Best games of 2016, so far: action

IF the lazy days of summer means you have spare time to catch up on video game playing, read on for our pick of the action titles worthiest of your attention from the last six months' releases.

This quartet of high-action offerings, come year end, should be primed to collect multiple accolades. And while "Uncharted 4," "The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine," and "Dark Souls III" draw three well-praised series to a close, new kid "Overwatch" shows there's always room for fresh ideas.

- "Uncharted 4: A Thief's End" -

PlayStation 4

Closing out the Uncharted quadrilogy with a first entry on PlayStation 4 -- or second, counting the Nathan Drake Trilogy released October 2015 -- "Uncharted 4" was received as a tour de force and a trumping of the set-piece spectaculars and consistent genre iteration that the franchise had become known for.

Deft characterization achieved even greater nuance over a storyline that reaches back to well before 2007's "Uncharted: Drake's Fortune" and, through an epilogue, extends a decade or more into the future.

- "The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine" -

PS4, Xbox One, Windows PC

As the second of two sizeable expansions for 2015's genre-defining action role-playing adventure "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt," the May 2016 release was widely considered even more comprehensive than its foundation.

Like "Uncharted 4," "The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine" closes out its parent series, at least in current form; a vampire-hunting storyline takes players into new environs via a sophisticated web of intrigue, brought to life through a number of well-executed performances.

By contrast, where "Uncharted 4" saw its characters mature in age, perspective and pursuits, the near-immortal Witcher's leisure interests are as R-rated as ever.

- "Overwatch" -

PS4, XBO, WinPC

With "World of Warcraft," "Diablo" and "StarCraft" the base of its studio output, Blizzard Entertainment has hardly been known as a well of new franchise opportunities -- until "Overwatch."

The studio's first attempt at a first person shooter was so highly polished upon release this May that it became an immediate essential, delivering a vibrant, accessible, yet delightfully multi-layered multiplayer online shooter with a roster of 21 diverse playable characters and the ability to switch between them at will.

- "Dark Souls III" -

PS4, XBO, WinPC

Expected to mark the end of the Souls series -- one which started on PlayStation 3 as international demand for Japanese imports helped bring surprise hit "Demon's Souls" to a global audience -- "Dark Souls III" also brings things full circle by adding magical powers back into the armory that players use to try and survive, even conquer, its rambling ruin of towers and pits.

Tweaks to the Souls formula were made to make for a faster experience, bringing in elements from PS4 spin-off "Bloodborne," making it somewhat of a known quantity (especially in comparison to earlier entries) but a suitable conclusion to the series' arc nonetheless.