Part of the fun in playing a game is building up a character, which is most notable in an RPG. For example, a Soulslike game, including Elden Ring, may be challenging at first, but once players can get the best gear and are over-leveled, then they can slay monsters as if they were flies.
Best Games That Are Just Non-Stop Gameplay
If you don’t have time for compelling stories, these games let you dive straight into the action and never pull you away.
It’s a great feeling to have in a game, and some experiences start on eleven. The characters in the following games are almost like unstoppable forces of nature that seemingly no one can kill. That also means they don’t get as much stronger afterward, and if they do, it’s not as exciting as a progression leap like in Elden Ring. Semantics aside, these games are great.
Donkey Kong Bananza
Smash And Grab
Donkey Kong Bananza
- Released
- July 17, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
Donkey Kong Bananza is one of the best and most recent examples, as DK in the game has greater power than any other iteration in the Donkey Kong franchise.
With his fists alone, he can smash through rocks of all sorts and even use damaged goods as weapons or pieces of material to surf on. The more players level up DK, the more skills he will gain, making this mighty ape even stronger, but even at his base, he could absolutely wreck levels like they were nothing.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Limber Heroes
Marvel's Spider-Man 2
- Released
- October 20, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Blood, Drug Reference, Mild Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action-Adventure, Superhero
Players get to control Peter and Miles in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, who behave differently and similarly. Both have agility to dodge and counter enemies, but Miles has more innate powers, like electricity, to shock enemies, whereas Peter has tons of gadgets. Also, later, Peter starts to gain some Venom powers.
Both can also shoot thick webs to bind enemies, but even with just their dodges, kicks, and punches, these superheroes could keep New York City safe from any harm, so long as players get their timing right.
Batman: Arkham City
I Am The Knight
Batman: Arkham City
- Released
- October 18, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
Batman prefers to be a ninja in the Arkham games, and the same is true in Batman: Arkham City. However, his body is better protected than in the first game, so if players wanted to enter a brawl instead of hiding, they certainly could.
What’s addictive about the combat system is building a combo by going from thug to thug, each about to attack Batman, even before he decides to throw a punch of his own. It’s a more visceral counterattack system than Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 simply because players can feel the sheer force of Batman’s beefier knuckles making contact with enemy ribs, teeth, knees, and so on.
God Of War Ragnarok
Become A God
God of War Ragnarok
- Released
- November 9, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
Kratos in God of War Ragnarok is also a hulking brute who can devastate his enemies with ease, more so than in the 2018 reboot game. While that game had a better and more cohesive story to study and explore, this sequel was more fun to play simply because Kratos had let down the chains of war.
He no longer hid his powers from Atreus, giving players access to his axe and blades early on, which made combat more of a bloody good time. As a god, Kratos is certainly a force to be reckoned with.
Dynasty Warriors: Origins
Slay Thousands With Ease
Dynasty Warriors: Origins
- Released
- January 17, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Teen / Violence, Mild Language, Use of Alcohol
- Genre(s)
- Action, Hack and Slash
Any Dynasty Warriors game, or spinoff, will give players a power trip, no matter if they play on easy or hard difficulties. Dynasty Warriors: Origins is the latest game in the series, which is as good a place to start as any.
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As a nameless Wanderer, players can learn to equip different weapons like swords, spears, and gauntlets, all of which have special powers attached. As players go through levels, they will literally slay hundreds of enemies per map with ease, and if that doesn’t make players feel powerful, then nothing will.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
Heat Those Blades Up
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
- Released
- February 19, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- Action
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is a Metal Gear spinoff starring Raiden, who has upped his cyborg body to critical conditions, making him stronger than any previous entry. In combat, players can pause time, aim their blade, and chop through enemies like they were slicing through cucumbers for a salad.
Raiden can even slice through Metal Gears, although most bigger models are scripted encounters. Either way, watching Raiden slice through enemies like they were nothing boosts his badass level considerably alongside one of the most banging soundtracks of all time.
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Become A Dark Jedi
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
- Released
- September 16, 2008
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Violence
- Genre(s)
- Hack and Slash
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed stars Darth Vader’s secret apprentice, Starkiller, who decides to escape once he finds out he is no longer needed by the Empire. While Starkiller doesn’t get some of his sickest moves until players get a ways in, they will still start with plenty of combat moves to make them feel like a real Jedi Master.
Simply slicing through Stormtroopers with a lightsaber is fun enough, let alone using the force to throw enemies at others or off a platform into utter darkness is a move that never ceases to be fun.
Doom (2016)
Slay King
DOOM
- Released
- May 13, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- FPS
The 2016 reboot of Doom was a great throwback to a generation of shooters that didn’t care about thrilling stories or empathetic characters. Doom Guy is a nothing character, but still iconic in the pantheon of video games simply because he rips and blasts enemies into bloody piles to intense metal music.
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New to this reboot is the melee finisher system, allowing players to keep stocked up on health and ammo. Blasting demons with shotguns is all fun and great, but using bare hands to tear them asunder like crab legs at a dinner table is even better while heavy guitars wail on in the background.
Bulletstorm
Watch Out For That Cactus
Bulletstorm
- Released
- February 22, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Game Experience May Change During Online Play, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol
- Genre(s)
- First-Person Shooter
Bulletstorm was an attempt to revive the more arcade-like shooter experiences of the 90s by adding a lot of fun ways to kill enemies beyond cool weapons.
For example, players could blast an enemy full of holes with a rifle and then kick them into a cactus to finish them off. They could even use their electric whip to grab an enemy from afar and then kick them off a ledge. The more creative players got, the bigger their points, which didn’t amount to much, but it did give players an incentive to get more creative.
Broforce
For Freedom And The Flag
Broforce
- Released
- October 15, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Genre(s)
- Shooter
Broforce is such a masterpiece in pixelated form that it is almost too unreal that there isn’t a sequel or more fan adoration on similar levels to Call of Duty. In each level, players will get a random assortment of action hero parody characters to shoot, explore, and kick enemies into oblivion.
Also, every single aspect of the levels can be destroyed, giving no two players the same exact path every time. Whether alone or with a friend, Broforce is just video games at their peak level of unhinged enjoyment, and it's surprising to see parody heroes based on The Terminator and Rambo appear is too funny for words.
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