What are the best action games on PS5? The best part about playing video games is that they allow us to perform feats we can’t in real-life, whether it’s working undercover in Hitman 3 or swinging through New York City in Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. Whether it’s performing death-defying stunts or escaping a burning building with seconds left to spare – the action games genre is all about experiencing white-knuckle thrill-rides that’d be terrifying in real-life.
If you like your titles to be larger-than-life, then fortunately our best action games on PS5 article is filled with high-octane outings that come highly recommended. Whether you’re hunting for long-lost treasure in Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection or liberating an entire tropical island in Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut, every single game on this list will have you clutching your DualSense controller tightly and perched on the edge of your seat.
This list, as rated and ranked by the Push Square community, spans a variety of different experiences, from story-driven adventures like Horizon Forbidden West to the more combat-orientated Elden Ring. The consistent theme here is that there’s plenty of spectacle, bombast, and, of course, action. Whether you’re wielding a lightsaber in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order or a sword in The Nioh Collection, you’ll find something that appeals to your inner thrill-seeker.
As alluded to above, this best action games on PS5 list has been ordered by you, so if you disagree with the positions then it’s up to you to do something about it. Below you’ll find a search box which will allow you to find your favourite action games and submit a rating, or alternatively you can click the star next to any of the below titles to share your personal opinion. This list will evolve and grow over time, so be sure to keep rating your favourites as and when they release.
Do also keep in mind that a game will need at least 50 votes before appearing on this page, so if you’re confused by a particular title’s absence, that could be why.
Best PS5 Games
With all that said, it’s time to dig into our list of best action games on PS5, as determined by you.
50. GreedFall (PS5)
Publisher: Focus Home Interactive / Developer: Spiders
With its colonial setting and intriguing world where science meets grim fantasy, GreedFall is a unique RPG that’s a bit rough around the edges. Following in the footsteps of games like Dragon Age Inquisition, which have an emphasis on both exploration and player-driven dialogue, GreedFall has a solid gameplay core. The weirdly named island of Teer Fradee makes for an atmospheric destination, while the title’s party-based action combat is decent.
49. Mortal Shell: Enhanced Edition (PS5)
Publisher: PlayStack / Developer: Cold Symmetry
Dark Souls, and its various spin-offs, has become a genre all of its own – and Mortal Shell: Enhanced Edition proudly flaunts its FromSoftware influences on its armoured sleeve. This re-release may not reach the same highs as the Japanese developer’s iconic outings, but it’s unquestionably an entertaining alternative if you’re searching for another punishing role-playing release. With tight combat, versatile play-styles, and a rich world to explore, you could do worse than this demanding character action title.
48. Maneater (PS5)
Publisher: Deep Silver / Developer: Tripwire Interactive
If you’re looking for a game with real teeth, look no further than the ferocious Maneater. This “SharkPG” places you in the open ocean, starting off as a relatively small player. However, as you progress, you’ll steadily grow larger and stronger, gradually becoming the true apex predator of the seas. Comically violent and the silliest sort of fun, this enjoyable title has some rough edges, but chomping down on annoying humans and swimming through the choppy waters, it’s impossible to have a bad time.
47. Diablo 2: Resurrected (PS5)
Publisher: Blizzard / Developer: Blizzard
The resurrection of a real role-playing classic, the aptly named Diablo 2: Resurrected is an expansive remaster of Blizzard’s 2000 title. While this is still very much the Diablo 2 from over two decades ago at its core, Resurrected does bring some welcome quality of life updates to the table, and the ability to jump between the original and revamped visual styles is a nice feature. All in all, the gameplay’s a bit wonky by today’s standards, but that old school atmosphere is hard to beat.
46. Ghostrunner (PS5)
Publisher: All In! Games / Developer: One More Level
Are you a fan of Mirror’s Edge but wish it moved faster and gory, cyber-sword insta-kills? Ghostrunner is a lightning fast first-person parkour game brimming with cyberpunk style. Playing as a deadly cyborg, you’ll be up against lots of bad guys, but none of them have your agility or skill — you can mow them all down in one smooth motion, leaping from building to building leaving a bloody trail. On PS5, the game looks and runs better than ever, featuring multiple visual modes to prioritise fidelity or framerate, and of course you get some DualSense feedback support. A very cool, very stylish game.
45. Deep Rock Galactic (PS5)
Publisher: Coffee Stain Publishing / Developer: Ghost Ship Games
Deep Rock Galactic is a real mish-mash of ideas, but everything works together in harmony to create a super fun co-op experience. A team of up to four dwarves are recruited to delve into a strange planet and mine its precious resources, but will come up against some resistance from the insect-like locals. Each player class has totally unique weapons and abilities that complement the others perfectly, making simple objectives a joy as you all puzzle it out — and blast aliens — together. Throw in procedurally generated stages, and you have the recipe for an endlessly replayable game you can really dig into.
44. Outriders (PS5)
Publisher: Square Enix / Developer: People Can Fly
Outriders is a looter shooter, but it goes a little deeper into the role-playing genre with an involved character driven story. However, chaotic combat is really at the centre of the experience, where crunchy weapons combine with class-based skills of destruction. Outriders is great fun at its manic best, and even when it’s not, you can always amp up the action with one or two other players in co-op.
43. Genshin Impact (PS5)
Publisher: Mihoyo / Developer: Mihoyo
Genshin Impact earned an estimated $2 billion during its first year on the market, and has gone on to become something of a cultural touchstone. Also available on smartphones, the PS5 version of this staggeringly popular RPG truly brings developer MiHoYo’s vision to life, with vibrant visuals and a slick, responsive refresh rate. Those not caught in its gacha trap may lament is pricey microtransactions and demanding investment levels, but this is unquestionably a signature service game with a huge and dedicated fanbase to boot.
42. Alan Wake Remastered (PS5)
Publisher: Epic Games / Developer: Remedy
Originally released for the Xbox 360 all the way back in 2010, Alan Wake cultivated cult status for its unorthodox Twin Peaks-inspired storytelling and unique horror gameplay loop. With light playing a significant role, you need to use a torch in combination with traditional weapons in order to defeat the Taken and restore order to the fictional Washington town of Bright Falls. First published by Microsoft, developer Remedy was able to wrangle back the rights to the series in 2019, which paved the way for this spruced-up PS5 remaster – and a sequel unsurprisingly named Alan Wake 2.
41. Sniper Elite 5 (PS5)
Publisher: Rebellion / Developer: Rebellion
Not every game needs to be revelatory, and Sniper Elite 5 proves that knowing your audience is sometimes all it takes. Gruff protagonist Karl Fairburne’s fifth outing takes him to occupied France, where he must put a stop to a MacGuffin plot named Operation Kraken. A mix of stealth and long-range skirmishes makes for a supremely satisfying blend, with Rebellion’s dense, vertical level design truly on target here. New wrinkles include an Axis Invasion mechanic, which allows competing players to infiltrate your single player campaign, upping the tension immensely. This a familiar outing overall, but a well-executed one – Sniper Elite just doesn’t miss.
