1. Batman: Arkham Asylum
You must experience: The best third-person combat system in gaming history. The best action game should be the one that lets you get lost in another world in full - and what better to do so than with Batman and his pals? Rocksteady's first take on the legendary mythos made them a huge force in the industry almost overnight, as not only did they perfect the look of Bats himself whilst recruiting the legendary pipes of Kevin Conroy to embody a mountain of a man under the cape, but they invented a simple-yet-complicated combat system that's gone on to define third-person action games overall. You see it now in everything from Sleeping Dogs to Shadow of Mordor and even little-known indie gem
Hand of Fate, but it's the inaugural showing of this 'Batman combat' that hit hardest. Standing still and waiting for a group of goons to throw the first punch just
knowing they're all going to be a moaning pile of broken bones by the end of it is an almost indescribable power-fantasy for any fan of Batman or action in general, and when the game itself is so well written it's won tons of awards and accolades in the last eight years, you simply owe it to yourself to add this to your collection.
What's your one absolutely essential action game everyone must play, and the reasons why? Let us know in the comments!