When you pick up an action-oriented video game, chances are that you are ready to cause a little bit of chaos. Molotov cocktails? Check. Rocket launchers? Check. A heavily armored tank? Check. Now all you need is a hostile army to pulverize while causing a bit of collateral damage along the way.

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That's the beauty of video gaming. You can't just rightly go demolish a building or blow up a car and expect to keep on with your life outside a jail cell. Over the past few generations of video gaming, developers have pioneered and continually developed the art of destructive environments. And we're not just talking about buildings either.

8 Horizon: Forbidden West

Aloy fighting a machine in Horizon Forbidden West

Horizon is scarce on buildings and giant structures. I mean, a post-apocalyptic world is meant to be barren. But it isn't the destructibility of the environment that earns Horizon: Forbidden West a spot on this list. It's the destruction of the massive machines Aloy encounters throughout this hazardous future that is something to behold.

In fact, the combat system when it comes to bringing down machines revolves around dismantling them by exploiting their own weapons or weak points. You can see the chunks of metal shatter from each crucial point. Oftentimes, if you knock a projectile weapon off the machine, you can pick it up and use it against them. It's a brilliant gameplay mechanic that keeps the intensity of battling machines at the highest level.

7 Battlefield 1

British soldier in Battlefield 1

The Battlefield series has long been known for its destructible environments. Ever since the PS3 and Xbox 360 generation of games, players could punch holes in the side of buildings with a well-aimed shot from a tank.

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But Battlefield 1 managed to take this dynamism to an entirely different level. Mostly, the juice lies in the graphical detail of the game's aircraft, war machines on the ground, and buildings. All of these things show extensive degradation throughout the battle. Damage can be inflicted at almost any point in any structure, whether it be a building or a vehicle. The attention to detail is superb.

6 Control

Jesse running in Control

Remedy Entertainment seems to excel in the arena of third-person shooters. And between Alan Wake and Control, it seems the studio also has a knack for the weird and surreal. In Control, you control Jesse Faden, who is seeking her brother within the headquarters of the clandestine FBC (Federal Bureau of Control).

Armed with a wicked telepathic punch, Jesse can sling objects at her enemies. Just about anything in the environment is fair game, and you see the particles and shards emit from the impact of slinging these objects hard at the opposition. The level of destruction within any given interior environment is top-notch. Jesse can do some serious damage.

5 Red Faction Guerilla

Explosion detonating on Mars surface in Red Faction Guerilla

Fans of the original Red Faction on PS2 are keenly aware of the developer's efforts to pioneer destructibility within gameplay environments. The first game enabled players to alter the landscape through explosions and destruction. Red Faction: Guerilla launched in 2009 and upped the ante. It was ultimately praised for its destruction physics.

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As you traverse Mars, you can deploy gravity wells, bombs, and vehicles that can take buildings and structures apart down to their smallest pieces. Ramming a building with a cargo truck never felt better. And just watch a building cave in on itself as you toss a gravity bomb in the center of it. Talk about spectacle.

4 Destroy All Humans! Series

Crypto's saucer destroying buildings in Destroy All Humans!

We've always envisioned aliens from other worlds visiting our planet with hostile intent. And because they're so technologically advanced, these extra-terrestrials typically hold the upper hand in books, movies, and video games. The Destroy All Humans! series puts players in the space boots of that power fantasy. Now, you are the alien (known as Crypto), and you're tasked with researching and annihilating humankind.

The destructive mayhem truly begins when Crypto can pilot his saucer around an urban sprawl. Using his laser beams and cannons, he can blow buildings, cars, and people to smithereens. Think of the White House in the film Independence Day. That's the kind of stuff we're talking about. And boy, is it glorious.

3 Teardown

Environment with explosion on building in Teardown

Imagine a game like Minecraft, but instead of pioneering the wilds and creating your own fortifications, you simply destroy. That's Teardown in a nutshell. Not only does the game embody a blocky Minecraft aesthetic, but you can literally demolish anything you can get your hands on.

Teardown was absolutely made for a list like this with top-notch destruction mechanics that ultimately reign supreme as the boldest feature the game has to offer. So, if you're looking to break stuff, Teardown is the game for you.

2 Crysis

First-person HUD shooting in Crysis

PC players of the '00s will fondly look back and remember the old adage, "But can it run Crysis?" This polished and exquisite open-world sci-fi military shooter was far ahead of its time and finding (or building) a PC rig capable of running the game at maximum fidelity earned you bragging rights.

But those nanosuits were made for more than just accomplishing inhuman feats while taking out enemy encampments and combating aliens. They're also meant to make you feel powerful. Directing your artillery at vehicles, outposts, or structures would ensure that you wind up with a pile of rubble. The freedom of Crysis and the level of destructive detail enshrined the title as a generational-defining game.

1 The Far Cry Series

first-person HUD in Far Cry 3 burning field

Once Ubisoft took over the Far Cry series, the open-world first-person shooter began taking on a systematic approach – one that fans of Ubisoft games are likely familiar with. However, the development teams behind these titles really want players to feel like guerilla fighters. As such, getting into dust-ups and shootouts in the streets is only the tip of the iceberg.

You can also sabotage the surrounding environment through the game's destructive capabilities. Fire is a biggie simply because it spreads like real-world flames. If you set fire to a field or a building, you can watch the fire spread and consume the structure and force enemies to react. Shooting open doors or cages containing wild animals leaves you grinning as you watch your enemies run for their lives. There are plenty of opportunities in Far Cry when it comes to the game's destructive features.

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