An action game is a game category where the player's actions and movements are the primary focus. It covers a range of genres, from platform games (Opens in new tab) to shooters (Opens in new tab) or fighting games (Opens in new tab) and more. If you move a character around, acting and reacting to the game’s challenges (climbing, jumping, fighting) in real-time, it’s an action game.

Broadly speaking, an action game allows the player to control a character's movements and physical reactions within a level. It can be a side-scrolling platform game, where the player is guided around the level to collect items and fight off enemies. A first-person shooter follows the same challenges of movement and action but is viewed from the character’s perspective, making aiming a larger part of the game. A third-person action game will usually focus on melee attacks with exaggerated movements. All these games look and feel wildly different, but they’re still considered action games.

The challenges in action games often require precise and swift reactions. Simply filling a space with enemies and presenting the player with a gun to shoot at them is as basic as action games get, and there are a number of great games that do just that. They’re often challenging arenas where knowledge of the space, the enemy’s attack patterns, and upgrades are required. They’re also the perfect place for a boss battle, a staple of the action game genre. Boss battles are engaging moments where a new type of enemy, much bigger, stronger, or faster than the standard enemies, will provide the player with a unique and difficult fight, sometimes across several stages.

There are also plenty of action games without guns. There are games where the player races along a corridor, dodging traps and attacks. There are games where you have to hide from enemies as they patrol past, waiting for the right moment to escape or attack.

A number of modern action games allow the player to specify their style of play. Characters will have skills and stats that the player selects, called a ‘build,’ which will differentiate their avatar from other players. You could create a character with stats placed mainly in strength, allowing you to wield large weapons and run into fights. Or you could create a stealthy character, where your stats and weapons give you an edge when sneaking around levels. The same game could have wildly different character builds, depending on the player.

Yes, and you can use the Epic Games Store Launcher to do so. You need to create an account and download the launcher. With both ready, you can use the launcher to download the computer game to your PC’s hard drive and launch it from there.

Action games for PCs present fun challenges for players of varying skills. They have no specified genre, so there is a vast range of games available for people to play. They can be ancient assassins or modern soldiers. Themes can be as simple as shooting at demons, or the game could tell an elaborate story with multiple twists, player decisions, and metaphors.

Yes. There are a number of action games that can be played with friends online. You can play cooperative games or even versus games with friends.

Most modern action games will have an element of character customization. You can select your gender, appearance, and more. Some have demanding skill trees that cover every aspect of a character’s progress, enabling you to create a play style that’s unique to you.

Some do, yes. Survival games are action games, and they usually require the player to craft and maintain a base in order to stay alive.