborne, God of War, and Marvel’s Spider-Man. You can now enjoy the open-world, robot-slaying action on PC thanks to the Complete Edition. This version comes with the expansive base game, as well as The Frozen Wilds DLC that includes a new area, more story content, and additional collectibles. The performance has been much improved since its initial PC launch, delivering a dense and impressive post-apocalyptic adventure.
Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition (for PC) Review
Immortals Fenyx Rising is the best game that publisher Ubisoft released in 2020, despite being shoved into the holiday season behind its bigger siblings, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Watch Dogs: Legion. Developer Ubisoft Quebec pivoted from Assassin’s Creed’s massive quest to a shorter action-adventure game, a move that helps this story of Greek gods and monsters shine brighter. Immortals Fenyx Rising is a PC game forged from the pieces of other titles, notably Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, but it excellently establishes its own identity.
Immortals Fenyx Rising (for PC) Review
In 2000, Sega gave us a look into the future of funk with Jet Set Radio, a cel-shaded action game that starred a cute band of rollerblading miscreants who tagged walls, battled rival delinquents, and avoided out-of-control cops. This updated PC version flexes high-definition graphics, developer interviews, and all the bells and whistles you’d expect from a Steam game. Dripping in manga-influenced hip-hop flavor and boasting one of the greatest soundtracks ever crafted for a video game, the grind-happy Jet Set Radio is a title that belongs in the library of anyone who digs fast-paced action games, incredibly catchy tunes, and street culture.
Jet Set Radio (for PC) Review
PlayStation 2 gamers likely remember how difficult it was to avoid the hype surrounding Katamari Damacy. Publisher Namco Bandai’s action-puzzle game tasked you with rebuilding a destroyed cosmos, and went on to become a sequel-spawning hit, thanks to its addictive gameplay, charming graphics, and amazing score. The delightful original game has now been given the remaster treatment with Katamari Damacy Reroll, a game featuring updated graphics and keyboard support. Katamari Damacy Reroll delivers the same whimsical enjoyment as the original did in 2004, but with the addition of a new coat of paint that makes this PC game one you should not miss.
Katamari Damacy Reroll (for PC) Review
Goichi Suda (aka Suda51) is the Robert Rodriguez of the video game industry. The Japanese developer crafts projects noted for their style, edginess, and violence, but once you peep beneath the cool veneer, the work is exposed as a somewhat empty, if fun, experience. Such is Suda51’s Killer Is Dead: Nightmare Edition, a Steam game that stars a cybernetically enhanced assassin named Mondo Zappa who slays vampires, mystics, and other monstrosities for a government agency. Killer Is Dead is dripping with Suda51’s trademark humor, character swag, and fast-paced action, but it lacks the killer level design and supporting elements that would elevate the game to the top of its genre.
Killer Is Dead: Nightmare Edition (for PC) Review
TT Games’s Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham squeezes in a lot of DC Comics fan service and silliness, while maintaining a whimsical and simplistic approach to its action and story. Whether it’s the subtle 1978 Superman theme that plays when the caped do-gooder is flying, or Nightwing reminiscing about his sidekick days while compulsively spewing “holy” exclamations, Lego Batman 3 is so filled with Easter eggs that it feels like a love letter to all of DC Comics. The gameplay doesn’t deviate much from the familiar Lego formula, but the experience is solid, nonetheless.
Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham (for PC) Review
Lego Marvel Super Heroes is a near-perfect blend of three wonderful childhood staples: comic books, video games, and, well, Lego. Steeped in Marvel Comics goodness, Lego Marvel Super Heroes puts players in the role of superheroes—including the Avengers, Fantastic Four, and Spider-Man—who are tasked with recovering all-powerful Cosmic Bricks before top-tier baddies such as Loki, Dr. Doom, and Magneto get their hands on them. The open-world game features fun brick-bashing action and light puzzle challenges.
LEGO Marvel Super Heroes (PC) Review
If you want a video game to make you truly feel like the wall-crawler, Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered is it. Web-swinging across the open-world Manhattan feels pitch perfect. Combat turns you into a chatty, acrobatic trickster as you trip up goons with web blasts, gadgets, and good old-fashioned punches. Epic set pieces let you pull off superheroic feats with ease.
Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered (for PC) Review
Mega Man 11 is a continuation of Capcom’s iconic side-scrolling platformer franchise, and it retains many of the series’ classic elements. In terms of gameplay, Mega Man 11 introduces the impressive speed- and power-boosting Double Gear system, which offers new ways to avoid obstacles and dispatch enemies. There are a handful of hazards strewn throughout this action game that feel a touch unfair, and some stages drag on much too long. Still, Mega Man 11 delivers a wonderfully fun challenge that’s splashed with a fresh coat of paint.
Mega Man 11 (for PC) Review
Capcom, in collaboration with Digital Eclipse, revisits Mega Man’s past with a package that does the original six NES Mega Man games justice. Besides featuring high-definition versions of the classic 8-bit games, the collection contains new trial challenges, leaderboards, video replays, and developer art. It’s one of the best retro compilations around. Besides the recent Rare Replay, Mega Man Legacy Collection is the closest to a video game equivalent of the Criterion Collection the medium has seen. If you’re a Mega Man fan, consider this a must-have collection.
Mega Man Legacy Collection (for PC) Review
Forget the sneaky stealth elements that have defined the Metal Gear games. In Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, you’ll cut and tear through foes with your sword and cyborg powers. This time, no one will complain that you play as Raiden instead of Snake. Even without creator Hideo Kojima at the helm, the plot includes plenty of bonkers conspiracy theories. The wilder, funnier tone fits perfectly with the fast-paced action.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (for PC) Review
Run-and-gun video games have a long history of thrilling fans with high-octane, shoot-everything-that-moves action, but few do it better than SNK’s Metal Slug 3. Originally released to the Neo Geo platform in 2000, the acclaimed Metal Slug 3 has appeared on nearly every console and handheld since then—and now it’s available for PCs. In this title, you control adorable, armed-to-the teeth soldiers who defend Earth from an alien invasion using guns, rocket launchers, and the eponymous Metal Slug tanks. Metal Slug 3 is a genre masterpiece due to its charming (and hyper-violent) cartoony graphics, tough-as-nails challenges, creative weapons, and varied level design.
Metal Slug 3 (for PC) Review
Ninja Gaiden was a trendsetting action game when it was rebooted for the original Xbox, and the Master Collection (which includes Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, and Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge) marks the series’ first official release on PC. The Ninja Gaiden games feature a unique combat system that incorporates branching combos, fighting game-like stun states, and tight controls, creating challenging titles that are genuinely unique compared to its contemporaries. If you like your action rich and demanding, the Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection is what you need, despite its flaws.
Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection (for PC) Review
Okami HD is a gorgeous, high-definition port of the beloved PS3 action-adventure game. In it, you play as the goddess Amaterasu, reborn as a white wolf, in this utterly charming quest across fantasy Japan. Okami is structurally similar to The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time, with expansive zones to explore, new powers to unlock, and clues to uncover to move to the next area. The combat is surprisingly rich, letting you swap between two weapons, and utilize powerful brush techniques to expose enemy weaknesses. The visuals are unashamedly Japanese, using a watercolor-like graphical style to depict a world quite unlike any other in the genre.
Okami HD (for PC) Review
Xbox Game Studios is mostly known for realistic games starring space soldiers and fancy cars, but every so often the company rolls the dice on a family friendly platformer. 2015’s Ori and the Blind Forest was the publisher’s most successful attempt in years, and now its sequel, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, is even better. Featuring pinpoint platforming controls, lush visuals, and clever level designs, Ori and the Wills of the Wisps is a magical, instant classic that will be played for years to come.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps (for PC) Review
Red Dead Redemption 2 is a violent story about the death of the Old West. You take control of Arthur Morgan, a man who belongs to an outlaw group and is disillusioned by the criminal lifestyle. Still, Arthur can’t see himself doing anything other than stealing and killing. This results in you undertaking many daring missions. Though not without some performance issues, Red Dead Redemption 2 amazes on PC. Its incredible story, beautiful graphics, multitude of optional quests, and ever-updated online mode may keep you hooked for years.
Red Dead Redemption 2 (for PC) Review
Fresh and wide-eyed from her exploits in Japan, the young and ambitious explorer Lara Croft is pitted against a cult of fanatical zealots in pursuit of immortality. Rise of the Tomb Raider features more of the spectacular set pieces, powerful combat, and tricky puzzles that made the 2013 Tomb Raider reboot so well received by critics and fans alike. Series fans may get a distinct feeling of déjà vu when running through the similarly styled gameplay scenarios and platforming sections, but Rise of the Tomb Raider is a solid action-adventure title.
Rise of the Tomb Raider Review
Sony is so much more than a sad-dad factory. If you’re looking for a Sony action game that doesn’t feature God of War or The Last of Us Part I’s weighty narratives, download Sackboy: A Big Adventure. This excellent, 3D platformer is plump with just about everything you want from a hop-and-bop title: Simple controls, fun multiplayer, cool level design, beautiful graphics, and a catchy soundtrack. If you’re hungry for a fresh platformer, check out this must-play PC game.
Sackboy: A Big Adventure (for PC) Review
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice proves that FromSoftware’s beloved brand of brutally difficult action isn’t going anywhere. In some ways, Sekiro is somehow even tougher than Demon’s Souls, Dark Souls, and BloodBorne. At least those games are RPGs that occasionally let you grind your way through a fight. Sekiro, on the other hand, is a pure action game. To move forward, you must submit yourself to the intricate sword-fighting system. You can revive yourself after death, so get ready to die a lot more than twice.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (for PC) Review
The original Shadow Complex is a 2.5D platform-adventure game that became an Xbox 360 cult classic thanks to its fast-paced, exploration-heavy gameplay. The title has since received the remaster treatment, which gives the beloved game updated graphics, hard-hitting new contextual melee attacks, and Master Challenges. The run-and-gun game’s plot and voice acting don’t quite match the rest of the stellar package, but if you can overlook those ills, you’ll find an excellent title that’s well worth the $14.99 price.
Shadow Complex Remastered (for PC) Review
Shadow of the Tomb Raider is a haunting, cinematic look at Lara Croft as she transverses the steppes and underworlds of the modern home of ancient Mesoamerican culture. Developers Eidos-Montréal and Crystal Dynamics redefine Croft in the final installment of her origin series by tossing away her iconic dual-pistols, and transforming her from a hapless orphan into a hardened tomb-dwelling adventuress that who must stop the coming Mayan Apocalypse. Shadow of the Tomb Raider wraps up Lara’s early days in satisfying fashion, but narrative and performance issues prevent the action-adventure game from reaching the same heights as the previous installments in the series.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (for PC) Review
Sega’s Shenmue I and Shenmue II remasters are odd games, just like the original Dreamcast and Xbox releases. They’re loaded with a head-scratching amount of underutilized content, hilariously awkward writing, and some horrific pacing issues. But at the same time, they pack a startling amount of detail for games this old. Furthermore, the fighting mechanics are solid, the overarching story is engaging, and the game has an undeniable charm. Yes, many titles have since improved upon the systems featured in Shenmue (notably Grand Theft Auto and Yakuza), but you can’t shake the appeal of these classics.
Shenmue I & II (for PC) Review
If you have the “I want to squash all threats to the republic” itch that’s risen in recent days, do yourself a favor and play SNK’s Shock Troopers. This run-and-gun action game tasks you with saving a biotech genius from The Bloody Scorpion terrorist organization by going into battle using a single soldier (Lonely Wolf mode) or a three-person squad (Team Battle mode). Cool weapons, fun vehicle-based levels, branching pathways, and co-op play make for a very entertaining, G.I. Joe-like experience.
Shock Troopers (for PC) Review
“8-bit,” side-scrolling, indie platformers have flooded the video game market, and it’s easy to discount the entire genre as an easy-to-develop cash-in on nostalgia. Then there’s Shovel Knight from Yacht Club Games, a studio created by former WayForward Technologies director Sean Velasco. You play as a shovel-toting knight who must rescue his partner, Shield Knight, from dastardly foes. It’s an incredibly satisfying and expertly crafted platformer that recalls games like DuckTales and Mega Man, but also has some of the most authentic NES-style graphics to appear in the HD era.
Shovel Knight (for PC) Review
Sonic Mania is, for all intents and purposes, the true Sonic the Hedgehog 4, discounting the intensely mediocre, polygonal game that appeared last console generation. Sonic Mania adheres to the classic Sonic gameplay of running really fast through loops and straightaways as you collect life-preserving gold rings, dispatch enemies, and free captured fuzzballs from hulking enemy machinery. On that level, Sonic Mania is very much like the sprite-based Sonic titles that came before it. That said, DRM issues and poorly designed bonus stages steal a bit of its shine.
Sonic Mania (for PC) Review
Whatever you think of more recent Sonic games, the Hedgehog’s earliest 2D platformers are undisputed classics. Sonic Origins updates Sonic 1, 2, 3, and CD for the modern PC. The compilation includes new cutscenes and other unlockables for you to enjoy. We just hope the bugs get ironed out.
Sonic Origins (for PC) Review
Soulstice makes a name for itself as a solid new entry in the character-action genre. You control two characters at once, a pair of spiritually conjoined sisters, and you’ll need to aptly cycle between one sister’s melee and the other sister’s magic abilities on-the-fly. The dark fantasy themes add weight and atmosphere.
Soulstice (for PC) Review
Of course the internet loves Stray because it’s a game where you play as a cat. But beneath the viral premise is a genuinely moving adventure game with puzzles to solve and action to undertake, a game full of humanity despite the robotic cyberpunk setting. Plus, you can meow whenever you want.
Stray Review
Using the standard Metroidvania formula as a base, Tales of Kenzera: Zau is a lush and heartfelt 2D sidescroller with a unique point of view. Inspired by African mythology, you’ll swap between Sun and Moon abilities to defeat enemies through expressive combat. Navigating the winding world serves as a metaphor for the creators’ own experiences navigating grief.
Tales of Kenzera: Zau Review
Tembo the Badass Elephant’s story takes place in Shell City, a populous city that’s plunged into a state of emergency by an evil force known as The Phantom. The National Army is unable to contain The Phantom’s destruction, so it enlists the aid of an old war buddy, the Rambo-like elephant known as Tembo, to push back the enemy troops. The game’s frequently compared to the 16-bit Sonic the Hedgehog games, as it’s published by Sega and features a relentlessly speedy main character who obliterates foes. However, developer Game Freak (of Pokemon fame) also implemented elements from classic franchises such as Super Mario Bros. and Donkey Kong Country to create a well-rounded, 2D, action-adventure platformer that stands apart from the titles that inspire it.
Tembo the Badass Elephant (for PC) Review
Blending Japanese history and mysticism with top-notch voice work and Akira Kurosawa film flair, Trek to Yomi is a cinematic experience that features gorgeous, black-and-white graphics. The samurai game isn’t much longer than the films to which it pays homage, such as Hidden Fortress and Seven Samurai, but it’s densely packed with flashy combos, parries, and level exploration. Trek to Yomi is easily one of the best action games on PC, and deserving of our Editors’ Choice award.
Trek to Yomi (for PC) Review
Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection combines two acclaimed entries in the Uncharted series. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End brings closure to Nathan Drake’s story, while Uncharted: The Lost Legacy follows Chloe and Nadine as they embark on a new adventure. Few games come closer to becoming full-on interactive action movies, and now PC players can enjoy these globetrotting thrills.
Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection (for PC) Review
Warframe has continued to grow and evolve since its 2013 launch. That’s how the free-to-play, pseudo-MMORPG has fostered such a passionate fan base. What holds Warframe together, though, is the wickedly fun combat that blends stylish swordplay, powerful gunplay, and incredibly nimble movement. You must grind to make significant progress, but it’s the most enjoyable grinding you’ll ever experience.
Warframe (for PC) Review
Like the two installments before it, Watch Dogs: Legion focuses on hackers attempting to take down ctOS, a security system that invades people’s lives. Though this series entry doesn’t stray far from the Watch Dogs formula, it breaks from the past by letting you play as multiple characters found in the open world. This design choice prevents you from bonding with the protagonist, but it serves the greater narrative of people uniting to stop an oppressive power. Combine that with the series’ trademark hacking mechanic, and you have the strongest Watch Dogs title yet. Unfortunately, the PC game suffers inconsistent frame rates.
Watch Dogs: Legion (for PC) Review
Need even more mech action in your gaming life? Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner Mars is a 4K update of a PlayStation 2 Konami cult classic. The fast battles, awesome weapons, and stylish anime visuals remain timeless, even if some issues reveal the game’s true age. Still, whenever an old game as good as this gets an unexpected new lease on life, you owe it to yourself to give it a spin.
Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner Mars (for PC) Review
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