The last quarter of 2018 was jam-packed with top of the line action gaming experiences, from shooters and stealth titles to open world epics. Some were better than others though, and these were the top five best action games of Q4 2018.
Best Action Games Q4 2018
Hitman 2
The cue-balled killer Agent 47 was back and better than ever in Hitman 2, a sequel which had plenty to offer to fans of the stealth-action franchise new and old.
Still hot on the trail of a shadowy organization and its members, Agent 47’s latest adventure gave players more freedom than ever in how they pulled off their assassinations, whether that meant a quick shot from a sniper rifle or something more elaborate.
Of course, half the fun of the series comes from environmental kills, and Hitman 2 has no shortage of options for players to explore in that regard.
Each area in the game has its own array of potential death dealers. One area alone could include a poorly fastened chandelier above a party of rich cultists, a branding tool left carelessly unattended or an entire arsenal of firearms in a pantry.
Finding and pulling off each of these methods for murdering a target, and managing to escape without being detected once the chaos commenced, provided plenty enough to make it an experience that fans both new and old found appealing.
Best Action Games Q4 2018
Just Cause 4
Rico Rodriguez was back and up to his usual depot dethroning antics in Just Cause 4, and as usual, no one and nothing could stand in his way.
Out to uncover how his father was involved with a shadowy organization known as the Black Hand, Rico finds himself in the South American country of Solis.
Once there, he learns the Hand has developed a machine that can cause extreme weather phenomena, and they intend to test the device on the country’s innocent population before unleashing it upon the world.
With this in mind, players must stop them by any means necessary, toppling their facilities and tearing through their forces with a slew of weapons and gadgets.
This could mean zipping up to a helicopter with a grappling hook and raining down death from above; bombarding enemy forces with machine gun fire; or attaching enemy vehicles to each other and watching as they careen off of the sides of mountain roads.
It’s all up to the player, and with a massive open world to explore while they do so, there’s plenty to enjoy.
Best Action Games Q4 2018
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
The latest entry in the Assassin’s Creed franchise is one which people couldn’t stop playing in 2018, and for good reason.
Set in Ancient Greece, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey offers players a level of freedom and choice in their adventures that most every other entry in the series lacked.
Should they wish to travel on foot across the island nation, battling thieves and rogues along the way for better equipment, they’re free to do so; or, if they’re in the mood to take to the high seas with a crew of sailors in search of new lands, they can do that too.
This is all in addition to the main story, which plays out as an epic quest for revenge set across a lifetime of battle, blood and conflict, all of which the player must guide their character through blow by blow.
The end result is a game many were happily surprised and enthralled by, and thanks to the steady stream of DLC and updates by developer Ubisoft, it’s a game many will be able to keep enjoying for the foreseeable future.
Best Action Games Q4 2018
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
A well established series in the first person shooter and action genres, it’s no surprise that Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 proved a worthy competitor for action fans’ attention in late part of 2018.
Though it was the first in the series to forgo single player entirely for a purely multiplayer experience, Black Ops 4 offers more than enough quality gunplay to justify the change.
All of the usual competitive multiplayer is available and honed to a razor’s edge. A slew of weapons and ranks are available for players to earn as they play, and a variety of challenges are included to help spice things up from time to time.
Black Ops 4 also offers the series’ first foray into the battle royale craze with its Blackout mode, and one of the battle royale genre’s most polished experiences to-date.
Best Action Games Q4 2018
Red Dead Redemption 2
The long awaited sequel to Rockstar’s western open world epic, Red Dead Redemption 2 brought gamers into a world packed with opportunities for adventure and excitement like never before.
As Arthur Morgan, players could embark on a quest for survival as civilization drew ever closer to stomping out the west’s more violent individuals.
As such, they’re tasked with robbing whoever and whatever they can to save up money and escape their fate, gunning their way through waves of Pinkerton detectives, bounty hunters and lawmen in the process.
This, of course, was when they weren’t making their way through the everyday dangers found within the world.
Vicious outlaws, wild animals and other unknown horrors lurk along the roads and byways of the west, eager to try and make a mark or meal out of careless travelers.
Avoiding them could prove foolish as well though, as most every one hides something worthwhile behind the danger.
It all comes together for an adrenaline pumping adventure like no other, and one that most won’t be able to put down heading into the new year and beyond.
Published: Jan 9, 2019 08:34 pm