The Greatest Action Video Games of All Time
by nightmuffin937 | created - 21 Oct 2017 | updated - 21 Oct 2017 | PublicMy List of The Greatest Action Video Games of All Time. One game per franchise
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- Movies or TV
- IMDb Rating
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1. Metal Gear Solid (1998 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Drama
A crack government anti-terrorist squad takes over an obscure Alaskan nuclear disposal facility. Solid Snake is up for the task to infiltrate the facility, rescue the two hostages and thwart the terrorists' plans.
Director: Hideo Kojima | Stars: David Hayter, Patric Zimmerman, Peter Lurie, Akio Ôtsuka
Votes: 12,818
2. Max Payne (2001 Video Game)
M | Action, Crime, Drama
A troubled NYPD cop is framed for murder and finds himself being hunted by the police, the mob, and a ruthless corporation.
Stars: Sam Lake, James McCaffrey, Tuuli Reijonen, Haviland Morris
Votes: 16,269
3. Doom (2016 Video Game)
M | Action, Fantasy, Horror
On Mars, a massive research facility tapping energy from hell has been overwhelmed by demonic forces. As the last DOOM Slayer, you have been resurrected to do one thing: to cleanse this world and send them back to where they came from.
Director: Marty Stratton | Stars: Darin De Paul, Kevin Schon, Abby Craden, Bumper Robinson
Votes: 7,237
4. Ninja Gaiden II (2008 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Ryu Hayabusa hunts down the Greater Fiends who threaten to destroy the world by unleashing the Archfiend.
Directors: Katsunori Ehara, Tomonobu Itagaki, Hiroaki Matsui | Stars: Josh Keaton, Kari Wahlgren, Keone Young, Neil Kaplan
Votes: 488
5. Halo 3 (2007 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Master Chief and the Arbiter must join together to attack the Covenant and destroy the Flood.
Stars: Tim Dadabo, Keith David, Steve Downes, Jen Taylor
Votes: 12,856
6. Perfect Dark (I) (2000 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
A female spy named Joanna Dark who received the highest grade ever from her spy training at Carrington Institute is sent to rescue a Doctor Caroll who sent a distress call to Carrington a few days before.
Director: Martin Hollis | Stars: Eveline Fischer, Chris Sutherland, Chris Seavor, John Silke
Votes: 1,637
7. Resident Evil 4 (2005 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Horror
Six years after the events in Raccoon City, Leon Kennedy, now a federal agent, is sent to a rural part of Spain to rescue the U.S. President's kidnapped daughter, Ashley Graham from a sinister cult.
Directors: Shinji Mikami, Kuniomi Matsushita | Stars: Paul Mercier, Carolyn Lawrence, Rino Romano, Salli Saffioti
Votes: 15,234
8. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (2009 Video Game)
T | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
After being tracked down by Harry Flynn, Nathan Drake goes on a quest for Marco Polo's lost fleet. However when things take an unexpected turn for the worst, Drake must rely on those closest to him in order to find the Cintomani Stone.
Directors: Amy Hennig, Bruce Straley | Stars: Nolan North, Emily Rose, Claudia Black, Richard McGonagle
Votes: 28,220
9. Final Fantasy VII (1997 Video Game)
T | Action, Adventure, Drama
A former soldier from an evil company joins a mercenary clan to fight the company he once served.
Directors: Yoshinori Kitase, Yasushi Matsumura, Masato Yagi
Votes: 11,326
10. Call of Duty: Black Ops (2010 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Horror
Former Marine Captain and CIA operative Alex Mason, upon interrogation by an unknown party, recounts his violent experiences with the Bay of Pigs, a radical Soviet conspiracy, and the Vietnam war.
Director: Dave Anthony | Stars: James C. Burns, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Ice Cube, Ed Harris
Votes: 21,276
11. Tomb Raider: Legend (2006 Video Game)
T | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Lara Croft searches for the mythical sword Excalibur, racing across the world against her presumed dead friend.
Stars: Keeley Hawes, Alex Désert, Greg Ellis, Alan Shearman
Votes: 2,572
12. Gears of War 3 (2011 Video Game)
M | Action, Sci-Fi, War
With survivors scattered and civilization in ruins, time is running out for Sergeant Marcus Fenix and his Delta Squad.
Stars: John DiMaggio, Carlos Ferro, Fred Tatasciore, Lester Speight
Votes: 5,078
13. Red Dead Redemption (2010 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Crime
A former outlaw is forced by the federal government to hunt down the members of his old gang.
Stars: Rob Wiethoff, Josh Blaylock, Sophia Marzocchi, Spider Madison
Votes: 30,439
14. GoldenEye 007 (1997 Video Game)
T | Action, Adventure, Thriller
James Bond must track down agent-turned-terrorist Alec Trevelyan to stop the launch of a powerful satellite. Play the game that set the stage for the First-person shooter genre on the console.
Director: Martin Hollis | Stars: Kevin Bayliss, Ken Lobb, Scott Hochberg
Votes: 6,063
15. Killzone 2 (2009 Video Game)
M | Action, Sci-Fi, War
Two years after the Helghast assault on Vekta, the ISA launched an assault on the enemy's home world of Helghan. The ISA goal is to capture the Helghast leader, Emperor Visari, and bring the Helghast war machine to a halt.
Directors: Mathijs de Jonge, Jonathan Kray | Stars: Demetri Goritsas, Charles Everett, Ryan McCluskey, Noah Lee Margetts
Votes: 2,050
16. Grand Theft Auto V (2013 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Comedy
Three very different criminals team up for a series of heists and walk into some of the most thrilling experiences in the corrupt city of Los Santos.
Stars: Shawn Fonteno, Ned Luke, Steven Ogg, Gerald 'Slink' Johnson
Votes: 71,596
17. Half-Life 2 (2004 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Dr. Freeman is taken out of stasis by his "employer" to help rid the planet of invading aliens forces known as the Combine that entered through the portals he helped create.
Director: David Speyrer | Stars: Robert Guillaume, Robert Culp, Louis Gossett Jr., Michelle Forbes
Votes: 17,536
18. Darkwatch: Curse of the West (2005 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
A vampiric frontiersman sets out on a path of violence against evil forces that plague the old west.
Director: Mo Davoudian | Stars: Jennifer Hale, Rose McGowan, Michael Bell, Keith Szarabajka
Votes: 297
19. Batman: Arkham City (2011 Video Game)
T | Action, Crime, Mystery
When part of Gotham is turned into a private reserve for criminals known as Arkham City, all hell is sure to break loose, and the Dark Knight is the only one who can stop it.
Director: Sefton Hill | Stars: Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, David Kaye, Carlos Alazraqui
Votes: 34,825
20. Syphon Filter 2 (2000 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Mystery
The sequel to Syphon Filter (1999) takes place right after the first one. The Agency has apparently betrayed Gabe Logan and framed him for the Khazakstani ICBM missile launch containing the Syphon Filter virus that was destroyed by him.
Stars: John Chacon, Zoe Galvez, Shannon Tilton, Peter Kepler
Votes: 617
21. Super Metroid (1994 Video Game)
E | Action, Adventure, Mystery
Samus Aran returns to the brooding planet Zebes to recover the last metroid from the Space Pirates.
Director: Yoshio Sakamoto | Stars: Kenji Yamamoto, Dan Owsen
Votes: 2,351
22. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (2006 Video Game)
T | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Link, a young man from a small farming village, finds Hyrule is being consumed by an otherworldly twilight. Guided by a strange pixie named Midna, he endeavors to return light to the land and confront the usurper king Zant.
Director: Eiji Aonuma | Stars: Akira Sasanuma, Akiko Kômoto, Hironori Miyata, Junji Kitajima
Votes: 5,476
23. Super Contra (1987 Video Game)
Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
One year after the events of Contra, the aliens return and invade an allied base. Bill and Lance are not only fighting their mortal enemy Red Falcon, they must now face off against their former comrades.
Director: Hideyuki Tsujimoto
Votes: 312
24. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (2010 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Comedy
Bravo 2 are back, and are wanting to go home more than ever.
Directors: Patrick Bach, Tobias Falk, Lars Gustavsson | Stars: David Menkin, Bruce Lester-Johnson, Nigel Whitmey, Richard Lynson
Votes: 4,655
25. Stranglehold (2007 Video Game)
M | Action, Crime, Thriller
A third-person video game set in Hong Kong and Chicago where a tough cop battles the mob.
Directors: Brian Eddy, John Woo, Martin Stoltz | Stars: Chow Yun-Fat, Rio Ahn, Henry Milton Chu, Jeremy Dunn
Votes: 2,021
26. TimeSplitters 2 (2002 Video Game)
T | Action, Adventure, Mystery
In 2401, humanity is at war with relentless aliens, TimeSplitters. Space marines Cortez and Hart travel through time to stop the aliens in various spots, including Wild West, zombie-infested Gothic church and Blade Runner-esque future.
Directors: David Doak, Stephen Ellis | Stars: Heidi Andrews, June Andrews, Kevin Bullock, Michelle Bullock
Votes: 844
27. Cuphead (2017 Video Game)
E | Action, Adventure, Comedy
An anthropomorphic cup embarks on a journey and fights a series of bosses to repay a debt to the devil.
Directors: Chad Moldenhauer, Jared Moldenhauer | Stars: Luke de Ayora, Denise Hatton, Alana Bridgewater, Luke Hatton
Votes: 3,749
28. Strider (2014 Video Game)
E10+ | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Help Strider (Hiryu) end the Grandmaster Meio's invasion in this fun and adventurous game.
Director: Lani Minella | Stars: Moriah Angeline, John Bautista, Marc Biagi, Erik Braa
Votes: 127
29. Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse (1989 Video Game)
E | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
In this prequel to Castlevania (1986), Simon Belmont's ancestor Trevor Belmont takes up the cause of defeating Dracula with the help of three others, including Dracula's own son, Alucard.
Director: Hitoshi Akamatsu
Votes: 615
30. Dead Rising 2: Off the Record (2011 Video Game)
M | Action, Horror, Thriller
After surviving the Dead Rising zombie outbreak, Frank West quickly became a bit of a celebrity and is given his own talk show. But like many celebrities, he squanders his opportunities and soon finds that his fifteen minutes are up.
Director: Yoshinori Kawano | Stars: Terence J. Rotolo, Robyn Ross, Benita Ha, Daren A. Herbert
Votes: 553
31. Freedom Fighters (2003 Video Game)
T | Action, Thriller, War
In an alternate present, a vigilante named Chris Stone works to return New York City to its people as the Soviet Union continue their conquest for global rule.
Stars: David Thomas, Drew Massey, Henry Dittman, Brigitte Burdine
Votes: 762
32. Urban Chaos: Riot Response (2006 Video Game)
M | Action, Crime
Nick Mason, a elite police officer that has the job of clearing crazy rioters of the streets of New York City.
Stars: Tom Clarke Hill, Noah Lee Margetts, Eric Meyers, William Roberts
Votes: 147
33. Time Crisis (1995 Video Game)
T | Action, Adventure, Romance
A coup has ended the tyrannical regime of the Garo family, leading to the election of a new president. However, the last member of the Garo family kidnaps President MacPherson's daughter, demanding top military secrets for her life.
Stars: Ramsay Scott, Michael Guinn, Lynn Harris
Votes: 267
34. Gunstar Heroes (1993 Video Game)
GA | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
The Gunstar family are the protectors of the planet Gunstar 9, After many years of peace, vicious dictator Colonel Red kidnapped the Gunstar twins' older brother and used mind control to make him his slave.
Votes: 206
35. Metal Slug 3 (2000 Video Game)
T | Action
After peace is returning to the world, the 4 main characters of the PF SPARROWS squad are sent to combat different areas of the planet. However, little do they know that a returning threat is now on the cusp of taking over the world.
Votes: 535
36. Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven (2003 Video Game)
M | Action, Adventure, Drama
After Lord Mei-Oh was defeated, Rikimaru return to protect Three Jewels from Tenrai, an evil wizard.
Stars: Daniel Dae Kim, Quinton Flynn, Cam Clarke, Michelle Krusiec
Votes: 181
37. Jackie Chan Stuntmaster (2000 Video Game)
T | 270 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
Jackie works for his grandfather's courier service. After his grandfather is kidnapped along with a package by henchmen, working for an unknown boss, Jackie has to journey to areas of the city to find his grandfather and the package.
Stars: Jackie Chan, Paul Dobson, Kirby Morrow, Richard Side
Votes: 282
38. Wet (2009 Video Game)
M | Action, Crime
Female bounty hunter Rubi Malone faces off against a drug lord named Rupert Pelham.
Directors: Antoine Charreyron, Blade Zavier | Stars: Eliza Dushku, Malcolm McDowell, Alan Cumming, James Sie
Votes: 481
39. Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction (2005 Video Game)
T | Action, Adventure, Crime
Korea has become a war zone when the president is assumed dead and Song, a ruthless dictator, takes over. Suddenly, the Allied Nations, China, the Russian Mafia and South Korea are all engaged in the war.
Director: Cameron Brown | Stars: Peter Stormare, Jennifer Hale, Phil LaMarr, Amy Lee
Votes: 663
40. Dead to Rights (2002 Video Game)
M | Action, Crime, Thriller
Grant City, the hardest place on earth. You are Jack Slate, a hard nosed K-9 cop, reports to normal duty call at a construction yard, only to find out that his father has been murdered. He ... See full summary »
Directors: Andre Emerson, Michael P. Kennedy | Stars: Chris Bruno, Patrick Dollaghan, Rebecca Riedy, Steve Susskind
Votes: 252
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