Games are meant to engage. They keep players interested in the happenings onscreen. Even by that metric, though, some titles go above and beyond. Certain games are positively dripping with energy—enough to wake anyone up. Of course, numerous factors go into creating that pep.
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They can stem from sound design, visuals, gameplay, or general atmosphere. However they achieve it, these titles all have that special something that pulls players back from the brink of sleep. Aside from being a great cure for drowsiness, they're just plain fun to play.
6 Asura's Wrath
- Developer: CyberConnect2
- Platform: PS3, Xbox 360
Here's the perfect storm of adrenaline. Asura's Wrath regularly involves toppling gods in colossal battles. The sheer scale gives God of War a run for its money, as the conflicts usually transcend the planet itself. Some might think that massive scope slows the game down.
On the contrary, Asura's Wrath is like a Shonen anime on both speed and steroids. Punches come at a mile a minute; the fighters show off titanic feats of strength. What's more, is that they do this while screaming with rage. These elements bring Dragon Ball to mind, but they're somehow more insane. With such flashy energy onscreen, fans can't help but get swept up in the excitement. If anything, it's hard to calm down afterward.
5 The Batman: Arkham Series
- Developer: Rocksteady, WB Montreal
- Platform: PS3, Xbox 360, PS4, Xbox One, PC
Superhero games (when done right) are exhilarating, but the Batman: Arkham series is a step beyond. That exhilaration lies in its freeflow combat. The system forces players to maintain their momentum, leaping between adversaries and countering when needed. Once Batman eventually takes them down, he does so with a painful blow and deafening crash. Each one is absolutely bone-crushing without spilling a drop of blood. Sure, the Dark Knight may not kill, but traumatic injury is definitely on the table.
Arkham Knight throws in a heap of jump scares on top of that. Said scares come courtesy of Scarecrow's fear gas. When the hallucinogen mixes with blood toxicity, Batman starts seeing the Joker wherever he goes. The Clown Prince of Crime constantly pops up and makes a tasteless retort. This makes fans laugh, but it also startles them.
The Man-Bat mission takes the latter and runs with it. Batman is gliding and grappling around Gotham City when this horrific hybrid suddenly shows up, unleashing a piercing screech right in his face. The rival rodent strikes fear into fans' hearts the same way that the Caped Crusader does to criminals. From then on, players wonder what else lurks on the rooftops. The greatest mystery is how Batman can remain so stone-faced.
4 Cuphead
- Developer: Studio MDHR
- Platform: PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
One of the most infamous indie titles of recent memory, Cuphead is bursting with mischievous energy. The hand-drawn animation, straight out of the 1940s, permeates every screen. Players always have something interesting to look at, which is good since the game cuts them no breaks.
Cuphead derives its infamy from its difficulty. The cartoonish chaos means it's incredibly hard. Players must dodge, shoot, jump, and parry. What's more is they must do so in nearly perfect succession. Nowhere is safe for long. Losing concentration for a second means certain death.
3 The Rabbids Series
- Developer: Ubisoft
- Platform: PS2, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Wii, Switch, PC
Essentially the Minions of gaming, the Rabbids debuted in the Rayman series as intentionally obnoxious rodents. Their designs are akin to an off-kilter cartoon, making them ugly in a truly fascinating fashion. Players want to look away, but they just can't. Granted, that's partially because of the noises these creatures make. The Rabbids randomly let out a nasal yell which sounds like someone strangling Daffy Duck. Anyone drifting off will snap awake. If not, at least they can enjoy all the horrific ways to whack the Rabbids.
A big part of these party titles is slapstick. Players do the most demented things to these abominations. These methods include shooting them with plungers, pulling their teeth, or blasting them into oblivion. The shock value is matched only by the sheer satisfaction.
2 The Yakuza Series
- Developer: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
- Platform: PS2, PS3, PS4, PS5, Wii U, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Despite lengthy cutscenes conveying complex stories, Yakuza (or Like a Dragon) boasts plenty of flash to match its substance. These Japanese gangsters inevitably come to blows, and it's here where the action ramps up. The choreography, camerawork, and sound effects could give Batman a run for his money. The characters use specialized "Heat Actions" to slam enemies into walls, drag them along the pavement, kick knives into their guts, or dispatch them in some other painful way. It's enough to make even the most jaded players wince. That's to say nothing of the stuff outside the main narrative.
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Yakuza has some of the weirdest side quests in gaming. The problems plaguing these poor souls are unorthodox, to say the least. One minute, players may need to distract a crowd so that a street performer can use the restroom and another they might give a dominatrix advice on how to "punish" her clients. No problem is off the table. Plus, because the developers densely pack these tasks into a small sandbox, fans can't go five feet without encountering them. However, even if this wasn't the case, players would want to see more through morbid curiosity.
1 Prey
- Developer: Arkane Austin
- Platform: PS4, Xbox One, PC
It stands to reason that a horror game would make the list. Many titles within this genre keep players on their toes, but Prey is specifically designed toward that end. The premise is that inanimate objects can turn into monsters. It's easy to see where that leads.
Prey paves the way for endless jump scares. Anything can leap out and attack the player. At least other horror games telegraph their jump scares to an extent. Fans get no such warning with Prey. As such, they're never at ease. Danger literally lurks around every corner.