The dollar exchange rate and miners’ activity played their role. Now it is almost impossible to assemble a powerful computer within 60-70 thousand rubles, one normal video card will cost a large part of this price, if not the whole price. But what to do if you want to play?
You can try cloud services or buy a console (although this is also problematic), but each method has its pitfalls. If you don’t want to pay for access to the “cloud”, and your noble soul doesn’t crave a console in your home, then this series of materials is for you.
We have launched a whole series of texts in which we select the best games for weak computers and laptops in each genre. We started with shooters, and will continue with action games. When creating the selection, we focused on the release date of the game and its quality, as well as personal opinion.
Bayonetta
The jaw-dropping action game about the seductive witch Cereza will please fans of high-quality battles and combat mechanics. And for good reason, because it was developed by Hideki Kamiya, the “father” of Dante from Devil May Cry.
The deep combat system allows you to experiment with fighting styles, and the battle cutscenes are a blast to watch, especially during the spicy moments with the main character.
Devil May Cry 3
We decided not to limit ourselves to just DMC, so we will list several. The series is worthy of such flattery at least because it became the founder of stylish slashers. And the third part is the first truly cult game of the franchise, revered among fans of the genre. A plot full of drive about the confrontation between Dante and Vergil, plus verified gameplay – this game has everything for which the entire genre is loved.
Devil May Cry 4
The fourth installment of the Devil May Cry franchise introduced a new hero, Nero, a warrior with a demonic hand. The debutant fits in well with the overall style and is remembered for mechanics that Dante did not have.
The legendary demon hunter also got his share of game time — he’s a full-fledged playable character with his own styles and unique weapons. Nero is content with just the Red Queen sword, which can store a reactive charge.
Devil May Cry 5
The fifth part of Devil May Cry is usually criticized for its corridor levels and generally dull location design, but one thing cannot be taken away from it. It is an excerpt of the best ideas from the previous games of the franchise in terms of coolness and variety.
Nero now has prosthetics with unique properties, and Dante has received a very extensive arsenal of weapons. And here, too, there is a debutant – the mysterious V, who fights with the help of hand-held shadow monsters. The gameplay for him is very different from what you usually expect from an action game.
DmC: Devil May Cry
The spin-off of the franchise from Ninja Theory is strikingly different from the classic games of the Japanese. And in almost everything: the presentation of the plot, the structure of the levels, the dialogues, the combat system.
In short, DmC is just… different. Take the local scenario, for example. While the fourth part raises questions of humanity, and the fifth again addresses the conflict between brothers, in the reboot the main character tries to overthrow the local demon usurper. With updated combat mechanics and a gorgeous soundtrack from Combichrist, the game entertains in the way it should.
Dark Souls
The original Dark Souls feels even simpler in 2021 than it did when it came out. We’re already scared of the various “soulslikes” it spawned, so the old lady will find a way to deal with it.
Over the years of its existence, fans have found dozens and almost hundreds of ways to quickly get equipment or assemble a powerful build. Therefore, now is probably the best time to play Dark Souls, especially if you have not yet completed this gestalt.
Darksiders
In the case of the Darksiders series, we also decided not to limit ourselves to a choice, so we included all the games in the franchise in the list. And it’s not even that we suddenly became fans of the horsemen of the apocalypse! They are all just very different.
You will play as War, who wields a huge sword and can transform into a powerful demon. The gameplay will seem very simple to fans of action games: the same combos with alternating presses and the ability to continue a series of blows in the air. In general, it is clear where the legs grow from.
And from Zelda we inherited the principle of exploring the world in the style of a kind of Metroidvania and some pretty exciting puzzles.
Darksiders 2
The second part of Darksiders took several steps away from the concept of the original. Instead of linear levels, there was an open world, leveling was seriously expanded, and the protagonist can change weapons and collect entire sets. The main character was Death – the youngest and most nimble of the horsemen.
This is also perfectly felt in the gameplay, how fast the new protagonist is! He deftly runs along walls and makes double jumps, and in battle he fights with the help of deadly scythes and other equally cunning weapons.
Darksiders 3
The first and second parts of Darksiders relied on the dynamics of battles, many opponents on the screen and more or less typical action. The third one, about Fury, decided to look at something more modern – and became similar to “soulslike”.
The gameplay also had to be adjusted to the new formula. Battles became slower, and the number of enemies on the screen was significantly reduced. But now you need to find an approach to each one and only then accept the fight.
Darksiders Genesis
I can’t even imagine the amount of brainstorming that went on inside Airship Syndicate when the team had the opportunity to make a game based on the Darksiders franchise. The developers looked at its previous incarnations: a typical slasher, an open-world RPG, and a soulslike.
It would be a mistake to think that Genesis has turned into Diablo, it is not at all. It is the same Darksiders, just from a slightly different perspective. And it suits it very well! The familiar platforming and combat seem to open up differently when you look at them from above.
Mad Max
Mad Max is a great way to feel the atmosphere of the cult franchise. There are dumps and sand dunes all around, and all you have is your trusty sawed-off shotgun with five rounds of ammunition and a car made of shit and sticks. As you already understood, this is an open-world action game. And the game suffers from exactly the same problems as any other in its genre – you need to be able to entertain yourself and love clearing out activities on the map, otherwise “Mad Max” will quickly become “Boring Max”.
Resident Evil 4
Even if the situation is simple and clear, still recommend it. This game could not miss our list, because it is a wonderful representative of the genre. This is a large story adventure with all the necessary elements: dynamic cutscenes, upgrading weapons and searching for treasures, an intriguing story with many twists, battles with bosses. Almost all components of Resident Evil 4 are made at the highest level, which only a few achieve.
Hitman: Absolution
Many Agent 47 fans don’t like Absolution. And they can be understood, since it deviates a bit from the series’ usual formula. In any other game, the protagonist finds himself in a large location and is free to do whatever he deems necessary to eliminate the target. And here, it’s a slightly linear action game that, although it allows for experimentation, is not as broad as fans are accustomed to.
However, others even liked this approach, largely due to the action content. The game keeps you in suspense all the time and throws up non-standard situations, which has a positive effect on the overall impression.
Stranglehold
This is a rather old, but very soulful game. The great director John Woo, known to fans of spectacular action films about shootouts, participated in its development. The director’s signature style is felt in every action scene. When the main character slides along the railings and shoots at opponents, and then jumps on the chandelier and repeats the same thing, the inner child in the soul makes a joyful squeak.
If you missed Stranglehold at the time, I highly recommend catching up. Especially since you can complete the action in a couple of evenings.
Splinter Cell Conviction
Conviction is a major departure from Splinter Cell. The game is much faster and, if you can call it that, more aggressive. Sam Fisher mercilessly deals with opponents in close combat, and at long range he uses firearms and a new tag mechanic that allows you to clear an entire room in a second.
While the previous installments were clearly inspired by spy thrillers, this one takes inspiration from the Jason Bourne films – a cornered predator whose enemies are unlucky enough to be in his way.
Splinter Cell Blacklist
The last full-fledged game in the franchise to date. After that, Ubisoft put the series on the back burner. But Blacklist turned out to be great – almost the perfect Splinter Cell for old and new fans!
It combined all the characteristic elements from the previous parts and kept the fast pace from Conviction. As a result, we saw the most ultimate Sam Fisher of all that came before. The hero again has access to high-tech toys, and he moves many times faster.
Max Payne 3
The third part of the cult action game is at the same time seriously different from the previous ones and remains true to them. The player travels along with Max through different levels and leaves behind dozens of killed opponents and destruction. All this is accompanied by the signature jumps with slow motion and seasoned with Max Payne’s monologues with himself. And this is probably the key advantage of the game – you want to record the main character’s comments about the situation on a dictaphone.
You can argue for a long time about how good the story of Max Payne 3 is, but one thing is useless to deny – this is one of the most spectacular third-person action games.
Dead Space 2
The first Dead Space turned out to be a slow and atmospheric horror, but the sequel has sped up. The game has become bigger, longer and more diverse, but has partially lost its signature oppressive mood – a big “thank you” to the bet on action and different level design.
The original didn’t allow the player to get into a good position to shoot necromorphs, while the sequel has almost on-rails shooting episodes. However, the increased degree of explosions and shootouts did not prevent the second part of Dead Space from becoming one of the best games of the generation before last.
Prince of Persia (2008)
I always liked the fairytale variation of “Prince of Persia” more than the original trilogy and the vague The Forgotten Sands. Mainly because of the gameplay, which went even further into parkour and exploration of the environment. Battles became very rare, but each fight with a new monster is much more memorable than before.
Let’s not forget about another important element of the reboot – the sorceress Elika, who helps the prince flutter over the abysses and destroy evil spirits.
Tomb Raider (2013)
In the reimagining of Tomb Raider, we saw a completely different Lara Croft. There was nothing left of the seasoned tomb raider. The new girl is an inexperienced adventurer who has not yet seen dirt or found herself in deadly situations.
Along with this, the gameplay has changed: it has become more realistic and “lively”, which is why it has become even closer to Uncharted. It is clear that the authors did not reach the attention to detail at the level of Naughty Dog, but the concept turned out to be good.
Rise of the Tomb Raider
The sequel to Tomb Raider basically changed only the location. Instead of an island with crazy fanatics, Lara Croft finds herself in snowy Siberia, where she continues to search for ancient treasures. The gameplay has been diluted with new mechanics, but the base remains unchanged. The player still alternates action scenes with staged episodes and parkour on steep cliffs.
Assassin’s Creed 2
The sequel to Assassin’s Creed multiplied everything that made the original game so beloved. Here, Ubisoft slowly began to get hooked on the “More, we need more!” needle, which resulted in a large-scale and epic continuation of Altair’s story.
The sequel’s protagonist is Italian Ezio Auditore da Firenze, who joins a brotherhood of assassins to avenge the death of his family. The gameplay is a social stealth action game where the player can use the environment and clever gadgets to accomplish their goals.
Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood
The key feature of the sequel to the second part was the emergence of a full-fledged brotherhood of assassins, whose members can be sent on missions and called in especially difficult situations. Otherwise, it is the same great Assassin’s Creed 2, just bigger and better.
Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag
Many consider “Black Flag” to be almost the best of all classic Assassin’s Creed! We find ourselves in a real Caribbean pool and plunge headlong into pirate romance. All the necessary attributes of the setting are in place: you will have to swim with sharks, search for treasures on godforsaken islands and fight on the water, as well as board enemy ships.
The Evil Within 2
Japanese game designer Shinji Mikami is the true “father” of survival horror and the creator of the original Resident Evil. At some point, he left Capcom and then founded his own studio, Tango Gameworks. His debut project was The Evil Within, a third-person psychological horror with familiar mechanics from Resident Evil. In fact, it’s a “four”, but with an emphasis on psychedelia, not monsters.
The sequel took the series in an unexpected direction – full-fledged sandbox locations with additional tasks appeared, there was more action, but the plot and production itself were noticeably compressed in madness. It is not surprising, because Mikami was only a producer here.
Vanquish
Surprisingly, Mikami also had a hand in Vanquish, a game with a completely unexpected mood. It was one of the first projects from PlatinumGames, where top Japanese game designers gathered together with Mikami, Kamiya, and others.
The team stated from the very beginning that they wanted to make dynamic and spectacular action games – and Vanquish reflects their vision 1000%. This is a game whose main character is dressed in a super-tech suit with built-in jet engines, thanks to which time can be constantly slowed down. Large-scale shootouts, chases and battles with bosses the size of a skyscraper – the signature Japanese outrageousness is revealed to the maximum.
Sleeping Dogs
There are plenty of GTA clones in the world. Each one tries to stand out with something that will not fall under this label. Among the projects that are really worth attention, Sleeping Dogs always stands out.
At first glance, there are few differences: crimes, chases, shootouts and all that, but with a verified and enjoyable gameplay. The key thing that you pay attention to first of all is the combat system, which most closely resembles Batman Arkham. The main character knocks down enemies left and right, does not hesitate to use finishing moves or wield improvised objects.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
Another game from PlatinumGames (well, they know how to make action games, what can you do?), this time based on the Metal Gear franchise.
No, the Japanese did not make another stealth action game. Instead of focusing on stealth and espionage, the focus here was on a fast-paced combat system and battles with crowds of opponents, as well as bosses. The main character was the cyber ninja Raiden, familiar to all fans of the main franchise. Revengeance is a spin-off worthy of a sequel, which offers a different look at the series.
Warframe
Warfame is a third-person session action game in which the player can spend eternity. Despite its venerable age, the game continues to develop and attract a new audience.
This is largely due to the efforts of the developers. They cherish and nurture their project, regularly expanding it with major additions. It is even more interesting to play Warframe with friends. A separate plus is that the game is distributed free of charge and is available on all key platforms.
Batman: Arkham City
Considered by many to be the best Batman game ever, after a relatively intimate Asylum, the crime fighter heads to one of Gotham’s most dangerous areas. All the key mechanics have been moved from the original: counter-attack-focused battles, exploration of levels, and gadget-based puzzle solving are all in place. Except that each element has become deeper and more interesting.
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Another superhero game that turned out to be good. The action game about Wolverine is based on the film of the same name, but does not repeat the mistake of all similar releases – it does not retell the story of the film, but complements it and offers new impressions.
This makes playing Wolverine even more interesting than watching a movie. And I want to praise Raven for completely abandoning censorship. The game Wolverine mercilessly pounces on opponents, tears them to pieces and impales them on blades, cutting off their heads. For this opportunity to feel like a killing machine alone, the game is worth recommending to everyone.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
Before the beginning of the 2010s, Konami decided to reboot Castlevania and turn it into a linear third-person action game. The experiment can be called successful. The classic representative of Metroidvania felt great in the three-dimensional dimension.
The authors equipped the game with all the familiar elements: the signature whip, closed passages on the levels and spectacular battles with bosses. The game also has a sequel, but it did not achieve the same success as the original.