The Monster Hunter series has been a staple of the action-RPG genre since the first game hit stores back in 2004. The games have stood out with their memorable fights, while engrossing players with consistently well-crafted RPG elements.
The latest game in the series, Monster Hunter Rise, continued the series' impressive form from Monster Hunter World, exemplified by its Metascore of 88 on Nintendo Switch. Consequently, many players will be looking for similar gameplay experiences. Monster Hunter Rise is fairly unique; however, the eight games on this list all have some form of similarity to the series, whether it be their David vs. Goliath fights, RPG customizability, or well-designed combat.
8 God Eater Resurrection
God Eater Resurrection is a remastered iteration of God Eater Burst, which itself was an enhanced re-release of God Eater. The remaster features updated visuals, new story content, and fresh combat features, including Predator Style.
Resurrection first came to Japan in 2015 on PC, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation Vita. It released in North America and Europe the following year. The action RPG puts players in control of a New-Type God Eater, a form of warrior tasked with defeating monsters known as Aragami. It's perfect for players who love epic battles against imposing creatures.
7 Dark Souls
FromSoftware's so-called "Souslborne" series has become a cornerstone of the action-RPG genre. Its prominence over the past decade came largely from the Soulsborne series' second game, Dark Souls. The game released with very little marketing or fanfare, but became a hit thanks to high praise from the gaming community.
Dark Souls doesn't make life easy for players trying the Soulsborne series for the first time. In fact, it's famous for its unforgiving difficulty. However, once players get to grips with the core mechanics, Dark Souls provides a memorable adventure with some of the best boss fights in modern gaming.
6 Toukiden: Kiwami
Toukiden: Kiwami is an enhanced iteration of Toukiden: The Age of Demons. It features a significant increase in the number of demons implemented, further story content, and two new characters, among other changes and improvements.
Much like Monster Hunter, the game tasks players with embarking on quests to defeat enormous creatures. Befitting of the action-RPG genre, players can approach the quests in numerous ways. Adventurers have various weapons, armor, and special abilities available to obtain and choose from.
5 Ninja Gaiden II
Ninja Gaiden II is a great choice for anyone who enjoys the combat side of the Monster Hunter series and would like to play a more action-packed, combat-centric experience.
The Ninja Gaiden series has been a fundamental part of the beat 'em up and hack-and-slash genres since the original game came to arcades in 1988. Many players consider Team Ninja's Ninja Gaiden II the franchise's best modern entry. Its excellent combat mechanics give the game a great sense of flow and rhythm.
4 God Of War
The God of War franchise is one of few hack-and-slash series that is more universally recognized and critically acclaimed than Ninja Gaiden. The series began in 2005, and has consistently provided PlayStation gamers with high-quality action-adventure titles.
The latest entry in the series, God of War (2018), made significant changes to the series' formula. The game switched from Greek to Norse Mythology. It changed the camera perspective, and offered more open levels for players to explore. Additionally, it also added a companion in Atreus, Kratos' son.
3 Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen
Much like God Eater Resurrection and Toukiden: Kiwami, Capcom's Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen is an enhanced version of a previous game. In this case, it's Dragon's Dogma. Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen improves upon the original with an extra dungeon, new weaponry, and full Japanese voice acting.
Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen has many similarities to the Monster Hunter franchise, particularly its party system. However, it differentiates itself with its emphasis on a hack-and-slash style combat and an open world.
2 Horizon Zero Dawn
The PlayStation 4 had many fantastic exclusive single-player adventures, and Horizon Zero Dawn was one of the best. The 2017 game, which is now also available on PC, provided players with an engrossing adventure thanks to its memorable cast of characters and stunning post-apocalyptic world.
Along with its impressive PS4 Metascore of 89, Guerrilla Games' adventure picked up numerous awards. These included Best PlayStation Game from the Golden Joystick Awards, and Outstanding Achievement in Videogame Writing from the Writers Guild of America Awards 2017.
1 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
From one of the best modern post-apocalyptic games to another, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was released the same year as Horizon Zero Dawn. This game has already become recognized as one of the best Legend of Zelda titles of all time, which is high praise considering the strength of the series.
Breath of the Wild takes a page out of the original Legend of Zelda's book. Players have virtually no limitations, and Link can explore the world in any way he chooses. This level of freedom, partnered with the game's incredible open-world, means that players can get well over 100 hours of entertainment out of Nintendo's latest masterpiece.