The hack-and-slash genre is home to some of gaming's most celebrated franchises, from Devil May Cry to Bayonetta. While it would be great to see Dante back in the driver's seat, fans will have to wait a little longer to see if any DMC sequels are on the horizon. Thankfully, there are plenty of upcoming games in the space that are looking to deliver a heightened level of intensity and action that has never been seen before. The genre's focus has always been on speed and aggression, and the future looks bright, with many games putting a heavy emphasis on fast-paced combat and cinematic fights that transport players into a whole new world.
Best Hack & Slash Games Of The 8th Console Generation, Ranked
These are the best hack and slash games on the PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
These games cover a wide range of settings and themes, with some looking to bring futuristic mechanics and settings into the modern day, while others take players on a journey to the past, showing off an alternative perspective on historical battles from all historical eras. As more developers enter the space, new ideas and mechanics are being introduced at a faster rate, improving the entire genre with more innovation than ever. Whatever players are looking for, there is bound to be a hack-and-slash game waiting for them just around the corner, regardless of whether they enjoy quicker roguelike runs or want to become fully invested in an epic narrative across an expansive landscape.
Tears Of Metal
Journey To The Scottish Highlands
- Roguelike progression and cooperative multiplayer.
- Taking on hordes of enemies all at once.
Tears of Metal takes a cartoony approach to medieval combat, throwing players into a fantasy world with nothing but their blade and strength of will to carry them through. The basic gameplay loop revolves around clearing out hordes of foes within each stage, progressing through levels that each come with different modifiers for both loot and enemy difficulty. As players press on, they are given skill choices that can range from simple damage buffs to powerful abilities that shift the battle heavily in their favor, while also letting them compete with the increasingly challenging soldiers on the other side of the fight.
After failing or completing a series of stages, players can return home and upgrade their individual characters as well as the allied ones that can fight alongside them on the battlefield. The game also offers online co-op, which means that players can progress together while taking down countless armies as a team of mighty warriors that will let nothing stand in their way. Overall, Tears of Metal looks to be a unique entry into the roguelike space that offers something accessible and fast for players who prefer quick matches over longer narratives that can often feel overwhelming to get into.
ROMEO IS A DEAD MAN
Experimental And Stylish At The Same Time
- Gory and intense right from the start.
- Fast melee combat mixed with light shooter mechanics.
ROMEO IS A DEAD MAN embraces the idea of excess in the most beautiful way possible, blending hack-and-slash combat with unapologetically bizarre aesthetics. The action leans heavily into exaggerated animations, brutal finishers, and a tone that refuses to take itself seriously while still having enough mechanical depth to satisfy long-time fans of the genre. Violent doesn't even scratch the surface: players will quickly find themselves slicing through enemies and dispatching them in a matter of seconds, turning zombie-like creatures into an explosion of blood.
Every God Of War Game, Ranked
Santa Monica Studio's God of War has produced many great games. Naturally, some of Kratos' bloody PlayStation adventures are better than others.
The game wears its influence on its sleeve, but also manages to carve out a completely unique identity within an otherwise crowded space. There are cartoony damage numbers that fly off of every enemy struck, abilities that remove all the realistic visuals in the place of confetti and color, and a cool mix of shooter mechanics and melee combat that ensures every encounter can be approached with a variety of methods. Despite being an entirely new IP, ROMEO IS A DEAD MAN is poised to be one of the most interesting and exciting hack-and-slash games releasing in 2026, and one that fans should for sure have on their radar.
Nioh 3
Darker And More Open Than Ever
- Several combat styles that each have a distinct purpose.
- Larger areas to explore than previous entries, full of enemies and bosses.
If Nioh 3 manages to capture even a small fragment of its predecessors’ quality, then it will easily be a standout hit in 2026. The combat is being pushed further than ever, with two styles that can be switched between in the middle of combat, giving players more attacks and tools to dispatch the terrifying Yokai that await them. More importantly, the world is being expanded to larger "Open Field" areas that let players explore a much wider area than ever before, with items, enemies, and bosses being tucked into every corner. The previous games already gave players the choice of which areas to clear and what bosses to hunt down, but with an actual open landscape to explore, that choice becomes far more freeing than in the past.
Rather than mindless button-mashing, combat revolves around precision and timing, making it feel like a perfect mix of Soulslike and hack-and-slash combat. Players will be able to clear basic enemies in no time, using a range of powerful skills that fully lean into the fantasy of being an unstoppable samurai, but the boss fights are looking to be more challenging than ever before, testing players to their absolute limit. Fans of the franchise will obviously adore the larger locations, but even newcomers can find joy in the hard yet satisfying combat that should set a new standard for the genre.
Dynasty Warriors 3: Complete Edition Remastered
The True 1v1000 Fantasy
- Taking on entire armies at once.
- A faithful revival that focuses on graphical upgrades while maintaining core DNA.
The remaster of Dynasty Warriors 3 offers a return to one of the most influential hack-and-slash experiences ever created. The appeal lies in its scale, throwing players into sprawling battlefields where a single warrior can dispatch an entire army with ease. With updated visuals, those battles look and feel all the more impressive. The fights themselves can be quite daunting at first, but as players get used to the sheer number of enemies, they will quickly accept their own power and be able to come out on top despite the overwhelming odds. There is a huge number of playable officers to choose from right from the start, each with their own strengths and weaknesses that players can use to creatively conquer even the most fearsome enemies.
Upcoming Role-Playing Games People Are Excited For
While plenty of RPGs have been announced for 2026 and beyond, these upcoming role-playing games are especially exciting.
Many hack-and-slash games nowadays focus on a single character taking on countless foes across the world, but here, the experience is more about players carving out stories of their own through battles fought with different characters of all kinds and combat styles. Aside from upgrades to the graphics, the developers have also mentioned a desire to maintain the core identity of the game while introducing a few quality-of-life improvements that should fix many of the issues players had with the initial launch. Dynasty Warriors: Origins already showed that there is a hunger for more spectacle Musou fighters in the modern age, so hopefully the remaster can bring just as much action and intensity for players looking to fully take on the role of an unstoppable warrior with a monumental task ahead of them.
Duet Night Abyss
Intertwining Narratives Across A Gigantic World
- Satisfying ranged and melee combat options.
- Few limitations on individual weapon classes.
Duet Night Abyss fuses anime-inspired visuals with fast, responsive combat that places a heavy emphasis on adaptability and customization. Battles are designed around rapid movements and chaining skills, forcing players to manage their cooldowns and play aggressively to survive countless brutal encounters. The dual combat incorporates ranged weapons into every fight, letting players freely switch between grenade launchers and blades, which gives them the chance to pick off groups of enemies from afar and just as effectively up close.
The game’s progression structure encourages experimentation, giving players the chance to unlock new characters and weapons without feeling forced into a specific playstyle or route. This level of flexibility means that there are more chances to try new armaments and abilities, as well as different builds that each bring a different kind of utility and damage to the fight. It also promises to perfectly intertwine looter-shooter mechanics into a more traditional hack-and-slash experience, offering something distinctive for those on the lookout for their next favorite hack-and-slash game.
Welcome The Next 5 Biggest Action-Adventure Games
From massive open-worlds to spy thrillers, here are the biggest new action-adventure games coming soon.