Looking for some gaming action?

The great action films of our time – Die Hard, The Road Warrior and Aliens – can be summed up in one word: relentless. Once they get into gear, they put the pedal to the metal and don't slow down.

The arcade games of the 1980s could be called relentless: Asteroids, Defender and even Ms Pac-Man didn't give you many chances to catch your breath. But as games have gotten more complex, their action sequences are surrounded by a lot of down time; Grand Theft Auto IV and Metal Gear Solid 4 being perfect examples of this. Not the games reviewed here, though. Each one starts with a bang and doesn't let up.

—Ninja Gaiden II (Microsoft, Xbox 360, $60 (Dh220): Ninja Gaiden, the 2004 reboot of a series that began in 1988, has a well-earned reputation of one of the most difficult games on Xbox. While it does make concessions for less-skilled players, Ninja Gaiden II provides enough of a challenge for veterans. If you expect your ninjas to be at least a little stealthy, Ryu Hayabusa isn't the man for you. Ryu's technique is to leap into action with a sword (and staff, shuriken, flail and tonfa) flying. Your enemies don't back down: Some attack even after you've hacked their limbs off. This is a gory game, with battles ending with a pile of dismembered body parts.

—Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Conspiracy (Sierra, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, $60): The Matt Damon Bourne movies are perfect examples of the hyperkinetic Hollywood thriller. Developer High Moon Studios has done a fine job translating the story into a game. Conspiracy mixes the scenes from The Bourne Identity, with flashbacks to missions before the superspy lost his memory.

While Bourne may be a killing machine, his action is easy for novices to handle. Land enough punches and activate a "takedown," which lets Bourne use a desk or a vending machine to attack. Shooting sequences are less entertaining, with stiff controls that don't deliver a kick.

—Haze (Ubisoft, PlayStation 3, $60): This first-person shooter heaves you into a futuristic war between Mantel Global Industries, a private military contractor, and The Promise Hand, a guerrilla army. You begin as a Mantel trooper, teamed with loathsome characters, but eventually you switch allegiances.

Mantel troops have access to a drug called Nectar, which enhances perception and makes attacks more powerful, but it can cause you to lose control if you overdose. The guerrillas have to live more by their wits, but they have abilities that balance the fighting. Unfortunately, the artificial intelligence is dreadful, making your squadmates stupid and useless in combat.

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