Summary
- Open-world games with flashy combat are captivating as they allow players to perform acrobatic moves and use a variety of weapons.
- Middle-earth: Shadow of War and NieR: Automata offer realistic combat with supernatural elements and intense action with great storytelling.
- Dragon's Dogma and Final Fantasy 15 provide challenging hack-and-slash combat and RPG elements in a large open world.
Open-world games are generally captivating, as they allow players to roam freely in a large world and undertake any quest they like. A lot of these open-world games feature some kind of combat system, but players mostly remember those with the flashiest ones.
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Executing spinning kicks while jumping, performing acrobats like backflips and cartwheels, and using a variety of weapons in a sophisticated manner make such open-world games compelling. For players who are into the open-world genre and are fans of flashy combat, there are plenty of options available for them to choose from.
6 Middle-earth: Shadow of War
Realistic Combat With Magical Elements
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
Middle-earth: Shadow of War allows gamers to take the role of Talion, a skilled ranger, along with a wraith-like companion, Celebrimbor. The fighting system in the game retains the realistic aspect of a sword fight while bringing supernatural abilities that help the ranger perform flashy moves.
The way Talion executes sword combos, performs acrobats while fighting, and utilizes parkour to climb up tall buildings allows him to decimate groups of orcs all at the same time. Moreover, the open-world nature of the game allows the players to embark on any quest they want, leveling up Talion's skills to take down powerful orc captains.
5 NieR: Automata
Intense Action With Great Storytelling
NieR: Automata
- Released
- March 7, 2017
- Developer(s)
- Platinum Games
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Developed by Platinum Games and published by Square Enix, NieR: Automata is among the top open-world fighting games that combine flashy combat with multi-layered storytelling to keep players hooked for hours. On top of that, the beautiful soundtrack, the dystopian theme, and the battle against otherworldly machines force players to execute almost impossible combos.
The RPG nature of the game also adds more excitement to the journey, as players can level up in battles, learn new combat skills, and customize their load-outs.
4 Dragon’s Dogma
Chock-Full Of Slashing Action
Dragon's Dogma
One of the things that sets Dragon's Dogma apart from other hack-and-slash games is how it lets the players identify the weak spots in monsters. Though players can perform brutal groundbreaking moves with their swords and bows, it's more of a challenge to strike the right spot. Moreover, it's pretty satisfying to cut the heads off Hydra, climb over griffins, and fight in the air.
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Dragon's Dogma features a world where normal creatures turn several times bigger, multiplying their strength severalfold. This RPG title provides players with a large world where they can explore and enjoy tons of content through the base game as well as the DLC.
3 Final Fantasy 15
RPG Combat That Features Supernatural Abilities
Final Fantasy 15
- Released
- November 9, 2016
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Developed by Square Enix, the Final Fantasy franchise needs no introduction. Final Fantasy 15 provides open-world RPG gameplay that is visually stunning and brings an intense combat system that can't be described in a few words. In this title, players will follow the journey of Noctis and his comrades to rescue the crystal and claim his throne, and they must make some strategic decisions in combat to adapt to different characters and their fighting styles if they decide to partake in the available DLC campaigns.
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The game also offers a Demo mode for players who want to try it before buying, which will allow them to get familiar with the flashy combat system quickly.
2 Batman: Arkham (Series)
Intense Raw Brawls
Batman: Arkham Knight
- Released
- June 23, 2015
- Developer(s)
- Rocksteady Studios
- Genre(s)
- Action
The first installment in the Arkham series was Batman: Arkham Asylum, which was released in 2009 and marked the historic rise of the well-known Arkham games. Currently, the franchise has four different games, with Arkham Knight being the latest one and probably the best one, too.
Apart from exploring the vastness of Gotham City, players will indulge in fast-paced, acrobatics-filled combat, high-tech gadgets, and the iconic Batmobile. It's recommended to try every Arkham game in sequence to understand the whole storyline and also because players will see how the combat evolves as they play through each title.
1 Marvel's Spider-Man 2
Thrilling Air Combat And A Dense World To Explore
Marvel's Spider-Man 2
- Released
- October 20, 2023
- Developer(s)
- Insomniac Games
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PC
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action-Adventure, Superhero
After delivering some truly astounding experiences with Marvel's Spider-Man and Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Insomniac Games came up with one of the best Spider-Man games fans could hope for. Apart from equipping Peter and Miles with their unique abilities, the game allows players to switch between characters, permitting them to experience the story from different points of view.
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While Peter comes with various Venom powers, Miles has the ability to direct electrical charges toward his enemies. What's more exciting is how fast Miles can fly, gliding through the air using Webbable objects. Combining these features with Marvel's Spider-Man 2's intense combat is sure to keep gamers entertained for hours on end.