Highlights

• Action-adventure games offer a variety of gameplay mechanics and are not limited by design choices, making them accessible to newcomers.
• Pumpkin Jack, Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus, and Psychonauts 2 are great action-adventure games for beginners due to their linear gameplay and intuitive mechanics.
• Games like Ratchet and Clank 2016, God of War 2018, and The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker provide a wholesome and enjoyable experience for newcomers to the genre.

Action-adventure games are some of the more ubiquitous in all of gaming. Due to this genre covering an extensive amount of games across various platforms and generations, it can often be hard for newcomers to know which games are the best to start with. Of course, not every person is the same, and some people will connect with different experiences in different ways. However, some bread-and-butter action-adventure games deserve to be played first.

From colorful, cartoony action-adventure games to more realistic ones, there is certainly a game in this genre for you. What makes this genre so special is that it can incorporate a variety of gameplay mechanics and isn't limited by only one or two design choices. The following action-adventure games are some of the very best to play if you are new to this genre.

Updated February 4, 2024, by Branden Lizardi: With 2023 having come and gone, we're looking over all of the year's best games. While there were certainly some smash-hit titles perfect for experienced gamers, some noteworthy titles would make for excellent experiences for beginners or newcomers to the world of gaming. We've updated this list with new entries and some stylish formatting improvements to make sure that you don't miss out on what the best of 2023 has to offer.

Tunic

In many ways, video games can be overwhelming for newcomers. With inventory items, stats, menu screens, and a controller with countless buttons, it can be a bit much. But oftentimes, to scale all that back, some of the magic of an adventure game is lost.

Not with Tunic, this tremendously charming Zelda-inspired game is an amazing blend of simple concepts and controls while still delivering a wonderful sense of adventure and creativity without bogging you down with overly complicated mechanics.

Pumpkin Jack

Pumpkin Jack is a true indie gem that oozes spooky, cartoony charm in tandem with some top-tier action-adventure gameplay. Fans of the original PS1 game, Medievil, will feel right at home here in Pumpkin Jack. Starring the titular pumpkin-headed character, Pumpkin Jack is tasked by the devil to cause chaos and havoc in the kingdom of Arc-En-Ciel. From the lush and vibrant presentation to the fun combat and platforming, Pumpkin Jack is sure to please action-adventure fans.

Pumpkin Jack is a great leaping-off point for newcomers to this genre since it's a mostly linear and digestible game. You move from stage to stage, pummeling baddies, collecting raven skulls, platforming around, and defeating a boss at the end of each stage. Each stage follows the same format but throws in plenty of surprises, such as fun mine cart sections reminiscent of the SNES Donkey Kong Country gamesDonkey Kong Country games from the SNES. If you love a spooky yet charming action-adventure game, then be sure to seek out Pumpkin Jack right away.

Sly Cooper And The Thievius Raccoonus

Gosh, it's such a bummer that the beloved Sly Cooper series from the PS2 and PS3 eras haven't made a recent resurgence. While each of the Sly Cooper games are wonderful in their own right, it's the first game, Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus from the PS2, that deserves to be played and experienced. For the uninitiated, Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus tasks you, a charming raccoon named Sly, along with his pals Bentley and Murray, with performing heists with precision and aplomb.

This action-adventure platformer is a sheer delight and still feels great to play, even two decades after its initial release. Genre beginners will love this game because its mechanics, namely, running, jumping, collecting, and attacking baddies, are pretty basic and easy to grasp. Stealth does come into play during some of the missions and puzzle areas. Still, for the most part, Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus is a Saturday morning cartoon-esque game brimming with smart and intuitive game design that anyone can enjoy.

While the game is natively for the PS2, a remastered version of the game (and its two sequels) released on the PlaySation 3 and Vita as part of "The Sly Collection" in 2010.

Psychonauts 2

Psychonauts 2 is a truly remarkable action-adventure game that perfectly blends platforming, action, and exploration, even for those who have never experienced the cult-classic original game. Psychonauts 2 stars Razputin Aquato, or Raz for short, an intern Psychonaut who must work with his fellow interns and other professional Psychonauts to figure out who brainwashed their leader and planted a mole in the Psychonauts' headquarters.

This is a fantastic jumping-off point for the series and for those new to the action-adventure genre, especially those who want to perform dazzling platforming feats while using Raz's psychic powers. The game eases you into its psychic systems and mechanics and simply aims to give you a fun, whimsical, and heartfelt adventure to enjoy.

You might recognize some voices, too. Well known actors like Jack Black and Elijah Wood are voices in the game.

Batman Arkham Asylum

Batman games have come a long way since the likes of Batman Begins and Batman Vengeance. Once Rocksteady's juggernaut Batman Arkham Asylum released to ravenous Batman and action-adventure fans alike, players rejoiced. This focused, nuanced, and utterly polished Batman game was one of the first to truly make you feel like you are playing as the winged bat detective.

As you might imagine, Batman Arkham Asylum has you explored the titular Asylum, a location brimming with Batman lore and spooky secrets. Combining platforming gameplay, incredibly visceral combat, and a boatload of gadgetry, Arkham Asylum instantly became a hit with fans but also drew in a whole new crowd who wanted to enjoy a new action-adventure game.

Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

The Lego games have a long-standing history of being a perfect construction of quality and approachability. Each and every game is easy to play and hard to fail at. The block-based graphical style makes for a lighthearted and humorous perspective on games. When combined with existing stories like Star Wars, that fun and easy gameplay is blessed with the narrative prowess of one of the most famous sci-fi stories in the world.

This is seen at its best with The Skywalker Saga, which specifically follows the story of the Skywalker family. To pair with the more casual art style, the overall plot is also refined into a more comedic experience. Paired with the tremendously forgiving gameplay design that keeps things consistently engaging, this is one of the best action-adventure games to be a person's first introduction to gaming as a whole.

The Darksiders Series

The Darksiders series is a long-running action/adventure series known for its incredible action combat, thoughtful world exploration, inventive puzzles, and hauntingly beautiful presentation. Any of the Darksiders games could be mentioned here since each one provides a meaty adventure to sink your teeth into.

However, the best place to start for newcomers to the genre would probably be Darksiders 1 or 2. Darksiders 1 plays like a more traditional Zelda game, replete with exploration, dungeons, and plentiful puzzles. For a different spin on the genre, Darksiders 2 features a more loot-heavy experience blended with some RPG elements. Plus, each game has you play as one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse, with the stories directly tied into each other.

Sackboy: A Big Adventure

For a more lighthearted and family-friendly affair, look no further than Sackboy: A Big Adventure. This PS4/5 action adventure platforming game is downright charming and fun in equal measure. Sackboy, who was first made famous in the Little Big Planet games, is such a wholesome character. Now starring in this own adventure, Sackboy must hop around and explore various creative stages while collecting tons of goodies.

Easily the best part of Sackboy: A Big Adventure is that the entire game can be played in two-player co-op. While a wonderful game in solo mode, it's the 2-player mode that really ups the charm factor. Being able to experience this deep and rewarding adventure game with a friend or family member makes it a fantastic game for genre newcomers.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

While any of the acclaimed Uncharted games could be inserted in this position, it's Uncharted 2: Among Thieves that truly revolutionized how cinematic action-adventure games play out. In Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, you play as Nathan Drake, a charismatic adventurer who seeks fortune and mystery in a globe-trotting adventure.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is a fantastic beginner action-adventure game because it can be perfectly tailored to your experience, not just in difficulty, but in how much you want to explore and adventure. Nathan will travel the world taking in the sights and sounds of ancient caves, snowy mountain temples, derelict city streets, plus so much more, all the while shooting baddies, collecting loot, and discovering artifacts.

Ratchet And Clank 2016

Ratchet and Clank is a long-running 3D action-adventure game with plenty of crazy weaponry, some light platforming, and plenty of collectibles to discover. You could absolutely play any of the Ratchet and Clank games as a beginner since they are easy to pick up and play yet endlessly rewarding. However, the 2016 version of Ratchet and Clank serves as a soft reboot for the series that really takes the cake.

You, of course, play as the eponymous duo as they defeat baddies with a bevy of upgradeable guns, destroy crates and boxes to obtain nuts and bolts, and solve plenty of puzzles along the way. The story may be a bit derivative, but it serves as a great Saturday morning cartoon distraction from many other emotional and heavy narratives in the medium.

Hi-Fi Rush

Hi-fi Rush is possibly one of the most inspired and creative games to release in 2023. Made by Tango Gameworks (of Evil Within fame), this colorful, jam-packed action game is a third-person hack-n-slash title where the protagonist, Chai, blends fighting with the beat of music. Not just generic video game tracks, either, but real songs from some of the most famous rock bands of all time.

It's colorful, creative, and non-stop entertaining. While fighting to the beat may take some practice, some off-beat strikes won't hinder you enough to really stop you from enjoying every level. Hi-Fi Rush is a fantastic game for showing those new to gaming what a great game is capable of.

God Of War 2018

It would seem that some of the best action-adventure games for newcomers also happen to be a part of some of the longest-running game series of all time. One perfect example of this is the 2018 version of God of War from Santa Monica Studio. This new God of War acts as a complete refresh for the entirety of the series, taking away some of the over-the-top and bombastic action from its predecessors in favor of a more nuanced, story-driven affair.

God of War 2018 stars a much older Kratos who, along with his son Atreus, must take the ashes of Kratos' wife to a far-off mountain peak. This simple setup belies a deeply character-focused game where every action you take as Kratos and Atreus matters in both the context of the game world and the story. Plus, the game introduces new mechanics at a steady pace, so you never feel overwhelmed.

The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker

While most of the Zelda discourse hovers around Breath of the Wild, beginners to the action-adventure genre should actually start out with The Wind Waker. While the game was divisive upon its initial GameCube launch, mostly due to its cartoony, cel-shaded graphics, it still manages to be one of the very best Zelda games in the entirety of the franchise.

If you are a newcomer to this genre, Wind Waker provides a more linear experience in comparison to Breath of the Wild, something that can help new players from becoming too overwhelmed by the "go anywhere, do anything" exploration that Breath of the Wild offers. The Wind Waker gives you plenty of gorgeous islands to discover, a vast ocean to explore, and the classic Zelda dungeons that fans of the series love.

Assassin's Creed Syndicate

Assassin's Creed Syndicate might be the most overlooked game in the franchise, mostly because it was the follow-up to Assassin's Creed Unity, a game that happened to have a disastrous launch. However, Syndicate is easily one of the best in the series, at least for the older non-open world titles.

In Syndicate, you play as twins Evie and Jacob Frye. You can able to freely swap between characters as you see fit, aside from a handful of character-specific moments in the story. Each of them has their own unique skills, weapons, and cosmetics. Oh, and the best part of the game is that it takes place in Victorian London. Syndicate refines the original Assassin's Creed formula and offers you a fantastic and rewarding game world.

Control

Control may not seem like an obvious choice for newcomers to gaming. It follows protagonist Jesse Faden as she makes her way through a reality-distorting office building in search of someone. But not everything is as it seems. What makes Control such a perfect game for beginners is how it blends accessibility with aspects of a game not often seen in 'beginner-friendly' games. Control isn't a colorful, bright game. It has muted tones, a weird fiction narrative, and intense and action-packed gameplay. These are all normally red flags for a high-difficulty experience.

Unless you turn on their accessibility settings, that is. Control offers a variety of gameplay-altering settings, including unlimited health, one-shot kills, and so on. With the right combo, even the most casual of players can breeze through the combat, allowing them to experience the full narrative and world design that the game has to offer. This diversity in how you want to play the game means that hardcore gamers can feel challenged while beginners can still keep up without having to miss out.