First-person Shootersare all the rage these days, but sword fighting is far more exciting.
We must pick our battles when it comes to games with sword combat, but if you prefer the personal touch, here are some great games that provide precisely that.
While I’d love to include Beat Saber, I don’t think red and blue cubes count as worthy combatants. Still, it’s a great game where you use a sword!
10Devil May Cry
A Capcom Classic
Devil May Cry
Capcom gamesare known for stylish combat, and few series are as slick in that department asDevil May Cry.
Dante is known for his iconicEbony and Ivory pistolsbut also uses a sword.Alastor is Dante’s original bladeof choice, and he can effortlessly slash his foes into ribbons.
Sword combat is wonderfully satisfying inDevil May Cry, thanks to the Style meter, which grades every battle. Combine the silky smooth combat with a thumping soundtrack, and you have a recipe that haswithstood the test of time since 2001.
Devil May Crykicks off the list, as guns are a pretty important part of Dante’s arsenal. Still, if you can’t find joy insuspending enemies midair by shooting at thembefore slashing them to pieces, you might need a different hobby.
9The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Toss A Coin
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The Witcher 3is an exceptional fantasy adventure game with satisfying sword combat and so much more.
You play as Geralt, a Witcher, basically amonster slayer for hire. As you may expect, Geralt is no slouch on the battlefield. Fighting with a sword feels precise but weighty as Geralt leans into his strikes.
you’re able to alsoweave Witcher “Signs” into combat, like Igni, which sets opponents on fire.
Beyond the stellar combat,The Witcher 3is simply a fantastic action RPG.Geralt is a badassand is perfectly voice-acted, as are so many other characters in the story.
If you visit The Continent for the sword fighting, you may stay for everything else, including the regionalcard game, Gwent.
8Wii Sports: Resort
A Masterclass In Motion Controls
Wii Sports
Wii Sports: Resortmay be a collection of sports games, but the Swordplay is truly impressive.
Resortwas the first game to use theWii Motion Plus add-on, making the motion controls more responsive. The result in the Swordplay game mode is a weapon that follows even your slightest movements.
Dueling against the AI is fun, and having a button to hold your sword in a blocking stance is instantly intuitive.My favorite part is the roaming stages, where multiple enemies attack. Enemies go down with a satisfying slap, and the later levels are pretty challenging.
Wii Sports: Resortdoes such a good job showcasing motion technology, and it absolutely outclasses the much newer “Chambara” onNintendo Switch Sports.
7Ghostrunner
Swords > Guns
Ghostrunner
Ghostrunneris afuturistic action gamefull of slick sword combat and ninja shenanigans.
The best part aboutGhostrunneris it’s played in first-person.Wall-running and dodging bullets is disorientingat first, but the world becomes your playground with practice.
Sword combat is also executed from a first-person perspective; you can even block bullets with your blade. There are lashings of blood as you slice through your opponents, and thebanging cyberpunk soundtrackis a perfect fit.
LikeDoom 2016, the music elevatesGhostrunnerfrom a great game to an unforgettable one.
6Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
I Promise You’ll Die More Than Twice…
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Sword combat is solid across the Souls games, but how could we not go withSekiroon this list?
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twiceis abrutally tricky Souls gamewhere sword combat is the main focus. It’s easily the toughest game on the list, and even regular mobs of enemies can be challenging.
Combat feels weighty and deliberate, and battles are a test of spacing, movement, and reflexes. From Software games are known for theirnuanced fighting mechanics, and that’s no different here, even if you’re restricted to your Kusanibaru Katana.
Parrying is a big dealinSekiro, which is a put-off for some players as it’s mandatory. That said, it fits the game’s aesthetic and feels deliciously satisfying when you nail the strict timing.
10 Best Supernatural Horror Games
Ghosts, Ghouls, Demonic Entities, Indescribable monsters. Here are the games that have got all of them.
5Bushido Blade
A PlayStation Classic
Bushido Blade
Bushido Blademay be a real retro pick, but it remainsone of the best weapon-based fighting gamesout there.
Battles are unique because killing your opponent only takes one well-placed slash. A fight can be over in seconds, and you’re never safe unless your foe hits the ground.
Bushido Blade also has an unwritten code.You must fight honorablyif you want the true ending, which means no backslashes or striking when your opponents are yapping at you.
The title issurprisingly goryfor a PlayStation game, with satisfying blood spatters whenever you land a killing blow. There’s even a mode where you mustdefeat 100 opponents in a rowif you want to put your skills to the test.
Mordhauis a delightfully fiercefirst-person Medieval multiplayertitle with a learning curve almost as brutal as the combat.
Mordhauis very different from other games on this list. The title is almost entirely multiplayer, meaning your opponents will attempt to outsmart you and adapt to your playstyle. Combat is also a stark contrast from the norm, asmedieval swords weigh a ton!
Every strike must be calculated unless you want to hopelessly overshoot and eat a counterattack. Combat is exceptionally violent, but the brutality is satisfying, and itfeels great to be a part of a massive war.
Mordhauhas a passionate fanbase, and while I can’t fault it, there’s a lot to learn if you want to stand a chance against any experienced players.
3Ghost of Tsushima
Master The Samurai Arts
Ghost of Tsushima
Ghost of Tsushimais a fantastic open world adventure game set during the Mongol invasion of Japan.
The strikingvisuals are second to none, and the environments are so pretty that you’ll often find yourself admiring them. The impressive visual flare extends to character models and combat.
Sword fighting looks and feels incredible. There’s asatisfying parry systemthat’s tricky to master but is rewarding when you land the timing.
Attacks effortlessly flow into each other, and there are some epic finishing moves. You’re not limited to your sword either and can rely on Jin’s Ghost Weapons, like Kunai, for distant opponents.
you’re able to evenspice up fights with bombsif you’re not interested in a stealth approach.
Ghost of Tsushimais an unforgettable cinematic experience, and it’s a perfect time to try it, with thesequel due sometime in 2025.
2Kengo: Master of Bushido
The Best Sword Fighting Game You’ve Never Played
Kengo: Master of Bushidois a fairlyobscure title on the PlayStation 2, but it fits the bill so perfectly that I must include it.
Your goal is to defeat every Dojo, and you do this by training with them and learning their styles. Once you’ve mastered the style, you canchallenge the Dojo master.
You can learn moves from different schools to make your own combos, and there’s a generous selection of minigames to train different stats. In many ways, playing Kengo is likebeing in a sword-fighting training montage, and it’s as good as it sounds.
You use wooden swords for training, but there are real swords, too. you may even bleed out if you’re struck with the latter, adding a unique combat dynamic.
Tragically, unless you have a PlayStation 2, there’s no way of enjoying the title through legitimate means. If there were any way of doing so, I’d putKengo: Master of Bushidoat the top of the list.
1Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
Ok, Kojima, Raiden IS Cool
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
Raiden was pretty divisive inMetal Gear Solid 2. I enjoyed playing as him, but many fans wanted to play as Snake for the whole game, which is understandable.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeanceisentirely focused on Raiden, and wow, he’s a badass! Sword combat feels incredible because you have complete control over the angle and direction of your slashes. You can cut through almost anything, and the mechanic isfront and center in every trailer.
While the stylish sword shenanigans are why you’d likely buyRevengeance, the entire game is full of everything you’dexpect from aMetal Gear Solidgame.Jet Stream Sam is a fantastic antagonist, and the world-building is second to none.
IfMetal Gear Solid 2put you off Raiden, I urge you to give him another chance inRevengeanceand see what Jack the Ripper is capable of.
10 Best Video Game Anti-Heroes
Whose side are they on, anyway?
