For those who may not know, parkour is essentially the act of moving from one point to another while attempting to navigate through a series of obstacles. Parkour is popular among stuntpeople, as well as by military members to train their bodies for combat. While it might look fun to try, however, it could also leave you with an injury or two if you’re not careful. So, how can you get your parkour fix without having to go through an actual set of obstacles?
Luckily, you can go crazy with the parkour virtually through video games, ranging from indie games to even the likes of Minecraft. But let’s say you don’t want to go through the hassle of creating and building your very own parkour course. Which parkour-themed video games are the best? Let’s go over our picks, starting with a name that should be familiar to video game enthusiasts: Assassin’s Creed.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
Let’s start off with Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, which can be bought for a fair price since the title is a few years old. In Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, players can explore the forests, volcanoes, and islands of ancient Greece and embark on a quest that can change the fortune of the country. Parkour fans can also get their fair share of action in this game, as players can bash through ancient boats, and jump off some of the oldest structures in the world.
Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag
Much like Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag also has its fair share of parkour. Black Flag, which was released in 2013, takes place in 1715 during the Age of Colonization. In this open-world game, players must take on lawless pirates, loot hidden underwater wrecked ships, and jump across the landscapes and ships.
Assassin’s Creed Unity
The third Assassin’s Creed game to make this list, Assassin’s Creed Unity, is set during the height of the French Revolution. While this game doesn’t necessarily revolve around figures like Robespierre (although he is in the game) or Napoleon Bonaparte, players can play as Arno in this single-player (or co-op) experience. In Unity, players must dive off of structures and glide through the air of France as you look to find the true secrets of the forces that are in control during the French Revolution. Assassin’s Creed games are well-known for their parkour, and Unity is no exception.
Clustertruck
Clustertruck might sound like something else, but this title’s name is more than just a cute play on words. Released in 2016, Clusteruck is a truckformer game, where players need to dodge and weave through courses in order to move on in the game. This indie title makes gameplay quite challenging, thanks to all the various objects and distractions that are thrown the player’s way. If you’re on a budget and don’t want to spend too much on a new game, this one might be worth the look.
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Cybershock: Future Parkour
One of the newer games on this list, Cybershock: Future Parkour, did not launch until July 2021. This runner title involves players having to run through virtual courses, and the goal is to kill all the computer viruses on the level before the viruses destroy you. Cybershock: Future Parkour might be an indie title, but its fast-paced action, and its reasonable price, put this title on our list.
Dying Light
Dying Light 2 might be up your alley if you have already played the first installment of the series, but if you haven’t, the first should be one to target. Techland’s hit game tasks players to use fast stick skills and quick reflexes to bob and weave through the open environment, and survive in an open-world city where a virus has infected the residents and turned them into zombies. Players will need to get creative, not just with attacks, but also use parkour to move around the many parts of the city. It’s hard to find a parkour game on Steam that has a higher user review rating, making it an ideal pick to finish off our picks.
Human: Fall Flat
One of the highest-rated parkour games on Steam, Human: Fall Flat might not have a big-name publisher (Human: Fall Flat’s publisher is Curve Digital), nor the crazy 3D graphics, but this title should be quite fun, especially for those who love games like Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout. Human: Fall Flat, which launched in 2016, is a “hilarious, light-hearted platformer” that takes place on floating landscapes (yes, you read that correctly). Up to eight players can join in on the craziness, and players can play golf, jump around, and bungee across platforms in wild obstacle courses, and much more.
NARAKA: BLADEPOINT
Released in 2021, NARAKA: BLADEPOINT combines parkour action, with martial arts and a competitive PvP experience. Developer 24 Entertainment promised a “reimagined” experience with BLADEPOINT, offering “a first of its kind” title that blends movement-based action, with a mythical multiplayer combat experience. NARAKA: BLADEPOINT received high praise from both media and players on Steam, with the latter marking it as one of the highest-rated parkour games on the marketplace.
Titanfall 2
Released in 2016 by Electronic Arts, Titanfall 2 is a first-person shooter title that features a single-player campaign and multiplayer action. The game not only requires patience and good execution, but also quick triggers, as players can jump and climb on ramps and edges across this futuristic landscape. And since this title is from EA, players can hop into Titanfall 2 for free upon purchasing a subscription for EA Play.
Ultimate Chicken Horse
Ultimate Chicken Horse, developed and published by Clever Endeavor Games, is very similar to Human: Fall Flat thanks to the fact that it’s a party platformer game. Players can build levels as they go, as traps can be set, and if you complete the level while the opponent does not, you get points as a reward. Ultimate Chicken Horse can be played either locally or online, but just make sure that you watch your step while jumping on walls.
