Action! We all love it, and some of the best games have it, whether that takes the form of a bombastic shooter, sword-clashing melee fest, or good old-fashioned brawler. Action is one of the most universally beloved genres, so we’ve compiled a list of upcoming games that already have our adrenaline pumping. Rather than rank them, each game is arranged in chronological release order so you’ll know how long you’ll have to wait before you can get your hand on them. And hey, just because an action game didn’t make the cut doesn’t mean it won’t be worth a look! These are just the titles that, at a glance, raised our eyebrows the highest.
Sifu
Sifu is as pure as an action game can get. As a skilled martial artist, you’ll take on similarly capable foes in fast-paced yet thoughtful fisticuffs. The penalty for dying is that the protagonist ages one full year, meaning you can potentially drop thugs as a wizened old man if you get your butt kicked enough. Developer SloClap’s previous game, Absolver, proved its chops for designing satisfying melee combat, and that carries over to Sifu’s impactful and beautifully animated brawls.
Horizon Forbidden West
Forbidden West packs in a slate of new machines – several of them prehistoric themed – for Aloy to dismantle. Fending off packs of mechanical raptors or bringing the mighty Slitherfang down to its non-existent knees promises to be better than ever thanks to new weapons and a revamped skill tree to mold Aloy as you see fit. Horizon Forbidden West is also jaw-droppingly gorgeous on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4, and the story promises to be as captivating as the original.
Elden Ring
From Software perfected its Souls-style combat long ago, but now it gets to apply it to an open world. Sign us up. After all, getting our butts handed to us by a challenging, gargantuan beast, then having the freedom to escape by leaping up a cliff atop our magic horse sounds like an amazing godsend. Discovering every inch of Elden Ring’s enigmatic world makes us salivate more and more the closer we get to release. From Software hasn’t missed since Demon’s Souls, and everything we’ve seen of Elden Ring indicates it has another hit on its hands.
Bayonetta 3
Few series delight in unbridled chaotic action like Bayonetta, and the long-awaited third entry doesn’t appear to relent. Boasting the over-the-top action of its predecessors – plus Kaijus made of hair – the action we’ve seen thus far knocked our socks off. We can’t wait to see what Platinum has in store for Bayo’s Switch outing and, whatever it is, will be worth the long, agonizing wait.
Evil West
Do you know what’s cooler than the inherently awesome cowboy? A cowboy that uses advanced technology to battle flesh-eating hellspawn. Evil West’s supernatural brand of gunslinging looks like bloody fun, whether your filling holes using a six-shooter or punching foes to bits with electric-charged boxing gloves. If that sounds silly, the game comes from Shadow Warrior developer Flying Wild Hog, so wackiness is both expected and very much welcomed. Keep an eye on this potential gem.