The action-adventure subgenre of gaming is always one of the most difficult to define. The distinction between it and other genres is often decided upon by the player’s personal opinion. For the sake of this list, the action-adventure genre will be defined as anactiongame in which the player either has a world to explore or can find hidden secrets within the game’s linear levels.
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When it comes to discussing action games, perhaps one of the most important factors to consider is the combat. While other action-adventure games may have better stories or worlds to explore, the games in this list will feature some of the most addictive combat in gaming that will keep the player amazed for days at a time.
As with most “Best” lists, there is a slight degree of subjectivity involved. You’ve been warned!
9Nier Automata
Defined the 2010s
PlatinumGames
Square Enix
OpenCritic Score
Ever since PlatinumGames released Nier Automata in 2017, it has become one of the most iconic action-adventure games on the market. The combat of Nier Automata is simple at a glance but has a world of depth for those willing to experiment with it. The game features a wide variety of weapon types which all play differently from each other.
From long spears to fists, 2B can pull out plenty of different weapons to take out enemies and switch to a different one with the press of a button. The game also features several pieces of ranged weaponry that the player can equip to their pod to use during combat.
Nier Automata is sadly placed at the bottom of this list as, although the game includes many different abilities, equipment, and options during battle, it also doesn’t encourage the player to use any of them. Gamers can play the game from start to finish without experimenting at all with the default weapon type and pod settings. Without any incentive to really see what the combat system is capable of, it’s hard to describe Nier Automata’s combat as the best around.
8Batman: Arkham Knight
Be the Batman
Rocksteady Studios
Warner Brothers Interactive
While DC has had a hit-or-miss record when it comes to the combat in their games in recent years, theBatman Arkhamgames have always been some of the most influential games on the market when it comes to their combat system. The whole dance of countering incoming attacks as Batman glides his way across the screen to punch out the teeth of various goons is downright addicting. In addition to basic punches and counters, the player also has a variety of other Batman tools, like his grappling hook and explosive gel to use mid-combat against these enemies.
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Batman: Akrham Knight in particular offers the players dozens of tools to take down enemies as well as plenty of enemy types which need to be taken down in a specific way. This combination leads to plenty of fun combat encounters and bonus challenge missions where the player can truly see what Batman is capable of in a pinch. Nearly a decade later and Batman: Arkham Knight is still one of thebest DC superhero games.
7Marvel’s Spider-Man
Swing Around Fighting Crime
Insomniac Games
The Batman Arkham games aren’t the only highly rated superhero action-adventure games on the market, as Marvel has their own via their recent Spider-Man game franchise. The gameplay of Insomniac’sSpider-Mangames is very similar to the Arkham series, but with several twists that make it feel like you’re playing as Spider-Man. Using gadgets like impact webbing, swinging your legs into enemies, and other gadgets unique to Spider-Man feels incredible.
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Players of Spider-Man will have plenty of content to get used to the combat too. The game features plenty of crime combat encounters around the city for the player to focus on, most of which include specific challenges for the sake of getting the player to fully experiment with the game’s combat system.
While your opinion on whether you prefer the Batman Arkham games or Insomniac’s Spider-Man games will come down to if you’re more of a DC or Marvel fan, it is impossible to deny that Marvel’s Spider-Man’s unique twists on the gameplay make for an incredibly fun experience that gamers still boot up for the sake of just existing within its city.
6Fate/Samurai Remnant
Combining Musou and Action-Adventure
Omega Force
Koei Tecmo
While the Musou genre of gaming typically doesn’t fall into the same subcategory as Action-Adventure gaming, there is a game which uses Musou combat but puts it into a gameplay loop where the player fights small yet strong groups of enemies as they make their way to an objective, that being 2023’s Fate/Samurai Remnant. This title has thrilling boss fights, multiple playable characters, and fun exploration in Keian-era Japan! Combine all of that with the unique flavor ofType-Moon’s various IPs, and you’ve got one of the best games of 2023.
The combat in Samurai Remnant is slightly deeper than your typical Musou game. While it has the typical light, heavy, and special attacks one expects from the genre, it also includes a skill system where the player consumes recharging flames to use character-specific skills! Combine that with multiple unique enemy types, several of which need their defenses broken by said skill to deal heavy damage, and you’ve got a very engaging battle system for this adventure!
5Devil May Cry 5
Get Motivated
Capcom Dev 1
The character action subgenre of gaming has always been very difficult to classify, however, as many people have begun to put games like Nier Automata into the Action-Adventure genre, which in turn has grandfathered character action games likeDevil May Cryinto the genre as well. The Devil May Cry franchise has always been well renowned for having some of the best combat in gaming, getting better and better with each entry.
What truly makes Devil May Cry combat so engaging is how the game’s combo and rating system works. Performing the same attack over and over will reduce the player’s style meter, but performing multiple different combos on enemies and being as stylish as possible will increase your meter. This creates a brilliant system that encourages gamers to use every tool in their arsenal at all times. A battle system that actually encourages players to experiment like this deserves to be called one of the best in gaming.
4Granblue Fantasy: Relink
Unexpectedly Amazing
Osaka Cygames
Granblue Fantasy has always been one of the most popular gacha games in existence, but that has always come with the caveat of only being able to have gameplay as deep as a gacha game can go. So when Cygames released an action-adventure spin-off title in 2024, fans were practically jumping at the chance to play their favorite characters in a Monster Hunter-esque journey.
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Granblue Fantasy Relink features 23 different playable characters who all have vastly different movesets and playstyles. While it takes quite a bit of material gathering to be able to use any character in post-game content, the game’s multiplayer, which allows players to go on hunts in groups of four, makes the time fly by. If you are even a casual fan of Granblue Fantasy or are a Monster Hunter fan who wants to see another company take a crack at the formula, then give Relink a chance!
Fulfiller of Dreams
RGG Studios
Sega’s Like a Dragon (formerly known in America as Yakuza) franchise has also been some of the best action-adventure games around, with tight and fun combat encounters in a small open-world city and plenty ofminigamesfor players to engage in when not fighting enemies. Yakuza 5 in particular has excellent combat with the best Kiryu moveset in the franchise as well as four other playable characters with widely varying movesets to spice up the game’s various chapters.
Yakuza 5 was also one of the final games in the series to include a fleshed-out coliseum mode for the player to participate in. This mode truly lets players engage in combat both in 1v1 fights and hundred-man brawls! Just be very careful if you’re considering using Akiyama in a fight, as his low health and lack of heat actions make him a very difficult character to win in the arena with. If you want to try a game with amazing combat and a fun modern city to explore, then you should try out the Like a Dragon franchise and make your way to Yakuza 5!
It’s a shame Haruka didn’t get the chance to fight as well.
2Ys IX: Monstrum Nox
Embrace the Night
Nihon Falcom
The Ys franchise has always been one of the greatest adventure series in gaming history, and that reputation was raised even higher when the franchise transitioned into 3D with Ys VIII and IX. These games are an absolute joy as the player slowly fills out the map, obtains new movement abilities, and gets into fun enemy encounters with an elemental triangle of weaknesses. The combat of Ys IX is absolutely stellar with its six party members, which the player can switch control of with the single press of a button mid-combat.
Each party member has a wide variety of skills they learn as they level up and equipment they can wear. One of the most fun parts of Ys IX’s combat is finding the right combination of equipment and skills to constantly spam attacks as your EX meter charges and then unleash a powerful attack to eat through the health of bosses. If you want to see what one of the oldest adventure franchises in gaming looks like when it adapts the flavor of modern action games, try out the new Ys games!
1Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Experience the Magic Again
The Final Fantasy VII Remake subseries ofFinal Fantasyfeatures an incredibly interesting mix of the franchise’s traditional ATB turn-based system with action-adventure combat by allowing players to inflict normal attacks and dodge enemies at all times during battle, with a meter charge that allows the party to perform special attacks and spells. This creates a very unique system that adds RPG mechanics to action combat better than almost any other action game.
What really makes the combat of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth shine is the wide variety of ways you can engage with the combat encounters. In addition to having multiple different party members with their own combat mechanics, the game allows the player to freely experiment with materia which lets them customize exactly what they want said party members to be capable of doing once they charge their ATB bars.
The game doesn’t hold back in difficulty either, allowing you to fully take advantage of the mechanics! If you want a fantastic Action-Adventure game with RPG mechanics, then check out the Final Fantasy VII Remake subseries!
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