After several generations in gaming and a collection of unique entries throughout the years, many series execute combat in their own unique ways. Despite many of the modern-day titles opting for a more narrative-driven focus, many core aspects of the hack and slash and beat 'em up genres still remain a pivotal factor in some mainstream AAA IPs.
From Capcom, Sloclap, Santa Monica Studio, and many more, fans will be aware that these two gameplay styles are integral to these titles' success. With their performances and high-level reception, more developers continue to follow suit, ultimately leading to fans who prefer a challenge wanting more.
6 Hack and Slash: Devil May Cry 5
Created from original plans which were eventually scrapped for Resident Evil 4, Devil May Cry has become a beloved series for many fans leading up to its fifth and most recent installment. Many of its titles are viewed as challenging, especially Devil May Cry 3.
Players who are unfamiliar with the combat styles of each of its characters or those who choose to play on the 'Dante Must Die' difficulty, will know of its extremely difficult sections to overcome. Capcom's 'Bloody Palace' DLC added to this, leaving the player to take on a whopping 101 floors of enemies with the difficulty level eventually increasing to its highest.
5 Beat 'Em Up: Arkham Trilogy Combat Challenges
Often viewed as the best set of titles in the beat 'em up genre, the Arkham trilogy managed to capture a counter-combat style that many other games found inspiration from. Some of the combat challenges in all three titles gave players the opportunity to practice their skills, whilst also savoring the unique and engaging hand-to-hand combat that was featured.
The level of difficulty directly comes from the variety of enemy types, and players having the right method sets in order to defend themselves from them specifically those armed. 'Iceberg Lounge VIP Room' is one of the more known challenging arenas, as the never-ending entry of enemies left many on the edge of their seats.
4 Hack and Slash: Shadow Of War
The sequel to Monolith's Shadow Of Mordor offered a complete overhaul to mechanics, adding a new level of dexterity to Talion's skill set and a well-received nemesis system. Players will be aware that playing on normal difficulty alone can also have its challenging moments as players are faced with an onslaught of enemies in multiple scenarios.
With the 'Gravewalker' difficulty, the level of adversity rises greatly as players no longer get any chances to resume battle after being downed by an orc unless the skill is obtained through the skill tree. Whilst engaging with foes head-on, any moment could result in death and subsequently lead to an orc's promotion at a larger amount than usual. This would then add to the group of captains and warlords players are already targeting.
3 Beat 'Em Up: Sifu
One of the more recent titles fans have been indulging in is that of Sloclap's Sifu. The element of a progressive difficulty system is very much present within this title, as players continuously come across much stronger foes whilst also aging after each death. A lot of fans view the title as a learning curve, with many enemies unforgiving in their ambush.
The game's difficulty speaks for itself, with only five different stages with bosses for players to encounter, but an extended runtime as it encourages players to learn and practice before advancing to completion. This is also much more challenging for those who attempt to obtain the secret ending, where players much show mercy to the main bosses. With the addition of the 'Master' difficulty, enemies move at a much faster pace and showcase more aggression leaving players having to think through their approach.
2 Hack and Slash: God Of War
God of War (2018)'s predecessor heavily featured hack and slash combat, as Kratos primarily used his Blades of Chaos in his quest for vengeance. Although the most recent entry has taken a shift toward the third-person action and adventure route with an even deeper focus on the story, it still remains true to its hack and slash roots.
Despite the game not being as difficult as it was previously, fans will be aware of how crushing and brutal this title can be, especially when facing off against foes without sufficiently leveled gear or on the 'Give Me God of War' difficulty. The change in gameplay direction has somewhat lessened its challenge, but Santa Monica Studio still managed to some fans a great test in skill level.
1 Beat 'Em Up: God Hand
Among Capcom's collection of IPs, God Hand is arguably the developer's hardest beat 'em up title. The game enables players to mix and match certain moves sets to make the best out of each combat scenario, leaving fans with almost an endless amount of unique combinations and styles to adjust toward. Similar to God Of War's 'Spartan rage', players have the ability to activate Gene's 'God Hand' leaving him invulnerable to any attacks and committing a mass amount of damage simultaneously.
Despite this slight edge, this title features some of the most difficult enemies to engage in combat with, especially since they attack in crowds rather than wait turns. With there being no camera control whatsoever, players are left having to dodge attacks on all sides which can lead to thrilling battles but also requires a sufficient amount of skill to complete convincingly.