There’s only one answer to this category, and it’s the one with Smokin’ Sexy Style. Devil May Cry took a while to really find its identity as a series, thanks to a revolving door of management and creative ideas. But once the dust settled, a vision emerged. Devil May Cry is not just a flashy action game, it’s one of the most thoughtfully designed flashy action games you could possibly play. Devil May Cry 5 is built around each character’s limitations and the tools the player has to get around them. How far can you go in a combo when you can’t lean on easy, repeatable moves? That, at its core, is what makes these games feel so good in your hands. Devil May Cry 5 introduces multiple playable characters, several new kinds of tools, and even rounds off the years-long story with its best writing and character work to date. It’s the complete package, the real deal,and  the yardstick of its genre.

As Devil May Cry 5 is our best action game, it makes sense that a member of its family tree grabs the runner-up. PlatinumGames' Astral Chain is a unique, new take on the character action formula. While Devil May Diehards will find the controls off-putting at first, the shift from using face buttons to the shoulders and multi-character movement changes how you approach this style of action in a way that’s enriching. Astral Chain is brain food for adrenaline junkies and accessible for passers-by to boot.