Summary
- In Cyberpunk 2077 and Dying Light, finding powerful weapons and upgrading skills that focus on blades can make players feel godlike in combat.
- Mastering gameplay mechanics in various open-world games like Ghost of Tsushima and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt allows players to feel overpowered.
- Gamers can combine character upgrades, perks, and specific gear in certain open-world titles to dominate enemies in combat.
Combat is a key part of gameplay in many great video games, and those that get it right can make players feel almost godlike with their abilities. Oftentimes, it takes a lot of practice, extensive familiarity, or significant character upgrades and leveling up to achieve that kind of overpowered feeling, especially when there are complicated gameplay mechanics involved.
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The term swordmaster is rarely used in video games, but there are many great titles where players can certainly feel like one when wielding a very damaging blade. For those curious, here are the best open-world games for feeling like an overpowered swordmaster, ranked based on a combination of their overall quality and popularity.
Dying Light
Powerful Blades Will Slash Through Zombies
Dying Light
- Released
- January 27, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Techland
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
Being a survival horror game, players can easily feel trapped in Dying Light, struggling to stay alive in the fictional Middle Eastern city of Harran. Despite that, there are some powerful weapons that can allow players to feel much safer, whether they explore in the daytime or during those unforgiving nights.
A blade like EXPcalibur will allow players to cut through enemies like butter, and the Volatile Hunter Sword modification is particularly damaging, causing medium-level burning and electrical effects. Combining the use of such blades with upgrading certain skills can make players feel unstoppable as they slice through hordes of zombies. They just need to keep an eye on blade durability to ensure they don’t get caught unarmed.
Dune: Awakening
Combine The Swordmaster Skill Tree With Highly Damaging Blades
Dune: Awakening
- Released
- June 10, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Funcom
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Survival, MMO
- Platform(s)
- PC
In the multiplayer survival game set in the universe of the popular franchise, Dune: Awakening features many possibilities for players when it comes to character-building and their choice of which weapons to use. One such build is Swordmaster, which has a corresponding skill tree to gradually unlock new abilities and become unbeatable with a blade.
The hostile environment of Arrakis means that players must keep an eye on their stamina when engaging in close-quarters combat, but with certain abilities, they should be able to take down enemies without too much trouble. Though it can be costly to stamina, stunning enemies with a knee charge and following up with a fatal stab is always satisfying.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
Unlock Perks, Utilize Smithing, & Enchant Gear
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- Released
- November 11, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Bethesda Game Studios
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
More than a decade since its first release, The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim endures as one of the most popular and talked-about games ever made, continuing to attract new players. Many enjoy replaying the game and trying out new character builds. While most opt for a stealth archer approach or powerful mage builds, focusing on sword-based combat can be equally rewarding.
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In this regard, Skyrim has incredible depth, allowing for overpowered builds with both one-handed and two-handed weapons, thanks to various perks in the skill tree, combined with certain shouts and high smithing, enchanting, and alchemy skills. Choosing certain races for the Dragonborn, like Orc or Redguard, will also give players an extra edge thanks to their passive skills relating to sword combat.
Rise Of The Ronin
Combine "Killer" Origin With Lethal Blades
Rise of the Ronin
- Released
- March 22, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Team Ninja
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Adventure, Open-World
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 5
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
If dominance with a sword is the goal in Rise of the Ronin, it’s best advised to use one of the many great katanas found around historical Japan, since they are the most versatile of the blades. When choosing the player-character’s origin, Killer provides an extra strength boost during those early hours in the game and can assist with players becoming overpowered much more quickly.
Increasing strength in the skill tree and finding weapons with strength scaling attributes in either the primary or secondary stat is a helpful approach. The element of randomness with loot can make it difficult to find the right katana, odachi, greatsword, etc. To suit specific needs, but there should always be something suitable available.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
Use The Master Strike Move & Short Swords To Easily Take Down Most Enemies
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
- Released
- February 4, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Use of Alcohol, Blood and Gore, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity
- Developer(s)
- Warhorse Studios
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Action-Adventure, Open-World
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
In Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, using axes and bows can be great fun while exploring and encountering the various hostiles found around war-torn Bohemia in the 15th century. However, arguably the most powerful way to build Henry is as a swordsman, especially when using a one-handed sword and learning the Master Strike move to quickly eliminate targets.
Short swords allow players to dodge incoming attacks and strike more rapidly, even when taking on multiple foes simultaneously, plus they are effective against different types of armor. Crafting higher-tier swords as the game progresses, combined with Henry gaining new skills and acquiring more robust armor, can make combat progressively easier as the game advances.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Combine Swordplay With Other Skills & The Best Gear To Dominate Enemies
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Released
- May 19, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Use of Alcohol, Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content
- Developer(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Swordplay is the main focus of combat in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, though players are encouraged to experiment with other skills like magic, alchemy, and archery. All things considered, these skills often strongly complement the use of Geralt’s steel and silver blades, exploiting the weaknesses of any foes standing before the Butcher of Blaviken.
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There are plenty of mutagens and combat skills that aim to improve the witcher’s proficiency with swords, but another great way to get the best results is to simply find the best swords and Grandmaster Witcher gear with strong bonuses. The Feline set is the best for more rapid movement and faster attacks, while the Ursine gear focuses on defense and slower-paced combat that causes greater damage.
Ghost Of Tsushima
Master Gameplay Techniques & Find Useful Armor Sets
Ghost of Tsushima
- Released
- July 17, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language, Partial Nudity
- Developer(s)
- Sucker Punch
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
While defending the eponymous island during a fictionalized version of the Mongol invasion, players can eventually dispose of the intruders with ease in Ghost of Tsushima. Mastering certain gameplay mechanics like dodging, parrying, and properly utilizing combat stances will already make Jin Sakai a mighty samurai, but there are many other ways to build him into a force to be reckoned with.
Certain attire like the Sakai Clan Armor can provide useful bonuses for a melee build, but there are also powerful techniques that can be used in each stance. Utilizing stealth, higher ground, and environmental hazards can also be useful to gain an advantage, especially when outnumbered or coming up against formidable adversaries.
Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberware, Perks, & Iconic Swords Make V Godlike
Cyberpunk 2077
- Released
- December 10, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Despite its disastrous launch, Cyberpunk 2077 is widely regarded as one of the best RPGs on the market today, and it features some of the most thrilling combat in gaming. There are many great guns and highly damaging melee weapons on offer, but sword combat is easily one of the most popular and most overpowered combat approaches in the game.
Several perks in the skill tree, combined with specific cyberware enhancements, can make V seem godlike in combat when they use a blade, being able to stop time, deflect bullets, and hack enemies on the fly. Later in the game, it becomes effortless for players to clear an entire building of gangoons or corpo scum while going completely unnoticed, unharmed, and leaving behind no evidence.
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