Summary
It’s difficult to pinpoint where precisely thehack-and-slashgenre began, but it was undoubtedly popularized by Sony’s second home console: the legendaryPlayStation 2. After all, this was the system on which some of the most popular IPs in the genre were born, likeDevil May Cry,Onimusha,God of War,and more.
Hack-and-slash enthusiasts had (and still have) a lot of high-quality PlayStation 2 games to choose from, as the sixth-generation console’s new technology let developers create complex combat systems, over-the-top action set pieces, and legendary boss battles. There are multiple high-quality hack-and-slash titles on the PlayStation 2, but the following ten games are the absolute best of the bunch.
10Shinobi
Sega’s Iconic Ninja Made The Jump To 3D
Shinobiwas a series of really fun 2D action sidescrollers that Sega released for arcades and consoles during the 90s. However, in 2002, this iconic ninja finally made the jump to 3D on the PlayStation 2 and, of course, the hack-and-slash genre was chosen to make this crucial transition.
Simply titledShinobi, this 3D action adventure ended up being one of the PS2’s most underrated gems, due to its fast-paced violent combat, its solid boss fights, and its impressive scarf physics. It is often criticized for being a bit generic and short, but it more than makes up for it with its extreme difficulty.
While the hack-and-slash genre arguably existed beforeDevil May Cry, it’s impossible to deny that this 2001 Capcom title completely changed and popularized the genre in the eyes of mainstream gamers. Who would have thought that a game that began its life asResident Evil 4would end up becoming so important?
Devil May Cryfeatures a dark atmosphere, incredible boss fights, ruthless enemies, a charming protagonist named Dante, and, most important of all, a refreshing and dynamic combat system that rewards the player based on their performance. WhileDevil May Cryhas not aged as well as its sequels, all of these elements helped it make an impact on the industry and cemented it as one of the PS2’s biggest system sellers.
Capcom released another hack-and-slash game a few months beforeDevil May Crythat is just as important for the history of the genre, even if it’s often ignored.Onimusha: Warlordswas also conceived as aResident Evilgame, but it slowly morphed into its own thing: An action-adventure about samurai, set in Japan’s Sengoku Period.
Onimusha: Warlords’gameplay is a bit slower than its contemporaries, but its combat system is still quite enjoyable, especially during its excellent boss encounters. Not to mention that the alternate weapons and its bleak atmosphere also helped it stand out. Curiously enough, Hideki Kamiya once revealed that a bug in the combat ofOnimusha: Warlordsis what inspired the combat inDevil May Cry.
In 2001, Konami released a fascinating game about mechas titledZone of the Enders, which was produced by Hideo Kojima. While it definitely caught some people’s attention by combining elements of the space shooter and hack-and-slash genres, it was not without its flaws. However, its sequel,Zone of the Enders 2: The 2nd Runnerimproved on almost everythingin order to turn the IP into something truly special.
The gameplay moves at breakneck speeds, mainly because the flying mecha (named Jehuty) gives players a lot of mobility. Furthermore,The 2nd Runner’scombat features a satisfying combination of solid melee combat and a variety of ranged sub-weapons, which are put on full display during its exciting boss battles. The story may be a bit hard to follow, but it makes up for it with its great presentation and beautiful animated cutscenes.
Musou games can be considered a sub-genre of the bigger hack-and-slash genre, and Koei Tecmo’sDynasty Warriorsis undoubtedly the most recognizable Musou franchise in the entire industry.Dynasty Warriorsthrived on the PS2 and helped popularize the Musou genre, and while some of these games are too similar to each other, most fans agree that the fourth entry is the series' best.
Dynasty Warriors 4was received extremely wellbecause it was made more accessible for newcomers while keeping with what made these games so much fun in the first place. Of course, Musou fans may be used to defeating large hordes of enemies with a satisfying combat system on modern systems, but achieving this was very impressive for the PlayStation 2 at the time.Dynasty Warriors 4was pushing the console to its limits, with incredible results. This was such a solid entry that it received multiple expansions and enhanced re-releases.
Onimusha: Legendswas well received, but dedicated fans of the series often consider that its sequel,Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny, is not only the better gamebut that it’s also the best entry in the entire franchise. Those fans might be on to something because this sequel took everything that made the original so good and improved on it.
The newfound popularity of both theOnimushaIP and theDevil May Cryfranchise greatly benefited the gameplay ofOnimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny.The combat is quicker and more responsive, the inclusion of a parry system makes everything more strategic, it has a larger variety of enemies and bosses, and it has a much more balanced difficulty. It’s no wonder why fans are begging for a remaster of this game, similar to the 2019 remaster ofOnimusha: Warlords.
For many years, most hack-and-slash games were made exclusively by Japanese developers, until 2005, when Santa Monica Studio threw their hat in the ring withGod of War. Needless to say, they were extremely successful, as this became one of the best-selling PS2 games andGod of Warin general eventually turned into one of the PlayStation brand’s most recognizable IPs.
This game’s critical and commercial success can be attributed to many different factors, like its epic setting and story inspired by Greek mythology or its over-the-top levels of violence and gore. However, what madeGod of Warstand out was Kratos’ Blades of Chaos, which gave players a level of mobility and crowd control never before seen in the hack-and-slash genre. The effectiveness of this weapon is put to the test during the epic encounters against giant bosses that practically redefined the concept of boss battles.
In 2002, Square Enix and Disney releasedKingdom Hearts, a charming action RPG with a relatively slow combat system. However, its non-surprising success led to the development of a sequel that came out later in 2005.Kingdom Hearts 2left most of its RPG elements behindand prioritized its incredible, fast-paced combat that would put even the originalDevil May Cryto shame.
With the help of Donald and Goofy, Sora can use a large variety of techniques, abilities, and magic spells that can annihilate any Heartless or Nobody he comes across, even the powerful members of Organization XIII that star in some of the best boss fights in gaming history. On top of all that,Kingdom Hearts 2is home to the Battle of the 1000 Heartless, an action-packed segment that is reminiscent of theDynasty Warriorsgames.
The originalGod of Warmay have changed the hack-and-slash genre forever,but its sequel,God of War 2, was on a whole other level. What’s especially interesting is that it came out in 2007, several months after the release of the PlayStation 3, and it helped prove that the PlayStation 2 still had a lot of great experiences to offer late into its lifespan.
God of War 2is one of those perfect sequels that simply does everything better than its predecessor. The combat is smoother, there’s a wider variety of weapons and powers to use, there are bigger and better boss fights, and more gods from the Greek Pantheon get involved with Kratos’ story this time around. TheGod of Warseries would keep growing with its third entry, and it eventually went in a different direction on the PS4, but the second entry in the series is still considered one of the best action games ever made.
Devil May Crymay have revolutionized and popularized the hack-and-slash genre,but it pales in comparison to the excellentDevil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening. This was a much-needed return to formula, becauseDevil May Cry 2was a critical and commercial failure that almost killed the franchise. Thankfully, the third entry was so incredible that it completely reinvigorated the series, and what made itwork so well was the flawless combination of multiple components working together.
The story is engaging and emotional—Dante is much more charismatic this time around—and the presentation is unbelievable, with some of the best art direction and graphics on the PS2. However,Devil May Cry 3primarily saved the reputation of the franchise thanks to its gameplay. The base combat is much more dynamic and less clunky thanDevil May Cry 1’s, and Dante’s versatile new Styles let the player adapt to each situation accordingly. Needless to say, this perfect combat system shines when facing the game’s legendary cast of different bosses, especially against Vergil. All of these elements cementDevil May Cry 3as one of the best hack-and-slash games ever made.
