Best Action RPGs with Stunning Combat Systems (no clickbait, I swear… okay maybe a little)
Yo, it’s 1 a.m. in my stupidly cold apartment in Seattle right now, rain hammering the window like it’s personally mad at me, and I’m hunched over my RGB keyboard still thinking about the best action RPGs with stunning combat systems that straight-up rewired my brain. Like, I’m 34, I have a real job, and yet here I am vibrating because I just parried a dragon into the stratosphere in Black Myth: Wukong again. Send help.
I’ve sunk embarrassing amounts of hours—thousands, literally—chasing that perfect “just one more fight” feeling. My Steam library looks like a crime scene. So yeah, here’s my completely subjective, slightly unhinged list of the best action RPGs with stunning combat systems that still slap in 2025.
Why I’m Addicted to Stunning Combat Systems (And You Probably Are Too)
Look, story is cool, open worlds are neat, but give me weighty, responsive, juicy combat and I turn into a goblin. I want every swing to feel like it could end civilizations. I want dodge timings tighter than my budget after a Steam sale. These games? They deliver.
My Top 5 Best Action RPGs with Stunning Combat Systems Right Now
1. Black Myth: Wukong – The New King That Punched Me in the Soul
Bro. BRO. The staff combat in this game? I actually yelled out loud the first time I did the four-focus heavy into smash stance pillar combo. My roommate thought I was dying. The way the staff extends, the screen shake, the particle effects—my brain released more dopamine than my first kiss (sorry, Jenny from 11th grade).
2. Elden Ring (Still) – Yeah I’m Basic, Fight Me
I’ve beaten this game four times and I still flinch in real life when I hear the Tree Sentinel music. The delayed attacks, the poise breaking, the way greatswords go THUNK—it’s gross how satisfying it is. Also I cried when I finally beat Malenia after 127 attempts. Not proud of it. Outbound link for the masochists: Elden Ring Wiki – Malenia Blade of Miquella
3. Stellar Blade – The Combat So Good I Forgave the Outfit Discourse
Say what you want about Eve’s wardrobe, the parry window is CRACK. Like, Nier Automata wishes. The beta attacks, the perfect dodges into burst mode—my thumbs still hurt thinking about the Providence boss fight. Also the Tachy mode blade spin makes me feel like a K-pop idol murdering aliens. 10/10 no notes.
4. Lies of P – Soulslike Pinocchio Shouldn’t Work But Holy Hell
The weapon assembly system? Genius. I made a rapier with a police baton handle and cried laughing while perfect-guarding a puppet clown to death. The fable arts feel illegal. Also the Lie/System is the best karma mechanic since Infamous and nobody talks about it?? Criminal.
5. Dragon’s Dogma 2 – Janky in All the Right Ways
Climbing a cyclops and stabbing its eye while your pawn screams “WOLVES HUNT IN PACKS” at 140 decibels is a religious experience. The vocation system is cracked—Magick Archer go brrrrrrr. Yeah the framerate cries sometimes, but when you suplex a griffin mid-flight? Worth it.
Honorable Mentions That Still Scratch the Itch
- Nioh 2 (stance dancing my beloved)
- Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty (parries so good I ascended)
- Final Fantasy XVI (Eikon fights made me forgive the MMO combat)
- Tales of Arise (boost strikes go stupid hard)
What I Learned From Thousands of Hours of Button Mashing
Here’s the real tea: the best action RPGs with stunning combat systems all do one thing—they respect your time while making you feel like a god. Tight windows, meaty feedback, and that perfect “oh I GET it now” moment. Also I need to touch grass. Like yesterday.
Anyway, that’s my completely biased, sleep-deprived take on the best action RPGs with stunning combat systems wrecking my life in 2025. Drop your favorites in the comments—I need more ways to avoid adulthood.
