25 Best Action Games On PC (2024)

The action genre of video games brings you some of the most riveting level designs and set pieces, and fills the landscape with intense combat encounters that oftentimes include perfect counters and finishers on enemies. PC is flooded with numerous titles that have tons of incredible action in store, whether it be fantasy RPGs, first-person shooters, or cinematic narrative-driven titles.

Another great trend that expands the action library on PC is notable PlayStation hits heading over to the platform. Many of the games from that influx have ended up on this list, on top of many others that equally stand out in their immersive and non-stop action.

Updated on May 29, 2024, by Dennis Moiseyev: There's never a shortage of action games to go around on PC, and now you have even more ex-PlayStation exclusives that have made it over to Steam and the Epic Games Store. We've added those titles below, as well as some other new and noteworthy action game sequels.

25 Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered

Lara Croft is one of gaming's original female action heroes, and what a treat it is for fans to now receive the first three Tomb Raider games from the 1990s packaged together as a remaster for PC and modern consoles. The graphics and character models indeed get a boost, while still keeping the aroma of that classic old-fashioned polygonal charm.

There are plenty of iconic moments, characters, puzzles, and levels to explore or re-explore in the first three games that defined the Tomb Raider games to come. Whether it's the Temple of Xian, The Lost Valley's T-Rex fight, or escaping the High Security Compound, Lara has some thrilling Indiana Jones-inspired adventures coming her way.

24 Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2

The long-awaited sequel to Ninja Theory's Hellblade: Senuas' Sacrifice has arrived and is here to set another new benchmark for video game graphics, combat design, and cinematic quality. Senua's Saga proves an overall worthy sequel that has a shorter length and is more focused on action-packed set piece fights with a faster-paced story that takes Senua to tenth-century Iceland.

The story picks up after the first game and sees Senua as a captured slave being taken as a sacrifice to giants. She escapes her slavers to enact her vengeance on them but gets caught up with her past along with new deadly foes, like a wide variety of brutal Draugar enemies and even feral cave creatures, in what are some of the most immersive and realistic combat sequences you'll ever experience.

23 Dragon's Dogma 2

Despite its controversy with the use of microtransactions, Dragon's Dogma 2 has proven itself a worthy video game sequel that displays some of the best video game design seen in years. The emergent systems, primarily the pawns and enemy combat AI, make this an action RPG like none other, giving you a cross between Monster Hunter, The Witcher 3, and Dragon Age.

The giant mythical beasts you encounter will be relentless in their pursuit. A Griffin will fly off with you unexpectedly, Wolves can drag you far and away from your party, you'll see monsters fighting each other around the map, and you can trick a Cyclops into forming a bridge for you. Your pawn companions are fully customizable and can aid you in ways you wouldn't believe. Dropped by a Griffin? They'll be there to catch you in their arms.

22 Fallout 4

Bethesda's Fallout games once again took the world by storm and saw a revival thanks to the success of the Amazon Prime Video show, which is ripe with Easter egg nods to the games. With the next-gen update for Fallout 4 on PC and consoles, the game has never looked better or played more smoothly (despite some major issues with modding).

Although an RPG focused on quest design, NPCs, and wasteland exploration, a lot of that comes with action around every corner, thanks to the enemy factions, hostile Raiders, and well-designed radiation-altered creatures that will quickly cut your time on the surface short and make you wish you were back in the Vault. The VATS system is also a fun tool to add some critical hits to foes.

21 Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition

Following in its predecessor's footsteps, Horizon Forbidden West has also made its highly anticipated debut on PC. The game continues Aloy's adventure in a post-apocalyptic open world full of thrilling machine combat and gorgeous art direction and is much more expansive and refined than Zero Dawn, packed with some of the most epic world-building and single-player story experiences.

Since the story is based around the West Coast of the United States, Forbidden West introduces entirely new areas for exploration as well as machine enemies and bosses that populate them. The Burning Shores DLC also comes with the Complete Edition on PC, and this will take Aloy into the futuristic overgrown setting of Los Angeles for one of the most harrowing discoveries yet.

20 Hades 2

If you thought you were blown away by all the action and Greek mythology fun in the first Hades game from Supergiant and that it would stop there, Hades 2 is the perfect sequel you could ever ask for that invites you to a whole new experience in the Underworld. Much of that is because of the premise following Magick wielders, one of which is your protagonist Melinoe, Zagreus' sister who trains under Hecate, goddess of sorcery.

You're instantly gripped by Melinoe and the overwhelming new changes and additions, starting with the new hub location of the Crossroads. The weapons, enemy variety, area designs, and boss battles make the combat extravagantly epic and rewarding. The art somehow manages to become even more stunning, and the new mythological characters and bosses continue to be well-executed and memorable.

19 Ghost Of Tsushima Director's Cut

Ghost of Tsushima is yet another PlayStation port to grace PC, and it's one of the best samurai games of all time made by the studio that headed the Infamous series. In fact, it's so inspired by the genre's greats that it even offers an immersive black-and-white Kurosawa Mode to put you in the cinematic experience of being in a samurai film made by Akira Kurosawa.

With its similar story and combat design, this is a game that was viewed as the samurai Assassin's Creed game that never came to be, although now we officially have AC Shadows. There's lots to love in Ghost of Tsushima, whether you want solid samurai action, stealth, scenic exploration, excellent sound design and visual feedback, or gorgeous environments and graceful guiding winds.

18 Control

Control is as frenetic action as action games can get, putting you in the shoes of the Federal Bureau of Control's new director and parautilitarian Jesse Faden, who uses her telekinetic powers and service weapon to take on a paranatural threat. The satisfyingly engaging combat and destruction mechanics alone won't have you putting it down anytime soon.

While the story may be more perplexing and convoluted to the scale of Death Stranding or Nolan's Tenet and leaves you with many questions, it is from developer Remedy, known to take risks and push the boundaries of its unique storytelling style. If you've played Alan Wake or the 2023 sequel, you'll find many connections in every corner of the Oldest House in Control, as it's all now part of the Remedy Connected Universe.

17 Helldivers 2

The original Helldivers back in 2015 was a very different top-down cooperative twin-stick shooter with cartoony graphics before switching genres to a third-person shooter co-op multiplayer for its sequel, with some of the best-looking graphics in sci-fi gaming. Server issues and PSN controversy aside, this is nothing but a fun, satirical, bug-killing ride.

Just read some of the hilarious descriptions for this game, and you'll quickly understand one of the most notable inspirations for The Helldivers series is Paul Verhoeven's Starship Troopers, a satire on space warfare and fascism with some alien Arachnids. So do your part, grab your friends, and get slaying for Super Earth!

16 Marvel's Guardians Of The Galaxy

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy is everything Rocksteady's Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League should've been. On top of literal non-stop action, it offers terrific and award-winning writing that captures the comic book characters brilliantly and wrought with humor, a fantastic mix of music used during battles, and no live service angle.

Like all games developed by Eidos-Montreal, story and narrative play a huge role, and this is perhaps one of the most emotional for the Guardians, up there with the MCU's Vol. 3. You also have choice-based dialogue, can utilize your team of Guardians' special skills in battle, and occasionally partake in aerial combat with the Milano.

15 Starfield

Once you make it through all the loading screens, you're in for a whole new world of sci-fi action-adventure in Starfield. It's Bethesda at its best, delivering a well-written RPG with excellent characters and romanceable companions that are every bit as worthwhile and compelling as the space combat with Spacers, alien creatures, and enemy ships.

In addition to the unique variety of weapons that will come to you through loot, including your starter laser cutter, your character will also be bestowed with special powers to use in combat from artifacts sought by an organization known as Constellation, which you'll be aiding throughout the main storyline.

14 Resident Evil 4 Remake

Though technically a horror game, the tone of Resident Evil 4 Remake is much different than the tone of Resident Evil 2, as it feels more like action hero Leon Kennedy than survival horror Leon Kennedy. He kicks Ganados like they're tin cans, jumps out of windows, and his knife can parry a chainsaw. And that's still beside the action set pieces, like mine cart shootouts and a jet ski escape.

All the characters, enemies, and bosses from the original return with updated character designs and new voice talent that put on even more epic performances to surpass the 2005 cast. The action can also continue with the Separate Ways DLC, where you gain the new perspective of Ada Wong during the events of Leon's story.

13 Cyberpunk 2077 And Phantom Liberty

Cyberpunk 2077 is now probably in its most definitive playable form, given the drastic 2.0 update and the Phantom Liberty expansion featuring the new character Solomon Reed, played by Idris Elba. If you're an Idris fan and a Keanu Reeves fan, those action movie star names alone will make you want to pick up this game.

This is CD Projekt Red's first new IP following The Witcher series, and it's a first-person RPG set in the cyberpunk backdrop of Night City, telling a dystopian underworld story while also being one of revolution against ruling corporations. You play as V, a fully customizable character who gets some help from former rockstar Johnny Silverhand bonded to his mind. They make quite the pairing.

12 Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name

Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is another wild outing for the series, and it puts you back into the shoes of Kazuma Kiryu prior to Yakuza: Like a Dragon and post-Yakuza 6. This entry somehow features even more phenomenal combat design, along with a few nods to other action films and games.

While the minigames can be fun, the action is where it's at. You'll beat up mounds of enemies during the main missions and get into constant matches with groups just by roaming around the map. The all-new gadget combat system with a Spider Gadget ability to pull enemies toward you is extremely fun and satisfying, as well as throwing explosive cigarettes or spamming drones to attack enemies.

11 RoboCop: Rogue City

Based on the 1987 film and filled with many Easter egg nods to the original, RoboCop: Rogue City is probably the most Robocop-y camp and fun you'll get in video game form. It's an adaptation that features a literal blast of FPS action from the point-of-view of Alex Murphy's new cybercop suit interface.

Destructible environments, iconic mech battles, and lots of criminals getting a taste of Murphy's Auto-9 is what's in store. Plus, it also sets out to tell an original story between the events of the second and third films, so it's perfect for longtime fans of the series.

10 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt gives you the best of both worlds with its swordplay action and Slavic folklore fantasy and spellcasting system inspired by the novels. The story follows the incredible journey of monster hunter Geralt of Rivia as he battles all sorts of creatures and soldiers to see the safe return of Ciri, his adoptive daughter. And the plentiful side quests you can complete are wonders of their own.

Using magic in combat leads you to shoot fire at your enemies and even make them an ally for a brief while, like berserker darts in the Assassin's Creed series, in a sense. In addition to taking on regular human enemies, there's no shortage of formidable fantasy beasts from The Witcher's sprawling bestiary that await.

9 Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

While the sequel tries to top what Jedi: Fallen Order has achieved, this is still the better option on PC if you're a fan of some Star Wars lightsaber action. Force-sensitive Jedi Cal Kestis is the main protagonist and he has an adorably designed companion droid named BD-1, who is your zipline, health stim pack dealer, looter, hacker, and occasional puzzle assistant.

You have five available planets to explore as you challenge the Empire in search of the Jedi holocron. The combat is exceptionally fluid, with many unique force abilities and lightsaber moves you can use on opponents, which are a variety of troopers, droids, and some rather daunting Inquisitor bosses. This is one of the more manageable Soulslike games, though.

8 Uncharted: Legacy Of Thieves Collection

The Uncharted games come from PlayStation's Naughty Dog studio, the developers behind The Last of Us and Jak and Daxter. However, 2022 saw a double feature of Nathan Drake's final adventure and the sequel spin-off featuring Chloe Frazer and Nadine Ross ported to PC via The Legacy of Thieves Collection.

The fourth Uncharted entry is undoubtedly a masterpiece in an already solid adventure series. The environments are stunning, you can travel by car and explore more hidden areas, and the action's immersive quality is improved with the rope grappling mechanic and awe-striking set pieces and chases. The Lost Legacy builds off Chloe and Nadine's relationship and continues to pack classic gunfight action.

7 Death Stranding Director's Cut

To call Hideo Kojima's Death Stranding simply an action game would sell it short. There's combat with giant BT bosses and creatures, as well as MULEs that want to steal your cargo, but there's also so much detail in the gameplay and design that makes this game among the most memorable experiences you can have.

It's an apocalyptic narrative where you play a porter with a mysterious past named Sam Bridges, where you'll spend most of your time acquiring various cargo you need to transport long distances and through rough terrain. The sci-fi story is hard to grasp but is quite detailed in lore and has a star-studded cast portraying it.

6 Elden Ring

Elden Ring is FromSoftware's latest entry in their signature Soulsborne lineup of games and a Game of the Year award recipient. You're once again placed into an enigmatic and spectacular fantasy world where giant enemies and grotesque beasts are trying to kill you every step of the way as you explore. And with this one, Miyazaki enlisted the creative mind of George R.R. Martin for the lore.

Aside from the massive selection of melee weapons across the different categories you can dual-wield, there's also a magic system where you can cast Magic Spells to inflict further damage on enemies and put enchantments on certain weapons. The scenic views in the Lands Between are vibrant, and you can also engage players in PVP matches.