God of War is one of the most consistently enjoyable series in gaming history, offering unforgettable adventures and a consistently compelling Kratos.
Whether you know him from the Greek or Norse stories, Kratos, the Ghost of Sparta, is famous for incredible fights, lots of bloodshed, and unforgettable moments, both in the game’s story and when you’re actually playing.
Notably, starting with his 2018 portrayal, there was a significant shift that greatly impacted the story, changing how we relate to the main character and the villains.
As Kratos became more complex, the games became less fun to play. This is clear when you compare God of War’s combat to that of these ten indie action games, which are actually more engaging.
10. Enter the Gungeon
Unlimited Playable Variety
One of the biggest weaknesses of Kratos’ initial journey into Norse lands is how limited the gameplay feels, especially when it comes to weapons. This is quite different from the game Enter the Gungeon, which offers a much wider range of options.
Unlike God of War, which has a limited selection of weapons – the Leviathan Axe, Blades of Chaos, and your fists – Dodge Roll’s roguelike game offers a huge and constantly changing variety of weapons.
Whether it’s pistols, shotgun shells, even frogs that blow bubbles, or more serious weapons like AK-47s and crossbows, if something can be used as a weapon, you’ll likely find it in the game Enter the Gungeon. The game features a wildly diverse and creative arsenal.
Every playthrough feels distinct, requiring you to adapt your strategy. In contrast, God of War often lets you succeed simply by focusing on the most powerful attacks. This difference is key – it’s why God of War can become repetitive, while the other game stays fresh and engaging.
9. Hyper Light Drifter
A Perfect Combat Loop
Hyper Light Drifter has incredibly satisfying combat. It’s simple to learn, but feels great to play thanks to its precise controls and well-designed feedback system, making it one of the best in recent years.
While the latest God of War moved away from complex combo-based fighting towards a more straightforward action style, Heart Machine’s game creates a hypnotic combat experience that emphasizes focus and concentration.
I’m really hooked on how you have to actively attack to reload your pistol – it’s such a clever idea! It makes you think a lot about where you are and when you use your dashes, because timing those dashes with their cooldowns is key to staying alive and keeping the ammo flowing. It’s surprisingly addictive!
While constantly managing limited resources and switching between dodging and attacking, Hyper Light Drifter creates a captivating sense of flow. God of War, however, focuses more on impressive visuals than on the intricacies of its combat system, missing out on this feeling.
8. Neon White
The Power of Movement
The camera angle in God of War limits how Kratos moves during fights, making him slower and less agile. This prevents the fast-paced, exciting feeling you get in games like Neon White.
Even though the two ways to play are quite different, Neon White excels at fast-paced action. The game’s levels are built around fantastic movement, making you feel incredibly powerful and nimble.
Despite feeling like an action game, Neon White is actually more of a puzzle game at heart. It hides this cleverly by presenting fast-paced moments where you quickly decide how to best use your cards and powers before getting rid of them.
Level design is key here, creating spaces that let players move freely and truly enjoy the game. This encourages creative problem-solving, something the recent God of War games don’t emphasize as much, and it’s a feature fans especially miss from the older games.
7. ULTRAKILL
A Stylized Bloodbath
I’ve always loved hack-and-slash games – it’s all about showing off the coolest combos and proving you’re the best. ULTRAKILL just took that same feeling and absolutely nailed it, but as a fast-paced first-person shooter! It’s seriously incredible how well it works.
Similar to Enter the Gungeon, ULTRAKILL uses a style system that rewards skillful play with access to more content. However, ULTRAKILL really pushes players to experiment with all its weapons and abilities to get the most out of its exciting and fast-paced action.
The game rewards skillful play beyond simply finishing levels. It encourages players to experiment with different weapons, master defensive techniques, and eliminate enemies with creative and efficient melee combat – going beyond just shooting. This system provides a great reason to replay levels, striving for increasingly impressive and rewarding performances.
Unlike some games, God of War relies heavily on numbers and stats. Certain attacks are simply more effective than others, which means players are encouraged to find the best upgrades and powerful items rather than focusing on skillful gameplay. This focus on collecting loot continues throughout the game, but the endgame experience ultimately feels less rewarding and lacks depth.
6. Nine Sols
Mastery Duels
One of my biggest criticisms of God of War is that it doesn’t have enough interesting and challenging boss fights. These fights should make you think and use different strategies, something games like Nine Sols do really well. The lack of this variety really hurts the gameplay.
Red Candle Games builds each major challenge in their games to test and improve specific skills. It’s not just about quick reflexes; the gameplay requires much more than simply good timing.
While parrying is important, the main enemies really shine by cleverly using the game’s movement, positioning, items, special builds, and unique abilities to challenge players.
Nine Sols avoids repetitive boss fights and boasts incredibly refined combat. It proves the issue isn’t a small arsenal—you ultimately only wield a spectral sword and bow—but rather a lack of variety in other gameplay elements. The game shows that a limited selection of weapons can be a strength if everything else is designed thoughtfully.
5. Hades 2
Thrilling and Unstoppable
Feeling incredibly powerful is a core appeal of action games, and it’s often achieved through epic battles. Games like Hades 2 really deliver on this, making players feel like a god.
Dealing with waves of enemies—using your surroundings to your advantage and dodging attacks—keeps you on the edge of your seat, but defeating them all is incredibly satisfying.
Unlike many action games where battles feel like a fair fight even between powerful and weak characters, Hades 2 offers a much wider range of combat options. You’ll have access to numerous weapons, abilities, and character transformations to overcome a diverse set of enemies.
Even without the randomly generated levels and permadeath typical of roguelike games, Supergiant Games’ work is a perfect example of a compelling power fantasy – one that maintains a real challenge and keeps the main character feeling strong, all within a rich mythological setting. In this, it’s actually better than God of War.
4. Katana ZERO
A One-Hit Marvel
I typically choose ‘normal’ difficulty in games because I believe many games get challenge wrong. However, Katana ZERO really gets it – it understands what makes a challenge truly engaging.
Forget simple ideas about difficulty – like enemies just having more health and dealing more damage. In this game, both you and your opponents can be defeated in a single hit, so you’ll need to approach challenges in a completely new way.
What I love about this game is that it’s not just about stats or filling up a meter – it’s all about how well you play. You really have to think through each level, learn the layout, come up with a strategy, and then actually be able to pull it off with precise timing and movement. It’s about skill, not just power!
The situation quickly becomes intense and unpredictable, designed to be challenging. This makes it even more engaging, as you learn to embrace both losing and winning with pure excitement, letting go of any frustration.
3. Sifu
Fighting as an Art Expression
Okay, so I’ve been playing a lot of Sifu, and honestly, the combat is incredible. It’s easily one of the best, most engaging, and just plain fun fighting systems I’ve experienced in years. It really sets a new bar for games that focus on hand-to-hand combat – it’s a gold standard, in my opinion.
Like God of War, this game features deliberate combat, fewer overwhelming enemy encounters, and a close-camera perspective. However, it requires more skill and strategy than just quick reflexes and memorizing enemy attacks.
Sifu is a challenging game that demands players carefully analyze each fight. You’ll need to know when to block, strike back, use your surroundings, break an enemy’s balance, and when to back off. The best approach will also depend on the skills you’ve learned.
I’ve realized it’s not just about learning enemy patterns, because the battles are way more than just button-mashing. The cool thing is, as I’ve played more, I’ve gotten really good at understanding the arenas and each boss. Now, I’m actually thinking through fights instead of just wildly throwing attacks – it feels so much more satisfying!
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Sifu immerses you in the role of a martial artist, letting you improve naturally as you play. This progression directly impacts the gameplay, making each fight feel incredibly impactful and avoiding the common trap of relying on stats or rare items to get stronger.
2. Furi
The King of Boss Rush
Okay, I get it – comparing a super focused boss-rush game like Furi to a big open-world RPG isn’t really apples to apples. But we’re talking about the best combat here, and honestly, very few games, ever, have combat as amazing and satisfying as Furi. It’s just on another level.
This game focuses entirely on challenging boss battles, sacrificing open-world exploration and extensive storytelling. The result is a streamlined, powerful narrative and truly remarkable fights.
The game features fast-paced, skill-based melee combat, intense bullet hell stages, and challenging sword fights where precise timing is key. You can even attack while defending! It’s incredibly satisfying, and the fantastic music makes the experience even better.
Every boss fight is unique, so while you begin with a basic strategy, you’ll need to adapt and relearn it for each new one. The environment and the enemies’ tactics constantly change, forcing you to adjust your approach.
Whether it’s blocking your view, deflecting your attacks, turning enemies invisible, or making the floor disappear, Furi constantly keeps you on your toes. No matter how skilled you become, the game never lets up, resulting in a remarkably polished experience that remains enjoyable even after repeated playthroughs, offering hours of unique fun year after year.
1. Hollow Knight: Silksong
Two-Dimensional Divinity
Given the massive excitement around Hollow Knight: Silksong and its exceptionally high quality – which rivals that of major, big-budget games – it’s not surprising to see it on this list, particularly if you’ve had a chance to play it already.
If you haven’t played Hollow Knight, you’re missing out on a truly exceptional 2D action game. It features incredibly smooth and satisfying combat, and offers a huge amount of depth and possibilities for players to explore.
The game features Crests that dramatically alter how you play, along with a variety of Tools and Skills for offense, defense, and helpful abilities. As you progress, you’ll unlock movement upgrades that make boss fights increasingly challenging. All of this is built on precise controls, accurate hitboxes, and stunning visuals and sound that clearly showcase every moment of the action.
Even without considering its unique features like Crests and Tools, Silksong is built on such a strong base – with recognizable gameplay, challenging bosses, and environments that constantly evolve – that it would still be one of the best games in its genre. The controls are incredibly precise, making every movement and fight feel just right.
It felt like nothing could top Hollow Knight, but this sequel is on another level. It’s so polished and refined that it makes the original feel like a simple prototype, and honestly, I doubt we’ll ever experience a game quite this exceptional again.
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2026-05-22 19:42