Polygon’s coverage of the surprise Chainsaw Man video game with the MAPPA-animated intro reminded everyone that the stylish-combat-with-style-meter genre is still alive. While the JJK and Chainsaw Man PC releases work their way through schedules, the character action genre on PC is already in the strongest state it’s been since Bayonetta first hit Windows. We ranked eight character action games for PC across the stylish-combat flagships, the soulslike-adjacent picks that share the genre’s DNA, and the rhythm hybrids that took the formula somewhere new.
The picks split into three groups. There are the pure character action games where the combat is the entire point, the action-RPG adjacents that layered character action onto a deeper progression system, and the hybrids that crossed genres in productive ways. Every pick is on Steam, supports a controller (the right input for the genre), and has the depth to outlast a single playthrough.
What to look for in a character action game
- Style meter or rank system. D-to-S ranks for each encounter is what turns rote combos into expressive play.
- Move list depth. A 30-input combo book is the genre baseline. Anything less feels like a beat-em-up.
- Enemy variety. A stylish move-set means nothing if every enemy goes down to the same launcher-to-air-combo. Good design forces you to switch.
- Difficulty curve. Character action games are best with a punishing higher difficulty after you finish the base story. New Game Plus matters.
- Boss design. The genre lives or dies on bosses with phases, telegraphs, and patterns worth memorizing.
- Replay value. Style rank chasing, costume unlocks, and harder difficulty modes are why the genre’s fans put hundreds of hours into a 15-hour campaign.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Platforms | Free trial | Starting price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hi-Fi Rush | Rhythm-driven stylish action | Windows | Demo | $29.99 | Overwhelmingly Positive |
| Devil May Cry 5 | The genre flagship | Windows | No | $29.99 | Overwhelmingly Positive |
| Sifu | Kung fu brawler with mortality | Windows | No | $39.99 | Very Positive |
| Black Myth: Wukong | Action RPG with combat depth | Windows | No | $59.99 | Overwhelmingly Positive |
| Bayonetta | Witch-time spectacle combat | Windows | No | $19.99 | Very Positive |
| Stellar Blade | Modern Korean character action | Windows | No | $59.99 | Very Positive |
| Lies of P | Parry-heavy soulslike-adjacent | Windows | No | $59.99 | Very Positive |
| Nier:Automata | Hybrid character action JRPG | Windows | No | $39.99 | Overwhelmingly Positive |
The 8 best character action games for PC
1. Hi-Fi Rush — best rhythm-driven character action
Hi-Fi Rush by Tango Gameworks crashed onto Steam with no fanfare in 2023 and never left the conversation. Chai’s prosthetic-arm guitar combat scores higher when you hit attacks on the beat, the cel-shaded art looks better in 2026 than anything Capcom has shipped since, and the BPM Rush mode after the campaign is the post-game depth fans demanded. Combat blends pure character action with rhythm-game timing in a way nothing else has tried.
Where it falls short: Campaign runs 12 to 15 hours. No custom soundtrack support. Boss patterns repeat fast on higher difficulties.
Pricing:
- Free: Demo
- Paid: $29.99 base
- Cloud saves: Yes via Steam
Platforms: Windows, PS5, Xbox Series
Download: Hi-Fi Rush on Steam
Bottom line: The best character action game of the modern PC era. If you only play one, this is it.
2. Devil May Cry 5 — best stylish-combat flagship
Devil May Cry 5 by Capcom remains the genre’s high-water mark for combo expression. Dante’s four weapons, Nero’s Devil Breakers, and V’s familiar-driven combat give three completely different stylish-action experiences in one game. The Bloody Palace mode (a wave-based survival arena) is the post-campaign goal that the genre’s fanbase grinds for years. The Special Edition adds Vergil as a playable character.
Where it falls short: Story is fragmented across timeline cuts. Some encounters feel like RE Engine showpieces rather than designed combat. Vergil’s playstyle has the smallest move set.
Pricing:
- Free: No
- Paid: $29.99 base, $39.99 Special Edition with Vergil DLC
- Cloud saves: Yes via Steam
Platforms: Windows, PS4/5, Xbox
Download: Devil May Cry 5 on Steam
Bottom line: The genre flagship. Every other character action game gets compared to DMC5.
3. Sifu — best for kung fu brawler with mortality
Sifu by Sloclap is the third-person kung fu game where dying ages your character — and reaching old age means game over. The aging system makes each life feel weighted in a way no character action game has tried, the kung fu animation is the cleanest in any PC release, and the boss fights at the end of each district are pattern-recognition setpieces in the genre’s best tradition. The free Arenas expansion added five modes and 120 challenges.
Where it falls short: Short main campaign (5 districts, around 8 hours). Difficulty spike at the third boss filters players hard. Story tone is more abstract than other picks.
Pricing:
- Free: No
- Paid: $39.99 base, often discounted to $19.99
- Cloud saves: Yes via Steam
Platforms: Windows, PS4/5, Xbox
Download: Sifu on Steam
Bottom line: The pick for kung fu specifically. The aging mechanic is the genre’s most original design in years.
4. Black Myth: Wukong — best action RPG with character action DNA
Black Myth: Wukong by Game Science is the breakthrough Chinese action-RPG that brought 80 million players to the genre in its first year. Combat blends Souls-style stamina management with the genre’s signature staff-form transformations, and the Journey to the West chapters give the game a structural variety most action games miss. The PC version handles ray tracing well and the cinematic bossfights set a new bar.
Where it falls short: Some chapters lean into traversal sections that interrupt combat flow. Late-game gear scaling is uneven. No multiplayer or co-op.
Pricing:
- Free: No
- Paid: $59.99 base
- Cloud saves: Yes via Steam
Platforms: Windows, PS5
Download: Black Myth: Wukong on Steam
Bottom line: Pick Wukong when bossfights and progression matter as much as moment-to-moment combat.
5. Bayonetta — best for witch-time spectacle
Bayonetta (original, PlatinumGames) finally arrived on PC in 2017 and stayed there. The Witch Time mechanic (slow time after a perfect dodge), the combo extension via weapon swaps, and the over-the-top boss fights set the genre baseline for spectacle. Bayonetta 2 and 3 remain Nintendo-exclusive, so PC players got the original — and the original is the most-replayed entry in the series.
Where it falls short: Visuals show their 2009 origins. UI carries some console-era awkwardness. Witch Trial DLC challenges only on Climax Difficulty.
Pricing:
- Free: No
- Paid: $19.99 base
- Cloud saves: Yes via Steam
Platforms: Windows
Download: Bayonetta on Steam
Bottom line: The historical pick. Bayonetta defined what stylish-combat-on-Steam looks like.
6. Stellar Blade — best modern Korean character action
Stellar Blade by Shift Up made the PC jump after a year on PS5 exclusive, and the 2025 port brought one of the highest-fidelity character action games on the platform. Eve’s combat blends precision-blocking with parry-window deflection (closer to Sekiro than Bayonetta), and the New Game Plus on the higher difficulty extends play significantly past the main story.
Where it falls short: Some art-direction choices polarise the audience. Parry windows are tight; new players struggle in the first three hours. Smaller move list than DMC5.
Pricing:
- Free: No
- Paid: $59.99 base
- Cloud saves: Yes via Steam
Platforms: Windows, PS5
Download: Stellar Blade on Steam
Bottom line: Pick Stellar Blade when high-end visuals and parry-heavy combat both matter.
7. Lies of P — best parry-heavy soulslike
Lies of P by Round8 Studio is the Pinocchio-themed soulslike that crossed into character action territory through its aggressive parry timing. The combat asks you to read enemy windups, time deflects, and follow up with weapon arts — closer to Sekiro and Devil May Cry than Dark Souls. The Belle Époque aesthetic is the genre’s most original look in years. The 2025 DLC, Overture, extends the campaign by 15 hours.
Where it falls short: First five hours are punishing for action-game players new to soulslike pacing. Some weapon arts feel underpowered. Story-heavy cutscenes slow act transitions.
Pricing:
- Free: No
- Paid: $59.99 base, $19.99 Overture DLC
- Cloud saves: Yes via Steam
Platforms: Windows, PS4/5, Xbox
Download: Lies of P on Steam
Bottom line: Pick Lies of P when parry timing is what you want to master.
8. Nier:Automata — best character action JRPG hybrid
Nier:Automata by PlatinumGames is the genre crossover that shouldn’t have worked and does. 2B’s combat blends Bayonetta-school stylish action with the bullet-hell shooter sections, the open-world RPG progression, and the multiple endings (yes, all 26). PlatinumGames combat plus Yoko Taro storytelling means the game has the genre’s strongest narrative payoff alongside genuinely deep combat.
Where it falls short: Open-world traversal feels dated. Some side quests force backtracking that pads play time. Late-game ending requires multiple playthroughs and feels gated for completionists.
Pricing:
- Free: No
- Paid: $39.99 base, often discounted to $14.99
- Cloud saves: Yes via Steam
Platforms: Windows, PS4
Download: Nier:Automata on Steam
Bottom line: The hybrid pick. Pick Automata when story matters as much as the combo system.
How to pick the right one
- If you’ve never played a character action game: Hi-Fi Rush. Easiest entry, deepest payoff per hour.
- If you want pure combo expression: Devil May Cry 5 for the gold standard.
- If you want a genre original: Sifu for the aging mechanic.
- If you want big-budget cinematic boss fights: Black Myth: Wukong.
- If you want the historical foundation: Bayonetta.
- If you want the prettiest pixels in 2026: Stellar Blade.
- If you want parry-and-precision combat: Lies of P.
- If you want the genre at its most thoughtful: Nier:Automata.
- If you’re waiting for Chainsaw Man: Hi-Fi Rush or Bayonetta will keep the muscle memory sharp until release.
FAQ
What is the best character action game in 2026? Hi-Fi Rush and Devil May Cry 5 trade the top spot for most players. Black Myth: Wukong is the breakthrough that brought new players to the genre.
Are character action games and soulslikes the same? No. Character action games emphasize expressive combo expression with a style meter; soulslikes emphasize stamina management and pattern recognition. Some games (Lies of P, Stellar Blade) sit between the two.
Is the Chainsaw Man game out on PC? The Chainsaw Man video game by MAPPA was announced with a release window through 2026 and 2027. As of June 2026 it has not arrived on PC; the trailer reveal at the MAPPA event was the most recent public update.
Do I need a controller for character action games? Yes for the best experience. The genre’s input precision and analog camera work assume a controller. Mouse-and-keyboard remappings exist but lose the combo fluidity.
Which character action game is most beginner-friendly? Hi-Fi Rush smooths the genre’s onboarding by syncing combat to the soundtrack. Sifu is the toughest entry point.
Are there character action games with co-op? Most picks on this list are single-player. Devil May Cry 5 has limited co-op in its Bloody Palace mode. The genre largely treats combat as a solo expression.
