Summary
- Some games prioritize gameplay over story, offering fun and exciting experiences like Sunset Overdrive.
- Helldivers 2 and Titanfall 2 focus on action-packed gameplay, delivering cinematic chaos and thrilling mobility in battles.
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice sets a high standard for challenging deflection mechanics, emphasizing precision and mastery in swordplay.
Video games are designed with many different intentions and focuses. Some opt for a more story-driven route with great narratives and writing, while others go the other direction and put all their energy into the gameplay itself to create a fun and exciting experience without needing anything else to tie it together.
Many games use story as a loose thread or motivator for what the player is doing, and there are plenty of games that use that philosophy to push the gameplay to its limits and truly defy all expectations. For those looking to dive in, here are some of the best games that are all about gameplay.
8 Sunset Overdrive
A Vibrant Open-World That Never Takes Itself Seriously
Sunset Overdrive
- Released
- October 28, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Insomniac Games
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter, Open-World
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Sunset Overdrive is a hilarious and super-fun open-world game that has no regard for seriousness whatsoever. Set in a city overrun with zombie-like creatures thanks to an energy drink gone wrong, players skate, bounce, and glide across the skyline, grabbing collectibles and shooting anything that gets too close.
The story itself is never the real focus, as with such an intense and adrenaline-filled ride ahead of them, players will be far more interested in styling on their enemies and unlocking ridiculous weapon combos to decimate the hordes with both finesse and style.
7 Helldivers 2
Cinematic Insanity Throughout Every Mission
Helldivers 2
- Released
- February 8, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Arrowhead Game Studios, Nixxes
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter, Extraction Shooter, Action, Science Fiction
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Helldivers 2 takes the concept of interplanetary warfare and thrusts players straight onto the battlefield, fighting together against bugs, aliens, and robots across dozens of different planets. Each sector around the Earth is broken up into segments, containing planets with different missions and enemy types to take on, all providing unique challenges and rewards for players of any kind.
There is no narrative restricting players or even any specific NPCs to draw their attention away from the fight, ensuring that every moment feels just as exciting as the last. With explosions firing in all directions and enemies approaching from all sides, it doesn't take long before mayhem ensues, and it is up to the player to use their arsenal of airstrikes and automatic turrets to fight back and defend Super Earth at all costs.
6 Devil May Cry 5
Style And Comedy All In One
Devil May Cry 5
- Released
- March 8, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Partial Nudity, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Genre(s)
- Action
- Platform(s)
- PS4, Xbox One, PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
The Devil May Cry series has always been known for its ridiculous gameplay and wacky storylines, and the fifth installment is no different. Dante is back and ready to kill some demons once again, this time with even more weapons and combo potential but all the same speed and style as before.
Best Feel-Good Games
These wholesome games encourage positivity and seeing the world for the best that it can be, even in the face of darkness.
The gameplay feels so natural, and even though some fights can get pretty tough towards the later stages, it never stops feeling fun. The overarching narrative is a nice way of keeping things tidy, yet the sequences still remain absurd at all times, ensuring maximum adrenaline and excitement no matter what.
5 Titanfall 2
The Gold Standard For Mobility Shooters
Titanfall 2
- Released
- October 28, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Respawn Entertainment
- Genre(s)
- FPS
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Titanfall 2 is easily one of the best FPS games out there. It brings with it so much action and gives players all the tools they need to push the movement and gunplay to their limits, both in and out of the Titans. Despite the name, running around as a pilot can be just as fun, if not more enjoyable at times, as players can zip around the map with a variety of movement skills to outwit their opponents and get the upper hand.
The momentum never really stops, and the same goes for the campaign, where even though there is a story to follow through each mission, it is hard not to get distracted by the awesome gameplay and explosive action that coats every moment of the game.
4 DOOM: The Dark Ages
Just As Brutal As Ever
DOOM: The Dark Ages
- Released
- May 15, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence
- Developer(s)
- id Software
- Genre(s)
- FPS, Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PlayStation 5
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
DOOM: The Dark Ages keeps the modern DOOM series going by shifting settings to a gritty medieval world full of iconic demons with equally iconic weapons that players can use to take them out. The game is broken up into missions, which are woven together with narrative cutscenes that bring in a nice sense of direction to the gameplay, but the actual fighting really takes center stage.
From giant mechs to mechanically-enhanced dragons, there is never a dull moment, and players are given every method possible to deal as much destruction and wreak as much havoc as they possibly can. The new shield mechanics combined with the old-school weapons like the shotgun turn Doomslayer into a dashing powerhouse that closes gaps and tears through anything that gets too close in a matter of seconds, delivering a power fantasy of hellish proportions.
3 Marvel's Spider-Man 2
Web-Swinging Goodness From Start To Finish
Marvel's Spider-Man 2
- Released
- October 20, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Blood, Drug Reference, Mild Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Insomniac Games
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action-Adventure, Superhero
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Spider-Man 2 maintains all the same action and fluidity of the first game and brings in plenty of new tricks to spice things up in unexpected ways. The ability to play as Miles Morales adds another layer of complexity to certain encounters, as no two missions are truly the same, but every single one feels like an action sequence straight out of a Marvel movie.
Exploration-Heavy Games With Great Gameplay
These incredible video games not only showcase vast and complicated environments to explore, but they also deliver great gameplay to match.
The real joy comes from the free roam and the movement around the map. The ability to swing around and fly through the air at incredible speeds is also truly awesome, and the way it transitions effortlessly into combat allows every moment to deliver on the gameplay first philosophy in the best way possible.
2 Hades
Stylized Action Against The Gods
Hades
- Released
- September 17, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Alcohol Reference, Blood, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Supergiant Games
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Roguelite
- Platform(s)
- PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Switch, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Hades has stood at the top of the roguelike genre for many years now, and it is clear to see why. Diving straight into the underworld, players fight fire with fire, dashing across the screen at high speed and dispatching progressively more challenging foes as they get closer and closer to taking on the final boss.
The real fun comes from the ability to choose between several starting weapons that all have very distinctive playstyles, combined with traditional roguelike mechanics that allow players to grow stronger throughout the run in interesting ways aside from simple stat buffs. The intensity never slows down, and players are encouraged to push their limits as much as possible against smaller foes and the bosses themselves.
1 Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
The Definition Of Deflection Perfection
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
- Released
- March 22, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Violence
- Developer(s)
- From Software
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Sekiro is the new gold standard for parry mechanics in gaming, delivering a satisfying and challenging deflection journey to test even seasoned Soulslike players. Everything revolves around the swordplay, as the upgrade mechanics have been streamlined, which allows players to focus entirely on learning and mastering the absurd precision required to succeed.
As players progress, they are given more tools to combat specific attack types, with every skill being a valuable tool that can be used in nearly every single fight. The story is great, but it has all the same FromSoftware tendencies to keep things ambiguous, allowing the gameplay to really steal the show, demonstrating a level of perfection that is still yet to be matched.
Best Story-Driven Games With Great Gameplay
It's not easy to find a game that marries a focus on storytelling with stellar gameplay, but these video games do a fine job of it.