The 17 Best Hack and Slash Games for PC: Page 9 of 9

Best Hack and Slash Games
Like lambs, they line up to the slaughter


2. Dynasty Warriors 8

Unite a country of turbulent thrones

Ancient China is in chaos and you will play a loosely historical character with their own unique weapon, abilities, and special attacks as you march through battlefields slapping hundreds of soldiers around while you work to take control of the battle and eventually win the war in an effort to unify the troubled country. This installment into the Dynasty Warriors series draws characters, weapons, and locations from almost every other game in the series and brings all this together in one super-stuffed package. Now with 77 playable characters and unique weapons, and even more if you buy DLC for the game, Dynasty Warriors even offers custom character creation, so you can build your own dynasty and fight to unify China. Is all this truly enough to stave off what can quickly become repetitive gameplay? Maybe not for everyone but it sure worked on me.

The combat system, while remaining largely the same and focusing on a “one-man army” style that has you demolishing crowds with ease, has gone through some minor changes to bring greater depth to the fighting. Weapons are given one or three different affinities giving characters strengths and weaknesses to each other and the developers have added a Rage Mode which functions like a timed transformation granting your increases stats and abilities. Fan of the series will enjoy this familiar gameplay but may find it a little washed out if they have played every other Dynasty Warriors game to date.

What Stands Out:

  • A positively massive roster and selection of weapons
  • Ability to establish your own dynasty


Familiar one-man army slasher combat


Single-handed take the battlefield

1. Conan Exiles

Become ruler of a desolate land

Coming in at number one is a game that was not necessarily projected to do as well as it has. This is one that you are going to want to give a second and third chance before it sings to you. Conan Exiles is a survival game based within the Conan universe and sets you up as a criminal who has been bound left to die in the wasteland. None other than Conan The Barbarian himself appears to free your create-a-character before promptly abandoning them and that is about as much as you will see of him. You are unarmed, barely clothed, and starving and must fend for yourself. Like other games of this genre you will endure a life of shambles on your way toward greater and greater privilege.

The game is punishing all around and just about any creature is a threat to your life. You will end up fighting for every inch that you are able to get slashing and hacking away at enemies. The combat system is simple and responsive. While it is nothing particularly exciting it does function, and hitboxes feel like they should. Survival games like this tend to focus more heavily on a complex crafting system and difficult to gather resources and this game is no exception to that. The fantasy universe is filled with interesting locations, creatures, and violent NPCs ensuring that by the time that you have managed to raise your fort and craft the armor you have always dreamed of you will feel like you accomplished something truly challenging.

As you approach the mid-game milestone the world truly begins to open up allowing you to explore to distant locals and encounter fantastic wonders such as ruins and legendary creatures. This is where the game shines and its universe becomes one worth remembering.

What stands out:

  • Survive in a savage land; build a home and a kingdom
  • Discover the ruins of ancient civilizations


High fantasy action awaits the dedicated player


Hunt together to gather greater resources

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A cynical hermit wearing rose-tinted glasses, he is fascinated with the human psyche, personality quirks, and is a closet melodramatic. Avid proponent of the age old epigram: "Stay awhile and listen."
Gamer Since: 1998
Favorite Genre: RPG
Currently Playing: RimWorld
Top 3 Favorite Games:Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Mass Effect, Shadowrun: Hong Kong


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