Some of the best action games out there are also rather slow. For example, the combat in Elden Ring and God of War, the 2018 reboot, offers visceral and bloody battles that are challenging. The heroes in those examples are also lumbering warriors who are not as quick as Sonic the Hedgehog when in battle.
So, adrenaline junkies may be fixing for something a bit more their speed. Action game fans may appreciate the following for having few distractions between the fast-paced combat. Most of these focus on melee combat since action games with guns are basically just shooters, but perhaps a few key examples may slip through.
Click or tap on the games that match the category
Round 1
The category for round 1 is …
Ultrakill
Just Keep Shooting
Most of these selections are melee-focused action games, but Ultrakill’s frenetic speeds are so good, and the gunplay is so well executed, that it will serve as a representation for all fast-paced shooters out there. The game is an homage to 90s shooters like DOOM, complete with stylized pixel art, but it is so much more than just a DOOM clone, as it has more in line with bullet hell games like Ikaruga and combo-heavy action games like Devil May Cry, thanks to the score system.
Players have to be moving at all times, or else they are going to die, so mastering the various gun and arm abilities is a must on each level. It’s hard, but deeply rewarding and thrilling to boot.
Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner
The Power Of Jehuty
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action
Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner is a short PS2 action game starring Dingo, a man about to die who is only kept alive by his mech, Jehuty. Unlike most mech games, Jehuty is sleek and incredibly fast. Players can rush in to attack enemies with slashes, they can grab enemies and use them as weapons, or toss them around, or various environmental objects can be used, like beams.
Besides melee attacks, players can target enemies with homing lasers as well. There are moments of flight in between battles, but with the short two-to-three-hour campaign, the momentum overall rarely lets up in this man’s desperation for revenge.
Attack On Titan (2016)
Cutting Down Colossi
- Developer(s)
- Omega Force, Koei Tecmo
- Genre(s)
- Action
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, PS Vita
Attack on Titan is based on the first season and a half of the anime, taking place within the last bastion of humanity as it tries to defend itself from humanoid giants called Titans. With jetpacks and blades they refer to as ODM Gear, players will be well-equipped to take these Titans on.
Zipping around the battlefield will feel just as good as a Spider-Man game, and whenever players can zoom out of a Titan’s mouth or grasp, it will create an exhilarating feeling. While it can get repetitive to zip around and slash Titans in their neck repeatedly, Attack on Titan overall is a good anime game adaptation that fans will not want to miss.
Muramasa: The Demon Blade
A Ninjavania
- Developer(s)
- Vanillaware
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Fighting, Action-Adventure
- Platform(s)
- PS Vita, Wii, Nintendo Wii U
Muramasa: The Demon Blade was released first on the Wii, followed by a remaster on the PS Vita called Muramasa: Rebirth. Both versions are equally good, starring two playable characters in separate campaigns, Momohime and Kisuke, and it is one of Vanillaware’s finest action games that keeps the pace on point.
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These video games really know how to keep players hooked into their combat gameplay, so much so that other games will feel like a downgrade.
As either character, they will venture around ancient Japan fighting mystical demons and ninjas alike, with various blades imbued with magical powers. The structure is akin to a Metroidvania, but there aren’t tools or upgrades to gate progress as barriers. Instead, they can be broken with stronger swords.
Dead Cells
Speedrun This Roguelike
- Developer(s)
- Motion Twin
- Genre(s)
- Roguelike
- Platform(s)
- Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One
Dead Cells is a 2D roguelike that seemed to be designed around the idea of speedruns. During runs, players can exit areas in several ways, and in between them, there will be bonuses. Sometimes there will be bonuses based on how fast players complete these rooms.
At first, it will seem impossible to get these prizes or to enter exclusive zones, but as players unlock new weapon types and gain powers, they will be able to slash enemies down to pieces or vault over them like a pro. Dead Cells doesn’t have to be played at breakneck speeds, but combat does have a fast-paced design to it between attacking, dodging, and then returning for the kill.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
Your Spines Are Mine
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is a spinoff of the Metal Gear series starring Raiden from Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. He’s gone full cyborg following the events of the fourth game, tasked with eliminating mercenaries in a war zone.
It’s one of the bloodiest entries in the series as Raiden can completely cut enemies into literal pieces and then harvest their spines to replenish health. It’s definitely a redemption arc for Raiden compared to how he was represented in his original appearance. Raiden is a complete badass in this slick action title that is completely over the top and better for it.
Hades 2
Nothing Can Hold Her Back
Hades 2 is a top-down roguelike with equally fast-paced combat compared to Dead Cells, but there is no speedrun mentality to the inner workings. Instead, players will enter a room and have to defeat every enemy before they can move on.
Players can gear up with tarot cards and a weapon before venturing off to the surface or underworld, and gain temporary upgrades in the process to beef out their loadout even more. It’s one of the best action games of all time that will become a visual blur as players dominate their arena with fast jabs, powerful spells, and well-timed dodges.
Ninja Gaiden 2 Black
Ryu Is Back, In Black
Ninja Gaiden 2 Black is a remaster of the original game, which stands out as one of the best in the Ninja Gaiden series. Players constantly have to be on the move in battle because even the lowest ninjas and demons can kill the hero, Ryu, if they aren’t careful.
10 Action Games Where Movement Is The Real Superpower
You’ll feel like a speed demon in these movement-forward games that are jam-packed with thrilling action.
Players will start with a katana but gain other weapons along the way, like a big scythe, tonfas, a chain and sickle, and more. There are other playable characters as well, but Ryu is definitely the main attraction. Between combat and platforming around mazes, the pace never lets up.
Devil May Cry 5
Three Versus Thousands
The Devil May Cry series helped start a new revolutionary action genre that was all about killer combos. The latest entry, Devil May Cry 5, does not disappoint in this category, shifting between three playable protagonists with Nero being the lead.
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Nero has a sword, a gun, and a cybernetic arm that he can use to swing toward enemies, and he is the fastest of the bunch. Dante is slower, but hits harder, while V stands aside to let his familiars fight for him. No matter who the players are, the game’s moment-to-moment encounters help it stand above the competition.
Bayonetta 2
Look At Those Gun Shoes Pop
As good as the rest of the action games are, Bayonetta 2 is a class all its own, which learned from the best, i.e., Devil May Cry, as a spiritual successor. As the titular Bayonetta, players will start with four guns: two in her hands and two on her feet. Different weapons will change up the combos, but overall, Bayonetta’s entire body is a weapon.
Stringing combos together will cast spells using her hair to ensnare angels in various punishing traps, and dodging at the right moment will activate slow-motion, called Witch Time. If it wasn’t obvious enough already, Bayonetta is one tough cookie full of surprises, and this sequel elevates things to a new level, complete with set pieces that will dazzle the eyes from fighting on top of jets to fighting a boss as it scales a building.
Upcoming Action RPGs With Combo Systems
Pick up your swords, spears, whips, and everything in-between for these upcoming combo-breaking RPGs.