Favorite Action Game

[Wolf Kanno]

What is your favorite action game, action rpgs can be included as well. What do you look for in an action game?

[Karifean]

Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA. I've written down my feelings on this game extensively before in my Ys retrospective so I won't repeat myself too much, but what makes it my favorite action game, beyond all its other qualities, is it feels absolutely amazing to control. The movement/dodging and attack options are in total harmony with one another and chains of Flash Moves and Guards while very OP feel so smurfing good to pull off I don't even care.

[Lord Golbez]

Hard to say considering "Action" is pretty much the most vaguely defined genre around. It's got even less clearly defined bounds than "RPG.". Probably something like Secret of Mana or Horizon Zero Dawn though.

[Wolf Kanno]

I'm thinking more of the hack n' slash variety action game for this thread.

[Lord Golbez]

I thought you said action RPGs are acceptable. I hack and slash lots in Secret of Mana. You probably think I'm intentionally trying to be difficult, but I'm honestly not sure of the distinction you're trying to make. Does this mean something like Tomb Raider, where you typically use guns, is out? By the way I think Horizon Zero Dawn is barely more RPG than the most recent Tomb Raider games. Both games have skill points on level up. The only stat that Horizon Zero Dawn adds is HP. Oh and different/customizable armors.

[WarZidane]

This is a tough one, there are three games that come to mind.
First off, I guess what I look for in action games specifically is smooth, speedy and satisfying combat. This is why, even though I love them, there is no Souls/Bloodborne/Sekiro among the three I'm about to mention. I don't mind the combat in those games, but to me, they are not the part that makes me love them, it's the level design, exploration etc.

Devil May Cry 5 - Just an amazing cinematic action game with surprising depth to its combat. Easy to learn, hard to master. The combat is fast and flashy, and there's a large variety of moves you can use. The great music helps too.

Ys IX: Monstrum Nox - Now, I was initially going to say Ys VIII, because I'm not even that far into IX yet, but truth is, I already like the gameplay in Ys IX more. The new movement skills and verticality add a new dimension to the game that, to me, makes it more enjoyable. Beyond that, well, Karifean has already said the rest

Nioh 2 - For starters I'd just like to say I don't consider this a "Souls-like". While on the surface it looks like one, the mission structure, lack of connected world, more simplistic level design and fast, overwhelming combat instead of slow, methodical combat are enough of a distinction to me. The big thing that puts this game here for me is the pace of its combat combined with the depth and variety of the builds you can make for yourself. On top of that, longevity is a massive strong point in Nioh 2, with progression going well beyond the base game into an NG+ (Dream of the Strong) all the way to an NG++++ (Dream of the Nioh), all of which change the enemy types/positioning in missions as well.

[I Took the Red Pill]

It's Sekiro for sure. Thanks to you reviving the Sekiro thread, really. I had beaten it when it first came out, but the second playthrough I decided to fire up when you started playing it made me appreciate the game way, way more than the first time. To the point that I've considered declaring it my favorite single-player game of all time.

The first time you play Sekiro, the joys come from finally beating that boss after hours and hours of failure. The second time, you get to take the world in a little bit more and actually pay attention to the lore. The sheer knowledge that you've beaten it before and can beat it again almost entirely removes stress from the equation. The final boss went down on the third attempt this time around, whereas the first time I certainly lost count but wouldn't be surprised if it took over 100 tries. The first playthrough finished at 40 hours, the second one at just over 20 hours with more optional content finished.

I've now beaten all optional bosses and the two Gauntlets of Strength (boss rushes) available to me. I'm about the start up a third playthrough so I can get the one ending that has unique bosses I haven't faced yet to get the "Defeat All Bosses" achievement.

The Gauntlets didn't exist when I first played the game, and some of them give you skins for completion. So I'm pretty excited to play through the game yet again, but this time as (SPOILER)Tengu

[Del Murder]

Got to be one of the Zelda series. A Link to the Past is my favorite. Zelda is so amazing that it found a perfect blend of action, upgrading, puzzle solving, and exploring very early in the evolution of gaming.

[Wolf Kanno]

I thought you said action RPGs are acceptable. I hack and slash lots in Secret of Mana. You probably think I'm intentionally trying to be difficult, but I'm honestly not sure of the distinction you're trying to make. Does this mean something like Tomb Raider, where you typically use guns, is out? By the way I think Horizon Zero Dawn is barely more RPG than the most recent Tomb Raider games. Both games have skill points on level up. The only stat that Horizon Zero Dawn adds is HP. Oh and different/customizable armors.

Yes, and you can hack/slash/shoot/and pile drive your way through a lot of them. The main point being it has to be a combat system where you're mowing things down. SoM counts, Tomb Raider would count, not quite sure I would put HZD on there since it has more of a sandbox feel for dealing with things, but what the hell, I'll let it count. I'm honestly being pretty flexible here, but I would say that for me personally I'm thinking more of the Ninja Gaiden/DMC/GoW/Sekiro type action. Something that involves some skill. But at the same time I want this thread to be inclusive, so I'm broadening the range to be anything with action based gameplay.

[Lord Golbez]

I'm not sure I play any of the type of game you actually mean. Tomb Raider requires some skill though. I wouldn't die so many times if it didn't. HZD is a little context dependent on whether it requires skill. Most of the time you can set it up so you don't need much skill at all, but occasionally they set you up in scenarios where you need some (like fighting a Thunderjaw in a cauldron). Maybe not a ton, but you certainly can't just stand there and fire away.

[sharkythesharkdogg]

Action is a tough one because it's so broad. For beat 'em ups, I'd say Turtles in Time.

Action-platformer is probably Donkey Kong Country 2 if that counts?

Action RPG is probably Legend of Mana

Trying to think of other action genres

[mezeehud]

In this practice, it is essential for me to have good enough weapons to understand the bosses better. I first check how much damage they take with one of my shots. Then I start to build a strategy that will help me defeat them. That's why I often lose, but it's all part of the plan. That's why I keep experimenting and finding the best tactics for it. In addition to this practice, I also play on a site like this one: https://globalcsgo.com/csgo-gambling-sites/. I love the opportunity I get. The free bonuses are also the benefit that attracts me here.

[Vyk]

Probably either Bloodborne or Aria of Sorrow. I can actually somehow get burned out on Bloodborne, but I absolutely adore it. While Aria I've beaten multiple times on accident just testing out different emulators on different devices and not being able to put it down once I've started lol

[cheesesteak]

Action is a tough one because it's so broad. For beat 'em ups, I'd say Turtles in Time.

Action-platformer is probably Donkey Kong Country 2 if that counts?

Action RPG is probably Legend of Mana

Trying to think of other action genres

I was kinda thinking the same thing. I believe shmups, hacknslash (if not being considered part of "beat em up" or "ARPG"), and of course action-adventure should count. But I like the idea of different sub-category favorites since I have so many lol. I am NOT counting Metroidvanias under action platformers, and I'm treating ARPG's and hacknslash separately (I mentioned this in another older thread, imo, ARPG.

And I'm cheating and including runner ups lol. Anyway, here we go:

Action Platformer - ScourgeBringer (runner up: Huntdown & Katana Zero)

Action Stealth - Mark of the Ninja (runner up: Metal Gear Solid 2)

Action RPG - Nier: Automata (runner up: Full Metal Furies & Dragon's Crown)

Action-Adventure - Hyper Light Drifter (runner up: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice)

Hack-n-Slash - Diablo II: Lord of Destruction/Resurrected (runner up: Hades)

Beat 'em up - X-Men (runner up: TMNT: Turtles in Time)

Shoot 'em up - Jamestown+ (runner up: Ikaruga)

notes: I've never played the DMC games. I've played both Bayonettas, but not sure how to sub-categorize, tho they'd probably be a runner-up anyway. Not counting general platformers (DKC, Rayman, etc) or Metroidvanias as action platformers.

If I had to pick one out of all those? 3-way tie between HLD, Nier, and Diablo 2. But HLD would probably win out.

[Zuriel Cox]

The Zelda series is by far one of my favorites. I love to play these atmospheric and very clearly created games, it allows me to immerse myself in the game and enjoy the process. I am currently playing Dragon Link Pokie and I could not even imagine that a slot machine could be so realistic and well-designed that it can be played so excitingly.