The John Wick movies aretop-tier action flicksand perfect for when you just want to switch your brain off and watch Keanu Reeves in his ideal role, slaughtering dozens of nameless baddies.
A licensed game about the Baba Yaga was quietly released in 2020, but it has mixed reviews on Steam. Many cite repetitive gameplay and mobile-esque design choices as faults.
Fortunately, there are plenty of games similar to the blockbuster movies, althoughyou aren’t technically playing as Wickhimself.
If that isn’t a sticking point for you, here’s a selection of games that embody thosebadass protagonist vibes where you can defeat armies through “sheer ******* will!”
10Pistol Whip
The Immersive Option
Pistol Whip
Despite its niche appeal and hardware restrictions, I’m a massive advocate ofVR gaming. One of the best games any headset user should own, in my opinion, isPistol Whip.
Pistol Whipis arhythm gamebut offers a farlooser spin on the genrethan something likeBeat Saber. You’re always walking forward and must shoot enemies as they approach.
You can avoid bullets by moving in real life, and of course, you can ‘pistol whip’ your enemies if they get close.
You score more points if you shoot enemies in time to the music, andthe soundtrack is full of heavy-hitting dance tracks like you’d find in a club in the movies. Hardware limitations aside,Pistol Whipoffers a ridiculous amount of content, and there’s even custom-level support for tons of replayability.
A Ballet Of Ultra-Violence
Superhotis another game that can be played in VR, butit functions fine without a headset.
The premise ofSuperhotis simple. You must defeat enemies using everything at your disposal, from guns to throwing knives. The catch is that enemies only move when you do, so you may execute death-defying feats without as much as a scratch.
Best of all,you’re able to watch your performance in real time when you finish a mission, effectively directing your own action flick. The bold art direction may take time to get used to, butSuperhotis beloved for a reason, as is the sequel,Mind Control Delete.
8My Friend Pedro
I Guess It Really Is A Superfood
My Friend Pedro
My Friend Pedrowins the award for thestrangest title arton the list, and it is only slightly less bizarre than the game’s premise.
You play as a nameless protagonist who is highly skilled in the art of killing.Your imaginary friend Pedro, a talking banana, encourages you to journey through a violent underworld, and that is all the narrative you’re getting.
The best part ofMy Friend Pedrois the intense 2D scrolling gameplay. you may slow down time to tip the odds in your favor, and combat is delightfully bloody and brutal.
7Arrest of a Stone Buddha
A Polarizing Indie Game
Key Information
2D Side Scroller
Release Date
February 2020
I’ve been waiting for an excuse to talk about Arrest of a Stone Buddha,a slick, if morbid, take on the hitman business.
Arrest of a Stone Buddhais a 2D side-scroller withpixel artgraphics where you play asa surgical assassin. Each mission starts with you pulling the trigger on your mark. The challenge is getting to the getaway without becoming riddled with bullet holes.
The game makes the list because thecombat is wonderfully stylish. You can pull off all sorts of ‘gun-kata’ style moves as you slay armies of nameless henchmen.
As much as I enjoyed my time withArrest of a Stone Buddha, some reviews for the title are critical.The game doesn’t explain much, to the detriment of many players.If you’re interested, I recommend watching some gameplay before taking the plunge.
6Fights in Tight Spaces
Killing At The Pace of Leisure
Fights in Tight Spaces
Fights in Tight Spacesoffers aunique spin on action combat, trading the need for quick reflexes for strategy.
Fights in Tight Spacesis actually a deckbuilder, offering a fresh take on the genre. Your character’s abilities and movements are tied to cards. Once you’ve picked your movements, they play out in real time, and you can evenwatch replays of your finest sequences.
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Putting the pieces of the puzzle together for yourself is very rewarding.
If you’re unconvinced,theFights in Tight Spaces Prologueis free to playand lets you try out the first level to see if the combat style is for you.
5Hotline Miami
Top Down Tactics
Hotline Miami
Hotline Miamiisa beloved action game that rewards stealth and quick reflexesin equal measure.
The title sports a vibrant art style, andthe unusual ‘top-down’ camera angle lets you approach situations in unique ways. You can ice entire buildings of enemies unscathed with practice, but it takes a deceptive amount of skill to pull off.
Stealth is advisable, butHotline Miamirewards good accuracy, andyou always have multiple ways to approach obstacles. Some of the kill animations are deliciously gory, too, even if you can’t kill your opponents with a pencil.
4Max Payne 3
Introducing Bullet Time
Max Payne 3
The Matrix movies wowed audiences with bullet time, and theMax Paynegames offerone of the best examples of super speed in gaming.
John Wick doesn’t dodge bullets per se, but he gets out of the way when he needs to, thanks to his finely tuned assassin reflexes. Bullet time inMax Payne 3allows players todive out of danger at a moment’s notice as the world slows down around them.
It’s such a cool mechanic that it doesn’t get old no matter how long you play, and the gunplay is visceral and satisfying. Honestly, my favorite game in the series isMax Payne 2, butMax Payne 3is newer, hence the recommendation.
3Splinter Cell: Conviction
On The Wrong Side Of The Law
Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Conviction
I can’t write about theSplinter Cellgames without feeling a little depressed that we haven’t had one in over 15 years. Now I’m done making you feel old, let’s talk aboutSplinter Cell: Conviction.
Sam Fisher is a wanted man inConviction, but that means all the rules are out the window.You need to rely on stealth to a point, but the game is a platform for some of the most stylish but brutal physical takedowns I’ve ever seen in a video game.
Combat feels raw, and you may get away with murder once you get a feel for it.The Mark and Execute system allows for flashy takedowns of multiple foes, and the title even had a slick co-op mode when it released.
2Stranglehold
Star In Your Own Action Movie
3D Adventure
September 2007
We can’t have a game based on an action movie series without talking aboutStranglehold.
For the uninitiated,Strangleholdis based on the classic John Woo action flick Hard Boiled, and the protagonist even has a likeness tothe legendary Chow Yun Fat. The title is a superb 3D adventure game and aMidway bangerbegging for a remaster.
Like theMax Paynegames,you can slow down time to avoid gunfire, and it’s possible to clear armies of enemies without taking a scratch. Levels are full of interactive scenery, like tabletops you can vault over, and the over-the-top action sequences are ridiculous in all the right ways.
1Hitman: World of Assassination
Bond Is In Good Hands
TheHitmantrilogy may be my favorite games of the last gen, and nowthey can all be enjoyed in a phenomenal value package inHitman World of Assassination.
Besides the ridiculous value proposition, theHitmangames offer a selection of stunning locales across the globe. You play as Agent 47, and the world is your playground.No target is too strong for Agent 47, and no fortress is too secure, but all-out combat is not the focus of theHitmangames.
You have to use your brain to secure your mark inHitman, but you canturn almost any item you think of into a deadly weapon. Sadly, that doesn’t include a pencil, but you can at least use an exploding pen!
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