It’s a term used to describe the huge number of games released each year, but what does “action-adventure game” even mean? That’s a good question. At IGN, we classify any game that combines combat with a true sense of exploration as an action-adventure game. They often take place in open worlds, but that’s not a mandatory requirement (see Uncharted and God of War), so this adaptable format allows for a wide range of different projects this year, from the carefully designed co-op platforming action of Split Fiction and the huge, isolated DIY atmosphere of Death Stranding 2, to the adventures of banana-hunting monkeys and vengeful ronin. So let’s get into it quickly like Hornet and reveal the runner-up and eventual winner of our Best Action-Adventure Game of 2025 award.
Second place – Split Fiction
Following on from the great It Takes Two, developer Hazelight took it to the next level in terms of scale with Split Fiction and continued to refine their craft into the current masters of cooperative gaming. Much of the story is devoted to platforming and puzzle-solving, but a good chunk is also reserved for fighting a wide variety of science fiction and fantasy enemies, as well as exploring larger-scale levels. It never stands still, constantly evolving and changing its mechanical ideas to fit the colorful setting of each world. This sense of exhilarating propulsion on an ever-changing journey, balanced with areas designed to let you ponderous down a bit and hunt for secrets and surprising side missions, makes Split Fiction one of our top five action-adventure games of the year.
Second place – Yotei Spirit
Perhaps the most classic “action adventure” on our list, Ghost of Yotei continues a long line of PlayStation Studio exclusives that fit firmly into this mold. Telling the story of Ronin’s vengeful wanderer, Atsu, Yotei takes everything that made people fall in love with its predecessor, Ghost of Tsushima, and improves on it for the better. In terms of action, his skillful sword, spear and kusarigama fight are the real star of the show, and recent age weapons like guns have also been added to the mix to expand this spirit’s arsenal. When it comes to adventure, 17th-century Hokkaido plays the stage for such a beautiful-looking and sounding world you can enter in 2025, with limitless collectibles, side stories, and breathtaking fights. The latest Sucker Punch game is the greatest achievement of the Seattle studio and one of this year’s best action adventure games.
Second place – Donkey Kong Bananza
Donkey Kong Bananza encourages you to explore the sandbox’s many levels not by exploring them closely, but by breaking each corner into diminutive pieces to see what secrets lurk inside. Nintendo’s current, 3D reinvention of what its beloved monkey could be in 2025 has quickly become a must-have game on the Switch 2, and for good reason. Bananza is a feast for treasure hunters, with hundreds of glowing bananas begging to be discovered through destruction with DK’s pounding fists and a host of special abilities. These skills are at the heart of it all, and the titular Bananzas offer recent, inventive ways to adventure through each of the themed levels. From the raging Kong Bananza that lets you unleash a monstrous fury capable of breaking through the toughest terrain, and the soon-to-be-dust skeleton of every enemy, to the flapping ostrich Bananza that allows you to soar to recent heights. It’s far from conventional, even by Nintendo 3D platform standards, but Donkey Kong Bananza is one of this year’s best action-adventure games.
Second place – Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
Speaking of unconventional, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach certainly doesn’t worry about adhering to genre norms. An action-adventure game that’s never afraid to show, tell, or engage in things you’ve never seen before, Kojima Productions’ latest game delivers on the promise of its predecessor. That’s not to say there’s nothing familiar to be found here, as there’s a greater emphasis on combat, harking back to the creator’s Metal Gear Solid roots with an expanded range of options when it comes to approaching stealth action. However, it’s the adventure and exploration of themes of grief and human connection that take center stage that makes each of Sam Porter Bridges’ tough steps through post-apocalyptic Australia in Death Stranding 2 truly sing and make for one of the best action-adventure games of the year.
Winner – Hollow Knight: Silksong
It’s not only a huge relief that Hollow Knight: Silksong is finally coming out in 2025, but an even bigger relief that it turned out to be so great. With an even greater emphasis on “action-adventure” action than its predecessor, Team Cherry has crafted a challenging yet immensely satisfying sequel with the tip of the needle from main character Hornet. This rapier-like blade will also be very useful in huge caves filled with all kinds of enemies lunging at them and patience-testing bosses with a variety of attack patterns that, once learned, open the way to ultimate satisfaction.
However, boss battles are only half the battle when it comes to Silksong, and exploration still provides the meat of the Metroidvania/Soulslike soup. Destructible walls hide valuable materials behind them, and side quests encourage you to carefully explore each of the numerous biomes, whether in search of valuable rewards or in search of missing fleas that need to reunite with their traveling caravan companions. It’s this balance of action and adventure that has made the Hollow Knight series such a phenomenon, and made Silksong the winner of our Best Action-Adventure Game of 2025 award.
Is Silksong your pick for the best action-adventure game of the year, or would you choose differently? Vote for your favorite in the poll above or let us know in the comments below.
Simon Cardy is a senior editor at IGN who can mostly be found hanging around open-world games, watching Korean cinema, or moping about the state of Tottenham Hotspur and the New York Jets. Follow him on Bluesky at @cardy.bsky.social.
