Summary
- Batman: Arkham City revolutionized open-world combat with rhythmic, combo-based mechanics for cinematic yet responsive fights.
- Ghost of Tsushima's combat demands precision through stances and counters, creating deadly dance-like encounters.
- Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord offers realistic, large-scale battles with physics-driven melee combat that merges strategy and action.
The open-world genre is a diverse category full of titles that explore vast landscapes and even entire universes, immersing the player in a world of villains and heroes just waiting to be discovered. A big draw to these games (aside from the environments) is the ability to fight and battle against an array of enemies in a unique manner that is both fun and rewarding.
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The AA gaming scene is proving the potential of indie developers through vast open worlds crafted with immense creativity and genius mechanics.
Often, a game will take an existing concept and refine it in a way that keeps the original DNA while providing something slightly new. But in other cases, a whole new combat system is introduced that revolutionized the gaming world and is quickly adopted and built upon by future games due to its quality and distinctiveness from the competition.
1 Batman: Arkham City
Rhythmic Counters And Intense Melee Combat
Batman: Arkham City
- Released
- October 18, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Rocksteady Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Warner Bros. Games
- Platform(s)
- PS3, PC, Xbox One, PS4, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii U, Nintendo Switch
Batman: Arkham City revolutionized melee combat in open-world games by introducing a rhythmic, combo-based system built around timing and situational awareness. Players have the ability to seamlessly flow between enemies with precise inputs that reward reflexes and anticipation, making fights feel cinematic yet responsive in a way that captures the essence of the Dark Knight.
What made this system groundbreaking was its accessibility and depth. Players could start with simple strikes but unlock more advanced moves and combos that made use of extra gadgets for some wild takedowns and counters. Combined with a sprawling, atmospheric Gotham and stealth sections that encouraged tactical thinking, the game set a new benchmark for superhero and action game combat alike.
2 Ghost Of Tsushima
Cinematic Swordplay That Requires Precision At All Times
Ghost of Tsushima
- Released
- July 17, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Sucker Punch
- Publisher(s)
- Sony
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Ghost of Tsushima blends open-world design with samurai dueling mechanics that demand discipline and timing rather than relying on button-mashing. The combat is built on stances and parries, combined with timed counters that vary depending on the enemy type and the difficulty.
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Each encounter feels like a deadly dance, and the game’s cinematic presentation enhances the tension. Whether engaging in one-on-one duels or cutting through relentless waves of Mongol invaders, players must constantly read their opponents and adapt or fail in the process. The result is a combat system that feels grounded and strikingly beautiful on top of being incredibly satisfying.
3 Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord
Realistic Battlefields For Both Mounted And Melee Fighting
Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord
- Released
- October 25, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- TaleWorlds Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- TaleWorlds Entertainment
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Strategy
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord brings large-scale, real-time combat to huge battles that make use of a physics-driven melee system that rewards directional control and timing. Players can lead hundreds of troops into battle, engage in mounted warfare, and command elaborate formations, all while fighting on the front lines.
What makes the combat unique is its realism and tactical depth. Unlike traditional RPGs, Bannerlord requires an understanding of momentum and weapon types, as players not only fight but shape the battlefield through their leadership. It’s one of the few games that successfully merges strategy and action in real-time and delivers an experience that truly captures the medieval world in all its brutality.
4 Dying Light 2
First-Person Parkour Integrated Perfectly With The Combat
Dying Light 2 Stay Human
- Released
- February 4, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Techland
- Publisher(s)
- Techland
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Dying Light 2 elevates first-person combat by seamlessly combining it with a fluid parkour system that involves fast traversal in a world full of undead monsters. Players can vault over enemies, wall-run, and dropkick foes from rooftops, all while using melee weapons and crafting tools to survive the perilous night ahead.
Combat feels dynamic because movement and positioning are as vital as weapon choice, and every dodge and every parry creates an environment full of flow and rhythm. As the day-night cycle progresses, the challenge intensifies, requiring smart use of verticality and agility. This fusion of traversal and fighting sets the game apart from more grounded zombie survival titles and pushes the genre in a whole new direction.
5 Horizon Forbidden West
Machine Dismemberment And Real-Time Target Focusing
Horizon Forbidden West
- Released
- February 18, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Guerrilla Games
- Publisher(s)
- Sony
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Horizon Zero Dawn might have introduced this combat system back in 2017, but Horizon Forbidden West perfected its tactical, high-stakes combat that revolves around machine dismemberment and precision targeting in a dangerous world full of decay and destruction. Players are encouraged to study their robotic enemies and strategically scan for weak points in order to remove components mid-battle to disable attacks or gain rare materials.
This layered combat design pushes players to use a wide arsenal of tools, ranging from elemental arrows to spike throwers, and to always think several steps ahead. Boss fights often resemble puzzle encounters, where success depends on preparation and quick decision-making, and the game's fluid action offers a combat experience that feels equal parts tactical and thrilling.
6 InFAMOUS: Second Son
Powerful Moves That Combined Cutscenes With The Action
inFAMOUS Second Son
- Released
- March 21, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Sucker Punch
- Publisher(s)
- Sony
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Second Son takes the existing formula from the previous games and dials it to eleven, providing a combat system that is equal parts cinematic and awesome. The fights revolve around using specific elements that can be acquired from different parts of the environment and tactically swapping between them to access different skills or take down certain enemies.
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Each power set has its own finisher skill that can take the player sky-high or spawn an army of cybernetic angels to fight for the player, each delivering a feast for the eyes that seamlessly integrates with the world. It was also one of the first PS4 games to utilize the touchpad in a big way, requiring specific inputs and swipes to fully benefit from all facets of the elemental goodness.
7 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
More Than Just Swinging Swords
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Released
- May 19, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Publisher(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Witcher 3 is a remarkable game that marries traditional medieval swordplay with fantasy elements like alchemy and magical signs to deliver a combat experience that involves far more preparation and thinking than most of the competition. Enemies aren't just an HP bar to be cleared; each one has specific strengths and weaknesses that demand thought and strategy to exploit.
The combat doesn't seem overly complex at first, but it quickly shows its true colors, rewarding those who engage with all the systems available and providing a satisfying fighting style that stands out against other titles in the genre. And with a difficulty system that actually makes sense in the context of the world, players will always feel capable of taking on any foe.
8 Prototype
Destruction And Shapeshifting All In One
Prototype
- Released
- June 9, 2009
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Radical Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Activision
- Genre(s)
- Action, Open-World
Prototype delivers one of the most over-the-top open-world gameplay systems ever seen, as players take control of a shapeshifter with more than a few insane powers. They can transform their limbs into an array of weapons and combine them together for a variety of crazy area attacks and brutal finishers that push the limits of both the engine and the player's imagination.
The combat thrives on speed and chaos, blending building traversal with high-impact melee blows to allow players to fully fulfill the power fantasy at their fingertips. The amount of skills is pretty insane, and the tools are simply there as a mechanism to play the game how players choose to, however violent or explosive they want to be.
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