Best 40 Action Games for PC: Ultimate List

  • Jackson Evans
  • 4/11/2019

If you’re on the prowl for the best action games for PC, you can sit down, relax and look no further. The list below ranks top of the line PC-friendly action-packed games from cult classics to revolutionarily new titles that have already caught gamers’ attention. Challenging combat encounters, thrilling adventures, stunning visuals, fast-paced gameplay - these and countless other benefits await you within the below selection of the best PC action games of all time.

Pick the game you fancy from our Best 40 Action Games for PC list to enhance your game library and refine your online gaming experience.

  • Counter-Strike

Release Date: Nov 8, 2000.

Genres: Action, Shooter, First-Person, Modern, Tactical, Modern.

Developer: The Counter-Strike Team.

  • Portal

Release Date: Oct 10, 2007.

Genres: Action, Shooter, First-Person, Sci-Fi, Arcade.

Developer: Valve Software.

  • The Orange Box

Release Date: Oct 10, 2007.

Genres: Action, Shooter, Compilation, First-Person, Sci-Fi.

Developer: Valve Software.

  • Half-Life 2

Release Date: Nov 16, 2004.

Genres: Action, Shooter, First-Person, Sci-Fi, Arcade.

Developer: Valve Software.

  • Team Fortress 2

Release Date: Oct 10, 2007.

Genres: Action, Shooter, First-Person, Modern, Tactical.

Developer: Valve Software.

  • Day of Defeat: Source

Release Date: Sep 26, 2005.

Genres: Action, Shooter, First-Person, Historic, Tactical, Arcade.

Developer: Valve Software.

  • Max Payne

Release Date: Jul 23, 2001.

Genres: Action, Shooter, Third-Person, Modern, Arcade.

Developer: Remedy Entertainment.

  • Left 4 Dead

Release Date: Nov 17, 2008.

Genres: Action, Shooter, First-Person, Sci-Fi, Arcade.

Developer: Valve Software.

  • Unreal Tournament

Release Date: Nov 30, 1999.

Genres: Action, Shooter, First-Person, Sci-Fi, Arcade.

Developer: Epic Games.

  • Black Mesa

Release Date: Sep 14, 2012.

Genres: Action, Shooter, First-Person, Sci-Fi, Arcade.

Developer: Black Mesa Modification Team.

  • Doom II

Release Date: Sep 30, 1994.

Genres: Action, Shooter, First-Person, Sci-Fi, Arcade.

Developer: id Software.

  • VANQUISH

Release Date: May 25, 2017.

Genres: Action, Shooter, Third-Person, Arcade.

Developer: PlatinumGames.

  • Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory

Release Date: May 29, 2003.

Genres: Action, Shooter, First-Person, Historic, Arcade.

Developer: Splash Damage.

  • Quake

Release Date: Jun 22, 1996.

Genres: Action, Shooter, First-Person, Sci-Fi, Arcade.

Developer: id Software.

  • Psychonauts

Release Date: Apr 19, 2005.

Genres: Action, Platformer, 3D.

Developer: Double Fine Productions.

  • The Operative: No One Lives Forever

Release Date: Nov 11, 2000.

Genres: Action, Shooter, First-Person, Modern, Arcade.

Developer: Monolith Productions.

  • Clive Barker’s Undying

Release Date: Feb 21, 2001.

Genres: Action, Shooter, First-Person, Fantasy, Arcade.

Developer: Dreamworks Games.

  • Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis

Release Date: Aug 30, 2001.

Genres: Action, Shooter, First-Person, Tactical, Modern.

Developer: Bohemia Interactive.

  • Blood

Release Date: May 31, 1997.

Genres: Action, Shooter, First-Person, Modern, Arcade.

Developer: Monolith Productions.

  • Hidden & Dangerous 2

Release Date: Oct 21, 2003.

Genres: Action, Shooter, First-Person, Tactical, Historic.

Developer: Illusion Softworks.

  • G-Force

Release Date: Jul 21, 2009.

Genres: Action, 3D.

Developer: Eurocom Entertainment Software, Eurocom.

  • Ori and the Blind Forest

Release Date: Mar 11, 2015.

Genres: Action, Platformer, 2D.

Developer: Moon Studios.

  • S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat

Release Date: Feb 2, 2010.

Genres: Action, Shooter, First-Person, Sci-Fi, Arcade.

Developer: GSC Game World.

  • Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition

Release Date: Jul 3, 2013.

Genres: Action, Combar, 2D.

Developer: NetherRealm Studios.

  • Duke Nukem 3D

Release Date: Jan 29, 1996.

Genres: Action, Shooter, First-Person, Sci-Fi, Arcade.

Developer: 3D Realms.

  • Aliens versus Predator 2

Release Date: Oct 31, 2001.

Genres: Action,  Shooter, First-Person, Sci-Fi, Arcade.

Developer: Monolith Productions.

  • Braid

Release Date: Apr 10, 2009.

Genres: Action, Platformer, 2D.

Developer: Number None Inc., Knockout Games.

  • INSIDE

Release Date: Jul 7, 2016.

Genres: Action, Platformer, 2D.

Developer: PLAYDEAD.

  • Hotline Miami

Release Date: Oct 23, 2012.

Genres: Action, Action Adventure.

Developer: Dennaton.

  • Insurgency

Release Date: Mar 1, 2013.

Genres: Shooter, Modern, Action, First-Person, Tactical.

Developer: New World Interactive.

  • The Swapper

Release Date: May 30, 2013.

Genres: Action, Platformer, 2D.

Developer: Facepalm Games.

  • Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast 

Release Date: Mar 26, 2002.

Genres: Action, Action Adventure, Shooter, First-Person, Sci-Fi, Arcade.

Developer: Raven Software.

  • Altitude

Release Date: Dec 4, 2009.

Genres: Action, General.

Developer: Nimbly Games.

  • Pac-Man: Adventures in Time

Release Date: Oct 31, 2000.

Genres: Action, General.

Developer: Creative Asylum.

  • Deus Ex: Human Revolution

Release Date: Aug 23, 2011.

Genres: Action, Action Adventure, Shooter, Sci-Fi, First-Person.

Developer: Nixxes Software.

  • Bastion

Release Date: Aug 16, 2011.

Genres: Action, Role-Playing, Action RPG.

Developer: Supergiant Games.

  • Call of Duty

Release Date: Oct 29, 2003.

Genres: Action, Shooter, First-Person, Third-Person, Historic, Tactical, Arcade.

Developer: Infinity Ward.

  • King Arthur’s Gold

Release Date: Sep 4, 2011.

Genres: Action, Platformer, 2D.

Developer: Transhuman Design.

  • F.E.A.R.

Release Date: Oct 17, 2005.

Genres: Action, Shooter, First-Person, Modern, Arcade.

Developer: Monolith Productions.

  • Sonic Mania

Release Date: Aug 15, 2017.

Genres: Action, Platformer, 2D.

Developer: SegaSoft, Sega, PagodaWest Games.

Needless to say that the PC represents some true classics of the genre, some of which you’ve enjoyed playing since your teen years. Some of the titles below are powerful enough to have significantly altered the history of online gaming. What are your thoughts on the issue of top PC-friendly action games of all times? Perhaps, you have your own PC action games list? You’re welcome to participate in the discussion below and share your opinion with other FragRun readers. Alternatively, you can check out our lengthy list of the best action games for Nintendo Switch.