UPDATE: Bayonetta 3 won Best Action Game at The Game Awards 2022!
As video games are an interactive medium, action is something that is often a fairly key part of them. Whether that be in the form of a side-scrolling beat 'em up or a first-person shooter, gamers are always looking for that next big thrilling experience on their screens. 2022 has been quite the year for action games, and it is up to this year's Game Awards to decide which is the best among them. Geoff Keighley's Game Awards often celebrate the best the industry has to offer within a given year, allowing fans to vote on what they think really stood out from the crowd.
Already, fans are fiercely debating online which title will take home Game of the Year, and whether Elden Ring or God of War: Ragnarok will take home more trophies. However, there are plenty of categories that don't concern either of those two titans, and Best Action is one of them. There have been some great action games released this year, with some bringing a return to form for a beloved franchise while others have struck out on their own and carved an interesting niche. This might make picking the best of the year somewhat difficult, but The Game Awards will crown a winner in December.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Following on from 2019's remake of the original Modern Warfare, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 looks to give one of the most iconic titles in the franchise a fresh coat of paint. Bringing back some of the more well-known maps from Modern Warfare 2 while also including entirely new areas, such as the Grand Prix map, which has a live Formula 1 race going on in the background.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2's campaign might not have appeased everyone playing, but the multiplayer has still managed to hook players once more on the famous shooter. With plans for more content coming in 2023, including the potential addition of every map from the original Modern Warfare 2, it seems players will be engaging in the fast-paced action of 2022's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 for some time to come.
TMNT: Shredder's Revenge
Borrowing from the side-scrolling Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games developed by Konami in the 1980s and 90s, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge is a classic action brawler that allows players to take on the role of Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo. Beyond the four turtles players, can also fight as April O'Neil, Master Splinter, and Casey Jones, giving them plenty of options and ways to play.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge was praised by a lot of fans for evoking the nostalgic feel of classic, side-scrolling brawlers, both in its gameplay and its graphical style, which opts for a more pixilated look. Allowing for interesting single-player and co-op gameplay, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge comes with a host of interesting bosses, enemies, and levels that keep the action varied and interesting.
Bayonetta 3
Despite being somewhat shrouded by the controversy surrounding the original voice actor for Bayonetta, the Umbra Witch's third outing still manages to be a successful entry in the beloved franchise, bringing all the hack-and-slash action players are used to, alongside introducing new and innovative elements to make it feel like a proper development. Bayonetta 3's Demon Masquerade ability allows the Umbra Witch to take on different forms, for example.
One of these forms is Gomorrah, which gives Bayonetta a longer jumping distance and bestial claw attacks. Viola, the witch-in-training, is also available as a playable character in Bayonetta 3, giving fans a different gameplay style from what they're used to. As well as including all the action players are used to, Bayonetta 3 builds on the examples set by previous games, ensuring that fans will notice a difference in combat this time around.
Neon White
Another game focused on exterminating supernatural creatures, Neon White is a first-person shooter and puzzle-platformer from Annapurna Interactive and Angel Matrix. Giving players the role of a demon hunter in heaven, Neon White is full of slick, speedy gameplay, that encourages players to never stop the action. The game is full of stylish designs and bright colors as well, inviting the player to keep pushing forward in their goal to exterminate every demon in heaven.
There were even those that thought Neon White should stand as a Game of the Year contender. Sadly for fans of Neon White, it didn't make it onto that list of nominees, but it does have a chance to pick up a couple of big wins at The Game Awards this year. Blending a myriad of genres into one smooth experience, those who haven't played Neon White yet but love interesting action might want to give it a go.
Sifu
Beginning with a classic tale of revenge, Sifu is a game that interested a lot of gamers right from its first few trailers as it showed off its aging mechanic. Rather than the player respawning exactly as they were when they die, in Sifu the main character ages with each defeat, growing in strength but losing their endurance. This gives the already engaging gameplay of Sifu another layer, as players can try to beat the game being as old or young as possible.
Combining visceral hand-to-hand combat with deflection mechanics that mimic Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Sifu might not be in the immediate memory of gamers as it came out earlier in 2022, but it is certainly a title that is worthy of being in the running for Best Action game. As a roguelite title as well, Sifu offers a replayability that gives it a much longer shelf life, as players can drop it and pick it back up with fresh challenges still to accomplish.
Final Prediction
With fast-paced action that keeps players coming back for more thanks to its roguelike structure, Sifu seems poised to take the award for Best Action game this year. Should enough Neon White fans turn out to vote, there could end up being somewhat of an underdog story with the indie hit, but otherwise, it appears Sifu will be winning.
Beyond its well-crafted hand-to-hand combat, intricately designed boss fights, and enjoyable levels, Sifu has an incredible amount of depth to it, shown by the way the game changes each time the player faces defeat. To achieve Sifu's best ending as well, players must already run through the game and defeat every boss at least once, showing that the action title is one worth spending a lot of time on, and one worthy of the Best Action award.