Some action games have defined their genre and gaming as a whole. Here, you will discover the ones that have gone down in history as the most influential!
Classic action games showed how interactive entertainment should evolve, combining adrenaline-fueled combat, immersive worlds, and fast-paced plots.
Without them, gaming would not be what we know it today. If you, too, find this fact fascinating, let’s explore the best retro action titles to see which ones had a vital impact on the genre!
You can find on G2A.COM: Action Games
Metal Gear Solid
| Release date: | 2015-09-01 |
| Genre: | Adventure |
| Developer: | Kojima Productions |
The first Metal Gear Solid game follows Solid Snake, a soldier tasked with confronting FOXHOUND – a terrorist unit. The mission forces the man to use his stealth skills to unravel an unexpected intrigue and bits of information about his past.
Why it defined the genre: Metal Gear Solid was the first game to combine challenging gameplay with storytelling through cinematic cutscenes. Previously, stories used to unfold through text rather than visuals. That way, the genre discovered that designing a more movie-like experience featuring fully rendered 3D models resulted in greater immersion in the video game world.
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Resident Evil 4
| Release date: | 2014-02-27 |
| Genre: | Adventure |
| Developer: | Capcom Production Studio 4 |
This survival horror tells the story of agent Leon S. Kennedy traveling to Europe to save the president’s kidnapped daughter. But the village where he finds himself feels strange, and soon, the man must face the mysterious Las Plagas.
Why it defined the genre: Resident Evil 4 changed the survival horror and action genres by introducing crucial improvements like a dynamic over-the-shoulder camera angle, a robust physical damage system, and improved inventory management. Thanks to these and other advancements, the game seems more realistic than its predecessors.
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Ninja Gaiden
| Release date: | 2021-06-10 |
| Genre: | Action |
| Developer: | Team Ninja, Koei Tecmo Games |
A young warrior, Ryu Hayabusa, travels to the United States to avenge the tragic murder of his father. The only way to achieve this goal is to recover a mighty sword from the enemy’s possession.
Why it defined the genre: Ninja Gaiden introduced revolutionary anime-style cutscenes to present a story that could not explain itself by combat sequences alone. It also paired this feature with unprecedented violence that demonstrated what the action genre could be capable of in the future.
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DOOM
| Release date: | 2016-05-12 |
| Genre: | Action & Shooter |
| Developer: | id Software |
1993’s Doom follows the actions of a former Marine sent to Mars as punishment. Soon, a gate to other dimensions opens, and hellish beasts invade the world.
Why it defined the genre: Doom inspired the creation of legendary franchises like Half-Life and Quake. The game abandoned straightforward plot explanation via cutscenes or text, describing it through levels. Everything from the music to the immersive 3D graphics motivates the player to enjoy its dynamic action.
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Devil May Cry
| Release date: | 2018-03-13 |
| Genre: | Adventure |
| Developer: | Capcom Production Studio 4 |
Half-human, half-demon Dante travels to the island of Mallet to defeat the underworld ruler, Mundus. Following in his father’s footsteps, only our protagonist can unleash an unimaginable fury capable of stopping the forces of hell once and for all.
Why it defined the genre: Devil May Cry gave birth to the extreme combat subgenre. It introduced revolutionary battle choreography and indicated how all hack-and-slash games should evolve.
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Grand Theft Auto III
| Release date: | 2002-05-21 |
| Genre: | Adventure |
| Developer: | DMA Design |
Welcome to Liberty City, a location of endless opportunities to develop your criminal career! In this alternative version of New York, you will play as Claude Speed, a young man ready to conquer the world.
Why it defined the genre: GTA 3 took the quality of the open, fully interactive world to a new level of authenticity. Players did not have to follow a linear storyline, deciding what they wanted to do next. No one at that time could match the fantastic execution of this digital reality.
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Conclusion
Defining a genre requires some courage. Some of the mentioned video games became revolutionary by accident. Others came to life to fulfill developers’ dreams of what they believed was the ultimate fun. But at the end of the day, the most vital quality is that even in 2024, they are still unbelievably enjoyable to play.