Looking for the best hack and slash games to play in 2017?
Hack and slash refers to the type of gameplay that emphasizes melee combat. The gameplay focuses on close combat with weapons like swords, maces etc., instead of long range weapons like guns.
The gaming industry is filled with hack and slash games and its challenging to choose the best among them, but we’ve come up with a list which includes some of the best hack and slash games ever made and must be played by the fans of the genre.
If your favorite game isn’t on the list don’t fret, just comment your favorite game in the comments section and tell us why do you think it deserves to be on list.
15. Diablo 3 : Reaper of Souls
Diablo 3 is a top down hack and slash action RPG developed by Blizzard Entertainment. The player can choose from six different character classes- Barbarian, Crusader, Demon Hunter, Monk, Witch Doctor and Wizard. The main objective of the game is defeating the Lord of Terror, Diablo.
This expansion pack for the Diablo 3 gives players what they always wanted, more loot, a darker, mysterious and dangerous world, varied enemy types and a totally awesome adventure mode. Reaper of Souls adds depth to the combat system of Diablo 3 with the inclusion of a new class, the Crusader. This class specializes in defensive play with a shield in one hand and a flail or sword in the other.
More enemies means more loot.
Diablo 3 is all about killing demons to get enough loot to upgrade your gear and become the ultimate demon slayer. The fun factor of killing hordes of enemies with your newly upgraded gear cannot be replicated by any other game of the genre. The game focuses heavily on story and fans of the genre love it.
This skill will be useful when there are hordes of enemies.
This expansion pack features an act V to the original campaign of Diablo 3 which is roughly 5 hours in length, after completion of the act V adventure mode is unlocked, this new mode allows the players to explore every region currently unlocked in the world map.
14. Lineage Eternal
Lineage Eternal is an upcoming massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG) by NCSOFT. It is a sequel to the first Lineage game and feature the same gameplay formulae while adding new features like the “drag action” input system where skills are activated by mouse gestures made on the screen, a fast paced hack and slash combat system and strategic use of the terrain. Like the previous Lineage titles Lineage Eternal features an epic story of a hero which rises against the evil. The game has three different classes- Warrior, Mage and Elemental archer, the player can choose a character among these 3 to control.
Go fly away Dragon, no one fears you.
The main aim of the game is to provide a heroic experience to the player while raiding dungeons, leading troops into massive siege battles, fighting other players in PvP etc,. One of the good features of this game is that it can also be played on your mobile phones i.e. windows, android and ios are supported.
Defeating enemies is easier with the use of skills.
The game will be released in late 2016.
13. Lost Ark
Lost Ark is an action MMORPG from Smitegate. This game features action-combat and battle system like the highly acclaimed Diablo, but with a better multiplayer experience. Lost Ark is an RPG with a huge world to explore. You can set sail on your own ship to discover new regions and battle powerful bosses with a raid party.
That boss looks very terrifying and dangerous.
The game offers various classes, some of them masters at melee combat and some are deadly at long range. The game also includes a tripod system, the players can focus on to strengthen in the element they like fire, ice, earth, etc., and apply it to various different combos, this allows players a deep combo system and customization.
When you are not fighting monsters and demon, just enjoy the scenery.
Lost Ark features a lot of open world quests and the main story allows players to have an adventurous experience of travelling around the world in your very own arc(ship) and discovering new islands and treasures along the way.
The game has been released, but only for Korean servers. It is planned for release on western servers in 2017.
12. Chivalry Medieval Warfare
Chivalry Medieval Warfare is a multiplayer first-person hack and slash game developed by Tom Banner studios. The game features a fast paced hack and slash battle system in a first-person perspective. The gameplay is like any other AAA multiplayer fps title like Battlefield or Call of Duty, but the difference is that instead of guns and grenades you have swords and bows and you’re fighting in the medieval ages.
When you are about to die the screen turns red.
The fighting system utilizes your mouse, you can attack parry and block most of the attacks by using just your mouse.The fighting system is easier to learn but hard to master. Combat is primarily melee with weapons such as swords, maces and axes. Ranged weapons like the longbow can be used to fire arrows at enemies. The game is also filled with huge amount of blood and gore which suits its medieval setting and is also quite satisfying.
Come at me bro, I am ready with my axe.
11. Grim Dawn
Grim Dawn is an action RPGdeveloped by Crate Entertainment. The game is set in a dark-themed fictional world based on the Victorian era where humanity is at the brink of extinction. In this day and age, iron is more valuable than gold and trust is hard earned.
You should never try to cross a broken bridge in real life.
The majority of gameplay features a fact paced hack and slash action combat system and collection of loot like armor, potions, weapons etc. The game features dual class i.e. you can combine six distinct classes with over 25 skills, lots of items and varied quests with choice and consequences.
One on one fight with a monster.
The campaign is almost 25 hours long and fans of Diablo and ARPG genre shouldn’t miss out on this one.
10. Warhammer : End Times – Vermintide
Warhammer : End Times – Vermentide is a first-person action shooter with hack and slash & melee combat elements. The game focuses on team based multiplayer co-op and its gameplay structure is very much similar to the Left 4 Dead series.
Dual wielding makes you cool and awesome.
The game, set in End Times, allows players to team up with 3 other players to fight against Skaven, a race of rodent like creatures in the city of Ubersreik. Players can choose from 5 different heroes with varied skills. Some are best in melee hack and slash combat using swords, axes, maces etc., while others are masters of long ranged combat using bows, crossbows and guns. All players predominantly choose melee combat as the first combat option, as one swing of the sword can cut down the enemy in half without much hassle.
Perfect killer eyes.
9. Dynasty Warriors 8 Xtreme Legends
Dynasty Warriors 8 Xtreme Legends is a hack and slash video game developed by Omega force and published by Tecmo Koei. The story of the game is based on a historical novel titled “Romance of the three Kingdoms”.
Now this is called a stylish finisher.
The game features a huge roster of 82 characters and will one have distinct weaponry, play-style, character development and each of them contribute to the main storyline. The game also has a co-op mode which can be played both offline and online.
One guy casually knocking out 452 guys, only happens in video games.
The main aim of the game is to fight hordes of enemies while completing the objectives displayed on screen. The fast paced combat mechanics, rich historical storyline and stylish movesets & finishers make the game a must play for hack and slash fans.
8 . DmC: Devil May Cry
The DmC : Devil May Cry is a reboot of the original Devil May Cry series and is developed by Ninja Theory and published by Capcom. The story focuses on Dante, a nephilim , half-demon and half-angel, who teams up with his twin brother Vergil on a quest to kill the demon king Mundus who murdered their mother and banished their father from the demon world.
Bitch please, I'm fabulous
Players can use a variety of weapons including Dante’s iconic sword, The Rebellion and the handguns, Ebony and Ivory. Other weapons are unlocked further into the story. The game also features angel and demon mode modifiers which adds different attributes to the current moveset, the angel modifier is suitable for large crowds of enemies as the attack is rapid and fast, but the damage dealt is very small while the demon modifier is suitable for single or less enemies as the attack is slow but deals a lot of damage.
I believe I can fly!
The game features an alternate universe Dante with a very different appearance but retains the cheesy attitude of Dante, this version of Dante is a teenager in his early twenties rather than the matured grown up Dante as seen in the other Devil May Cry games. The soundtrack is awesome and the hack and slash combat system is absolutely fun and addictive which offers a lot of replayability. The weapons can be switched mid-combo, so that leaves the player a lot to experiment with.
7. Darksiders 2
Darksiders 2 is an action RPG hack and slash video game developed by Vigil Games and is a direct sequel to the original Darksiders. The players assume control of Death, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Death is set out on a mission to prove his brother, War, another one of the Four Horsemen innocent and restore humanity.
Death knows no fear.
Death is aided by Despair in his quest, a horse that is available for use in open areas of the overworld for faster travel, and Dust, a raven that guides him to his objectives. Death's primary weapons are two scythes, one wielded in each hand. Secondary weapons include typical melee weapons like hammers, axes, gauntlets etc., the player can level up with experience and each level up rewards with a skill point to be used on the skill tree.
One of the many great boss battles.
The game features an open world type map which can be traversed by foor or by the horse despair, the main and side quests can be activated by talking with NPC’s. The combat system depends on the type of weapon, for eg: the scythe is a fast weapon which does less damage while a hammer is a slow weapon but does a lot of damage. The game also features a loot system in which accessories, gear, money, potions etc., are dropped by enemies you have defeated.
6. Devil May Cry 4 : Special Edition
Devil May Cry 4 is the fourth installment in the DMC series developed by Capcom. The story revolves around a new character Nero, a teenager with demonic abilities and the main character Dante, who is investigating a demonic cult, The Order. The players control both Nero and Dante throughout the story, the special edition unlocks new playable characters Vergil, Trish and Lady.
Just look at the pool of ememies and imagine the fun of hacking and slashing through them.
Both Nero and Dante carry a variety of weapons in their arsenal including swords, guns and other projectile weapons. The players are required to fight hordes of enemies through several levels called “missions” and also solve various environmental puzzles while gathering items.
I am on fire tonight!
The Devil May Cry games are known for their brutal difficulty levels, the difficulty of level in this game ranges from easy, which as the name suggests is very easy, to Hell and Hell mode, in which you die from a single hit while the enemies are much stronger and do not die easily. The combat system in this game is one of the best hack and slash combat systems with a variety of weapons, rich movesets, crazy combos, mid-combo weapon switching and cool style ranks.
5. Metal Gear Rising : Revengeance
Metal Gear Rising Revengeance is a spin-off game of the original Metal Gear series and was developed by Platinum games. The game unlike the other Metal Gear games focuses heavily on action and violence based hack and slash instead of stealth based gameplay.
The mind blowing hack and slash system combined with blood and gore.
In this game players control Raiden, a cyborg who uses a katana as his main weapon, although other weapons can be wielded after defeating the game’s bosses. The game features a cool free slicing blade mode which allows players to virtually cut through any object including pillars, vehicles and enemies any way they want using their high frequency current infused Katana.
The bigger they are, the harder they fall.
The hack and slash system is the best I have seen among the recent games where you slash anything you desire. I highly recommend this game for hack and slash fans.
4. Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is an upcoming game developed by Ninja Theory. The game is based on Senua, a Celtic warrior who journeys into the Viking heartland while struggling with trauma and psychosis. The developers have focused heavily on the psychological environments and the protagonist’s expressions, they are using a new tech which allows their actress to perform the scene live in real-time directly within the game world,making a virtual human within the game with realistic facial expressions, this gives a sense of realism to the player.
The facial expressions are real and look gorgeous
Lets see whose sword is better, yours or mine.
Although its raining, the enemy is on fire. Game logic.
The game is still in development and developers are planning to release this game later in 2016.
3. For Honor
For Honor is an upcoming hack and slash game developed by ubisoft. The game is a fictional hack and slash video game set in the medieval period. For Honor features a hand to hand combat system described as the art of battle, in which players can attack, defend or parry in three directions- top, bottom left and bottom right using their weapon. Players can choose from three different classes, Knight, Samurai or Viking.
The feeling, when you team up with your friends to face the enemy.
Battle will be done with melee weapons such as axes and swords, and the game features both single player campaign and multiplayer modes,that support up to 8 players which are divided into two teams.
Samurai vs Knight. Who will win?
2. Ryse: Son of Rome
Ryse : Son of Rome is a hack and slash video game developed by Crytek and like any other Crytek titles, features glorious graphics and environments. The game is an action-adventure story of struggle, brutality and heroism. It follows a fearless Roman soldier named Marius Titus who joins the army to avenge his family and emerges as a hero who must fight to save the Roman Empire.
It was at this moment that the enemy knew he will die.
Players are equipped with a sword that can be used to strike and kill and a shield that can be used to deflect attacks and break enemy defenses. The game also features long ranged weapons such as spears and javelins.
Brutal, Spartan level violence and gore.
The game’s combat system is combo based and rewards players who build long combo streaks. When you deal enough damage to enemies, you can activate an execution sequence which rewards you with health points, focus points etc.
1. Dark Souls 3
Dark Souls 3 is the latest installment in the Dark Souls franchise developed by From Software and features the same brutally difficult gameplay from the other Dark Soul titles.
You shouldn’t mess with him, just look at the size of his sword and all the fire around it.
Players can choose a variety of weapons including bows, fire-bombs, greatswords, dual-wielding swords etc., to battle against enemies and use a shield to deflect and block attacks. There are two types of attacks to deal damage with your melee weapon the first one is standard attack type which is rapid and fast but deals less damage and the second attack type is power attack, the slow and charged attack that deals a lot of damage.
Killing multiple enemies is easy when dual wielding.
Combat and movements are made faster and fluid in Dark Souls 3, several player movements like backstepping, rolling, swinging heavy weapons can be performed rapidly in a short interval of time. The game also features multiplayer elements like the previous titles.
The bosses in Dark Souls 3 are brutally difficult and challenging like the previous souls titles. Most of the bosses must be defeated for story progression while some bosses are optional. Defeating the bosses require a great deal of focus and patience.
Tip : Do not give up easily if you die and analyze the boss’ tactic for weaknesses each time you battle them.
What do you think is the best hack and slash game of 2016? Is your favorite game on this list? If not, please write about your favorite hack and slash game and why it should be on this list in the comments section.
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