Character Action Games: Why Are They So Rare Despite Their Success

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Shaheer Zahid

Currently serving as a News Reporter at Tech4Gamers, I have the privilege of combining my love for gaming with the art of storytelling. My role involves crafting engaging narratives that keep our audience abreast of the latest developments in the gaming world.

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The Action genre has been on a good run recently, especially because FromSoftware influences the genre. While I’ve previously mentioned that action games and Souls-Like now have a very fine line between them, the genre is evolving a lot.

While many sub-genres within the action genre have been heavily explored, Character Action games deserve more love. The sub-genre is relatively niche compared to others, and despite being famous, only big titles encompass it.

Even gaming’s biggest franchises are Character Action games, such as God of War and Devil May Cry. Why is the sub-genre so small despite these games being absolute successes?

Why It Matters: Character Action games are among gaming’s best sub-genres, and they focus more on the main protagonist with the same level of emphasis on flashy combat. 

Why The Sub-Genre Isn’t Appealable To Developers 

Despite being successful in their relatively smaller niche, developers and publishers don’t prefer character action games due to the extensive time they take to develop.

These games require a lot of work — from creating detailed animations and complex combat systems to producing high-quality cutscenes. This adds to longer development times and higher costs, which can be a big risk for game studios when recouping development costs.

Even if they succeed, these games barely sell well because your average gamer doesn’t grasp how these games work, and Character Action games have more to them than just kill and progress.

These games require a deeper level of understanding and more focus on combos and other mechanics, which your average gamer misses out on most of the fun and calls boring. I’d argue that Character Action games are more complex than Souls games, which are difficult, but understanding is simple.

Character Action games require developers’ best talent and creativity, which studios lack these days. Not every developer is willing to do that; instead, they copy the formula of existing games, which increases their chance of failure, e.g., Dante’s Inferno being a God of War clone.

Lack of creativity has caused the genre to stagnate, and that’s why we barely got any Character Action games from 2013 to 2018, which gave time for other sub-genres to take over.

Character Action Games In 2024 And Beyond

Sure, while we rarely see games in the character action subgenre these days, it’s far from dead. In fact, though there are fewer titles compared to the PS3/Xbox 360 era, the genre is still evolving. Indie developers are still showing their passion and love for the craft, resulting in amazing titles being released this year. 

Gori: Cuddly Carnage, released this year, is a game in which you play as a kitten fighting in a vibrant, bloody world using a hoverboard for combat and traversal. Despite taking a unique approach with its combat and traversal, the game remains underrated and is also a testament to why the sub-genre is very niche.

The Zelda-inspired Astor: Blade of the Monolith was also released earlier this year. In terms of aesthetics, it looks closer to Immortals Fenyx: Rising but has the hack-and-slash gameplay from Devil May Cry: Enenra.

Demon Core is another indie title inspired by Ninja Gaiden and Metal Gear Rising, and I have yearned for a title like this for years.

Another ambitious upcoming title is Phantom Blade Zero. The game’s fast-paced, flashy combat incorporates fresh elements, offering an innovative spin on the genre.

Meanwhile, Lost Soul Aside, developed by UltiZeroGames, blends the hack-and-slash elements of Devil May Cry and Final Fantasy. It’s a passion project for the Chinese studio and looks incredible, featuring many special moves and cinematic combat.

Still, their indie titles show that the genre is still pretty much alive. With the release of mainstream titles like Devil May Cry and another Ninja Gaiden game, maybe Character Action games will enjoy the popularity that they once had.

Shaheer Zahid

[News Reporter]

Shaheer is currently pursuing a Business degree while also working as a part-time Content Writer. With his deep passion for both writing and video games, he has seamlessly transitioned into a role as a Journalist. Over the past two years, Shaheer has contributed as a freelancer to various websites and landed positions on acclaimed platforms like Gamerant. Currently, his role at Tech4gamers is as a Features Writer, but he also covers News occasionally. Shaheer’s favorite gaming franchises are Assassin’s Creed and the God of War series.

Get In Touch: shaheer@tech4gamers.com