Action adventure game are among the most popular and widely loved in the entire gaming world. Their influence is undeniable, and there are countless blockbusters within a single space, ranging from realistic franchises that chart a single hero's journey to individual titles that redefine how video game worlds are created.
It is difficult to limit the best of the best action adventure games, as there are simply too many titles to mention when discussing the genre. It doesn't matter if someone likes shooters, puzzles, Soulslikes or something else entirely, there will be an action-adventure game to suit their taste and one that will potentially become their new favorite game.
God of War: Ragnarök
Concluding An Arc In Cinematic Fashion
Ragnarök is easily the best God of war game ever made, and even fans of the original can look past the nostalgia and see that this is the definitive demigod experience. Players once again step into the shoes of Kratos, with Atreus by his side, and travel across the Nordic lands to prevent the destruction of the Nine Kingdoms.
The cutscenes look better than ever, and the combat has a visceral nature that is borderline unmatched by other modern titles, helping it stand above the other games in the series and the multitude of other melee action games. Everything from the story to the gameplay feels polished and refined, allowing the saga of Norse mythology to end with a bang while keeping the series open to the future.
Batman: Arkham Asylum
The darkest of knights
Batman: Arkham Asylum is the The Batman game, and it represents not only an achievement in game design, but also the start of one of the best trilogies in gaming. It's gritty and brutal, giving players all the tools they need to truly become the hijacked anti-hero, and it never feels like the game is holding back in terms of gameplay and story themes.
The satisfaction that comes from battling iconic villains like the Scarecrow with just a few handy tools and a few good punches is hard to beat. mechanical, Arkham Asylum was way ahead of its time. Players have so many options when it comes to approaching each encounter and moving between areas that it allows them to be fully immersed in a comic book world full of pain and evil.
Shadow Of The Colossus
Unparalleled levels of beauty
Shadow of the Colossus is awful, beautiful, weird, and just about every other descriptive word in the dictionary except “crowded,” which carves into a very specific niche in the adventure genre that has yet to be replicated two decades later. Players wake up and are tasked with killing 16 colossi, each with their own attacks and challenges that players can only learn by fighting them head-on.
What makes the game so engaging is how the world manages to be so empty yet completely engrossing. The spaces between points of interest never feel boring; instead, players will feel drawn to each enemy by the desire to see more of this mysterious world that holds more questions than answers.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Perfecting the deflection mechanic
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is the result of over a decade of Soulslike adventures, and it's the closest FromSoftware has come to making a perfect game. The world building is nothing short of a marvel. In typical FromSoft fashion, things are deliberately kept ambiguous aside from a few helpful bits of dialogue, yet the story is engaging enough for players to develop a hunger to find out more about the world and the characters within it.
Where Sekiro really shines is in its battle. Deflection mechanics have been around for years, but this game sets a new standard for how action games should approach them. The satisfaction that comes from failing countless times and then finally mastering the art of blocking is absurd, and the challenges players face are among the toughest in gaming, requiring patience, precision and a bit of luck along the way.
The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
A true generational adventure
Breath of the Wild is it Zelda game that surpasses almost every other entry in the franchise by a country mile, providing a huge open landscape for players to explore and fully immerse themselves in. Hyrule has never looked this good, and the game's art style makes every moment look like a gorgeous painting, all while keeping the series' signature look at its heart.
Where Breath of the Wild really takes off is with its emphasis on experimentation. Players are really pushed to use every tool at their disposal to traverse the world and take on the various threats within it. The reduced levels of direction encourage a more natural way of exploration, making players feel like true explorers in an unknown world and allowing each discovery to feel as special as the last.
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Sets a standard for character-driven adventures
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves stands as one of the best PlayStation games of all time, but it's also a timeless action-adventure game that remains impressive to this day. Nathan Drake is back at the helm, traveling from the jungles of Borneo to the mountains of the Himalayas, all wrapped up in ambitious cinematic sequences that rival blockbusters.
The draw of Uncharted 2 comes from how effectively it makes the player feel like they are part of the action. There is much less waiting and receiving the story; instead, players are thrown headfirst into non-stop action sequences that are never rushed or out of place in the story.
Okay
Artistic and challenging at the same time
Okay
- Released
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September 19, 2006
Okay is a beautiful and colorful adventure where players take on the role of Amaterasu, a sun goddess in the form of a wolf on a journey to restore life and order to a land plagued by bleeding. The world is literally repainted piece by piece, while every moment of combat and puzzle solving feels like a step towards fixing the broken environment.
From a game point of view, Okay is incredibly unique, with a sense of fluidity that can only be achieved thanks to its painterly aesthetic. By the end, players will feel rejuvenated with a sense of accomplishment, yet sad that the soothing and rewarding adventure has come to an end.
Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening
Blades, weapons, style and more
Devil May Cry 3 is an adrenaline-fuelled adventure that provides players with constant action from the moment the game starts. Dante once again fights his way through demonic forces with more flair and fury than any mortal could handle, allowing players to fully embrace the persona of the wise, unstoppable warrior.
The combat feels so crisp and engaging, with every action weighing heavily and each segment requiring a high degree of skill from even veterans of the franchise. What ties the battles together is the interconnected feel of the world that encourages players to explore every corner in detail, and progression between areas feels very reminiscent of classic adventure games, where new paths are unlocked over time through puzzles and riddles rather than just brute force.
