Top 29 Hack-and-Slash Games of All Time

Hack-and-slash fans tend to split between stylish combo-driven brawlers and loot-hungry dungeon crawlers, and both camps are represented here. PS2-era legends sit beside modern darlings that rewrote the rhythm of a fight.

1. 1
   Bayonetta

   PlatinumGames' 2009 witch-powered action game built around Witch Time dodges.
   1000pts
2. 2
   Devil May Cry 3

   Capcom's 2005 prequel, famous for its brutal difficulty and switchable combat styles.
   927pts
3. 3
   Devil May Cry 4

   The 2008 entry that introduced Nero and his Devil Bringer arm.
   794pts
4. 4
   Ninja Gaiden II

   The 2008 sequel known for its dismemberment-heavy, relentless combat.
   774pts
5. 5
   Dante's Inferno

   Visceral Games' 2010 action game carving through the nine circles of Hell.
   741pts
6. 6
   Heavenly Sword

   Ninja Theory's 2007 PS3 action game starring the red-haired warrior Nariko.
   681pts
7. 7
   Astral Chain

   PlatinumGames' 2019 Switch game where officers fight alongside chained Legion partners.
   680pts
8. 8
   Devil May Cry 5

   Capcom's 2019 return of Dante, Nero and V, widely hailed as the series' peak.
   611pts
9. 9
   Bayonetta 3

   The 2022 Switch entry adding giant summoned demons and a multiverse story.
   611pts
10. 10
    Diablo III

    Blizzard's 2012 action RPG of loot-driven demon slaying, reborn through Reaper of Souls.
    611pts
11. 11
    Darksiders

    Vigil Games' 2010 action-adventure starring War, a Horseman of the Apocalypse.
    611pts
12. 12
    God of War

    Santa Monica Studio's 2005 debut of Kratos and his chained Blades of Chaos.
    529pts
13. 13
    DmC: Devil May Cry

    Ninja Theory's 2013 reboot of the series with a reimagined, younger Dante.
    529pts
14. 14
    Hades

    Supergiant Games' 2020 roguelike in which Zagreus fights his way out of the Underworld.
    529pts
15. 15
    Path of Exile

    Grinding Gear Games' 2013 free-to-play action RPG with a vast passive skill tree.
    529pts
16. 16
    God of War III

    The 2010 PS3 finale of Kratos' Greek saga, known for its colossal boss fights.
    433pts
17. 17
    Onimusha: Warlords

    Capcom's 2001 samurai action game pitting Samanosuke against demon hordes.
    317pts
18. 18
    Devil May Cry

    Capcom's 2001 original that launched Dante and the stylish-action genre.
    317pts
19. 19
    God of War II

    The 2007 PS2 sequel in which Kratos wages war on Olympus and the Fates.
    317pts
20. 20
    Ninja Gaiden Black

    Team Ninja's 2005 expanded edition of the punishing Xbox ninja action game.
    317pts
21. 21
    Darksiders II

    The 2012 sequel following Death across a larger, loot-filled world.
    317pts
22. 22
    Nier: Automata

    PlatinumGames and Yoko Taro's 2017 android action RPG with a story told across multiple endings.
    317pts
23. 23
    Hi-Fi Rush

    Tango Gameworks' 2023 rhythm-based brawler where every swing hits on the beat.
    317pts
24. 24
    Diablo II

    Blizzard's 2000 dungeon crawler that defined the click-to-slash action RPG.
    317pts
25. 25
    Castlevania: Lords of Shadow

    MercurySteam's 2010 reboot of Castlevania with combo-driven whip combat.
    0pts
26. 26
    Torchlight II

    Runic Games' 2012 action RPG beloved for fast, colourful co-op dungeon runs.
    0pts
27. 27
    Bayonetta 2

    The 2014 Wii U sequel that sharpened Bayonetta's combat and spectacle.
    0pts
28. 28
    Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

    PlatinumGames' 2013 cyborg-ninja spin-off with free-aim blade cutting and an iconic soundtrack.
    0pts
29. 29
    No More Heroes

    Suda51's 2007 Wii game following beam-katana assassin Travis Touchdown.
    0pts

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