GamingPCPC Games

What are the best Character Action games on Steam?

14
Options 
Considered
0
User 
Recs.
Last 
Updated

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 vs NieR: Automata vs Bayonetta

 vs Killer is Dead - Nightmare Edition vs Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition vs Devil May Cry 3 Special Edition vs Devil May Cry HD Collection vs Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance vs Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition vs Devil May Cry 5 vs Transformers: Devastation vs Ninja Blade vs Marlow Briggs and the Mask of Death vs Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z

Specs

Platforms

-

Genre

-

Steam Rating

-

Platforms

Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

Genre

Action Role-Playing

Steam Rating

-

Platforms

PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Wii U, Windows, Nintendo Switch

Genre

Action

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Platforms

-

Genre

-

Steam Rating

-

Platforms

-

Genre

-

Steam Rating

-

Platforms

-

Genre

-

Steam Rating

-

Platforms

PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Windows

Genre

Action, Hack-and-Slash

Steam Rating

-

Platforms

-

Genre

-

Steam Rating

Overwhelmingly Positive

Platforms

-

Genre

-

Steam Rating

-

Platforms

-

Genre

-

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Platforms

-

Genre

-

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Platforms

-

Genre

-

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Platforms

-

Genre

-

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Platforms

-

Genre

-

Steam Rating

Mixed

Pros + Cons

Con
 Stealth sections feel out of place 

The game has stealth sections that involve turning into a rat and getting from one place to another while avoiding detection, but the stealth gameplay is very barebones and feels very out of place in a Castlevania game.
Comment

Con
 A departure from Castlevania series in key areas 

Some aspects of the game are considerably different from the previous Shadow game. For example, combat is a lot more God of War than Castlevania and boss fights are a lot more Shadow of Colossus than Castlevania.
Comment

Pro
 Impressive, flowing combat system 

The game has a visceral, impactful free-flow fighting system that emphasizes counter-attacks, dodges and stringing combos with a variety of weapons and moves.
Comment

Pro
 Grand boss fights 

The game has interesting, multi-part boss battles. A lot of character to the fights is added by the impressive, grotesque boss monster designs.
Comment

Con
 Buggy on PC

Some players complain about the game crashing, freezing, their save files mysteriously disappearing, and more. As of June 2018, over a year after the game's initial release, there is still no patch to fix these problems. Not everyone on PC will have these bugs, but it's still quite prevalent. If you continually run into issues, your best bet is to find a mod or play the console versions instead of waiting on an official patch that may never happen.
Comment

Con
 Some boring fetch quests

The pacing gets messed up when you're forced to run certain fetch quests near the start of the game. This is somewhat forgivable after the fun and action-packed introductory level, but the quests themselves are still a drag to play through. Some of the side quests can also boil down to the same thing. Even though these quests give a lot of useful information about the world, they're not all that fulfilling, and you may dread having to repeat them when playing through the game again.
Comment

Con
 Second playthrough can get repetitive

Once you get to Route B, your second playthrough, you may find that too much is the same. There are some big differences, such as the new way you get to see things play out, but a lot of it rehashes Route A, your first playthrough. There's a ton of hacking you have to do as well, which gets pretty boring after repeating it over and over again. But if you stick with it, Route C and onward are absolutely worth the time spent getting to that point.
Comment

Con
 Limited open world

Even though NieR: Automata is technically an open world game, it doesn't always feel like it. It's more that there's a big open space in the center of the ruined city you explore, with branches that lead off to vastly different environments, like a desert, a village, and a few other places. These locations aren't that spacious, either, and it's a bit of a stretch to even imagine all of these places being so close together in the first place. It's not too much of an issue as long as you find the story and combat engaging enough.
Comment

Pro
 Unique enemy designs with angels that defy typical conventions

Angels in Bayonetta are far from how they are depicted in pop culture. Despite their bright glow and the religious music that you hear when they're introduced, they're hunched over, lumbering when they walk and fight in battle. They're designed in ways that definitely make them look like Bayonetta's enemies instead of entities that we're supposed to side with. The larger, gargantuan angelic bosses appear otherwordly and incomprehensible like Lovecraftian creatures, They're quite the sight to behold and make for interesting boss fights with cool set pieces, like Bayonetta surfing on a wooden plank as she fights a huge angel in the middle of an ocean.
Comment

Pro
 Excellent ports

Bayonetta was originally released for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 back in 2009, but the PC version comes with improved graphics, 4K support and excellent performance. On the Nintendo Switch, you'll also get to enjoy the game at 60 FPS, though at a lower 720p resolution compared to the PC version.
Comment

Pro
 Bayonetta herself is unconventional and entertaining

Bayonetta is a character who exudes confidence and charm, and every aspect of the game's mechanics and design fits with her personality. She's over eight feet tall, wears a skin-tight suit that's actually made of her magical hair, and always fights with style and finesse. When you do a double jump, a butterfly's wings appear over her back, and when you use any type of long weapon like a lance, you can have her pole dance and quickly fire her guns in all directions. Since she's a sadistic character, her finisher moves are called Torture Attacks. After accumulating enough magic points through normal attacks, you can make Bayonetta conjure one of many types of medieval torture devices. She'll trap enemies inside and send blood everywhere, or she'll whip their backs with a flourish, doing more damage as you mash the button prompt on the screen. Healing and buff items, instead of the usual potions, are different-flavored lollipops like the one that Bayonetta likes to keep in her mouth during some cutscenes. Upgrades to her jumping ability are also beyond the norm, letting you transform her into a black panther to run faster and jump higher. Overall, Bayonetta is independent and likes to have a good time, never missing an opportunity to strike a pose or dance in between pummeling and whipping her enemies into submission. If you see Bayonetta's sexualized moves and portrayal as the game's way of parodying other media, then you'll probably find her over-the-top presentation more entertaining than offensive.
Comment

Pro
 Fun and complex gameplay

Bayonetta excels in its combat, going above and beyond to entertain the player with the scale of its gigantic, angelic enemies and the depth of its gameplay. The tutorial teaches you the bare basics of punching and kicking, and then it's up to you to experiment with inputs and find the best combos to keep up the pain. Even on normal difficulty, the game can seem punishing for newcomers, but there are lots of skills you can pick up on to make things smoother. There's a ton of depth to the combat, especially in how you have the potential to keep up limitless combos with punches, kicks, and gunfire. When you hold down your buttons, Bayonetta will freeze her punching or kicking pose while firing the guns from her heels or in her hands. In the middle of that pose, you can dodge offset an incoming attack and initiate Witch Time, which rewards you by making enemies move at a snail's pace while you get more hits in than you normally could. In other situations where you're surrounded by enemies and need some crowd control, you can have Bayonetta do some handstands while she fires her guns. Each new weapon you acquire, whether it's a katana or a huge lance you pick up from a downed enemy, gives you a whole new set of combos to master. There's an incredible variety in the gameplay for you to play around with, whether it's with new weapons or Bayonetta's punches, kicks, and guns. You'll constantly find new ways to enjoy the combat as you play through the game, keeping things fresh from start to finish.
Comment

Con
 On-rails sections can be frustrating

There will be a few times where you'll play through retro-inspired sequences where you race down a highway on a motorcycle, or shoot missiles at enemies from an airship. You have to handle quick time event button presses on the motorcycle and deal with a bunch of enemies firing at you on the ship. These sequences are a huge change from the normal combat, and if you're not good at them, you may find yourself getting frustrated.
Comment

Con
 Locked at 60 frames per second on PC

Action sequences are locked at 60FPS which means that you can not go above that framerate regardless of your PC's capabilities.
Comment

Con
 The story is nonsensical

While Bayonetta has some intriguing lore involving witches battling against a puritanical religion, you won't get to learn much about it. The storytelling is a mess, with sudden changes that don't make sense, and underdeveloped characters that the game expects you to care about. As long as you go in without taking the story and presentation all that seriously, you'll still be able to have a good time.
Comment

Pro
 Highest level of combat depth in any hack and slash game

An open-ended cancelling system (Jump Cancelling) stacked with individual character mechanics (Dante styles and style/weapon switching, Nero ACT and parries, Vergil being Vergil, Lady and Trish are the weakest in terms of combo-ability of the 5 but you can still style with them) and system physics create a combat masterpiece that rewards practice and creativity.
Comment

Pro
 Fun combat

You'll immediately notice how nice it feels to attack the enemies with each slash, strike and shot having an impact behind it. Enemies will flinch, get thrown back and get suspended mid-air from your attacks, making it feel like you're always the dominant force. It's especially amusing seeing an enemy flail about and slamming it into the ground with your demonic arm. Some of the stylistic elements add fun as well. The prime example is Nero's greatsword the Red Queen, which is equipped with a motorcycle-like gear shift. You can use the gear shift mid-combo to add a flame effect to your sword. This increases your damage and the range of your combos and also looks very nice. It's especially awesome to see your character ascend in a whirlwind of flames.
Comment

Pro
 There's a bunch of stuff to do even after beating the game

You can replay the game on higher difficulties, try to find all the hidden missions or collect all the upgrades. You can even try to get the max style rank on all the missions. Doing any of these will award you extra collectibles or unlock new modes. There's also the The Bloody Palace, which is an arena consisting of 101 levels. Each level contains enemies and bosses found within the main game. The first few levels are quite easy, but each level becomes increasingly more difficult. Only the most skilled players can reach the end, giving you another goal to strive for.
Comment

Pro
 Characters

5 different characters each with their own play styles and weapons.
Comment

Pro
 Great soundtrack

Most of the battle music has the lyrical styling of progressive rock while mixing in dark electronica guitar riffs. It matches the rhythm and speed of the battles really well, spurring on your combos and devastating attacks. The exploration sections and cutscenes have an entirely different style of music. It ranges from divine vocals accompanied with organ music to eerie pieces with harp and piano sounds creating a bone-chilling ambience.
Comment

Pro
 New character with new gameplay mechanics

DMC 3 focuses on a new character, Dante's brother Vergil. Vergil offers a whole new moveset when compared to previous games, which makes the gameplay fresh for those that are familiar with the series.
Comment

Pro
 Hardcore difficulty mode

New to the series is a hardcore difficulty mode that is meant for only the most extreme players. This adds a level of difficulty to the game for those that are interested.
Comment

Con
 Lacks widescreen support

The game only plays in 4:3, there is no widescreen support.
Comment

Con
 Terrible controller support

The default controls for the game with a controller do not work that well and will most likely require a third party fix.
Comment

Con
 Practically impossible to play with mouse and keyboard

A keyboard binding exists, but it is impossibly complicated for anyone to use.
Comment

Pro
 Great bargain for its price with three games in one

For three games in a single collection, $29.99 USD at launch is a steal. Completing all of the games will take you about 30 hours, plus more time if you search around for all of the hidden secrets. If you don't want to pay the usual full retail price for a new game, there's a lot of value here for your money.
Comment

Pro
 Dark and tense atmosphere

The haunted locations in the games are dark and moody, giving you a tense feeling as you explore the levels. Shadows and unlit areas are stark in how dark they are, with the interiors of old style stone buildings lit only by torches or moonlight. Satanic-looking statues and archaic architecture are everywhere in the old, haunted mansions you'll explore. Demonic enemies and bosses will jump out at you from nowhere for sudden battles, forcing you to quickly react and strike back. The atmosphere can be downright creepy, but the dark mood and tense settings are really well-done, fitting perfectly with the devil-hunting themes of the games.
Comment

Pro
 The iconic protagonist Dante is witty and entertaining

Dante is an iconic character because of how clever and stylish he is, both in cutscenes and in combat. He's laid-back and has an air of confidence as he quips with witty one-liners during story moments. His combat style is slick and cool, with flashy animations with his swords and dual guns, and he loves showing off his moves during cutscenes. The opening scene of Devil May Cry 3 shows Dante slinging his dual guns at a group of monsters while he keeps a slice of pizza in his mouth, pulling off over-the-top kicks and acrobatics while he jams to a rock song on a nearby jukebox. He's such a cool guy that it's easy to like him and get invested in his story.
Comment

Pro
 Challenging boss fights

Bosses can be pretty tough, not only in how much damage they'll deal to you, but also the obstacles they throw at you to keep you on your toes. Their combat style is smartly matched with their design, including the ways they use their limbs or the environment to catch you off guard. One boss fight is against a lava-filled tarantula that swipes at you with its giant legs and makes spurts of lava shoot up from the ground underneath you. Another one is a giant bird that flaps its huge wings to blow you back, jumps up to the sky out of your view, and then swoops down to crush you beneath its feet. You'll have to react quickly to avoid taking too much damage, all the while finding windows to attack and bring the bosses down.
Comment

Pro
 Flashy and satisfying hack-and-slash combat

The combat in the Devil May Cry games has awesome animations, plenty of combos to master, and a helpful rating system that displays after each battle to let you know how well you did. Armed with swords and dual guns, you'll hack enemies into the air, and slash or shoot at them with cool-looking animations as blood gushes out from their bodies. Pulling off a chain of combos against an enemy not only looks great, but it feels satisfying to lock them in place while you slice away at them and maintain the upper-hand. The ratings you get after each fight will give you a grade based on your speed and finesse for pure validation. New players can get away with button-mashing on the easier difficulties without caring about the rating, but more hardcore action game veterans could use the ratings to see where they can improve their play. The battle system as a whole is incredible for anyone looking for action-packed fights with either button-mashing or smart combos.
Comment

Con
 Latest HD release adds nothing new over the previous one

This is the exact same version of the HD collection released for the previous generation, offering nothing new. If you already played the collection on the PS3 or Xbox 360, then the most you'll have to look forward to is earning trophies and achievements again. If you wanted something extra with this latest re-release, you'll sadly be disappointed.
Comment

Con
 Annoying camera issues

The fixed camera angles shift in strange, frustrating ways as they try to keep up with your perspective. As you walk through a level, the camera will suddenly change from one point, for example, to somewhere right behind you. You're presumably still making Dante go in one direction, but the camera won't give you a few seconds to adjust your controls, forcing you to go in some other direction while the camera shifts wildly around to follow you. It's an antiquated design decision that showed up a lot during the PlayStation 2 era, making the games feel dated in this day and age.
Comment

Con
 Devil May Cry 2 isn't as strong as the other games

Devil May Cry 2 is the weakest game in the trilogy, with combat, exploration, and a story that doesn't have the same quality as the other two games. Fighting against enemies and bosses feels bland and generic with almost no skill required to beat them. Running around the open city is also boring since it's way too linear and doesn't have the same tense atmosphere as the haunted locations from Devil May Cry 1 and 3. The story is pretty horrible as well, mainly because of the bad characters and terrible writing. It's so awful that Devil May Cry 3 basically carries on with its story and characters as if the second game never existed. There's always a chance that you'll enjoy Devil May Cry 2, but it has so many problems going for it that it's hard to praise or recommend.
Comment

Pro
 Gore galore

Very satisfying and brutal fighting mechanic.
Comment

Pro
 It is a great standalone title

While bearing the name Metal Gear, the game itself is a completely different experience in a positive way!
Comment

Pro
 Hideo Kojima's touch is present

The humor of the game is perfectly fit to it's ridiculousness.
Comment

Pro
 Decent story content

At least for this type of games.
Comment

Con
 Graphics could be better

Comment

Con
 Graphics part could be better.

Comment

Pro
 Amazing new soundtrack

Comment

Pro
 Wonderful, photorealistic graphics

Comment

Pro
 Amazing combat system

Comment
undefinedurl nextprice drop