Best Games That Are All Action No Talk

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Many popular games today don’t immediately jump into the action. Titles like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Persona 5 spend time building their stories before letting you really start playing. On the other hand, some games keep the story simple, which is great for players who just want fast-paced action.

In older Nintendo games, like those on the NES and SNES, storytelling wasn’t the main focus. For players who enjoy modern action games but prefer the simple, gameplay-first style of those classic games, these titles deliver. They either have no significant story, or keep it minimal so it doesn’t interrupt the action.

Hyper Light Drifter

Cyberpunk Fantasy Zelda

Hyper Light Drifter is an independent game inspired by the classic Zelda series. It’s an action game with a top-down perspective, set in a unique world that blends dystopian themes with fantasy and cyberpunk elements. While it combines many different styles, the game’s beautiful pixel art and vibrant colors make it all come together.

What’s really unique about this game is that characters don’t speak English. You have to figure out what they mean, and a big part of the enjoyment comes from gradually understanding a different language to uncover the story – though you don’t have to! If deciphering a new language isn’t your thing, you can always just focus on the fun, fast-paced combat and defeating monsters.

Tunic

If Link Was A Fox

Tunic is an indie game clearly inspired by classic top-down Zelda titles. It features charming 3D graphics that look like a toy, and you play as a fox. Like those older games, Tunic uses a unique language system, which players uncover by finding lost pages hidden throughout the game world.

Players can figure out the game’s hidden language by paying attention to clues within the game and by reading a cleverly designed manual that sometimes directly addresses them. Understanding this language opens up new options, but it’s not required – those who just want to enjoy the main game can stick to the action and ignore the deeper story if they prefer.

Absolver

Kick, Punch, It’s All In The Mind

Absolver is a martial arts game inspired by the Souls series. You’re thrown into a strange world with little explanation, and as you explore, you’ll encounter powerful, masked warriors eager to test their skills against you.

Okay, so this isn’t your typical button-mashing beat ’em up. You actually have to watch what your enemies are doing and time your counters just right if you want to win. The cool part is, beating up enemies unlocks new moves you can add to your favorite combos. And if you’re playing online, finding another player feels just as awesome and unexpected as stumbling across someone in Journey – it’s a really cool experience.

Warriors: Abyss

Top-Down Musou

If you’re a fan of fast-paced action in games like Dynasty Warriors but wish there were fewer story scenes and conversations, you should definitely try Warriors: Abyss. It takes the core combat of those games and blends it with the replayability of a roguelike, but focuses almost entirely on the gameplay itself.

In each playthrough, players collect currency to unlock a variety of heroes, all with distinct playstyles, weapons, and abilities. You can experiment with everything from swords and spears to whips and guns. Koei Tecmo has consistently updated the game throughout 2025, including guest characters like Ryu from Ninja Gaiden, keeping Warriors: Abyss engaging and fun long after its initial release.

Broforce

The United States Of Action Heroes

Broforce is a fast-paced action game inspired by classic titles like Contra. Instead of traditional heroes, you play as hilarious parody characters based on iconic action stars. The roster includes explosive experts like MacBrover, close-combat fighters like The Brode, and long-range specialists like Brommando.

Each stage is quick and throws a random hero at you. You unlock new characters by rescuing hostages, and these unlocks are surprisingly humorous—plus, they’re actually enjoyable to play as. The game focuses purely on action—saving the country from terrorists and causing explosions—which is exactly what players want.

Rollerdrome

Tony Hawk With Guns

Rollerdrome takes place in a futuristic, rundown world obsessed with extreme sports, much like the action movies of the 1980s. The game centers around a deadly tournament called the Rollerdrome, where players must master skating and shooting simultaneously to survive.

Performing impressive moves – similar to those in extreme sports games – is both visually exciting and essential for getting a chance to reload. The game features a vibrant yet rough visual style, and the gameplay is constantly fast-paced. Despite frequent defeats, players will find themselves eager to jump right back into the action.

Primal Planet

The Jetsons Meets The Flintstones

Primal Planet appears to be a survival game in the style of a Metroidvania, taking place in prehistoric times. However, it has a surprising sci-fi twist that’s best discovered through playing the game. The game’s artwork hints at this, but going in knowing less is preferable.

This game puts you in the role of cave people who communicate through actions instead of words. You’ll collect resources to create essential items like torches and food, and gain experience and new abilities by defeating dinosaurs and other creatures. It’s a particularly tough Metroidvania due to its focus on survival, but it’s incredibly addictive.

Katanaut

Deep Space Samurai

Katanaut offers brief narration before and during gameplay, but it’s mostly atmospheric and doesn’t drive a strong story. Essentially, you play as Naut, a space samurai stranded on a colony invaded by mutants emerging from mysterious rifts.

Okay, so imagine Aliens blended with the style of Samurai Jack – that’s the vibe of Katanaut! Each playthrough is totally wild and fast-paced. You collect power-ups – new skills and weapons – and earn money to make Naut permanently stronger. A lot of that stuff is pretty standard for a roguelike game, but like Primal Planet before it, Katanaut really stands out because of its unique world and atmosphere.

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2025-10-29 13:37