What are the best action games on PS4? One of the best things about video games is their ability to let us do things we simply can’t do in reality. Whether it’s assassinating baddies from the shadows in Dishonored: Definitive Edition or fighting for your life against robot dinosaurs in Horizon Zero Dawn, action games let us feel like true heroes, taking us on thrilling rollercoasters from the comfort of our living rooms.
If that’s the type of game you like to play, you’re in luck, as there are endless examples of great action titles on PS4. Action-packed adventures are in full supply on Sony’s console. If you enjoy some samurai slashing in Ghost of Tsushima, bone-crunching fisticuffs in Yakuza 0, or epic mythological battles in God of War, there’s plenty of games on this list to serve up more action than you can handle.
As with all our lists, the games featured here are rated and ranked by the Push Square community. To discover what are the best action games on PS4, we’ve enlisted the help of you, our readers. Your user ratings are what provide the order in this feature, so if you disagree with what you’re seeing, it’s up to you to do something about it. Use the search box below to find some action games and submit your ratings, good or bad. You can also click the star on any game’s dedicated page. Over time, this list will shift and change to best reflect our community’s tastes.
Note: a game will need at least 50 votes before it’ll appear on this page, so if you think there’s a game missing from the list, it may just need more ratings.
With all that said, let’s get on with it. Here’s our list of best action games on PS4, ranked and rated by you.
Publisher: Ubisoft / Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
A stunning recreation of ancient Egypt is the backdrop for Assassin’s Creed Origins — a game that redefined Ubisoft’s series. Going full open world and throwing a bunch of RPG systems into the mix, Origins breathed new life into Assassin’s Creed after Unity and Syndicate struggled to leave a lasting impression. Origins follows the surprisingly emotional story of Bayek, a determined mystic and warrior, who, with the help of his estranged wife Aya, establishes the Hidden Ones — the precursor organisation that would one day become the Assassin Brotherhood.
Publisher: SEGA / Developer: Yakuza Studio
Purely in terms of available content, Yakuza 5 is the biggest game in the series — it’s an absolute colossus. Much like its predecessor, Yakuza 4, it features multiple playable characters. Kazuma Kiryu is once again in the spotlight, and he’s joined by returning protagonists Akiyama and Saejima. New character and disgraced baseball player Tatsuo Shinada also enters the fray, and all four leads have their own unique fighting styles, optional activities, and connections to the overarching story. A true beast of a game that’ll keep you busy for weeks, if not months.
Publisher: SEGA / Developer: The Creative Assembly
Alien: Isolation may have somewhat overstayed its welcome, but its nail-biting survival gameplay perfectly captures the claustrophobic tone of Ridley Scott’s iconic 1979 sci-fi movie. Assuming the role of Amanda Ripley, the daughter of series protagonist Ellen Ripley, you’re stalked from start-to-finish by the series’ deadly Xenomorph. Up against impossible odds, the game constantly keeps you on your toes, as you’re forced to slip past the enormous extraterrestrial unnoticed. It’s a completely unique experience that hasn’t really been replicated since.
Publisher: Ninja Theory / Developer: Ninja Theory
Originally intended as an experimental release from UK developer Ninja Theory, designed to prove that it could create a AAA title on an indie budget, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice ended up exceeding all expectations. While its combat and puzzle solving is a little on the lighter side, its storytelling is exceptional, and the way it depicts the protagonist’s struggles with mental health is unmatched, owing to some outstanding performances and ground-breaking sound design.
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks / Developer: Arkane Studios
Dishonored 2 is a brilliant, criminally under-appreciated game that any fan of stealth action should play. It builds upon the already excellent original, providing you with two fully kitted-out playable characters with unique abilities, and both very deadly. Whether you play as the reliable Corvo Attano or his daughter (and dethroned empress) Emily Kaldwin, you’ll have a wide array of supernatural powers to toy with, as well as access to a variety of weapons. With freedom to fully explore each level, impeccable environment design, and engaging emergent gameplay keeping you on your toes, this is easily among Arkane’s best games.
Publisher: Square Enix / Developer: Crystal Dynamics
Rise of the Tomb Raider takes Crystal Dynamics’ reboot and greatly raises the stakes, with more equipment and combat options than in the previous instalment. While structurally it’s largely familiar, and there are some serious question marks over the voice acting and script, the game offers a real rollercoaster of set-piece moments, taking heroine Lara Croft across the globe as she continues to evolve into the wise-cracking heroine we all know and love.
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment / Developer: Team Ninja
Koei Tecmo and Team Ninja’s first attempt at creating a Soulslike actually worked out really well. Nioh is a more fast paced action RPG, set in a twisted feudal Japan, now overrun with all manner of monsters and demons. It’s tough as nails, but an abundance of loot combined with satisfying combat makes for a moreish adventure. The story’s surprisingly interesting as well, as main character William Adams comes face to face with various historical warlords.
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment / Developer: SCE Santa Monica Studio
God of War III Remastered may have been one of the last hurrahs for the series’ old-school, fixed perspective style – but it’s still an absolute doozy. Presented pristinely on PS4, this trilogy closer has some of the most epic moments you’ll find any console, including an opening boss fight against Poseidon that remains utterly jaw-dropping even today.
Publisher: Square Enix / Developer: Crystal Dynamics
Crystal Dynamics’ attempt to reinvent Lara Croft in 2013’s Tomb Raider admittedly divided opinion, but the game is at its best in this PS4 Definitive Edition, which not only buffs the presentation but bundles in any post-release content for good measure. Adopting more of an Uncharted-inspired structure, this entry depicts the iconic character growth from meek and mild mannered into the heroine she’ll eventually become.
Publisher: Warner Bros / Developer: Rocksteady Studios
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A remaster compilation featuring seminal PS3 superhero titles Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City, this isn’t the best re-release ever produced. Handled by outsourcing studio Virtuos, the visual improvements are minimal – and, honestly, at times mess with the sombre visual style of the originals. However, the quality of the included games is undeniable – two of the greatest superhero titles of all-time – and thus Batman: Return to Arkham still comes highly recommended, even if it could have ultimately been better.
