The most interesting action games released in 2016
All the best and most popular games of the year, upcoming releases, and hits from the past. Use filters to narrow down search.
Hellgate: Tokyo
Action
January 1, 2016
MMORPGs continuing Hellgate: London. This time players visit Tokyo's devastated demons. We can create new characters or use those from the first installment of the cycle. The game belongs to the action-RPG genre, so the fun consists mainly in murdering hordes of monsters, collecting treasures and developing statistics of our hero.
The Pirate: Caribbean Hunt
Action
January 4, 2016
An action game set in the world of pirates. Created by Miroslaw Dymek, a legendary Polish game maker responsible for series such as Earth 21XX or Polanie. The Pirate: Caribbean Hunt lacks a main storyline driving the gameplay. The action takes place in an extensive, open-world environment recreating a large part of the Caribbean. The player controls a captain of a pirate ship, whose aim is to gain fame and riches at sea. The game consists of completing subsequent missions that focus mainly on combat and exploration. The player plunders cargo ships, pirate bases, forts, and harbors. Between the missions, the player can make improvements to their fleet, choosing from sixteen diversified classes of ships, upgraded alongside their progress in the game. In-game sailing features realistic mechanics, making it a great asset to the game - this element was based on the personal experiences of the creator, who is an avid sailor himself. The game has offers extended online features as well, allowing the players to create their own pirate clans.
Hardware: Rivals
Action
January 5, 2016
A sequel to Hardware: Online Arena - a PlayStation 2 game. It is a multiplayer action racing game developed by Sony Computer Entertainment. The gameplay is based on online duels between the players who control different, armed vehicles. The game offers a wide variety of vehicles that fall into several main categories - each machine has its own different strong and weak spots. As a result, the player has to develop an appropriate tactic for a given vehicle. Hardware: Rivals features an upgrade system, which is a common feature of online gaming. During the gameplay, the player's vehicles earn experience, which allows you to modify and upgrade them, as well as equip the machines with useful gadgets, which are a plenty. There are several diversified game modes available, including both individual and team gameplay variants.
Lonewolf
Action
January 6, 2016
A free-to-play sniping-themed shooter created for mobile devices. Although the game uses microtransactions, it is also available as a Premium product for a specific price. The game stands out with an well-developed noir narrative told through the cutscenes. The player assumes the role of a young sniper entering the ranks of an elite organization of contract assassins known as The Assembly. Murders he commits take their toll on the mental condition of the protagonist, and he has not joined a criminal organization without a reason. The gameplay consists of eliminating targets at long distances using a sniper rifle. When taking a shot, both gravity and wind direction have to be taken into account. However, it is not enough to shoot at everything that moves - the player has to understand the relations between the positions of the guards in order to make a progress. Thus the levels resemble puzzle solving in that aspect. The gameplay is diversified with hand-to-hand combat sequences and dynamic shoot-outs. The game offers simple visuals resembling a comic strip.
Jetpack Fighter
Action
January 7, 2016
A mobile 2,5D platformer from Hi-Rez studios team. Its story takes place somewhere in the future and tells about the attack on Mega City, launched by an army of robots build by a mad scientist. We play as a female warrior equipped with special jetpack and our task is, obviously, to stop the invasion. The gameplay revolves around exploration, collecting items, dealing with obstacles and fighting enemies. Jetpack Fighter features intuitive controls, where we move and attack by drawing lines on the screen. As we progress through the game, we unlock more warriors. We can also collect and upgrade armors, adjusting attack types to our play style. The game is diversified by boss fights and additional challenges, such as defeating all enemies on the map or gathering a complete collection of specific items.
Down To One
Action
January 8, 2016
Developed by independent studio Gadget Games, a multiplayer shooter featuring survival elements. In Down To One, you arrive barehanded in an open world – every tool necessary to survive needs to be found or crafted. Before you get any true weapon, you will have to make do with replacements like planks or rocks. As you progress, the arsenal of your weapons becomes more and more diverse – starting with melee weapons and ending with different kinds of firearms, like shotguns and rifles. The perk system enables the player to choose from many special abilities that will be appropriate for their adapted play style. Even though local fauna may pose mortal danger, the elimination of other players – up to 42 – is the backbone of the game. Following Battle Royale rules, the player who outlasts the others wins the match.
Mission 1545
Action
January 9, 2016
Created by City Quests Games, a third-person stealth action game set in the 16th-century London. You assume the role of “The Moth,” an agent known for her stealth abilities, who is also an ally of the Dominican Brothers. When the government spies reveal the true identity of the heroine, and some of her supporters get imprisoned in the Tower of London, the protagonist must set them free before the sunrise. In City Run London you need to keep a low-profile and sneak behind the guards’ backs, because open combat will most certainly lead to your death. A special radar that shows the range of sight of NPCs will help you avoid detection. The game features attractive, 3D graphics in a vivid, comic book-like style.
Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India
Action
January 12, 2016
The second installment in a spin-off series created within Assassin’s Creed - one of the Ubisoft’s leading franchise. The game translates the series’ mechanics into a 2.5D side-scrolling action-adventure game. The story is set in 1841, in India. The country is on the brink of open conflict as tensions increase between the Empire of Sikh and the British, who claim rights to Indian territory. With these historical events serving as the background, another ongoing conflict comes to light – the never-ending war of Assassins and Templars. You play as Abraaz Mir, a member of the Assassin Order, who tries to care for the Order’s interests in the times of political turmoil. The game features the characteristic elements of the series, such as spectacular acrobatics, sneaking, melee-combat with guards, and assassinations of targets. The shift in player perspective, however, necessitates a different play style, putting more emphasis on tactical thinking and planning your every step.
Space Grunts
Action
January 12, 2016
An unusual mix of an arcade shooter and a turn-based roguelike from independent studio OrangePixel. The story takes place in the year 2476, as a distress call from one of the lunar colonies reaches the Earth. A special group of soldiers is sent to investigate the circumstances surrounding the signal. The game mechanics are somewhat similar to what we have seen in Nuclear Throne. With each try, we play as one of the members of the investigation team, who must reach the base and establish the truth. On our way, we will face a variety of monsters, with fights using a classic turn-based system. Our task is made more difficult by the fact that every death forces us to restart the game from the beginning, and all locations are randomly generated, making it impossible to master the maps one by one. The game employs a characteristic pixel art style that references old-school productions.
Resident Evil 0 HD
Action
January 19, 2016
Remastered edition of Resident Evil Zero, a game that was initially released in year 2002 on the Nintendo GameCube console. It was a spin-off to the very popular survival horror series developed by Capcom. The plot of the game takes place before the events shown in the main series and tells the story of Rebecca Chambers, a rookie S.T.A.R.S. agent who travels to Raccoon City in order to investigate a series of mysterious murders. When her helicopter crashes before reaching the destination, in order to survive the heroine is forced to join forces with Billy Coen, a former US marine convicted by the military court to life sentence for killing 23 people during a mission in Africa. The mechanics of Resident Evil Zero HD don’t differ greatly from previous installments of the series, focusing on exploring locations, solving riddles and fighting enemies. However, during the game player has access to two independent characters between who he can switch, taking advantage of their individual assets.
The Deadly Tower of Monsters
Action
January 19, 2016
A TPP action game styled after retro science-fiction titles, created by ACE Team studio – known from games like Rock of Ages, Abyss Odyssey, or the Zeno Clash series. The story features the adventures of three astronauts and their robot companion, whose ship crashes on the alien planet Gravoria, and their only chance to escape is reaching the top of a massive tower. We observe the game’s world from the point far above characters’ heads, and the gameplay consist mainly of eliminating hordes of enemies coming in waves, each more challenging than previous ones. The characteristic feature of The Deadly Tower of Monsters are its designs, employing the color palette from classic science-fiction movie. Moreover, the characters look like actors dressed up in costumes, and in the scenes with space ships the strings attached to their models are clearly visible. All of this is complemented by the director’s commentary, who recollects the making of this movie-in-game.
Gemini: Heroes Reborn
Action
January 19, 2016
A first-person action adventure game and an adaptation of Heroes Reborn, a science-fiction drama broadcasted on NBC. It revives the legend of the original series that aired from 2006 to 2010. The game is a prequel, taking place before events of the new mini-series and is linked with Enigma: Heroes Reborn, a game released at the same time for mobile devices. We follow a 20-year-old girl, Cassandra, who discovers her supernatural abilities, and decides to use them to solve the mystery of her past. In Gemini: Heroes Reborn we observe the game’s world through the eyes of the heroine, and the gameplay combines elements of action games with logical puzzles, obviously requiring the protagonist to use her supernatural powers. They allow us to manipulate our the environment, slow down the flow of time, or throw various objects at the attacking enemies.
The Bug Butcher
Action
January 19, 2016
A two-dimensional shooter set in a science fiction world, developed by Australian Awfully Nice studio. In The Bug Butcher, we play as a guy named Harry, who is a space exterminator of all kind of pests, just as he's received a profitable order to get rid of the vermin overrunning a research lab at a far-away planet, and save the scientists working there. However, it will prove to be more difficult than it seems, as the protagonist will face overgrown and very dangerous creatures. In terms of game mechanics, the game is a classic side-scrolling shooter, in which our main objective is sending the appearing enemies to their graves. We can move to right or left side of the screen, but can only shoot up, using a vast array of weaponry, including futuristic weapons like lasers or rocket launchers. The game is diversified by weapon customization, many different power-ups, and competitive multiplayer mode.
Resident Evil Origins Collection
Action
January 19, 2016
A set of two classic titles from the Resident Evil series by Capcom, thoroughly remastered with next-gen platforms in mind. The Resident Evil Origins Collection bundle consists of Resident Evil HD, in which we assume the role of Chris Redfield or Jill Valentine and go to Raccoon City in search of the Bravo unit, as well as the prequel to the entire series, Resident Evil Zero HD, that presents the fate of Rebecca Chamber, a member of the aforementioned unit who joins forces with an ex-marine convict, Billy Coen, to survive. Both games offer significantly better visuals and new 1080p textures. The game is complemented by a remastered 5.1 sound and the option to choose between 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ration, as well as the classic or the modern control scheme.
Crashlands
Action
January 21, 2016
Developed by Butterscotch Shenanigans, Crashlands is an action adventure game with RPG elements, gameplay-wise similar to another popular title, Don’t Starve. You explore a vast, diverse world filled with plants, wildlife, and numerous dangers. The game does not set any specific goal for you to achieve; the player’s main objective focuses solely on survival. This necessitates exploration of new regions, gathering resources and food, as well as raising buildings, and crafting useful items and weapons. Gameplay is based on three basic activities: find, act, and build. In Crashlands you can go fishing, grow crops, tame animals, and fight opponents using the equipment you constructed and upgraded with the in-game crafting system. The game stands out with its colorful, cartoonish artwork. Crashlands employs the popular free-to-play business model with microtransactions.
Subterrain
Action
January 21, 2016
A survival game in which we find ourselves in a city located under the surface of Mars, controlled by bloodthirsty mutants. The player's task is to discover the mystery behind the events of the past and to find a way to escape. Of course, before the hero is able to accomplish this mission, he has to fight for survival, taking care of his body condition and creating useful elements of equipment.
The East New World
Action
January 22, 2016
An action platformer featuring RPG elements and created for mobile devices only. It was developed by the gang du studio. The player assumes the role of a warrior called Buta, who sets out for a personal revenge mission after having his wife killed. The game makes references to old action platformers - it is a two-dimensional platform game requiring the players to travel through a series of levels, where they encounter large numbers of enemies, but also powerful bosses. Apart from that, the player can find collectibles scattered across the levels. The East New World stands out with its high difficulty level - it is worth mentioning that the game was deprived of checkpoints and the player has to start over from the very beginning of the level after dying. Sometimes it may turn out that the player has to re-approach a given challenge later in the game, for Buta gains experience, obtains new equipment and learns useful skills as the player progresses. Primarily, the game focuses on the single player campaign comprising of 80 levels in total, but the most experienced in-game characters can compete against each other in the Boss Rush and Time Rush online modes.
Rise of the Tomb Raider: Baba Yaga - The Temple of the Witch
Action
January 26, 2016
The first story expansion offered as part of the Season Pass to Rise of the Tomb Raider - an action-adventure game developed by Crystal Dynamics. Created by the authors of the basic game, the expansion doesn’t change anything when it comes to the graphics or gameplay mechanics, adding only a new adventure of Lara Croft. In the Baba Yaga – The Temple of the Witch expansion, the protagonist journeys to an infamous forest, where she searches for a lost Russian expedition. Once there, she learns that she must face a real nightmare and that the mysterious events are caused by witch Baba Yaga, well known character from Slavic myths and legends. During the adventure, Lara will face enemies she has never seen before and explore a previously unavailable location that encompasses the above mentioned forest and a tomb located in its heart. The DLC also adds a new costume for Lara and gives the players access to a bow.
Battlefield Hardline: Getaway
Action
January 26, 2016
The third DLC pack included in the Season Pass for Battlefield Hardline - a first-person shooter developed by Visceral Games and released in early 2015. Getaway brings neither changes to the gameplay mechanics, nor expanded content to the single player campaign. Instead, just as the two previous add-ons, it focuses on new multiplayer content. The main course are the four new maps: Pacific Highway, Double Cross, Train Dodge, and Diversion. The DLC also includes three new firearms for the Mechanic as well as one new melee weapon, a new gadget, four vehicles, and four legendary weapon camos. Another attraction is a brand new game mode called Capture the Bag, in which bandits try to get away with a bag full of stolen goods, and the police forces have to retrieve it.
DarkMaus
Action
January 26, 2016
A 2D action RPG in the fantasy convention from the independent developer Daniel Wright, featuring a classic view from above. DarkMaus’ story takes place in a land inhabited by humanoid rodents and other intelligent animals. The player takes control over a lone mouse warrior, traversing the world corrupted by darkness in search of anything worth saving. Gameplay focuses on exploration and fights with various monsters, offering arcade, but relatively slow-paced battles. Players are given classic character progression system and a wide array of equipment, including many types of weapons and spells. The game presents a quite high difficulty level, with the proper choice of equipment and tactics playing crucial role, along with dodging and blocking, which are often more important than reckless offensive actions.
Rocketbirds 2: Evolution
Action
January 26, 2016
A sequel to the two-dimensional platform game released by Ratloop Asia in 2011. The story of Rocketbirds 2: Evolution takes place once again in an alternative reality in which birds became the dominant species. During the game player assumes the role of agent Hardboiled Chicken, the protagonist of the previous entry in the series. Once again he is trying to stop the evil Putzki who is attempting to take over the world. Gameplay mechanics are similar as in the previous installment of the series. It is a classic 2D platform game that focuses mostly on shooting. The novelties added to the game include the expanded variety of weapons and a new Rescue Mode, in which up to four players (offline or online) are going together on a hostage rescue mission.
Level 22: Gary's Misadventure
Action
January 28, 2016
A comical sneaking game developed by French studio, Moving Player. The player becomes a typical white collar working for one of the big corporations. The protagonist, who is notoriously late to work, is given an ultimatum: if he's late one more time, he's fired. When the main character had once again overslept after a party night, the only way for him to avoid the consequences is to sneak into his workplace without anyone noticing. In Level 22: Gary’s Misadventure the player is tasked with getting through 22 floors of a skyscraper. Each of them full of security guards, cleaning crews, and coworkers. The gameplay focuses on hiding in various places and distracting people on the way. If needed, one can use more aggressive methods such as knocking someone out or spiking their drink with a strong laxative.
Call of Duty: Black Ops III - Awakening
Action
February 2, 2016
First of four planned DLC expansions for Call of Duty: Black Ops III, a first person shooter released in November 2015. The expansion, developed by the authors of the basic game at Treyarch studio, is quite similar to the DLCs released for the previous installments of the series. The main element of the add-on are the four brand new maps for the multiplayer mode – Skyjacked, Rise, Splash, and Gauntlet. In addition to that, an expansion called Awakening adds another chapter to the history presented in the cooperative zombie mini campaign. The new episode is called Der Eisendrachen, which in German means "the iron dragon".
Fortified
Action
February 6, 2016
Fortified is a pellet-proof shooter enriched with tower defense elements. The game is maintained in a retrofuturistic climate, moving us to an alternative version of the 1950s and casting in the role of people trying to stop the invasion of aliens on Earth. During the mission we have to repel waves of enemies, manually fighting with the help of a rich arsenal, as well as putting up defensive structures, traps and automatic watchtowers.
Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia
Action
February 9, 2016
The third installment in a 2.5D platform game series that exists as a spin-off to the Assassin’s Creed franchise. This time you visit the 1918 Russia, when two bloody revolutions lead to some radical changes in the government. The brutal Bolshevik rule ignites a civil war, while the never ending struggle between the Templars and the Assassins rages on in the background. Playing as Nikolai Orelov, you take care of the Brotherhood of the Assassins’ interests, completing a series of dangerous missions, whose general gameplay premises are no different than in the core Assassin’s Creed games. However, because of the unusual perspective, the game requires even more tactical approach and careful planning of your next step.
Dying Light: The Following
Action
February 9, 2016
The first official expansion to a survival action game made by Polish studio Techland in 2015. The add-on is set after the events presented in the base game, and take you to the suburbs of Harran city. Playing as Kyle Crane, a character known from the original, you have to infiltrate a camp of a cult, whose members are immune to zombie bites and can use the monsters to their own means. Driven by the goal of finally getting rid of the plague, the protagonist has to undertake a series of missions to gain the trust of the locals and learn their secrets. Gameplay mechanics remain unchanged, although the add-on is set in a notably vast location (bigger than all maps from the base game combined), across which you can move around in a dune buggy. The creators also decided to give players more freedom when it comes to story-related missions.
Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Trilogy
Action
February 9, 2016
Compilation of three Assassin's Creed series spin-offs, realized in the form of 2.5D platformers. The action of individual productions takes place in different historical realities - in each game, however, a sneaky approach to the game is rewarded, and as a result, the silent elimination of opponents or sneaking behind their backs. The strong point of the titles included in the set is the graphic design, whose high quality is guaranteed by the UbiArt Framework technology.
Prospekt
Action
February 12, 2016
A first-person shooter created by Richard Seabrooke, set in the world of Half-Life. Prospekt started as a fan-made modification that eventually, thanks to the help from Valve and the players' great interest in the game, became an independent commercial product . The story runs parallel to the events of Half-Life 2. When Gordon Freeman is in a need of assistance, his Vortigaunt allies decide to bring in a commando by the name of Adrian Shephard, a character known from Half-Life: Opposing Force. When it comes to gameplay mechanics, the game offers an experience similar to what Valve's other games accustomed the players to. During the gameplay, the player explores linear levels and fights encountered enemies. The game also features occasional puzzles. In contrast to the game's early, fan-made mod, form, it received an upgraded interface and lighting system, improved graphic elements, and a better enemy AI.
Attack on Titan: Wings of Freedom
Action
February 16, 2016
A third-person action game developed by experienced Japanese developer Omega Force (Dynasty Warriors, Samurai Warriors) and an adaption of highly popular anime TV series and manga, originally known as Shingeki no Kyojin. The plot is based on the comic books and takes us to grim, post-apocalyptic world, in which the remnants of humanity enclosed themselves in a series of towering walls after being nearly driven to extinction by gigantic Titans. Unlike the previous production based on the Attack on Titan franchise – a visual novel, which is a genre rather unpopular in western countries – this time we receive a pure action game, concentrating mainly on the fights themselves. The game implements high quality 3D visuals, which use the cel shading technology to emphasize comic origins of the game.
Devil Daggers
Action
February 18, 2016
A first-person shooter which casts the player in the role of a character sent to eternal damnation in hell. In the center, there is an arena where stigmatized souls fight hordes of demons and other devil spawn. The player eliminates subsequent waves of enemies, gains new weaponry and acquires new abilities during his fight for survival. The protagonist dies very often here, for the game is characterized by high difficulty level, thus the player is bound to start over numerous times. The player is given a weapon called the dagger, which is capable of shooting projectiles either in bursts or concentrated. The protagonist's movement was based on classic patterns - the game even features rocket jumps that appeared first in the Quake series. Devil Daggers offers retro visuals, resembling games released in mid 90s. Furthermore, the player can place their scores on the online leaderboards, where one can also view replays of other players' attempts.
Epic of Kings
Action
February 19, 2016
An action game set in fantasy world, developed for mobile devices by Dead Mage studio. The story of Epic of Kings takes place in Khunirath, a land that years ago witnessed a great war of gods. Players take role of one of the game’s protagonists, being forced to explore the world in search of work and new challenges. This time our character is dragged into a small conflict that turns out to be something more than that. The gameplay comes down to fighting duels, during which we do not control our hero directly, only using the attacks and skills through special gestures. This inconvenience is compensated by numerous QTE sections and a complex equipment system, allowing us to use tens of different types of weaponry. The game also offers attractive three-dimensional visuals, powered by Unreal Engine 3.
Mental Hospital IV
Action
February 21, 2016
The fourth installment in the series of mobile survival horrors developed by AGaming+ studio. All entries in the series are connected by the eponymous mental institution. Mental Hospital IV continues the story presented in the previous game, but knowledge of the events that occurred there isn’t required. In the game the player once again assumes the role of the journalist known from Mental Hospital III who is trying to solve the riddle of the mysterious events that took place in the Saint Peter’s hospital. He goes to an equally dark place, the Saint Maria’s Orphanage, where he intends to meet with an anonymous informant. The gameplay mechanics haven’t changed greatly in comparison to previous installment of the series. The player is tasked with exploring locations and avoiding contact with enemies. The protagonist is not able to fight the enemies, when he is noticed by them he can only escape. In comparison to previous installments in the series, adventure aspects of the game were greatly improved and enriched with simple puzzles.
Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2
Action
February 23, 2016
A sequel to the unconventional, multiplayer action game developed under the aegis of Electronic Arts Corporation by PopCap Games - a studio which until then specialized in casual games. The story of the game once again focuses on the rivalry between plants and zombies. This time, the player is tasked with reclaiming a small city called Suburbia from the hands of living dead. The gameplay of Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 is similar to the one from the first installment in the series and focuses mostly on multiplayer modes. The player can choose from more than hundred “heroes”, possessing different weapons and special abilities. Among them are both the heroes known from the first game, as well as completely new ones (it is also possible to import your favorite characters from the previous game). Frostbite engine, known from such AAA games as Battlefield or Need for Speed, is responsible for the high quality of the game's visual aspects.
Far Cry Primal
Action
February 23, 2016
A spin-off to the first person open world action game series launched by Ubisoft in 2004. Far Cry Primal strands significantly from the previous entries in the franchise, taking us back in time to the year circa 10 thousand B.C. We play as hunter named Trakkar, whose tribe has been slaughtered and who find himself in the dangerous land of Oros, where humans are nothing more than prey for prehistoric beasts. One of the most important features of the game is survival; we explore the world while completing quests, hunting various creatures, crafting useful items and learning new skills. Unlike in the main installments in the series, our hero obviously won’t find any guns in his inventory - only primitive weapons like spears, clubs, and bows. The lack of vehicles is compensated by the possibility of riding different animals.
The Flame in the Flood
Action
February 24, 2016
A post-apocalyptic survival action game created by The Molasses Flood, an indie developer studio that hires several industry veterans who previously worked on such titles as BioShock, Halo, or Guitar Hero. The game’s protagonist is a woman named Scout, who, together with her dog, follows a long river in search of a rescue awaiting at the river’s far end. The game’s world is inspired by typical American landscapes, such as national parks, the Mississippi Delta, or Bayou. In order to survive, you have to acquire food and look out for the protagonist’s health. If she suffers injuries, you have to treat her with bandages and herbs; spending some time in a shelter, where the character can rest and regain strength, would also be a good idea. Gameplay is supplemented with a crafting system, allowing you to combine the items you find into useful tools. The game features atmospheric, cartoonish graphics, and soundtrack composed by highly regarded alternative musician Chuck Regan.
Reagan Gorbachev
Action
February 24, 2016
A humorous top-down shooter created by the independent developer team at Team2Bit. The action takes place in 1986 when a mysterious organization kidnaps the leaders of the world's two main superpowers: Reagan and Gorbachev. With both the world peace and themselves being at risk, the two presidents have to put aside their differences and join forces, for only cooperation will allow them to escape and prevent a nuclear apocalypse. The gameplay mechanics are inspired by classic top-down shooters. The players’(playing either solo or in cooperation mode) task is to break through maps that are full of foes. Since the protagonists are not bulletproof, the key to success is to devise and apply an adequate strategy instead of mindlessly emptying the clips of their weapons. Reagan Gorbachev is supplemented with stealth sequences, and each level is designed in a way that allows the player(s) to complete it both the old-fashioned way and stealthily.