Polarizing Hack And Slash Games That Are Still Worth Trying

Hack and slash games have evolved considerably since the genre's inception. It's easy to label these games as button-mashing extravaganzas full of elaborate set pieces, but there's more to these games than meets the eye. A combination of great level design, enemy variety, numerous abilities, and excellent presentation go a long way in making most hack-and-slash games more engaging.

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By  Tristan Jurkovich

It's easy to blast certain games for not living up to critical or fan expectations, but these titles can pleasantly surprise players by showing how competent they are — even if they don't fully stick the landing. Some of the most polarizing hack-and-slash games have a ton of things working for them that fans can still enjoy as long as they manage to look past certain rough elements in each title.

5 DmC: Devil May Cry

Dante's Reinvention Wasn't As Bad As People Made It Out To Be

The Devil May Cry series features some of the greatest hack-and-slash games of all time, but not all of these titles hit the ground running. Devil May Cry 2 is a great example of the same, with this game being hated by the masses for dumbing down the gameplay and destroying a lot of what made Dante such an iconic protagonist. So, it's easy to see why fans were less than enthused to see the announcement of a Devil May Cry reboot that looked like it was changing too many things for most fans' liking.

The lack of challenging combat and major changes to Dante's character were frowned upon by most fans, leading to DmC: Devil May Cry being lambasted for forsaking a lot of what made the series so special in the first place. It's easy to draw this conclusion, but fans willing to give this reboot a chance will love the stylish combat, invigorating visuals, and a surprisingly great story that gives every character their moment in the spotlight.

4 Final Fantasy 16

The Lack Of Certain Final Fantasy Elements May Be Disappointing To Some, But The Gameplay Is Spectacular

The switch to character action and hack-and-slash combat was worrying for many Final Fantasy fans. The series had struggled to redefine its identity, and Final Fantasy 16 needed to nail its core gameplay loop while doing justice to this historic JRPG series to satiate fans. Unfortunately, in the eyes of some fans, the easy combat and a focus on quick-time events were frowned upon by many players who felt that Final Fantasy 16 was all style and no substance.

It can be challenging to ignore the poor side quest design and lack of enemy variety, but Final Fantasy 16 deserves way more credit than it gets. Some of the hunts are a joy to undertake, and the game's cinematic qualities are through the roof. The game's story is rife with political intrigue, while the Eikon battles are spectacular affairs with crescendoing music and high stakes that never fail to deliver. The combat itself may be easy at points, but there are ways to combine Clive's abilities and techniques to decimate most enemies in style.

3 Lollipop Chainsaw

A Memorable Game That Suffers From Repetitive Gameplay

To this day, it's hard to believe that Lollipop Chainsaw was written by none other than James Gunn himself. With the legendary Suda51 serving as the game's director, the potential for this game to succeed was immense. Unfortunately, the incredible presentation and fun story couldn't make up for a combat system that wore out its welcome and became a chore to interact with by the time players reached the end of this game.

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Thankfully, Lollipop Chainsaw doesn't overstay its welcome and lets players enjoy a tight, action-packed romp with a zany premise, colorful visuals, and violence out the wazoo. The RePOP edition of the game spruces up the visuals to make them more remarkable, giving players an excuse to check out a game that is highly entertaining despite its flaws.

2 Heavenly Sword

Still Looks Beautiful Despite A Short Runtime And A Forgettable Story

A PS3 exclusive that isn't talked about all that often, Heavenly Sword brought a ton more to the table than most people give it credit for. The game looked positively breathtaking at the time and can still wow players with its impressive visuals. Ninja Theory are masters of the hack-and-slash genre, and Heavenly Sword features engaging gameplay that makes every sword slash as satisfying as can be.

Unfortunately, the bulk of the main story is forgettable to the point where players can't be bothered with Nariko's motivations. Even with Andy Serkis serving as the game's antagonist, cliché writing and a short runtime turn Heavenly Sword into a one-and-done experience. Still, it's a good one-and-done experience instead of simply a tolerable one, which makes this polarizing title worth checking out for fans of underappreciated hack-and-slash games.

1 Kingdom Hearts 3

Cringy Dialogue And A Convoluted Story Can Be Overlooked For Solid Action Gameplay

The hype for Kingdom Hearts 3 was through the roof before its release. The previous mainline entry was a must-play on the PS2, with its fun blend of JRPG systems & hack-and-slash combat making for a winning combination that was perfected from the first game. While the story was convoluted in many ways, seeing familiar Disney characters interact with original and established Square Enix characters was novel.

However, the combat of Kingdom Hearts 3 coupled with a disappointing story left many fans with a bitter taste in their mouths. Expectations were perhaps unrealistically high for this highly anticipated title, and players who approach the game with a more balanced mindset are likely to enjoy a colorful and engaging hack-and-slash game that serves up an explosion of colors with each stage. It's far from the best game in the series, but it's definitely the most playable. Fans looking for a charming action game with an interesting story will love what Kingdom Hearts 3 brings to the table.