2024 is officially nearing its end, which means it’s almost time for the annualGame Awardsceremony. While the covetedGame of the Year awardis the most desirable of them all, any developer would be happy to earn a “Best” award in any category at the 2024 Game Awards.
One such category is Best Action Game, which has some worthy contenders this year. One thing that stands out about this particular category in comparison to others is that each nominee has received a similar critical reception, thereby placing them on equal ground with one another as they vie for Best Action Game. That being said, there remains an argument for one game to be recognized as the Best Action Game at the2024 Game Awards, which will be revealed on December 12 during the ceremony.
2024 Best Action Game Nominees
Black Myth: Wukong
Game Science’sBlack Myth: Wukonghas seemingly taken the world by storm, having been released to average reviews and yet still managing to garner a massive following — especially on Steam, where it maintains an Overwhelmingly Positive rating with over 700,000 reviews. In fact,Black Myth: Wukong’s all-time peak of 2.4 million players on Steammakes it second only toPUBG: Battlegrounds. Nominated for 2024’s illustrious Game of the Year award,Black Myth: Wukongfeatures exciting, fast-paced, and often immensely challenging combat, despite refusing the Soulslike label. However, it currently sits at a Metacritic rating of only 81, putting it in the middle as far as 2024’s best games go.
WHERE TO PLAY
Black Myth: Wukong is an action RPG rooted in Chinese mythology and based on Journey to the West, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature.You shall set out as the Destined One to venture into the challenges and marvels ahead, to uncover the obscured truth beneath the veil of a glorious legend from the past.As the Destined One, you shall encounter powerful foes and worthy rivals throughout your journey. Fearlessly engage them in epic battles where surrender is not an option.Aside from mastering various staff techniques, you can also freely combine different spells, abilities, weapons, and equipment to find the winning strategy that best suits your combat style.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
After the somewhatdisastrous release of 2023’sModern Warfare 3, Treyarch’sCall of Duty: Black Ops 6has proven to be a breath of fresh air. With a campaign that has been deemed by many to be one of the best in the series, and a return to form with two round-based Zombies maps packed with secrets to uncover,Black Ops 6certainly stands tall, despite its multiplayer component leaning a bit more toward the average side of things.Black Ops 6’s Metascore on Metacritic is currently sitting at 83, though its User Score is only a 6.8. Nevertheless, it’s a worthy contender for Best Action Game in the 2024 Game Awards.
Forced to go rogue. Hunted from within. This is Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.Developed by Treyarch and Raven, Black Ops 6 is a spy action thriller set in the early 90s, a period of transition and upheaval in global politics, characterized by the end of the Cold War and the rise of the United States as a single superpower. With a mind-bending narrative, and unbound by the rules of engagement, this is signature Black Ops.The Black Ops 6 Campaign provides dynamic moment-to-moment gameplay that includes a variety of play spaces with blockbuster set pieces and action-packed moments, high-stakes heists, and cloak-and-dagger spy activity.In a best-in-class Multiplayer experience, players will test their skills across 16 new maps at launch, including 12 core 6v6 maps and 4 Strike maps that can be played 2v2 or 6v6.Black Ops 6 also marks the epic return of Round-Based Zombies, the fan-favorite mode where players will take down hordes of the undead in two brand-new maps at launch. Post-launch, players can look forward to even more exciting maps and groundbreaking experiences dropping into both Multiplayer and Zombies.
Helldivers 2
Arrowhead Game Studios’Helldivers 2was one of the biggest surprises of the year, seemingly coming out of nowhere and becoming a huge hit within weeks of its release. What madethe success ofHelldivers 2truly stand out is the fact that it followed an “inverse decay curve” in popularity by garnering more players as time went on, as opposed to seeing an initial spike in its player counter that would eventually taper off. Unfortunately, sinceHelldivers 2is a live-service game, the positive reception it once had has waned, as it has moved forward with lackluster updates and failed to hold the interest of gamers that it had initially. Regardless, it still belongs on the list of nominees for Best Action Game in 2024.
Do you believe in freedom? Can you stand in the face of oppression – and defend the defenceless? Wage war for peace. Die for democracy.Join forces with up to three friends and wreak havoc on an alien scourge threatening the safety of your home planet, Super Earth, in this multiplayer co-op shooter for PS5 and PC from Arrowhead Game Studios.Step into the boots of the Helldivers, an elite class of soldiers whose mission is to spread peace, liberty and Managed Democracy using the biggest, baddest and most explosive tools in the galaxy.Helldivers don’t go planet side without proper backup, but it’s up to you to decide how and when to call it in. Not only do you have a host of superpowered primary weapons and customizable loadouts, you also have the ability to call on stratagems during play.Helldivers 2 features Arrowhead’s best cooperative gameplay yet. Collaboration will be vital: Teams will synergize on loadouts, strategize their approach for each mission and complete objectives together.1Enlist in Super Earth’s premier military peacekeeping force today. We are heroes… we are legends… WE ARE HELLDIVERS.
Stellar Blade
Shift Up’sStellar Bladewas another big surprise in 2024, with its exaggerated character models arguably encouraging onlookers not to take it seriously, likely assuming it would be a joke with gameplay that didn’t amount to much. However, those opinions were proven wrong, asStellar Blademanaged to become one of the most popular games of 2024 even before it came out. After launching a successful demo that had some players spending hundreds of hours on its hour-long content,Stellar Bladefinally launched and gained an even bigger following, eventually achieving a Metascore of 81 but also a User Score of 9.2, which is higher than any of the other Best Action Game nominees.
One thing that has keptStellar Bladepopular is the willingness of its developer to release regular DLC for free, rather than charging players for it. Its recentNieR: AutomataDLC wasStellar Blade’s first paid DLCsince the game’s release in April, which will hopefully set a standard for single-player games in the future. On the other side of things, however, is its critical reception, which has only been slightly above average, but this won’t stopStellar Bladefrom putting up a fight for Best Action Game in 2024.
RECLAIM EARTH FOR HUMANKIND The future of humanity hangs in the balance in Stellar Blade, an all-new story-driven action adventure. Ravaged by strange, powerful creatures, Earth has been abandoned, and what is left of the decimated human race has fled to a Colony in outer space. After travelling from the Colony, 7th Airborne Squad member EVE arrives on the desolate remains of our planet with a clear-cut mission: to save humankind by reclaiming Earth from the Naytiba – the malevolent force that has devastated it. But as EVE tackles the Naytiba one-by-one, piecing together the mysteries of the past in the ruins of human civilization, she realizes that her mission is far from straightforward. In fact, almost nothing is as it seems…
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2
Last but not least is Saber Interactive’sWarhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, which had a similar story to the other Best Action Game nominees in 2024. Currently sitting at a Metascore of 82,Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2amassed over 2 million playersat launch and quickly proved to be popular among fans of third-person shooters likeGears of War.Space Marine 2features intense, action-packed combat, although the experience that it offers might be considered a bit niche for some looking for a looter shooter rather than an old-fashioned action game. However, this is still what could ultimately win it the Best Action Game award in 2024.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II
Your Craft is Death.Embody the superhuman skill and brutality of a Space Marine, the greatest of the Emperor’s warriors. Hold at bay the horrors of the galaxy in epic battles on far-flung planets with your deadly abilities and devastating weaponry. Uncover dark secrets to drive back the everlasting night and prove your ultimate loyalty to humanity.Crush the Tyranid swarms. Defend humanity.Purge the relentless Tyranid swarms as legendary Space Marine Titus in a spectacular new campaign. Play solo or with up to 2 friends in 3 player co-op.Enjoy intense, gory and fast-paced third-person action with hundreds of enemies on screen, from the creators of blockbuster co-op shooter World War Z.Defend the Imperium as your own Space Marine in an endlessly brutal and replayable PvE missions up to 3 players featuring 6 classes, unlocking new skills and cosmetics.Wage eternal war on your enemies in ferocious 6v6 PvP matches and bring glory to your faction!
Final Prediction
Predicting the Best Action Game for 2024 is a bit tough, considering each of the nominees has garnered a fairly similar reception and certainly has its merits. However, it seems most likely thatBlack Myth: Wukongwill take the win here for a few reasons. Firstly, it is the only Best Action Game nominee that has also been nominated for Game of the Year, and sinceBlack Myth: Wukongmay find it difficult to compete with the likes ofAstro BotandMetaphor: ReFantazioin that category, it would likely automatically default to win Best Action Game. Furthermore,Black Myth: Wukong’s massive followingof fans in comparison to the rest of the Best Action Game nominees should ensure its success in this category.
Black Myth: Wukongmay not be a perfect game, but its popularity doesn’t seem to care. Despite being thelowest-rated Game of the Year nomineein Game Awards history,Black Myth: Wukongstill looks primed to take home the trophy for Best Action Game this year thanks to its high-octane combat, captivating world, and thrilling boss fights.
