Since the inception of gaming, all of its genres have evolved and even taken on sub-genres. From RPGs to Action/Adventure and First-Person Shooters, there's a genre out there for every fan. One such popular option is the hack and slash style of games, and over the years, this subgenre has transformed into a blend of new gameplay mechanics and styles.
Many games of the previous generation tried to give players what they love about the genre, while also adding a lot of new toppings to make it a unique experience. Sadly, the frequency of hack and slash games seems to decline with each new generation, which could be due to the growing taste for realism in video games. Despite that, some of the best hack and slash games ever made came out in the last decade for the PS4, Xbox One, Wii U, and Switch.
Updated September 24, 2023 by Mark Sammut: This article has been updated to include each game's specifications.
20 Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Calamity
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
- Platform(s)
- Switch
- Released
- November 20, 2020
- Developer(s)
- Koei Tecmo , Omega Force
Musou games are not for everyone, and most of these projects tend to not get great reviews either. However, some of the most popular Musou games are based in the worlds of other properties. Hyrule Warriors was a The Legend of Zelda spin-off that nobody knew they wanted, and Age of Calamity takes things a step further by being set within the Breath of the Wild timeline.
The hack and slash combat largely consists of decimating entire armies with the swipe of a sword. It is over-the-top, quite easy, and ridiculously satisfying. Age of Calamity incorporates a few elements from Breath of the Wild, along with featuring a reasonable roster of playable characters who mostly feel unique.
19 Darksiders: Warmastered Edition
Darksiders Warmastered Edition
Darksiders: Warmastered Edition is a remaster of the franchise's first entry, which debuted in 2010. What makes this title one of the best hack and slash games on the current-gen consoles is its adherence to traditionalism since Darksiders plays out like a throwback to classic action-adventure games like Zelda.
It packs itself with features that have defined the genre for a long time: straight-forward combat, puzzle-solving, boss battles, and lots, and lots of combo mechanics. Darksiders is an experience that respects the roots of the genre.
18 God Of War 3 Remastered
The PS4 marked a new era for Sony's God of War, but the console does have one remnant of the franchise's classic formula. God of War 3 Remastered is the definitive way to experience this PS3 masterpiece, even if it does not introduce enough changes to warrant a replay.
As a standalone experience, GOW 3 is basically a continuous bloodbath that occasionally takes a break for a puzzle. The series has always excelled at crafting epic set pieces, and this entry is far from an exception.
17 Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes
- Platform(s)
- Switch
- Released
- June 24, 2022
- Developer(s)
- Omega Force
Similar to Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is an alternate-reality spin-off based on a Switch exclusive. While sticking close to the hack and slash combat formula defined by Omega Force's Musou projects, the 2022 release does take a few more risks than most of these sorts of titles, although the core gameplay loop is still ultimately the same.
Still, the campaign tells a fairly enjoyable story that makes good use of Three Houses' strong characters. Three Hopes is also relatively long and contains more than enough content to keep someone busy for a few weeks.
16 Katana Zero
Katana Zero is quite unlike most other hack and slash games since combat revolves around insta-death. The vast majority of enemies go down with a single hit, but the same also holds true for the player; consequently, success relies on reflexes and strategy. The campaign is split into a series of levels where players, as Zero, need to eliminate all the enemies on the floor. Zero has a number of tools and abilities at his disposal, and he will need to master each of them to have any hope of completing all of his assassinations.
Difficult as the game can be, Katana Zero is also extremely fun, and defeat is likely to only inspire someone to try again. Even though 16-bit visuals have become quite commonplace in the modern indie scene, this game's graphics are nevertheless charming.
15 Kingdom Hearts 3
After a painfully long wait (at least for a numbered entry), Square Enix finally released Kingdom Hearts 3. As always, Sora, Goofy, and Donald travel through a number of Disney worlds, meeting beloved characters like Frozen's Elsa and Toy Story's lovable icons in the process. Kingdom Hearts 3's overarching plot takes a backseat for large chunks of the game's runtime, but the world's self-contained narratives should charm any Disney fan.
Although it doesn't evolve enough throughout the course of the campaign, Kingdom Hearts 3's hack and slash combat is very entertaining on a fundamental level. Sora has access to so many tools and mechanics that the Keyblade wielder can feel a touch overpowered, and the action's visual presentation is spectacular.
14 Persona 5 Strikers
Atlus and Omega Force have never been shy about experimenting with spin-offs, so Persona 5 Strikers almost makes too much sense. The sequel to Persona 5, one of the PS4's best titles, plays out like a Musou hack and slash game, albeit one that takes a few pages from turn-based JRPGs.
Unlike Dynasty Warriors or even Hyrule Warriors, Persona 5 Strikers is far more story-driven than tends to be the case for these types of games. This is a proper P5 sequel that further fleshes out the characters and introduces an interesting twist on Palaces called Jails. The combat is simplistic but stylish, and each Phantom Thief plays completely differently.
13 Bloodstained: Ritual Of The Night
A Metroidvania heavily inspired by Castlevania, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night blends platforming and hack and slash combat, crafting an experience that should feel instantly familiar for those who grew up playing Symphony of the Night. As tends to be the case with this genre, Miriam, the main character, gains new abilities or tools that unlock more of the map.
Ritual of the Night's combat is solid, utilizing various weapons and skills to ensure battles do not grow stale quickly. It is flashy and reasonably challenging. The story is also pretty decent.
12 NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139...
Originally designed for the PS3 and Xbox 360, Nier eventually earned a remaster focusing on the Replicant version of the game, which was initially released only in Japan. Following the success of Nier: Automata, Cavia and Square Enix's action RPG was given a second lease on life, and the remaster earned an overall more positive reception than during its initial run.
Now, Nier Replicant's hack and slash gameplay is a mixed bag. While not terrible, it is not particularly deep and does struggle to remain interesting throughout the rather long campaign. However, the game makes up for it with a fantastic story.
11 Astral Chain
Astral Chain debuted for the Nintendo Switch in 2019 from developer PlatinumGames. The setting is a dystopian Earth future where the police must protect citizens from interdimensional monsters invading the planet. But the two characters have the unique ability of "chaining" their creatures to use in battle.
The game features cyberpunk themes and grade A hack and slash combat. Astral Chain offers a great soundtrack, engaging visuals, fun mechanics, and a solid story.
10 Diablo 3: Eternal Collection
Blizzard has re-released Diablo 3 multiple times across its lifespan, ultimately culminating in the Eternal Collection. Despite getting off to a rough start, Blizzard did eventually steady Diablo 3's ship, developing it into a worthy but different successor to Diablo 2.
Splendidly animated and (nowadays) overstacked with loot, Diablo 3's selling point is its endless replayability, as there is simply something satisfying about jumping into this game for a new run or to try a different build. The Eternal Collection comes with the Reaper of Souls expansion and the Rise of the Necromancer pack, providing as complete of an experience as possible.
Diablo 4 is also on PS4 and Xbox One.
9 Torchlight 2
In the spirit of Diablo, the Torchlight series thrusts the player character into a grand narrative. It involves ancient gods, alchemists, and all kinds of sweet, sweet loot.
While the game does not have the traditional mechanics of a hack and slash title, the gameplay feels easy and fun. There are also dozens of combinations for classes, abilities, and armor/weapon builds.
8 NieR: Automata
Nier: Automata is an action RPG with hack and slash combat. It belongs to the set of titles that are genuinely innovative, particularly from a storytelling perspective. The game is very artistic in its visual style, and all the boss battles are the cherry on top.
What makes Nier: Automata worth playing is its environmental uniqueness and genre-defying gameplay elements. Another selling point of the game is that it is created by PlatinumGames whose games occupy several entries on this list.
7 Bastion
This game put Supergiant Games on the map as a studio. Though initially released in 2011, the game saw a resurgence in 2015 with more players diving into its story. Players control "The Kid" as he traverses areas filled with enemies in an isometric view.
The vibrant backgrounds and stunning soundtrack do a great deal of heavy lifting in terms of design. Bastion is a no-brainer for anyone interested in hack and slash games.
6 Dead Cells
A side-scroller Metroidvania rougelite, Dead Cells checks a lot of boxes and impressively delivers on all fronts. Focusing solely on the gameplay, Dead Cells is an accomplished hack and slash game that blends a diverse arsenal of weapons with pinpoint controls that make every victory or defeat feel earned. It all comes down to learning an enemy's move and effectively forming a strategy to counter them.
Dead Cells' rougelite status means that everything is lost upon defeat, which just serves as an incentive to try another run.
5 Bayonetta 2
Bayonetta 2 is not only one of the best hack and slash games but it also served as a reason to pick up a Wii U. Building on its predecessor's fantastic foundation, the sequel adds a ton of new concepts to the gameplay. It is fast, full of combos, and overflowing with charm.
Being a sequel, it makes a lot of fresh new additions to the original Bayonetta's formula. The combat is very smooth, and the over-the-top nature of this campaign works in the game's favor.
4 Ghost Of Tsushima
Sucker Punch's Ghost of Tsushima was the PS4's fantastic swan song, delivering a gripping action game set in a seldom tackled era of Japanese history. As Jin, players stealthily or directly take on the Mongol Fleet scattered across a wide and frequently gorgeous terrain. While not amazing, the story is pretty decent.
The combat system is accessible but deep, and it is particularly satisfying against crowds. Ghost of Tsushima provides Jin with plenty of tools to cater combat to his preferences, making for a consistently enjoyable and unique experience. Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut should be prioritized above the base version of the game.
3 Hades
Hades
- Platform(s)
- PS4 , PS5 , Xbox One , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S , Switch , PC
- Released
- September 17, 2020
- Developer(s)
- Supergiant Games
Any Supergiant Games' project is a must-play, and Hades is far from an exception. In fact, an argument could be made that it is the developer's crowning achievement (so far). It combines all the best parts of the studio's previous titles and puts it in a Greek mythology setting. The player controls Zagreus as he runs into various members of Greek mythology and history.
He's the son of Hades and wants to escape the Underworld. Delivering a surprisingly effective storyline for the roguelite genre, Hades blends stylish combat with memorable writing, great visuals, and an addictive gameplay loop.
2 God Of War
Looking to shake things up following the lackluster God of War Ascension, Santa Monica revamped everything for the franchise's official PS4 debut. God of War finds Kratos in Nord mythology as he journeys to the top of a mountain in order to fulfill the dying wish of his wife. He is accompanied by his son, and their relationship is strained.
Viewed from an over-the-shoulder perspective, God of War gets up close and personal with its combat, offering a visceral system that retains elements of the series' earlier entries but is otherwise a substantial departure. This change can be polarizing, although the overall game is generally beloved.
1 Devil May Cry 5
Devil May Cry 5
- Platform(s)
- PS4 , Xbox One , PC , PS5 , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S
- Released
- March 8, 2019
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
Devil May Cry 5 took a long time to come to fruition, but it was worth the wait. Capcom's franchise is arguably the most famous character action IP of all time, and DMC 5 is arguably the best hack and slash game of the last decade when it comes to pure combat. This game is a love letter to the fans of the series.
Moreover, it innovated the genre without going in an especially different direction. Devil May Cry 5 is a real example of what people can expect from the next generation of hack and slash games. It may also settle the Vergil vs. Dante debate for some people.