God of War 2018
Why it still holds upThe combat still carries it today, with the axe thrown and called back while a second fighter works beside you, so each fight has several things going on at once.
2010s action games that still hold up
Brawling, fighting, and never quite standing still
Games
God of War 2018
Why it still holds upThe combat still carries it today, with the axe thrown and called back while a second fighter works beside you, so each fight has several things going on at once.
NieR: Automata 2017
Why it still holds upIts tone and its music carry it today: the world is heavy and unusual, and its environments are lush.
Batman: Arkham City 2011
Why it still holds upEach enemy type asks for a different answer and gliding between fights keeps the pace up, which keeps it worth playing today.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2018
Why it still holds upCrossing the city by web is still fun before you do anything else in it, which is the reason to play it now.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate 2018
Why it still holds upEvery fighter from the earlier games is there and rulesets can be saved, so it still offers more than one way to play today.
God of War III 2010
Why it still holds upToday it still offers combat built on chained combos and weapon switching, on a very large scale.
Batman: Arkham Knight 2015
Why it still holds upCombat of counters and takedowns, in a city crossed by gliding and grappling, is still the draw today.
Yakuza 0 2015
Why it still holds upIt is worth playing now for a dense, hand built city where serious crime drama sits beside absurd comic side stories, in a prequel that needs no earlier game.
Cuphead 2017
Why it still holds upBoss fights built on learning patterns, in that style, are still the reason to play it today.
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth 2014
Why it still holds upItem combinations that differ every run, from a large library to unlock, keep giving it new runs today.
Bayonetta 2 2014
Why it still holds upFast combat built on dodging and combos, with varied set pieces and challenge portals, is the reason to play it now.
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice 2017
Why it still holds upPlay it now for sound that places voices around you and visuals that distort to convey the character's state.
Hotline Miami 2012
Why it still holds upWith one hit deaths, doors, sight lines and scarce ammo, each room becomes an almost puzzle like problem, and that still makes it fun to replay.
Monster Hunter: World 2018
Why it still holds upA hunt is a loop of tracking, fighting and crafting in living ecosystems, and that loop still carries the game today.
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U 2014
Why it still holds upSimple rules, flat stages on request and the controller each player prefers still let any group play together today.
Devil May Cry 5 2019
Why it still holds upA style rating that rewards varied play, and three characters with different mechanics, still keep the same arenas from feeling the same today.
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate 2014
Why it still holds upHunts built on learning a monster's patterns and committing to each attack still reward patience today.
Dragon Ball FighterZ 2018
Why it still holds upOne button attacks are part of real combat, basic combos are easy to land and advanced combos take practice, and shared basic inputs across the roster still let new players start without long tutorials today.
Duck Game 2014
Why it still holds upOne hit kills and simple controls still let a round be learned in seconds today, so it is quick to start.
Mortal Kombat 11 2019
Why it still holds upEven now, slower movement and fixed inputs for every character make each match a matter of careful positioning.
Mortal Kombat 2011
Why it still holds upA meter you build by blocking as well as attacking still makes every round a choice between spending now and saving for an X-ray.
Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus R 2012
Why it still holds upReading your opponent is the contest today, as throws can be broken and a parry shortens block stun.
Lethal League Blaze 2018
Why it still holds upA ball that keeps speeding up, and a match that ends when only one player is left, make each rally a test of nerve today.
Pac-Man: Championship Edition DX 2010
Why it still holds upA speed that climbs with your score still builds every run toward a frantic finish today.
Sleeping Dogs 2012
Why it still holds upFights and chases set in a city you can roam between missions still keep it worth playing today.
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life 2016
Why it still holds upThe open world still has things to do between fights, from a hunger gauge that limits how much you can eat to arcade cabinets in the city.
Dead or Alive 5 Last Round 2015
Why it still holds upEvery exchange is a guess against your opponent, since each option in the interruption triangle beats one other, which keeps it worth playing today.
N++ 2015
Why it still holds upWith every jump shaped by speed and slope, each level is still a small physics problem today.
Velocity 2X 2014
Why it still holds upEach level still has two ways to move, with a ship that teleports and ground sections between flights.
Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate 2011
Why it still holds upEquipment made from the monsters you hunt, and a village that grows from the same spoils, still give every hunt a use beyond itself.
Infamous 2 2011
Why it still holds upMoving through the city with the same powers you fight with ties traversal and combat together, as it still does.
Resogun 2013
Why it still holds upRescues that sit beside the shooting still add a choice about risk to every level today.
Yoku's Island Express 2018
Why it still holds upGetting around the island is still fun, because a hero who cannot jump has to use flippers, bumpers and ramps, and every route is worked out with the ball.
Yakuza 4 2010
Why it still holds upToday, a city full of side activities gives the story somewhere to stop and play.
BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma Extend 2014
Why it still holds upA roster that grew by nine characters and a reworked Overdrive system still give you plenty to learn.
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown 2019
Why it still holds upWeather still has a part in every mission, because clouds hide targets and ice your wings.
Guilty Gear Xrd: Revelator 2015
Why it still holds upA burst you save and a tension gauge you build still make each round a matter of when to commit.
Nier Replicant 2010
Why it still holds upA camera that changes the kind of game it shows, from room to room and fight to fight, still keeps it from settling into one style.
God of War: Ghost of Sparta 2010
Why it still holds upCombat, climbing and puzzles that keep taking turns still keep the pace changing today.
Injustice 2 2017
Why it still holds upGear dropped after every match raises each fighter's stats, so every character is something you build up over time, which still gives you a reason to stay with one.
Shadow Fight 2 2014
Why it still holds upThe silhouette still reads at a glance, one demon at a time.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle 2013
Why it still holds upYou still have plenty of ways to play, since the Styles change what each fighter can do.
Tales of Graces f 2010
Why it still holds upFast and flexible fights are an easy reason to return now.
Crimzon Clover: World Ignition 2011
Why it still holds upEven now, the lock on turns a screen packed with bullets and enemies into targets to choose, and the clutter becomes something to read and plan around.
Titan Quest Anniversary Edition 2016
Why it still holds upA long quest through the ancient world is still open to anyone who wants an action role-playing game with that setting.
BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle 2018
Why it still holds upWith the same simple options across the roster, a new character costs little to learn, which still makes the whole mixed cast easy to try.
Killer Instinct 2013
Why it still holds upCombos that can always be broken, and breaks that can be countered, still keep a match changing hands today.
Open cities, fighting game rosters, giant monsters to hunt and short runs built to be restarted all sit together here. Which one suits you depends on how much of an evening you want to give it.