10 Best Hack And Slash Games On The PS1, Ranked

Key Takeaways

• Gauntlet Legends was a pioneer in the genre, with fun 3D dungeons and classes to level up.
• Darkstone offers an immersive fantasy world and challenging gameplay and monsters to slay.
• Xena: Warrior Princess surprisingly delivers a good hack and slash experience with respectable graphics.

Hack and slash games represent a diverse genre and can be used as a somewhat nebulous term incorporating any combat-heavy game. The basic tenants, though, encompass hordes of underpowered enemies and a usually melee-focused protagonist cleaving their way through said foes.

Titles like Devil May Cry and Bayonetta have become titans of the genre, but some PS1 games had to hack before they could slash. It’s a genre that time is not especially kind to, so bear that in mind when considering the best hack and slash games the PS1 had to offer.

10 Gauntlet Legends

Running the Gauntlet

The Gauntlet series is an important pioneer in the hack and slash genre, dating back to the original arcade cabinet in 1985. Like most popular arcade games it was ported to a wide variety of home consoles and by the time Gauntlet Legends came out the release cycle was almost synchronous.

The PlayStation port was actually the worst received of the bunch, with performance notably weaker than Nintendo’s N64 or the Sega Dreamcast version, an odd sentiment today. Still, there was plenty of fun to be had with Gauntlet Legends, with four classes to choose from that could be leveled up as players sliced their way through 3D dungeons.

9 Darkstone (Evil Reigns)

Let’s Do The Time Orb Again

Darkstone is a bit of a forgotten gem of the era. It was a rich and impressively stocked fantasy world that could rival most offerings upon its release. The game offered a more immersive experience than the likes of Elder Scrolls 2, as players embark on a quest to reconstruct a shattered time orb and bring an end to the chaos beset on the land.

With the crystals scattered across four distinct locales and a plethora of monsters and ghouls to slay along the way, Darkstone presents an even challenge throughout. Players will learn to master their class en route to the wicked Draak.

8 Akuji The Heartless

Early Archeology

Akuji The Heartless is less combat-oriented than a lot of games in the genre but with his bladed arms and supernatural foes spawning around him, what is present is very reminiscent of the words hack and slash. The sections in between are essentially a 3D action platformer, with Akuji still showing some impressive nimbleness for his age.

Akuji the Heartless is a relatively early entry from Crystal Dynamics and the mechanics within are recognizable in the studio’s more successful Legacy of Kain series and the original Tomb Raider reboots. Akuji may be confined to history now but the spirit of the heartless lives on and the game retains some cult infamy.

7 Xena: Warrior Princess

Surprisingly Good Tie-In

Video game tie-ins aren’t quite as maligned today as they once were, earning themselves a solid reputation for being low-quality cash grabs often rushed to market to coincide with the properties’ release. So, of all the intellectual properties of yesteryear, it’s safe to assume the rather corny Hercules spin-off, Xena: Warrior Princess was probably not expected to be box office.

And yet, just as the TV series vanquished the more recognizable Hercules: The Legendary Journey, the PS1 game Xena: Warrior Princess emerged as a surprisingly good hack and slash lark. The graphics are very respectable for the time and it’s a ton of fun to plow through enemies with Xena’s trademark sword and chakram.

6 Rising Zan: The Samurai Gunman

A Super Ultra Sexy Hero

“Off the wall” is the first thing that comes to mind and that’s a good place to start for a genre that’s all about mindless fun. UEP Systems has never made anything other than snowboarding games before or since, but decided to go all out on their only action-adventure title.

With a revolver in one hand and a katana in the other, protagonist Zan lays waste to his enemies. Borrowing features from their Cool Boarders series, Rising Zan: The Samurai Gunman features finishing moves labelled ‘Wicked’ and ‘Groovy’. The levels also give players a rating, a staple of modern hack and slash series, and they’ll have to refine their skills if they want to earn the coveted ‘Super Ultra Sexy Hero’ rank.

5 Nightmare Creatures

Blood Born In Flames

Nightmare Creatures is a self-described survival horror game, but the protagonist is decidedly more equipped to deal with the eponymous creatures than most players would expect picking up a survival horror title today. Nightmare Creatures takes place in a gothic horror-inspired Victorian London, where the player must battle through a cavalcade of horrific monsters plaguing the city following some occult shenanigans at the Great Fire of London.

That’s almost exactly the setting of From Software’s Bloodborne, and whilst it’s a little disingenuous to compare the two on quality with those infamous genre-spawning Bloodborne bosses, Nightmare Creatures does offer an intriguing look at what Bloodborne might have been had it been made 18 years earlier.

4 MediEvil 1 & MediEvil 2

Back From The Dead

One of the most recognizable entries, MediEvil is likely the first name fans think of when considering hack and slash titles on the PS1. The differences between the two MediEvil games are minimal, so rather than retreading dead ground, let’s consider them one package.

The cartoonish Nightmare Before Christmas inspired aesthetic and comical tone drew a lot of fans in, but MediEvil stands above other hack and slash games with multiple weapons to wield and one of the greatest protagonists, Sir Daniel Fortesque. MediEvil allows players to customize the experience to some degree with several melee and ranged options to use against the undead army.

3 Diablo

Dungeon Crawl Through Hell

It seems unfair for Diablo not to be at number 1 considering its legacy but the PS1 port was a noticeable downgrade on its PC counterpart and that was reflected in the critical reception upon release. Judging purely on PS1 gameplay there were a couple of hack and slash adventures that fared better with fans and critics.

That is by no means to suggest Diablo was a bad game, it was an industry-changing release with the randomized dungeons offering infinite replayability. Diablo would go on to spawn a huge franchise and it is without a doubt the most-played game today of any on this list. Just most of those loyal players choose to boot up the PC version of the game.

2 Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain

Vampire On The Prowl

The first in the Legacy of Kain series, Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain is more lauded for its exploration than its combat, with Kain’s basic sword attack rather limiting. Enemies do shatter into piles of viscera with relative ease though, so it can still satisfy the bloodlust.

The true nuance to combat comes in an assortment of spells and artifacts that can be insanely powerful wiping out screens of enemies in an instant. Offering the same kind of power trip as the Dynasty Warriors series, all manner of supernatural foes will be fodder for a properly equipped Kain.

1 Legacy Of Kain: Soul Reaver

Shines Like Crystal

A Frankenstein of two other hack and slash titles. After some intellectual property disputes, the Legacy of Kain series was awarded the official property of Crystal Dynamics. Those paying attention will be aware where this going. If Akuji The Heartless is the beta, then Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver is the magnum opus.

The games were actually developed in tandem, but the bulk of the resources were clearly allocated to Soul Reaver. Combat is fluid, creative and gorier than ever before. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver is closer to what fans will picture when they think of hack and slash today, a true cornerstone of the genre and one of the best-reviewed PS1 titles ever made.