Summary
- Combat systems in open-world games are designed to make it easier for players to fight multiple foes at once.
- Games like Mad Max, Lost Judgment, and Middle-earth: Shadow of War let players take on waves of enemies effortlessly.
- Characters like Talion, Batman, and Spider-Man excel at facing numerous enemies with varied combat skills.
Many open-world games feature riveting combat loops that will keep fans engaged for the long haul. While scintillating one-on-one battles are always appreciated, a lot of the power fantasies enabled by these combat systems click into place when players are fighting against multiple foes.
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While it may seem like players are fighting against the odds, the combat system is actually tailored to make fighting against multiple foes easier. This ensures that players can mow down waves of enemies without any problems and feel badass in the process.
8 Mad Max
Implements Arkham Combat, Which Naturally Entails That Players Will Be Overwhelmed
Mad Max
- Released
- September 1, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure, Open-World
Mad Max is one of the most underrated open-world action games players can get their hands on. The title does justice to the IP it's based on, with the crunchy take on Arkham's combat being one of its strongest traits.
The vehicular combat also feels great as players blow up the many cars trying to chase them down and make their lives a living hell. Both areas of the game see players outnumbered, only for them to use their amazing combat skills to beat down the foes standing in their way.
7 Lost Judgment
Yagami Takes On Waves Of Foes And Decimates Them With Ease
Lost Judgment
- Released
- September 24, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
Players who loved the real-time combat of Judgment will love that the sequel introduces two more combat styles for players to mess around with, even if one of them may be part of DLC. Lost Judgment sees Yagami uncover instances of horrid school bullying that have a long-lasting impact on victims.
During his investigation, he will come across several troublemakers who will try to gang up on him and beat him to a pulp. However, his combat skills are so varied that enemies will have no chance against his wide-sweeping attacks that will knock them flat in no time.
6 Middle-earth: Shadow Of War
Talion Can Take On Waves Of Orcs And Make Them Pay For Attacking Him
Middle-Earth: Shadow of War
- Released
- October 10, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
The Middle-earth games focusing on Talion's adventures make for one of the goriest adventures fans can engage with in Tolkien's universe. Shadow of War expands upon the combat system, letting players mow down orcs in style with the right skills and make them pay.
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With new mounts and abilities, Talion can school hordes of Orcs without getting a single scratch. It's a huge part of what makes the combat so satisfying in Shadow of War as players thin the herd before targeting a captain and making him submit to their will.
5 Batman: Arkham Knight
Like Previous Games In The Series, Batman Beats Up Multiple Criminals To A Pulp
Batman: Arkham Knight
- Released
- June 23, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action
The Arkham games are obvious mentions for games with amazing combat loops that will keep players engaged for hours on end. Batman is always up against the odds as several goons surround him, but these enemies have no idea what they're in for.
Players can use a wide variety of counters and dodges to decimate their foes in style, punishing them for even thinking about laying hands on the Caped Crusader. When players reach a flow state, Batman is unstoppable and can potentially take out hundreds of enemies without incurring any damage.
4 Marvel's Spider-Man 2
The Two Lovable Webheads Take On Multiple Goons And Symbiotes While Trying To Protect New York City
Marvel's Spider-Man 2
- Released
- October 20, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Blood, Drug Reference, Mild Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action-Adventure, Superhero
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is a massive upgrade over its predecessor when it comes to the combat system, which takes a page out of the Arkham books while also experimenting with it. The two Spider-Men must take out waves of goons in fun battles that can be handled either in stealth or direct combat scenarios.
Either way, players will love making the most of Spider-Man's skills and laying waste to the many criminals who think they can measure up to the webhead. Once the symbiotes join the fray, players must be wary of these tougher foes that like to gang up on the player and smash them to bits.
3 Yakuza 0
Kiryu And Majima Almost Always Have The Odds Stacked Against Them In Combat
Yakuza 0
- Released
- January 24, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Intense Violence, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol
The origin stories of Kiryu and Majima are compelling enough to turn Yakuza 0 into one of the best games in the series and a perfect entry point for fans. Their badass nature can be seen in the effortless way they take out multiple enemies in combat without any problems.
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As their styles become stronger, both protagonists can unleash deadly Heat Moves that take out multiple enemies in one fell swoop. It's a huge part of what makes the combat in Yakuza 0 so special, with both single-enemy encounters and battles with multiple foes feeling great.
2 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Geralt Takes On Multiple Enemies With His Pirouetting Swordfighting Skills
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Released
- May 19, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is one of the best video games ever made, letting Geralt end his video game adventures on a high note. This witcher will unlock his fair share of powerful abilities in battle that can take out groups of enemies with ease.
From the smart use of powerful Signs to powerful sweeping sword strikes that target multiple enemies, there's no shortage of crowd control options for Geralt. Mastering these is very important, since the bulk of fights in The Witcher 3 see Geralt up against the odds as multiple enemies gang up on him.
1 The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom
Link Is Almost Always Fighting Groups In Hyrule
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
- Released
- May 12, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Rated E for Everyone 10+ for Fantasy Violence and Mild Suggestive Themes
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Action, Open-World
Tears of the Kingdom is a massive evolution over its predecessor, with the combat also being improved upon considerably to give players more options. Fuse and Ultrahand can make battles more dynamic as players use their weird creations to smack foes to a pulp.
With enemy bases and camps scattered across the game, it's easy to see why Link will find himself outnumbered more often than not in combat. However, players should have all the tools and skills they need to take out these enemies without losing all their hearts in the process.
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