The gaming world is full of all kinds of genres and styles of play. More strategic games are fun in their own way, but sometimes you just need to be able to run around and kick straight with some weapons. You need hack-and-slash games, which have been around since the early days of consoles.
With the evolution of consoles comes newer hack-and-slash games that modernize and add to the formula you know and love. Defeating a bunch of enemies at once is satisfying, but you still have to pay attention or it is you who will end up defeated.
8/8 Devil May Cry 5
Devil May Cry 5 is a fun and familiar game if you’ve played any previous entries, but it also brings some new things to the table. You play as Dante and Nero, who have their own unique abilities and weapons. But there’s also the new playable character, V, whose gameplay is quite different, as he doesn’t directly attack his enemies until it ends.
Devil May Cry 5 was originally made for the PS4, but Capcom released a special version for the PS5. This version includes additional content that you can only purchase separately from the original game, a few new game modes, playable Vergil, and PS5 optimization.
7/8 The Nioh series
The Nioh games are often compared to Dark Souls, because they require a certain amount of attention and strategy to beat enemies. If you try to just mindlessly attack, you’ll probably end up with a game over soon after.
You’ll be able to use different types of melee weapons to battle your enemies while dodging and blocking their attacks, and you’ll earn skill points that go into skills that can make or break your combat experience. Nioh and Nioh 2 were originally released for PS4, but they have remastered versions optimized for PS5.
6/8 chivalry 2
Chivalry 2 definitely stands out among others in the hack-and-slash genre for two reasons: it uses a first-person perspective, and it’s multiplayer. The game is set in the Middle Ages, and you play as a knight at war with other knights. A single game can contain up to 64 players, so that’s it a lot of bloodshed. Every time you get a hit, you can hear the sound the other person’s body makes.
If you’ve ever wanted to recreate a battle scene in a medieval movie, this is your chance to do it. The game was originally made for PC, but it has now been released on both PS4 and PS5.
5/8 Darksiders 3
Instead of the usual melee weapons, you get a cool whip to start with in Darksiders 3. There are also weapons you can pick up along the way that are more common, like a lance. FURY has different forms you can unlock, known as Horsemen Transformations. Each form provides different moves and weapons to use against your enemies.
In total, there are four different forms, making four different playstyles you can switch between at will. Darksiders 3 is a PS4 game, but is backwards compatible with PS5.
4/8 Nine: Automata
Nier: Automata is the sequel to the original Nier game. The combat is fluid and satisfying, and there are many ways to customize the combat experience. There are three different playable characters, each with their own way of fighting. The different weapons you use also give 2B, 9S or A2 unique fighting styles.
In addition, you can equip different plug-in pieces with different effects, such as regenerating HP after not being hit for a while or increasing their critical rates. Nier: Automata was made for PS4, but it is backwards compatible with PS5.
3/8 Diablo 3
In Diablo 3, you can choose between five classes, all with different abilities. Of these skills, you can equip six active and three passive to create your own special build. No matter how many times you run through the same stage, it will never feel exactly the same because the maps are procedurally generated.
A strong point of Diablo 3 is that you can spend hours on it. You can follow the story or just spend time farming experience, gold and equipment to become more powerful. The game was released for PS4, but it is backwards compatible with PS5.
2/8 Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection
Ninja Gaiden: The Master Collection includes the three main Ninja Gaiden games. It also has most of the content sold as DLC included, and you get to play as four other characters in addition to Ryu Hayabusa. The weapons range from a simple bow to a plasma saberand the characters feel like they pack a punch without being too heavy or clunky.
As a ninja, Ryu can do things like run on walls and water, which makes for fun gameplay. The collection was made for PS4, but is backwards compatible with PS5.
1/8 God of War series
The God of War games are generally well known for their inclusion of mythology, fascinating story, and satisfying gameplay. This is even more the case for God of War (2018) and God of War Ragnarok. While there aren’t as many weapons to choose from as a typical hack-and-slash, Kratos’ iconic Blades of Chaos are still usable. What more could you ask for, really?
In addition to regular weapons, you can even use parts of the environment, such as poles and rocks, to wipe out enemies. Who needs an ax when you have rocks? Both games have PS4 and PS5 versions.
