Renowned swordsmen are prevalent in video games. These warriors have honed their skills with the blade to such efficiency that their names are known throughout the land and games they reside in. Such characters weave their legend through the way they train and defeat opponents with their sword techniques.
Whether cutting down enemies with one decisive strike, striking terror by swinging their blades with reckless abandon to cleave at their foes, or overcoming insurmountable odds with nothing but a deft flash of their steel, the following characters are considered by many fans to be the best sword wielders in video games.
10 Mitsurugi – Soul Calibur
Mitsurugi is one of the perennial characters in Soul Calibur. Set in the 16th century, he is a mercenary who seeks to duel the best fighters in the world with his trusty katana and impeccable sword technique. His goal is to become the best fighter in the world.
In earlier games, Mitsurugi’s goal was to prove that the sword is the mightiest weapon, even better than firearms, specifically the rifle. As deadly as he is with his katana, Mitsurugi also lives by a moral code: he honorably fights and ends his opponents.
9 Marth – Fire Emblem
Marth is one of the main heroes in the Fire Emblem games. As the first hero in the series, Marth set the tone for what the Lord class is supposed to be in future titles. He wields his Falchion with unbridled skill, often besting any foe who stands in his way.
Being a prince, Marth is a kindhearted and strategic leader who puts the needs of his people and his kingdom first before anything else. Marth is steadfast in protecting his kingdom and subjects with his skill with his Falchion. He has bested armies of various sizes as well as mythical dragons.
8 Cloud Strife – Final Fantasy 7, Dissidia series
One of the iconic characters in Final Fantasy, Cloud Strife is the ex-SOLDIER turned-mercenary for Avalanche. While seemingly standoffish and stoic, Cloud cares deeply for those close to him and will protect them with all his might.
That said, Cloud wields his iconic Buster Sword, a two-handed broadsword that he can swing with one hand. He uses his Buster Sword to lay waste to enemies who cross him, and when faced with more formidable foes, he relies on using his various Limit Break moves such as Braver, Climhazzard, and Omnislash to finish the fight.
7 Raiden – Metal Gear Solid
Sporting the nickname “Jack the Ripper,” Raiden is a deadly special forces soldier who became a cyborg ninja following the events in the Metal Gear Solid games. He was trained as a child soldier under Solidus Snake in espionage, infiltration, and combat.
When Raiden attained his cyborg body, his agility was greatly enhanced, along with his sword technique. He predominantly uses a high-frequency blade that is capable of slicing through any metal. This, along with his super agility, strength, and bursts of feral rage, allows Raiden to decimate targets with cold, unrelenting efficiency.
6 Geralt Of Rivia – The Witcher
Hailing from Kaer Morhen, Geralt is known as a Witcher, a magically-enhanced mutant who is called upon to deal with monsters and other unsightly beings. He is well-versed in magic as well as his skill with swords. Geralt uses Steel Swords for humans, and Silver Swords for monsters.
His Witcher training has granted him tremendous swordsmanship. He can take out human opponents just as effectively as he can against monsters with swift and decisive strikes. Geralt also possesses heightened senses, enhanced strength and agility, and some limited magic powers to complete contracts and collect his coin.
5 Jin Sakai – Ghost Of Tsushima
Originally a samurai of the Shimura Clan, Jin Sakai is the Ghost of Tsushima Island. He is the protector of the island and the bane of many invaders foolish enough to try and claim it for themselves.
Jin is proficient with the ways of the katana, having spent much of his childhood honing his skills. He is adept with various katana stances such as the Water, Stone, Wind, and Moon, all of which have advantages when dealing with the invading Mongols and bandits.
His ultimate stance, the Ghost Stance, is attained whenever he gets a number of kills: using this strikes fear into his opponents, rendering them unable to fight and allowing Jin to execute them quickly.
4 Ryu Hayabusa – Ninja Gaiden
Also known as “the Super Ninja” or “Dragon Ninja,” Ryu Hayabusa is considered by many to be the best ninja around. Being born into the Dragon Lineage, Ryu was trained from childhood to become the ultimate Dragon Ninja, where he succeeded and became the youngest one to do so.
He wields the Dragon Sword and uses his deadly skills to execute enemies with ruthless efficiency. During battles, his style is deliberate and precise: no wasted movement to ensure his targets meet their end as quickly as possible. Ryu’s ruthlessness is attributed to his mission to maintain order and balance in the world, and he is not afraid to spill blood if it is needed.
3 Sekiro – Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Sekiro is a shinobi sworn to protect Kuro, the Divine Heir. He was trained by Owl, his foster father, to become ruthless and deadly with his katana, the Kusabimaru. As a shinobi, Sekiro is adept at striking down his enemies from the shadows, but if the situation arises, he can more than stand on his own in a sword fight against the nefarious Ashina Clan and their cohorts.
Sekiro’s technique with his Kusabimaru and Mortal Blade involves swift slashes and thrusts on top of some cunning ninjutsu tools to take out his enemies’ posture. He can coax enemies to lunge at him and execute his Mikiri Counter to further put his enemies at a disadvantage, allowing him to land Deathblows on them.
2 Malenia, Blade Of Miquella – Elden Ring
One of the hardest bosses in Elden Ring, Malenia, Blade of Miquella, is an optional Shardbearer that players can fight in the game. According to her, she has not known any defeat and has felled many Tarnished who wanted to test her mettle.
She is responsible for turning Caelid to ruins during her battle with Starscourge Radahn, where she unleashed her ability to use the Scarlet Rot. Malenia wields the Hand of Malenia, a long katana, and uses her dreaded Waterfowl Dance attack to obliterate her enemies in just a couple of strikes.
In the event that she is bested in her first form, she sheds her armor and unleashes her full power of the Scarlet Rot to eliminate those who thought crossing her was a good idea.
1 Vergil – Devil May Cry
Vergil is Dante’s older twin brother and the main antagonist in the Devil May Cry games. Unlike Dante, Vergil embraced his demonic roots following the death of their mother. He is hellbent to attain the power of their demon father, Sparda, and will cut down anyone who stands in his way, even if it means clashing against Dante.
Wielding Yamato, a katana forged in darkness, Vergil can cut through dimensions and deal extremely fast strikes thanks to his superhuman speed. His sword technique is similar to Iaijutsu, a samurai style that consists of quick and precise slashes using both sword and sheath.
When pushed to his limit, Vergil uses Mirage Blades, spectral swords that he can manipulate and smite his opponents at the expense of his Devil Trigger.