Summary
Not all video games need elaborate narratives that justify every action the player takes. Sometimes, a mindless action game in which players are dropped into a world where they can wreak havoc and take out enemies in droves is entertaining enough.
This is why some of the best no-nonsense games players can get their hands on deserve all the praise in the world. There’s only one goal in games like these, and that’s to kill as many enemies as possible in every level. For those looking to get straight into the action, here are some of thebest action games that don’t have a story.
Serious Samis a series that isperfect for fans of boomer shooters, with players fighting off a ton of enemies in massive open arenas. Out of all the games in the series, most people consider the second game to be the best one of the lot.
Every level features a horde of enemies that players can mow down, using an increasing array of impressive weaponry to achieve this. Its simple shooting gameplay is cathartic enough to keep players engaged in the long haul, so it makes sense why there isn’t much of a narrative.
Gamers looking forone of the toughest survival gamesto sink their teeth into will likely love what7 Days to Diebrings to the table. As the name suggests, in this title, players must spend a week honing their skills and acquiring resources for a hellish zombie assault.
This is when the game can become absolutely horrifying, with players being encouraged to do everything in their power to survive the barrage of undead trying to tear them apart. No story is required to justify this attack, and players will need to verify that they have all the resources they need to combat this threat if they don’t want to be overwhelmed.
Gamers who want to enjoya fun co-op shooter with their friendswill love whatDeep Rock Galactichas to offer. In this title, players control a team of space mining dwarves who must fend off alien hostiles while seeking out valuable materials.
The levels get increasingly harder and manage to keep players engaged without the need for an elaborate story to explain things. The amazing combat design is also a huge part of what helpsDeep Rock Galacticstand out as one of the best shooters that fans of the genre can check out.
Dead Cellsis one of the hardest video games that gamers can check out, but most will argue that it’s well worth the investment. This is because this tough side-scrolling roguelike action game allows players to slowly but surely improve their skills until they can take out the toughest opponents standing in their way.
The sense of progression players can enjoy inDead Cellsis unmatched, making it clear why very few complain about the lack of plot. Every run is a learning experience that helps players improve their skills until they finally have what it takes to defeat a boss that is constantly wearing them down.
A legendary arena shooterthat is all about action,Quakestill enjoys a dedicated fanbase that loves to blast each other apart in iconic maps. This game is responsible for popularizing FPS movement mechanics like strafe jumping and rocket jumping that countless fans still remember fondly to this day.
It’s easy to see why an arena shooter with a multiplayer focus didn’t need to focus on any form of a story mode. It was all about the tense and frenetic shooting action, where quick movement and swift trigger fingers could spell the difference between victory and defeat.
Fans of the co-op shooter genre looking for something on the scarier side will likely loveLeft 4 Dead 2. Valve’s masterpiece lets players control one of four survivors across an array of levels full of regular and special infected that must either be gunned down or avoided.
The premise speaks for itself and doesn’t need an elaborate story to tie things together. Trying to avoid the threat of zombies across several nightmarish levels is a blast and helpsLeft 4 Dead 2stand out as an excellent sequel that improved upon everything in the first game.
WhileFurimay have an odd cutscene or two, this boss rush game is all about the action. Players control the Stranger, a mysterious figurelocked in an elaborate prisonthat they must escape, but this task is made harder by the captors assigned to keep him in place.
There are several tough boss fights inFurithat are all a blast to fight in both regular and hard modes, with players being required to memorize different movesets to get through multiple phases without being beaten to a pulp.
The originalDoomstill stands strong as one of the best FPS games that fans of the genre can get their hands on. This simple boomer shooter lets players control the iconic Doom Slayer in an array of levels where the denizens of hell serve as their enemies.
Players will acquirea set of iconic weaponsas they power through these levels and make the demons pay for trying to ruin humanity. Overall, it’s a satisfying title full of great retro music and old-school action that is still infinitely playable to this day.
