Best games
Best Action games of 2002
The 45 best Action games released in 2002, ranked from 15,428 critic and player ratings.
The best Action game of 2002 is Metroid Prime, with a critic score of 95/100 — updated August 2026.
01
Metroid Prime
A 3D exploration-focused metroidvania with first-person shooting mechanics and the first 3D entry in the Metroid series, Metroid Prime follows Samus Aran after the events of Metroid (1986) as she boards a Space Pirate frigate, then chases her escaping archrival Ridley into the intricately structured Tallon IV, a planet full of deadly wildlife and former home to the advanced and ancient Chozo race.
95
/100
02
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
In the year 1986, Tommy Vercetti is heavily indebted to his mafia superiors after a drug deal gone awry, but his dreams of taking over Vice City (based on Miami) push him down a different path. Featuring a wide variety of vehicles and weapons, radio stations playing hit songs from the era and an intense atmosphere, GTA: Vice City is an open-world sandbox satire of '80's Miami.
94
/100
03
Metroid Fusion
92
/100
Metroid Prime
A 3D exploration-focused metroidvania with first-person shooting mechanics and the first 3D entry in the Metroid series, Metroid Prime follows Samus Aran after the events of Metroid (1986) as she boards a Space Pirate frigate, then chases her escaping archrival Ridley into the intricately structured Tallon IV, a planet full of deadly wildlife and former home to the advanced and ancient Chozo race.
95
/100
02
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
In the year 1986, Tommy Vercetti is heavily indebted to his mafia superiors after a drug deal gone awry, but his dreams of taking over Vice City (based on Miami) push him down a different path. Featuring a wide variety of vehicles and weapons, radio stations playing hit songs from the era and an intense atmosphere, GTA: Vice City is an open-world sandbox satire of '80's Miami.
94
/100
03
Metroid Fusion
92
/100
04
Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem
92
/100
05
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell
91
/100
06
No One Lives Forever 2: A Spy in H.A.R.M.'s Way
91
/100
07
A
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is the first Zelda game for the Nintendo GameCube and also the first in the series to employ cel-shading, a lighting and texturing technique that results in the game having a cartoon-like appearance. Like its predecessors, The Wind Waker is an action game with puzzle-solving and light role-playing elements. Basic gameplay mechanics are similar to those found in Ocarina of Time, but it differentiates itself with its massive Great Sea which must be explored using a boat named King of Red Lions.
90
/100
08
Super Mario Sunshine
Super Mario Sunshine is a Mario action-adventure 3D platformer. It follows Super Mario 64, and is the second 3D Mario platformer. Gameplay features a combination of action and puzzle solving, with numerous stages and multiple episodes to each stage, and plenty of hidden secrets and surprises. This game introduced many recurring characters and bosses in the Mario series, including Toadsworth, Bowser Jr., Petey Piranha, Gooper Blooper, Piantas, Nokis, Shadow Mario, and F.L.U.D.D. Super Mario Sunshine pays homage to Mario's Italian heritage and upbringing, with many of the locations in the game having Italian names and sometimes referencing Italian culture.
90
/100
09
Freedom Force
90
/100
10
Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast
89
/100
11
Battlefield 1942
89
/100
12
Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven
88
/100
13
Resident Evil (2002)
88
/100
14
Ratchet & Clank (2002)
88
/100
15
Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance
87
/100
16
Sonic Advance 2
86
/100
17
Unreal Tournament 2003
86
/100
18
Serious Sam: The Second Encounter
85
/100
19
KINGDOM HEARTS FINAL MIX
85
/100
20
Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny
84
/100
21
Resident Evil Zero
83
/100
22
Divine Divinity
83
/100
23
Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus
82
/100
24
Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance
82
/100
25
Mega Man Zero
81
/100
26
Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land
81
/100
27
A
Kingdom Hearts
80
/100
28
Gothic 2
79
/100
29
James Bond 007: NightFire
78
/100
30
The Thing
78
/100
31
Space Channel 5: Part 2
78
/100
32
Arx Fatalis
78
/100
33
Hitman 2: Silent Assassin
77
/100
34
Spider-Man: The Movie
77
/100
35
Command & Conquer: Renegade
75
/100
36
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
74
/100
37
Worms Blast
73
/100
38
Enclave
71
/100
39
Conflict: Desert Storm
67
/100
40
Army Men RTS
67
/100
41
BloodRayne
65
/100
42
Red Faction II
64
/100
43
Mafia
63
/100
44
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
59
/100
45
Duke Nukem: Manhattan Project
58
/100
Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem
92
/100
05
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell
91
/100
06
No One Lives Forever 2: A Spy in H.A.R.M.'s Way
91
/100
07
A
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is the first Zelda game for the Nintendo GameCube and also the first in the series to employ cel-shading, a lighting and texturing technique that results in the game having a cartoon-like appearance. Like its predecessors, The Wind Waker is an action game with puzzle-solving and light role-playing elements. Basic gameplay mechanics are similar to those found in Ocarina of Time, but it differentiates itself with its massive Great Sea which must be explored using a boat named King of Red Lions.
90
/100
08
Super Mario Sunshine
Super Mario Sunshine is a Mario action-adventure 3D platformer. It follows Super Mario 64, and is the second 3D Mario platformer. Gameplay features a combination of action and puzzle solving, with numerous stages and multiple episodes to each stage, and plenty of hidden secrets and surprises. This game introduced many recurring characters and bosses in the Mario series, including Toadsworth, Bowser Jr., Petey Piranha, Gooper Blooper, Piantas, Nokis, Shadow Mario, and F.L.U.D.D. Super Mario Sunshine pays homage to Mario's Italian heritage and upbringing, with many of the locations in the game having Italian names and sometimes referencing Italian culture.
90
/100
09
Freedom Force
90
/100
10
Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast
89
/100
11
Battlefield 1942
89
/100
12
Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven
88
/100
13
Resident Evil (2002)
88
/100
14
Ratchet & Clank (2002)
88
/100
15
Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance
87
/100
16
Sonic Advance 2
86
/100
17
Unreal Tournament 2003
86
/100
18
Serious Sam: The Second Encounter
85
/100
19
KINGDOM HEARTS FINAL MIX
85
/100
20
Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny
84
/100
21
Resident Evil Zero
83
/100
22
Divine Divinity
83
/100
23
Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus
82
/100
24
Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance
82
/100
25
Mega Man Zero
81
/100
26
Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land
81
/100
27
A
Kingdom Hearts
80
/100
28
Gothic 2
79
/100
29
James Bond 007: NightFire
78
/100
30
The Thing
78
/100
31
Space Channel 5: Part 2
78
/100
32
Arx Fatalis
78
/100
33
Hitman 2: Silent Assassin
77
/100
34
Spider-Man: The Movie
77
/100
35
Command & Conquer: Renegade
75
/100
36
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
74
/100
37
Worms Blast
73
/100
38
Enclave
71
/100
39
Conflict: Desert Storm
67
/100
40
Army Men RTS
67
/100
41
BloodRayne
65
/100
42
Red Faction II
64
/100
43
Mafia
63
/100
44
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
59
/100
45
Duke Nukem: Manhattan Project
58
/100
FAQ
What is the best Action game of 2002?
Metroid Prime currently tops the ranking with a score of 95/100 across 869 ratings. Ranking updated August 2026.
How is this ranking built?
Games are ranked on their aggregated critic score out of 100, with a minimum vote threshold so a single glowing review never outranks a proven classic; the Tier community's own F-to-S grades are shown alongside each game.