Best Action Games of 2024

There are perhaps only one or two major genres this year that have received a wider and more impressive collection of new games in 2024 than the action space. We've been blessed with a broad slate of projects across existing and new franchises, from developers all over the world, but with such a high-level of competition, which games stand out to us as the best-of-the-best? Here are our Best Action Games of 2024.

5. Helldivers II

If dropping from a spaceship into alien or robot-infested territory to fight tooth and nail against immense odds all in the name of democracy isn't action at its absolute finest, we will never know what is. Arrowhead's Helldivers II stands out for its impressive cooperative setup that made clocking in and slaying humanity's greatest threats for the sake of freedom feel like a true calling and duty, and it's for these reasons, plus the fantastic set-pieces, combat structure, and hilarious antics that undoubtedly occur along the way that make this game a firm lock for our list.

4. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl

Some have claimed that S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl saved 2024 from being a very flat year, and while there are reasons to agree with that statement thanks to its incredibly high potential, we also cannot overlook the fact that the game needs more work to address critical bug and performance issues. GSC Game World's effort at cooking up an excellent action-packed sequel will not be swept under the rug at all, but at the same time, there are other projects in 2024 that landed in a much healthier state and it's for this reason that we're limiting a game that could go down as one of the best of the year at fourth.

3. Stellar Blade

Shift-Up's action title was shrouded in a whole degree of controversy during its launch for the way it depicted its hero Eve, but if we look past this decision and hone in on the gameplay and structure of Stellar Blade itself, we find a very competent and well-designed experience that will stand out as one of the better PlayStation exclusives this year. The Korean studio clearly figured out what parts of action and Soulslike games fans enjoy the most, and then put their own spin on the formula to separate it from the typically brutally-hard style. The result was a truly top action game that will no doubt be recognised as one of the year's best, but ultimately not quite as good of an action game as the two next choices.

2. Black Myth: Wukong

If we were looking at action-RPGs, then Game Science's Black Myth: Wukong would be at the top of this list. But, considering we're talking solely action, the Chinese title is finding itself in the second slot. That's nothing to be sneered at however, as Black Myth: Wukong is a Soulslike of the same sort of quality we come to expect from FromSoftware, as it takes a fantastical and amazing world inspired by myth and legend, mashes it up with amazing combat and set pieces, and then continues to innovate and wow for a lengthy and endlessly demanding story. You really won't find many games better than Black Myth: Wukong this year, which is why it'll no doubt be at the top of many people's best action, RPG, and even Game of the Year lists.

1. Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II

But here's the thing, despite all that Black Myth: Wukong did right, when it comes to pure action, there is no better project this year than Saber Interactive's Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II. The developers took a notoriously grim and violent universe and offered it up in an unadulterated and honest way before combining it with a structure and setup that felt as though it belonged on an Xbox 360 console, and that's why we love it. Space Marine II doesn't try to innovate and challenge genre norms, it simply takes what we want from action and condenses into an unforgettable experience that never fails to wow. Between tense levels, striking set-pieces, awesome combat, violent action, and quality graphics, Space Marine II will go down as one of the best pure-action games of the 2020s.