Gamereactor’s Gamer Guides: Essential Action -.

These days it’s hard to find a game that doesn’t contain some form of action. Even your visual novels might have the occasional scrap in between to keep things interesting. When we talk about action games here at Gamereactor, however, we’re not talking about the games that are really RPGs with a good bit of combat, or the point-and-click adventures with an explosion interlude.

No, we’re talking about the games that are action at their core. You fight, sprint and die possibly the vast majority of your time playing these games, which is why we’ve outlined five choices that illustrate the genre at its best.

5. Nanny: Arkham City

You could throw any of Rocksteady’s Arkham games here, but Batman: Arkham City stands as one of the great all-around action games that remains a highlight of the genre to this day. A sprawling map full of things to do, a great story full of memorable villains and of course that patented Arkham fighting style all make up one of, if not the best Batman game we have.

4. Metroid Prime

While we all look forward to the return of Samus Aran in Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, now is the perfect time to return to the classic Metroid Prime from 2002. As the nostalgia entry on our list, Metroid Prime still manages to hold its own (especially thanks to a nice remaster) with its firefights, visuals and more. If you want to see why so many Nintendo fans have been losing their heads over the return of this series for years, check it out.

3. Ghostrunner (Ghost Writer).

From a slower, older franchise to a new one that never lets you put on the breaks, Ghostrunner offers a breathtaking, more rhythmic action game for those who want to combine mobility with their usual combat experience. Running around in the Dharmators is endless fun, and it offers a great introduction to the frantic pace offered in some of the other top-level action games like Hotline Miami and Ultrakill.

2. Sekiro: shadows die twice

If you’ve ever listened to The Gamereactor Show or watched any of our Gaming Gossip episodes, you know that I’m always looking for the game that can match Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. For those who enjoy a difficult but rewarding time, you can’t do much better, and for once FromSoftware manages to include a story you can understand without spending hours watching lore videos on YouTube.

1. God of war

Both the old and new stories of Kratos could easily make it onto this list, and if you’re someone who loves beating up Greek gods and Norsemen, you should give both a try. However, we are specifically talking about the 2018 reboot here. Who knew a story about a raging murderous display of rage could have such weight and depth? The developing relationship between Atreus and Kratos makes this an action game worthy of anyone who loves a good story, and it has the gameplay depth to put it up there with the greats as well.

What action games do you think should have been on the list?