ActionBest Action Games of 2012
Action
ActionTomb Raider I (1996)
Crystal DynamicsFor:Adventure players who want tomb exploration with puzzles and platformingSkip if:Players seeking an experience centered only on combat may find exploration, puzzles, and platforming equally prominent
ActionPainkiller Hell & Damnation
Prime MatterFor:Players who enjoy fast shooter combat and want a demonic setting rather than a military oneSkip if:Players who prefer slow exploration or meditative pacing may bounce off the constant combat.
ActionMcPixel
Sos SosowskiFor:Point-and-click fans who want very short, timed challengesSkip if:Players seeking a long-form adventure with sustained progression may find the 100 brief challenges limited in scope.
ActionHell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit
SEGAFor:Action-platformer fans who want exploration and combat in the same gameSkip if:Players seeking a restrained or realistic tone may bounce off the exaggerated violence and comic presentation.
ActionShank 2
Klei EntertainmentFor:Fans of 2D brawlers who want a varied arsenal and weapon combinationsSkip if:Players seeking slow, exploration-led gameplay rather than repeated side-scrolling fights
ActionThey Bleed Pixels
Spooky Squid Games Inc.For:Players who want demanding action platforming with precise movementSkip if:Players seeking a relaxed platformer may hit a wall at the game's stated high difficulty and precision-focused movement.
ActionBlades of Time
Gaijin Entertainment CorporationFor:Action-adventure players who want time-based abilities in puzzles and combatSkip if:Players seeking a slow-paced or meditative exploration experience
ActionDustforce DX
UnknownFor:Platforming fans who want speed and cleanliness objectivesSkip if:Players seeking a relaxed platformer without time and thoroughness targets
ActionViking: Battle for Asgard
SEGAFor:Action-adventure players who want open environments with quests and explorationSkip if:Players seeking a tightly focused campaign may find the open environments and quest structure sprawling
ActionIntrusion 2
Aleksei AbramenkoFor:Fans of side-scrolling shooters who want fast-paced platformingSkip if:Players seeking a slow, exploration-led platformer rather than continuous shooting and action
ActionGiana Sisters: Twisted Dreams
HandyGamesFor:Platformer fans who want demanding stages and high-difficulty modesSkip if:Players seeking a relaxed platformer may find the challenges and boss battles demanding
ActionReally Big Sky
RipstoneFor:Twin-stick shooter fans who want fast space combatSkip if:Players seeking a slow, story-led adventure rather than repeated high-speed shooting
ActionSymphony
Empty Clip StudiosFor:Music-game fans who want their own song collection used as gameplay contentSkip if:Players seeking a conventional fixed soundtrack rather than battlefields built from their own music
ActionTomb Raider III (1998)
Crystal DynamicsFor:Action-adventure fans who want puzzles alongside combatSkip if:Players seeking a puzzle-only game may find the combat focus distracting
ActionTomb Raider IV: The Last Revelation (1999)
Crystal DynamicsFor:Tomb Raider fans who want an Egypt-focused adventureSkip if:Players seeking a story with little emphasis on puzzles, traps, or archaeological discovery may find the focus unsuitable.
ActionConflict Desert Storm™
Square EnixFor:Players who want command of a small military squad rather than a solo combat roleSkip if:Players seeking an open-ended campaign beyond a fixed set of 15 missions
ActionMiasmata
IonFX StudiosFor:Survival-adventure players who want exploration tied to mapping an islandSkip if:Players seeking frequent direct combat may find the emphasis on stealth and evasion limiting.
ActionWaking Mars
Tiger StyleFor:Adventure players who want ecosystem management alongside explorationSkip if:Players seeking combat-focused action rather than environmental management and exploration
ActionLegacy of Kain: Defiance (2003)
Crystal DynamicsFor:Action-adventure players who want to control two central charactersSkip if:Players who prefer a single-protagonist structure rather than switching between two central characters
ActionStealth Bastard Deluxe
Curve GamesFor:Action players who want stealth built around fast movement and platformingSkip if:Players seeking combat, since the character has no weapons or armour
ActionKung Fu Strike - The Warrior's Rise
Qooc SoftwareFor:Arcade beat-'em-up fans who want a 28-stage martial arts campaignSkip if:Players seeking a slow, story-heavy martial arts adventure rather than fast arcade combat
ActionFairy Bloom Freesia
XSEED GamesFor:Action players who want combo-focused melee combatSkip if:Players seeking exploration-led action gameplay rather than repeated combat
ActionLegacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2 (2001)
Crystal DynamicsFor:Action-adventure players who want a gothic story centered on vampire mythologySkip if:Players seeking a light or low-combat adventure, since fighting varied supernatural and human enemies is centralNothing matches. Loosen a filter.