2024 is officially nearing its end, which means it's almost time for the annual Game Awards ceremony. While the coveted Game of the Year award is the most desirable of them all, any developer would be happy to earn a "Best" award in any category at the 2024 Game Awards.
One such category is Best Action Game, which has some worthy contenders this year. One thing that stands out about this particular category in comparison to others is that each nominee has received a similar critical reception, thereby placing them on equal ground with one another as they vie for Best Action Game. That being said, there remains an argument for one game to be recognized as the Best Action Game at the 2024 Game Awards, which will be revealed on December 12 during the ceremony.
2024 Best Action Game Nominees
- Black Myth: Wukong
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
- Helldivers 2
- Stellar Blade
- Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2
The Game Awards 2024: Predicting the Best Fighting Game Winner
The Game Awards is approaching fast, and despite fighting games experiencing a renaissance in recent years, only one can become the champion in 2024.
Black Myth: Wukong
Game Science's Black Myth: Wukong has seemingly taken the world by storm, having been released to average reviews and yet still managing to garner a massive following — especially on Steam, where it maintains an Overwhelmingly Positive rating with over 700,000 reviews. In fact, Black Myth: Wukong's all-time peak of 2.4 million players on Steam makes it second only to PUBG: Battlegrounds. Nominated for 2024's illustrious Game of the Year award, Black Myth: Wukong features exciting, fast-paced, and often immensely challenging combat, despite refusing the Soulslike label. However, it currently sits at a Metacritic rating of only 81, putting it in the middle as far as 2024's best games go.
Black Myth: Wukong
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 82 /100 Critics Rec: 80%
- Released
- August 20, 2024
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Game Science
- Publisher(s)
- Game Science
WHERE TO PLAY
Black Myth: Wukong is an action RPG rooted in Chinese mythology and based on Journey to the West, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature.
You shall set out as the Destined One to venture into the challenges and marvels ahead, to uncover the obscured truth beneath the veil of a glorious legend from the past.
As the Destined One, you shall encounter powerful foes and worthy rivals throughout your journey. Fearlessly engage them in epic battles where surrender is not an option.
Aside from mastering various staff techniques, you can also freely combine different spells, abilities, weapons, and equipment to find the winning strategy that best suits your combat style.
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Unknown
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- How Long To Beat
- 39 hours
- PS Plus Availability
- N/A
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
After the somewhat disastrous release of 2023's Modern Warfare 3, Treyarch's Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 has proven to be a breath of fresh air. With a campaign that has been deemed by many to be one of the best in the series, and a return to form with two round-based Zombies maps packed with secrets to uncover, Black Ops 6 certainly stands tall, despite its multiplayer component leaning a bit more toward the average side of things. Black Ops 6's Metascore on Metacritic is currently sitting at 83, though its User Score is only a 6.8. Nevertheless, it's a worthy contender for Best Action Game in the 2024 Game Awards.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 83 /100 Critics Rec: 91%
- Released
- October 25, 2024
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Suggestive Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Developer(s)
- Treyarch, Raven Software
- Publisher(s)
- Activision
- Engine
- IW 9.0
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- Yes - PlayStation, Xbox, PC
WHERE TO PLAY
Forced to go rogue. Hunted from within. This is Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
Developed by Treyarch and Raven, Black Ops 6 is a spy action thriller set in the early 90s, a period of transition and upheaval in global politics, characterized by the end of the Cold War and the rise of the United States as a single superpower. With a mind-bending narrative, and unbound by the rules of engagement, this is signature Black Ops.
The Black Ops 6 Campaign provides dynamic moment-to-moment gameplay that includes a variety of play spaces with blockbuster set pieces and action-packed moments, high-stakes heists, and cloak-and-dagger spy activity.
In a best-in-class Multiplayer experience, players will test their skills across 16 new maps at launch, including 12 core 6v6 maps and 4 Strike maps that can be played 2v2 or 6v6.
Black Ops 6 also marks the epic return of Round-Based Zombies, the fan-favorite mode where players will take down hordes of the undead in two brand-new maps at launch. Post-launch, players can look forward to even more exciting maps and groundbreaking experiences dropping into both Multiplayer and Zombies.
- Cross Save
- Yes - PlayStation, Xbox, PC
- Prequel(s)
- Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, Call of Duty: Black Ops III, Call of Duty: Black Ops II, Call of Duty: Black Ops, Call of Duty: World at War
- Franchise
- Call of Duty
- Number of Players
- 1-4
- Split Screen Orientation
- Vertical or Horizontal
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Unknown
- PC Release Date
- October 25, 2024
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- October 25, 2024
- PS5 Release Date
- October 25, 2024
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC
- Genre(s)
- FPS
- How Long To Beat
- 8 Hours
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
- PS Plus Availability
- N/A
- File Size Xbox Series
- 216 GB (October 2024)
- Local Co-Op Support
- 1-2 Players
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Helldivers 2
Arrowhead Game Studios' Helldivers 2 was one of the biggest surprises of the year, seemingly coming out of nowhere and becoming a huge hit within weeks of its release. What made the success of Helldivers 2 truly stand out is the fact that it followed an "inverse decay curve" in popularity by garnering more players as time went on, as opposed to seeing an initial spike in its player counter that would eventually taper off. Unfortunately, since Helldivers 2 is a live-service game, the positive reception it once had has waned, as it has moved forward with lackluster updates and failed to hold the interest of gamers that it had initially. Regardless, it still belongs on the list of nominees for Best Action Game in 2024.
Helldivers 2
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 83 /100 Critics Rec: 91%
- Released
- February 8, 2024
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Arrowhead Game Studios, Nixxes
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Interactive Entertainment, PlayStation Publishing
WHERE TO PLAY
The Galaxy’s Last Line of Offence. Enlist in the Helldivers and join the fight for freedom across a hostile galaxy in a fast, frantic, and ferocious third-person shooter.
URGENT BROADCAST – SUPER EARTH ARMED FORCES
Freedom. Peace. Democracy. Your Super Earth-born rights. The key pillars of our civilization. Of our very existence. But the war rages on. And everything is once again under threat.
Join the greatest military force the galaxy has ever seen and make this a safe and free place to live.
BECOME A LEGEND
You will be assembled into squads of up to four Helldivers and assigned strategic missions. Watch each other’s back – friendly fire is an unfortunate certainty of war, but victory without teamwork is impossible.
LOADOUTS
Rain down freedom from above, sneak through enemy territory, or grit your teeth and charge head-first into the jaws of combat. How you deliver liberty is your choice; you’ll have access to a wide array of explosive firepower, life-saving armor and battle-changing stratagems… the jewel in every Helldiver’s arsenal.
REQUISITION
Super Earth recognises your hard work with valuable Requisition. Use it to access different rewards that benefit you, your squad, your destroyer ship and our overall war effort.
THREATS
Everything on every planet wants you dead. That’s what we’re dealing with. Each enemy has distinct and unpredictable characteristics, tactics, and behavior – but they all fight ferociously and without fear or morality.
THE GALACTIC WAR
Capturing enemy planets, defending against invasions, and completing missions will contribute to our overall effort. This war will be won or lost depending on the actions of everyone involved.
We stand together, or we fall apart.
- Engine
- bitsquid
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- All platforms
- Franchise
- Helldivers
- Number of Players
- 1-4 players (online)
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter, Extraction Shooter, Action, Science Fiction
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Stellar Blade
Shift Up's Stellar Blade was another big surprise in 2024, with its exaggerated character models arguably encouraging onlookers not to take it seriously, likely assuming it would be a joke with gameplay that didn't amount to much. However, those opinions were proven wrong, as Stellar Blade managed to become one of the most popular games of 2024 even before it came out. After launching a successful demo that had some players spending hundreds of hours on its hour-long content, Stellar Blade finally launched and gained an even bigger following, eventually achieving a Metascore of 81 but also a User Score of 9.2, which is higher than any of the other Best Action Game nominees.
One thing that has kept Stellar Blade popular is the willingness of its developer to release regular DLC for free, rather than charging players for it. Its recent NieR: Automata DLC was Stellar Blade's first paid DLC since the game's release in April, which will hopefully set a standard for single-player games in the future. On the other side of things, however, is its critical reception, which has only been slightly above average, but this won't stop Stellar Blade from putting up a fight for Best Action Game in 2024.
Stellar Blade
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 81 /100 Critics Rec: 81%
- Released
- April 26, 2024
- ESRB
- M for Mature
- Developer(s)
- Shift Up
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Interactive Entertainment
WHERE TO PLAY
RECLAIM EARTH FOR HUMANKIND The future of humanity hangs in the balance in Stellar Blade, an all-new story-driven action adventure. Ravaged by strange, powerful creatures, Earth has been abandoned, and what is left of the decimated human race has fled to a Colony in outer space. After travelling from the Colony, 7th Airborne Squad member EVE arrives on the desolate remains of our planet with a clear-cut mission: to save humankind by reclaiming Earth from the Naytiba – the malevolent force that has devastated it. But as EVE tackles the Naytiba one-by-one, piecing together the mysteries of the past in the ruins of human civilization, she realizes that her mission is far from straightforward. In fact, almost nothing is as it seems…
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2
Last but not least is Saber Interactive's Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, which had a similar story to the other Best Action Game nominees in 2024. Currently sitting at a Metascore of 82, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 amassed over 2 million players at launch and quickly proved to be popular among fans of third-person shooters like Gears of War. Space Marine 2 features intense, action-packed combat, although the experience that it offers might be considered a bit niche for some looking for a looter shooter rather than an old-fashioned action game. However, this is still what could ultimately win it the Best Action Game award in 2024.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 81 /100 Critics Rec: 86%
- Released
- September 9, 2024
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence
- Developer(s)
- Saber Interactive
- Publisher(s)
- Focus Entertainment
- Engine
- Swarm Engine
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op, Online Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
- PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S
WHERE TO PLAY
Your Craft is Death.
Embody the superhuman skill and brutality of a Space Marine, the greatest of the Emperor’s warriors. Hold at bay the horrors of the galaxy in epic battles on far-flung planets with your deadly abilities and devastating weaponry. Uncover dark secrets to drive back the everlasting night and prove your ultimate loyalty to humanity.
Crush the Tyranid swarms. Defend humanity.
Purge the relentless Tyranid swarms as legendary Space Marine Titus in a spectacular new campaign. Play solo or with up to 2 friends in 3 player co-op.
Enjoy intense, gory and fast-paced third-person action with hundreds of enemies on screen, from the creators of blockbuster co-op shooter World War Z.
Defend the Imperium as your own Space Marine in an endlessly brutal and replayable PvE missions up to 3 players featuring 6 classes, unlocking new skills and cosmetics.
Wage eternal war on your enemies in ferocious 6v6 PvP matches and bring glory to your faction!
- Franchise
- Warhammer 40K
- Number of Players
- 1-6
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter, Hack and Slash
Final Prediction
Predicting the Best Action Game for 2024 is a bit tough, considering each of the nominees has garnered a fairly similar reception and certainly has its merits. However, it seems most likely that Black Myth: Wukong will take the win here for a few reasons. Firstly, it is the only Best Action Game nominee that has also been nominated for Game of the Year, and since Black Myth: Wukong may find it difficult to compete with the likes of Astro Bot and Metaphor: ReFantazio in that category, it would likely automatically default to win Best Action Game. Furthermore, Black Myth: Wukong's massive following of fans in comparison to the rest of the Best Action Game nominees should ensure its success in this category.
Black Myth: Wukong may not be a perfect game, but its popularity doesn't seem to care. Despite being the lowest-rated Game of the Year nominee in Game Awards history, Black Myth: Wukong still looks primed to take home the trophy for Best Action Game this year thanks to its high-octane combat, captivating world, and thrilling boss fights.