Highlights
- The nominees for Best Action Game at The Game Awards 2023 are all critically acclaimed and commercially successful, showcasing what makes the genre special.
- Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon offers a unique, intense combat experience that stands out from FromSoftware's previous titles, appealing to both veterans and newcomers.
- Hi-Fi Rush is a rhythm-based beat-'em-up that pleasantly surprises players with its weighty combat, outstanding soundtrack, charming narrative, and delightful art direction.
UPDATE: Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon won Best Action Game at The Game Awards 2023!
As The Game Awards 2023 approaches, it's becoming clear that many of the award races will be neck-and-neck, and Best Action is no different. Just like in the case of the TGA's Best Action/Adventure award, the nominees for Best Action are all critically acclaimed, commercially successful, and highlight what makes the genre special.
Although gaming in 2023 seems to have been dominated by adventure games like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and open-world RPGs like Baldur's Gate 3, the year has featured just as many pure action titles. These games are focused on high-octane gameplay that is generally more linear in nature than open-ended experiences like BG3, TOTK, or Starfield, and The Game Awards evaluates these titles primarily through the lens of combat. On top of this essential focus on combat, all the Best Action nominees feature unique systems and design choices that make them viable candidates for the Best Action award.
2023 Best Action Nominees
- Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon
- Dead Island 2
- Ghostrunner 2
- Hi-Fi Rush
- Remnant 2
Two Possible World Premieres Could Make The Game Awards 2023 The Best Yet
The Game Awards could serve as the stage for two highly anticipated gaming reveals, making the show one of the most exciting in TGA history.
Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon
Although Armored Core 6 breaks FromSoftware's GOTY streak, it is still a fantastic experience that is more than deserving of its nomination for Best Action Game. AC6 follows the resounding success of last year's Elden Ring, offering a unique experience that likely came as a shock to many die-hard Souls fans. Indeed, the game takes a considerably different approach than the developer's post-Demon's Souls releases, opting for a frenetic, intense combat system.
Though the combat stands in stark contrast from the slow and deliberate mechanics FromSoftware is famous for, it is nonetheless exciting and engaging, buttressed by deep and satisfying customization options. As such, Armored Core 6 has proven to be successful with both Armored Core veterans and newcomers alike.
Dead Island 2
Though it took a notoriously long time to get here, Dead Island 2 proves to be surprisingly good, serving up low-stakes, tongue-in-cheek action. Popular opinion doesn't paint the game's narrative in the best light, but it's not a game that takes itself too seriously, instead aiming to provide players with a bombastic, explosive playground, where they can smash zombies to bits with unique melee weapons or blast them away with satisfying firearms. Dead Island 2's sun-soaked, satirical rendition of Los Angeles can be explored in co-op with up to two other players, which can further enhance the experience. Overall, Dead Island 2 isn't likely to change the world, but it is certainly a fun experience and a well-crafted action game.
Ghostrunner 2
Ghostrunner 2 is a vastly improved version of its 2020 predecessor, cranking up the intensity, visuals, and unforgettably brutal combat. The one-hit-kill combat of the first game returns, though the player now has more options at their disposal when dispatching enemies, solving puzzles, and traversing the environment. One of the most exciting and publicized additions is the high-speed motorcycle, which opens the door to thrilling traversal setpieces that are in keeping with the game's relentless approach to gameplay.
In addition to the motorcycle sections and general gameplay improvements, Ghostrunner 2's improved storytelling makes for a more engaging and evocative narrative experience, bringing its intriguing world-building and characters into focus. All in all, the game feels like a notable upgrade from the first Ghostrunner, though it never takes its attention too far away from what makes it truly special: its unforgiving, satisfying combat.
Starfield's The Game Awards Performance Highlights a Two-Fold Problem For Bethesda
The Game Awards nominees are out, and Starfield doesn't really have much of a presence at all, which puts Bethesda's future in a precarious spot.
Hi-Fi Rush
If there were an award for "Most Pleasant Surprise" at The Game Awards, Hi-Fi Rush would no doubt be the strongest contender. Coming seemingly out of nowhere, this rhythm-based beat-em-up from Tango Gameworks quickly gained popularity, due in part to its day-one release on Game Pass. Hi-Fi Rush's weighty combat is supported by its outstanding soundtrack, delightful art direction, and charming narrative; these strengths combine to make a game that is singular and bristling with personality while being a bona fide blast to play. It's one of the best action games of 2023, and one of the best things to come out of Tango Gameworks.
Remnant 2
Often described as "Dark Souls with guns," even by its creators, the Remnant duology is one of the most interesting franchises in modern gaming. 2019's Remnant: From the Ashes turned more than a few heads thanks to its meaty combat, satisfying gameplay loop, and well-wrought progression system; it would appear that its sequel has further sharpened these strong points.
Though Remnant 2's suite of collectible gear may conjure images of a franchise like Destiny, it's a wholly unique approach to the "looter-shooter" formula, placing an emphasis on meaningful, thoughtful combat and cooperation over everything else. The game's many improvements over its predecessor, combined with what the series has always done right, make it a must-play for action fans, and easily one of the best multiplayer experiences of 2023.
Final Prediction
Since the release of Demon's Souls in 2009, it seems like FromSoftware can do no wrong in the eyes of many gamers around the world. This was made exceedingly clear by Elden Ring, which took the gaming world by storm and set up FromSoftware's continued expansion and output. While it might not be the phenomenon that Elden Ring was, there should be no question that Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon is a triumphant return for the franchise and one that sticks wholeheartedly to its vision.
The moment-to-moment gameplay is just as enjoyable as players have come to expect from FromSoftware, but the experience is equally defined by its customization options, which allow for a level of creativity and player expression that is unparalleled in action games. On top of all this, the game is packaged in a delightfully unsettling atmosphere, supported by FromSoftware's typically obtuse storytelling, which helps put it above its stiff competition and makes it a solid choice for the Best Action award at The Game Awards 2023.
