Emulating danger for a rush of adrenaline sounds like a decent idea, but why risk your well-being when you can just play a video game that gets the blood pumping well enough as is? Action games are a staple and this genre features some of the largest series too. They’re one of the most accessible kinds of games to play and most of them are very immersive and challenging.

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There are tons of action games you’re able to find in the Xbox One catalog that cover all kinds of themes and settings. It’s a great way to escape reality and perform seemingly impossible feats like mowing down mobs of enemy combatants or scaling mountains.

10Psychonauts 2

This sequel to the immensely popular Psychonauts is one of the best platformers on the console. It features some unique and engaging stories that have you unravel a conspiracy as you explore the captivating world built by the devs.

The art style and control scheme are some of the best features of this sequel. There’s less emphasis on puzzles and more on the action this time, with a gorgeous yet linear level design that feels fun to play regardless of the change in pace.

A screenshot showing Raz running in Psychonauts 2

9Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge

Shredder’s Revenge is a spiritual successor to a beat-em-up cult classic with amped-up graphics and vibes that perfectly mirror the energy and charm of theTMNTseries. Quirky-level design and multiplayer support are some of the strongest draws this game has to offer.

It’s chock-full of action and fast-paced transitions between stages. The controls are simple, and they take nothing away from the story sequences, so it feels like an immersive experience worth trying out if you were a fan of the 1989 arcade game.

Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge

8Doom: Eternal

Perhaps one of the best games in the series,Doom: Eternalcomes with tons of unique yet iconic levels and story transitions that captivate you throughout the course of your playthrough. It’s gory enough to fit in with the rest of the games that came prior and also has enough events to keep you constantly engaged.

The video game is well-polished, and that includes the sound effects as well. You get to choose how your slayer looks and customize quite a fair bit of things. It’s an immersive demon-killing experience that you’ll find yourself playing over and over again.

Doom Guy aiming his shotgun at demons in Doom Eternal

7Hollow Knight

As simple as the chibi titular hero looks,Hollow Knightis a game that throws complexity at you out of nowhere. It’s absolutely grueling at times, yet features stunning graphics that keep you hooked.

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The backgrounds are drop-dead gorgeous and the story does it justice as well. The combat is satisfying, to say the least, with ample variation to keep fighting the same enemies feel fresh regardless of the difficulty spikes.

6Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus

A story of epic proportions that makes you live out an alternate reality where the Nazis assume control over America and you’re tasked with toppling over the regime. It features detailed world-building elements and a captivating atmosphere as far as the maps go.

Wolfenstein 2is a first-person shooter first and foremost, although there are some traces of stealth involved too. It’s a polished game with all sorts of iconic locations corrupted to look like what they would under the German regime after the events of New Order and thrilling action sequences that keep you on the edge of your seat.

Hollow Knight fighting giant beetle knight

5Bioshock: The Collection

A game where your choices play a significant role in defining the narrative.Bioshock’s lineup of games offers you an unforgettable experience as you familiarize yourself with the world around you and decide which factions to support and how to move forward with your own sense of muddled morality.

It’s visually stunning and ultimately very engrossing as far as the locations and world-building aspects are concerned. Not only that, this collection features all the mainline games, which garnered positive reviews as standalone games already.

B.J. Blazkowicz using a handheld turret to take down enemies above a ship in Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus

4Metro Redux

If you like video games heavily influenced by stealth andfirst-person shootingaction, then look no further, since Metro’s games feature all that and much more, especially when it comes to how intricate and well-thought-out the world around you is.

It’s not an easy game if you plan to stick to a stealthy playstyle, but it’s definitely manageable enough to not be considered frustrating or annoying. The large arsenal of guns and tight gameplay mechanics make this collection a sure-fire gem to own on any platform.

A Big Daddy from BioShock standing in a hallway in Rapture

Red Dead Redemption 2has an unforgettable storyline that rides on the coattails of the previous game and certainly outdoes itself with how narratively important each decision you make is. Sure, the horse physics might not be the best, but as far as action is concerned,RDR2gives you a taste of what Wild West life was like back during the days when outlaws used to exist.

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It’s a game that features sprawling locations with believable NPCs that aren’t too hard to find yourself getting attached to since they’ve been written so well. The story takes you through several action sequences that differ in terms of difficulty and setting.

2Far Cry 6

Imagine a game where doing almost anything is possible since it gives you a large arsenal of vehicles and weapons to play around with.Far Cry 6is a narrative-driven action game that can double up to becomea sandbox gameas well depending on the way you’d prefer playing it.

It’s one of the more unique games from the series and offers you new gameplay mechanics to tinker with plus a whole new way to customize your chosen avatar. The game’s chock-full of bloodshed and violence depending on how you prefer to engage in any situation.

Metro Redux Night Vision exploring a cave

1Elden Ring

Journey through a land without any guide, your intuition will determine your adventure.Elden Ringis an exploration-heavy game that challenges you in several ways and features some very in-depth combat mechanics, along with a whole arsenal of items to equip.

The game also features some of the most stunning and vibrant landscapes and does a good job of setting the tone for any serious moments. Likeany Soulslike game, this one features brutal bosses and unforgiving progression.

Red Dead Redemption 2 Screenshot Of Man From Blackwater Hanging From Rock

Vaas in front of a volcano in far cry 6

Starscourge Radahn in Elden Ring