Best Action Adventure games: 25 ranked (2026)
144 action adventure games ranked by the GamingPickz Score, a published composite of player sentiment and critic reception. The formula is below in full, and no placement on this page can be bought.
The short version
- Top pick: Red Dead Redemption 2, GamingPickz Score 9.3/10 from 911,659 player reviews and a critic aggregate of 93.
- 34 score 8.5 or above out of 144 ranked action adventure games.
- Price range free to $69.99, median $19.99, with 2 free to play.
- 62 are Steam Deck Verified by Valve's own testing.
- 17 declare six or more accessibility features. Listed per game below.
Why trust this list
Most "best games" lists are either one person's taste presented as fact, or an affiliate feed with the highest commission at the top. This is neither. It is a ranking of 144 action adventure games computed from two third-party signals we did not generate, using a formula printed below.
Our team has played and reviewed games for over twenty years, somewhere around 3,000 titles across every generation since the PS1. A good number of the action adventure games on this page are among them, and that experience is what lets us tell you which of these numbers are worth trusting.
It is not, however, what set the order. The formula did, and we think that is the right way round: a list ordered by one person's memory is a list you have to take on trust, and this one you can check line by line.
The order comes out of the grid. Every game in the catalogue is placed on eighteen measured axes, each one a number read from a named source rather than an opinion: player sentiment and its sample size, the critic aggregate, review volume, Wikipedia language editions, price, install size, Steam Deck rating, accessibility features. A ranked list is that grid collapsed to one dimension. The map further down this page plots these same 25 games on two of those axes, so you can see the position the ranking gave each one and check it against where the game actually sits. If the list and the map ever disagreed, the list would be wrong, and they read the same numbers so they cannot.
5 entries on this page carry a full review of ours, marked as such and linked. For the rest, the score reflects how other people received the game, and we say so rather than implying a verdict we have not written.
Update history 1
- First published with 25 entries ranked.
At a glance
The top 12 side by side. Full entries below.
| # | Game | Best for | Score | Players | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Red Dead Redemption 2 | The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence | 9.3 | 92% (911,659) | $59.99 |
| 2 | Terraria | The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence | 9.2 | 97% (1,550,032) | $9.99 |
| 3 | Resident Evil 4 | The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence | 9.2 | 97% (274,646) | $39.99 |
| 4 | God of War | Players who need accessibility options that actually exist | 9.2 | 96% (184,172) | $49.99 |
| 5 | Tomb Raider | The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence | 9.0 | 96% (269,385) | $2.99 |
| 6 | Life Is Strange | Trying the genre without spending anything | 9.0 | 96% (175,705) | Free |
| 7 | Dishonored | Sinking a long time into one world | 9.0 | 98% (88,064) | $9.99 |
| 8 | Batman: Arkham City | A consistently well-received pick in this category | 9.0 | 96% (77,986) | $19.99 |
| 9 | Subnautica | Handheld play, small install and Deck verified | 8.9 | 97% (379,053) | $29.99 |
| 10 | Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice | The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence | 8.9 | 95% (354,843) | $59.99 |
| 11 | Tomb Raider | The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence | 8.9 | 96% (269,385) | $2.99 |
| 12 | Doki Doki Literature Club! | Trying the genre without spending anything | 8.9 | 96% (227,039) | Free |
How we chose these
This ranking is a projection of the same axes the grid plots, not a second scoring system sitting alongside it. The grid answers where a game sits on two chosen measures; a ranked list needs one number, so the axes are collapsed using published weights. A game cannot be high on the grid and low here for a reason nobody can point at, because both read the same values.
Every ranked game gets a GamingPickz Score out of 10. It is a weighted blend of the axes below, and these percentages are read directly from the code that computes the ranking rather than written out separately, so the published formula cannot drift from the applied one.
| Component | Weight | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Players | 55% | The share of Steam reviews marked positive, pulled toward the catalogue average in proportion to how few reviews stand behind it. A game with 200 reviews moves a long way toward the average; one with 200,000 barely moves at all. Without this a title sitting at 100 percent on nine reviews outranks Half-Life 2 at 98 percent on 278,000. |
| Critics | 25% | Metacritic and OpenCritic aggregate, normalised to 0 to 100. |
| Popularity | 20% | A blend of two things that are not the same. Audience is how many people wrote a Steam review, which is a floor on how many played it. Reach is how many language editions of Wikipedia document the game, which is cultural footprint rather than sales. A game can score high on one and low on the other: a huge free-to-play title has audience without reach, and a landmark console exclusive has reach without a Steam audience at all. Where both exist they are averaged; where only one does, that one carries it. |
Shrinkage is the part that matters most. Without it a game with nine reviews at 100 percent outranks Half-Life 2 with 278,000 at 98. Player sentiment is pulled toward the catalogue average of 84 using a 400-review prior, in proportion to how thin the evidence is.
Popularity is deliberately a minority weight. At 20 percent it nudges well-known games up without letting fame decide the order. Weight it higher and the list becomes "games you have already heard of", which nobody needs a ranking for. Weight it at zero and a game almost nobody played can top the list on the strength of a few hundred enthusiastic reviews. Neither is useful, so it sits in between. How popularity is measured.
Where a game has no critic aggregate, that 35 percent is redistributed onto player sentiment rather than counted as zero, and the entry says so.
Games with fewer than 50 reviews are excluded outright. Shrinkage is symmetric, so a game sitting at 0 percent on one review would otherwise be pulled up near the average, which flatters something nobody has actually assessed.
What we deliberately do not do. No paid placement, no sponsored slots dressed as editorial, no hidden weighting. If sponsorship is ever introduced it will be labelled and will sit outside the ranking. The formula above is the whole formula.
The action adventure games on a map
Compare the whole catalogueThe same 25 games, plotted rather than listed. The two axes below are the ones the ranking is built from, so a game sitting high and right is a game the formula placed near the top. Change either axis to see the field a different way. Where we hold a publisher wordmark, the game is drawn as its mark rather than a dot.
25 games have both
Axes are fitted to these 25 games rather than the full 0 to 100 scale, because a filtered list shares a narrow band and would otherwise sit in one corner. End values are marked. A point on the left edge is the lowest of thesegames, not a low score.
Players. The share of Steam reviews marked positive, pulled toward the catalogue average in proportion to how few reviews stand behind it. A game with 200 reviews moves a long way toward the average; one with 200,000 barely moves at all. Without this a title sitting at 100 percent on nine reviews outranks Half-Life 2 at 98 percent on 278,000.
Popularity. A blend of two things that are not the same. Audience is how many people wrote a Steam review, which is a floor on how many played it. Reach is how many language editions of Wikipedia document the game, which is cultural footprint rather than sales. A game can score high on one and low on the other: a huge free-to-play title has audience without reach, and a landmark console exclusive has reach without a Steam audience at all. Where both exist they are averaged; where only one does, that one carries it.
- Mobile
- Multi-platform
- Nintendo
- PC
- PlayStation
- Xbox
Every point links to that game's entry. The value map and the reception map are fixed views of the same data.
How positions are decided
No paid placement, no favouritism, live third-party data
- Placed by the published method, not by us. Every coordinate is computed from the axis definitions and weights printed on this site. Nobody moves a point. See the axes.
- Nothing here is paid for. No sponsored placements, no promoted slots, no arrangement of any kind affects a position. If that ever changes it will be labelled and sit outside the ranking.
- No favouritism, including our own. The 16 games we have written full reviews of are scored by exactly the same formula as the other 1,510, from the same third-party inputs, and they land where it puts them. Our own opinion of a game does not enter its coordinates.
- A position is not an endorsement. It says how a game was received and what it costs, not that we recommend it. Where we do recommend something, it carries a written review with a name on it.
- Fetched from live third-party data. Player sentiment from Steam, critic aggregates as published on store pages, prices checked hourly, attention from Wikipedia. Each figure carries its source and the date it was read, and we do not adjust any of them.
How to choose between these
25 entries, six things that separate them
The ranking answers "which is best received". It cannot answer "which is best for you", because that depends on things no formula knows. Here is what actually separates these 25 action adventure games, in the order worth thinking about it.
Check the sample size before the score
A score is only as good as the evidence under it. 21 of these have more than 50,000 player reviews, which makes their number very hard to move.
Look at where critics and players disagree
The widest gap here is Stray, where players sit above critics by 15 points. A gap that size usually means the game changed after launch, or that it does something critics undervalue. It is worth reading why before deciding which number you trust. The disagreement map plots this across the catalogue.
Decide what you are actually willing to spend
The median here is $20.99, and the cheapest paid entry is Saints Row: The Third at $2.49. Prices move constantly, so a game a place or two down the list is often the better buy this week. Filter by price below rather than assuming the top pick is the right purchase.
Match it to the hardware you own
15 of these are Steam Deck Verified by Valve's own testing, and install sizes vary by more than an order of magnitude. If you are choosing for a handheld or a drive that is nearly full, that narrows the field faster than any score.
Check it supports how you want to play
Solo, with a friend online, or two people on one sofa are different requirements, and a well-reviewed game that does not support yours is the wrong game. The filters below answer this directly.
Look for the things a score hides
3 declare six or more accessibility features, and 1 carry in-game purchases. Neither shows up in a review score, and both change the experience substantially. Each entry lists its own.
Choose one if…
Tick what matters to you. This filters the ranking above rather than reordering it, so the order you see is still the order the formula produced, minus the games that do not fit. Every filter reads a field from the game's own store listing.
Nothing selected, so all 25 action adventure games are shown below. Pick one or more above to narrow it.
25 best action adventure games, ranked
Ordered by GamingPickz Score. Every figure links back to the source that produced it.
- 1
Red Dead Redemption 2
Best for: The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence
9.3GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceRed Dead Redemption 2 at a glance Released 2018 Studio Not recorded Player sentiment 92% positive of 911,659 Critics 93/100 Price $59.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 150 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 92% shrinks to 92.0 on 911,659 reviews, then blends with the 93 critic aggregate, giving 9.3.
What the data supports- 92% positive across 911,659 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
Worth checking first- Carries in-game purchases. Check what they cost before committing.
- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 2
Terraria
Best for: The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence
9.2GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceTerraria at a glance Released 2011 Studio 505 Games Player sentiment 97% positive of 1,550,032 Critics 83/100 Price $9.99 Steam Deck verified Install size Not stated Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 97% shrinks to 97.0 on 1,550,032 reviews, then blends with the 83 critic aggregate, giving 9.2.
What the data supports- 97% positive across 1,550,032 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
Worth checking first- Players rate it well above critics, 97 against 83. Usually a sign it improved after launch, or that it delivers something reviewers undervalued.
- 3
Resident Evil 4
Best for: The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence
9.2GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceResident Evil 4 at a glance Released 2005 Studio Capcom Player sentiment 97% positive of 274,646 Critics 91/100 Price $39.99 Steam Deck verified Install size Not stated Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 97% shrinks to 97.0 on 274,646 reviews, then blends with the 91 critic aggregate, giving 9.2.
What the data supports- 97% positive across 274,646 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
Nintendo GameCubeiOSAndroidiPadAndroid TabletPlayStation Portable
- 4
God of War
Best for: Players who need accessibility options that actually exist
9.2GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceGod of War at a glance Released 2005 Studio santa-monica-studio Player sentiment 96% positive of 184,172 Critics 93/100 Price $49.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 70 GB Accessibility 12 declared features Raw 96% shrinks to 96.0 on 184,172 reviews, then blends with the 93 critic aggregate, giving 9.2.
What the data supports- 96% positive across 184,172 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Declares 12 accessibility features, well above the catalogue norm.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
PlayStation VitaPlayStation 2PlayStation 3PlayStation 4Steam Deck
- 5
Tomb Raider
Best for: The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence
9.0GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceTomb Raider at a glance Released 1996 Studio Core Design Player sentiment 96% positive of 269,385 Critics 86/100 Price $2.99 Steam Deck verified Install size Not stated Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 96% shrinks to 96.0 on 269,385 reviews, then blends with the 86 critic aggregate, giving 9.0.
What the data supports- 96% positive across 269,385 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 6
Life Is Strange
Best for: Trying the genre without spending anything
9.0GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceLife Is Strange at a glance Released 2015 Studio Don’t Nod Player sentiment 96% positive of 175,705 Critics No aggregate Price Free Steam Deck playable Install size 5 GB Accessibility 4 declared features Raw 96% shrinks to 96.0 on 175,705 reviews, giving 9.0. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- 96% positive across 175,705 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Free to download, so trying it costs only time.
- Small install at 5 GB.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
Dishonored at a glance Released 2012 Studio Arkane Studios Player sentiment 98% positive of 88,064 Critics 91/100 Price $9.99 Steam Deck verified Install size Not stated Accessibility 6 declared features Raw 98% shrinks to 97.9 on 88,064 reviews, then blends with the 91 critic aggregate, giving 9.0.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 8
Batman: Arkham City
Best for: A consistently well-received pick in this category
9.0GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceBatman: Arkham City at a glance Released 2011 Studio Not recorded Player sentiment 96% positive of 77,986 Critics 91/100 Price $19.99 Steam Deck verified Install size Not stated Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 96% shrinks to 95.9 on 77,986 reviews, then blends with the 91 critic aggregate, giving 9.0.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- 9
Subnautica
Best for: Handheld play, small install and Deck verified
8.9GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceSubnautica at a glance Released 2014 Studio Unknown Worlds Entertainment Player sentiment 97% positive of 379,053 Critics 87/100 Price $29.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 20 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 97% shrinks to 97.0 on 379,053 reviews, then blends with the 87 critic aggregate, giving 8.9.
What the data supports- 97% positive across 379,053 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- 10
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Best for: The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence
8.9GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceSekiro: Shadows Die Twice at a glance Released 2019 Studio FromSoftware Player sentiment 95% positive of 354,843 Critics 88/100 Price $59.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 25 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 95% shrinks to 95.0 on 354,843 reviews, then blends with the 88 critic aggregate, giving 8.9.
What the data supports- 95% positive across 354,843 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 11
Tomb Raider
Best for: The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence
8.9GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceTomb Raider at a glance Released 2013 Studio Crystal Dynamics Player sentiment 96% positive of 269,385 Critics 86/100 Price $2.99 Steam Deck verified Install size Not stated Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 96% shrinks to 96.0 on 269,385 reviews, then blends with the 86 critic aggregate, giving 8.9.
What the data supports- 96% positive across 269,385 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 12
Doki Doki Literature Club!
Best for: Trying the genre without spending anything
8.9GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceDoki Doki Literature Club! at a glance Released 2017 Studio Team Salvato Player sentiment 96% positive of 227,039 Critics No aggregate Price Free Steam Deck playable Install size 0.34 GB Accessibility 0 declared features Raw 96% shrinks to 96.0 on 227,039 reviews, giving 8.9. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- 96% positive across 227,039 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Free to download, so trying it costs only time.
- Small install at 0.34 GB.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 13
Dying Light
Best for: The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence
8.8GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceDying Light at a glance Released 2015 Studio Not recorded Player sentiment 95% positive of 494,569 Critics 87/100 Price $24.99 Steam Deck verified Install size Not stated Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 95% shrinks to 95.0 on 494,569 reviews, then blends with the 87 critic aggregate, giving 8.8.
What the data supports- 95% positive across 494,569 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 14
Palworld
Best for: The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence
8.8GamingPickz Scoremedium confidencePalworld at a glance Released 2024 Studio Pocketpair Player sentiment 95% positive of 482,162 Critics No aggregate Price $20.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 40 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 95% shrinks to 95.0 on 482,162 reviews, giving 8.8. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- 95% positive across 482,162 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Cloud saves and cross-platform play, so progress follows you between machines.
Stray at a glance Released 2022 Studio BlueTwelve Studio Player sentiment 97% positive of 177,458 Critics 82/100 Price $14.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 10 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 97% shrinks to 97.0 on 177,458 reviews, then blends with the 82 critic aggregate, giving 8.7.
What the data supports- 97% positive across 177,458 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Small install at 10 GB.
Worth checking first- Players rate it well above critics, 97 against 82. Usually a sign it improved after launch, or that it delivers something reviewers undervalued.
PCPlayStation 5Xbox Series X and Series SNintendo SwitchSteam Deck
- 16
Batman: Arkham Knight
Best for: Sinking a long time into one world
8.7GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceBatman: Arkham Knight at a glance Released 2015 Studio Not recorded Player sentiment 90% positive of 159,395 Critics No aggregate Price $19.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 45 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 90% shrinks to 90.0 on 159,395 reviews, giving 8.7. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- 90% positive across 159,395 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 17
Ori and the Will of the Wisps
Best for: A consistently well-received pick in this category
8.7GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceOri and the Will of the Wisps at a glance Released 2020 Studio Moon Studios Player sentiment 97% positive of 146,084 Critics 88/100 Price $29.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 20 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 97% shrinks to 97.0 on 146,084 reviews, then blends with the 88 critic aggregate, giving 8.7.
What the data supports- 97% positive across 146,084 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- 18
The Wolf Among Us
Best for: A consistently well-received pick in this category
8.7GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceThe Wolf Among Us at a glance Released 2013 Studio LCG Entertainment, Inc. Player sentiment 98% positive of 40,158 Critics 85/100 Price $14.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 2 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 98% shrinks to 97.9 on 40,158 reviews, then blends with the 85 critic aggregate, giving 8.7.
What the data supports- Small install at 2 GB.
Worth checking first- Players rate it well above critics, 98 against 85. Usually a sign it improved after launch, or that it delivers something reviewers undervalued.
- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 19
Steins;Gate
Best for: A consistently well-received pick in this category
8.7GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceSteins;Gate at a glance Released 2009 Studio 5pb. Inc. Player sentiment 97% positive of 26,892 Critics 87/100 Price $29.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 13 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 97% shrinks to 96.8 on 26,892 reviews, then blends with the 87 critic aggregate, giving 8.7.
What the data supports- Small install at 13 GB.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
iOSAndroidiPadAndroid TabletPlayStation PortablePlayStation Vita
- 20
Rise of the Tomb Raider
Best for: A consistently well-received pick in this category
8.6GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceRise of the Tomb Raider at a glance Released 2015 Studio Crystal Dynamics Player sentiment 94% positive of 155,369 Critics 86/100 Price $4.49 Steam Deck playable Install size 25 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 94% shrinks to 94.0 on 155,369 reviews, then blends with the 86 critic aggregate, giving 8.6.
What the data supports- 94% positive across 155,369 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
Far Cry 3 at a glance Released 2012 Studio Red Storm Entertainment Player sentiment 88% positive of 133,189 Critics 88/100 Price $19.99 Steam Deck playable Install size Not stated Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 88% shrinks to 88.0 on 133,189 reviews, then blends with the 88 critic aggregate, giving 8.6.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
Split Fiction at a glance Released 2025 Studio Not recorded Player sentiment 97% positive of 126,246 Critics No aggregate Price $49.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 85 GB Accessibility 5 declared features Raw 97% shrinks to 97.0 on 126,246 reviews, giving 8.6. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- 97% positive across 126,246 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Cloud saves and cross-platform play, so progress follows you between machines.
Worth checking first- Multiplayer only. There is no solo mode to fall back on.
Saints Row: The Third at a glance Released 2011 Studio Not recorded Player sentiment 96% positive of 69,665 Critics 84/100 Price $2.49 Steam Deck playable Install size Not stated Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 96% shrinks to 95.9 on 69,665 reviews, then blends with the 84 critic aggregate, giving 8.6.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 24
God of War RagnarokWe reviewed this
Best for: Players who need accessibility options that actually exist
8.6GamingPickz ScoreOur review: 9.2/10high confidenceGod of War Ragnarok at a glance Released 2022 Studio santa-monica-studio Player sentiment 89% positive of 49,750 Critics 90/100 Price $59.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 190 GB Accessibility 11 declared features Raw 89% shrinks to 89.0 on 49,750 reviews, then blends with the 90 critic aggregate, giving 8.6.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Declares 11 accessibility features, well above the catalogue norm.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 25
Clannad
Best for: A consistently well-received pick in this category
8.6GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceClannad at a glance Released 2004 Studio Key Player sentiment 98% positive of 10,936 Critics 83/100 Price $44.99 Steam Deck unsupported Install size 7 GB Accessibility 0 declared features Raw 98% shrinks to 97.5 on 10,936 reviews, then blends with the 83 critic aggregate, giving 8.6.
What the data supports- Small install at 7 GB.
Worth checking first- Players rate it well above critics, 97 against 83. Usually a sign it improved after launch, or that it delivers something reviewers undervalued.
- Valve rates it Unsupported on the Steam Deck.
AndroidAndroid TabletPlayStation PortablePCPlayStation 2PlayStation 3
Action Adventure games by the numbers
The figures below describe all 144 entries on this page together, not the top pick. They are recomputed on every build, most recently on 2 September 2026, from 12,602,861 player reviews.
What the pricing looks like
142 of the 144 carry a listed US price, with a median of $19.99 and a mean of $26.05. The mean sitting above the median tells you the field is pulled up by a few expensive outliers. The cheapest is Tomb Raider: Legend at $0.97, the most expensive Indiana Jones and the Great Circle at $69.99. 2 are free to download. 15 carry in-game purchases on top of whatever they cost. Prices are read hourly from the US Steam storefront and move constantly.
How much this field agrees with itself
Player sentiment spans 63 points across these 144 entries. That is a wide band, which means the position of an entry here genuinely matters rather than splitting hairs. 94 carry a critic aggregate, averaging 82 out of 100. Players rate this field 8 points higher than critics on average, which is worth knowing before you weigh either number. See where the two diverge.
Who makes them, and what they overlap with
The studios appearing most often here are Traveller's Tales (12), Crystal Dynamics (7), Ubisoft Kyiv (7), Ubisoft Toronto (6) and Ubisoft Shanghai (5). The genres these entries also sit in are action-adventure (144), fps (20), rpg (9), horror (7), puzzle (5) and survival (5), which is a fair map of what you are actually choosing between.
Which way attention is moving
We track Wikipedia pageviews over 28 days for 138 of these. 42 are gaining attention and 51 are losing it, with the rest flat. Attention is not quality, and we do not feed it into the ranking. The full monitor shows the movements across the catalogue.
Common questions
What is the best action adventure game?
Red Dead Redemption 2 ranks first, with a GamingPickz Score of 9.3 out of 10 drawn from 911,659 player reviews and a critic aggregate of 93. That is a statement about how it was received, not a claim that it is the one you personally will enjoy most.
How is this ranking calculated?
The GamingPickz Score is 55% player sentiment adjusted for sample size, 25% the critic aggregate published on the game store page, 20% popularity, from review volume and Wikipedia language editions. Player sentiment is pulled toward the catalogue average of 83.8% using a 400-review prior, so a game with a handful of reviews cannot outrank one with hundreds of thousands. Nothing on this page is paid for and no placement can be bought.
How many action adventure games are ranked here?
144 of them qualify. A game needs at least 50 player reviews to be scored, which excludes titles with too little evidence to place fairly.
Why is a game I love missing?
Three likely reasons. It has fewer than 50 player reviews, so it is excluded rather than ranked on noise. It has no Steam listing at all, which is normal for console and Nintendo exclusives. Or it is not in the catalogue yet.
Do you get paid for these placements?
No. Positions are computed from the formula above and nothing else. The site carries advertising, and advertisers can neither see nor influence this page. A position is not an endorsement, it is a measurement of reception.
How current is this?
Recomputed on every build from source data read on a stated date. This page was last rebuilt on 2 September 2026. Player review counts move daily, so positions in the middle of the list shift more than those at the top or bottom.
Reader comments
Comments are not switched on yet. When they are, they will be moderated before they appear: an unmoderated thread on a page carrying advertising is a policy problem as well as a reading problem.