Best Sword Fighting Video Games Ever, Ranked

Summary

• Sword fighting games offer a dignified and visceral experience unlike traditional shooting games.
• Game engines and developer creativity are bringing gamers closer to their sword-fighting dreams.
• From Dark Souls to For Honor, the best sword-fighting games offer strategic combat and immersive experiences.

Most shooting games are fun and require a lot of skill to master. However, sword fighting games let us get up close and personal in fights that can be more dignified yet visceral. For a long time, many classic games in the hack-and-slash genre only required you to swipe away at your enemies before moving on to the next wave.

With the advancement of game engines and the creativity of the developers, gamers who love nothing more than to duel their enemies are getting closer to the sword-fighting sims of their dreams. From the tense and dramatic duels of Dark Souls 3 to the bombastic action-forward melees of For Honor, here are some of the best.

Rise Of The Ronin

Excellent Samurai Game With A Stunning Historical Setting

Rise of the Ronin is an open-world samurai game based in the late 19th century. Developed by Team Ninja (the team behind Nioh and Wo Long), it is set in the 19th century when Westerner’s increasing presence started taking its toll on Japan’s social and economic stability, and guns were more commonplace, as is reflected in the game. Rise of the Ronin is naturally compared to Ghost of Tsushima, but its open-world design and mission structure are closer to an Assassin’s Creed game. However, its setting and unmistakable Japanese feel are closer to Like a Dragon: Ishin.

The combat is similar to Nioh in utilizing different stances and fighting styles. You must manage your character’s stamina – Ki — and consider your actions carefully before striking and avoiding wasting attacks, forcing opponents to deplete their own. It’s a strategic system that forces you to think on your feet and can lead to memorably epic battles against Rise of the Ronin’s stronger foes.

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty

Terrific Timing-Based Combat

A Masacore-style game from the studio that created the Nioh series, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty requires timing and patience. Practice and perseverance are the names of the game, and understandably, many will throw in the towel at the first boss.

The combat uses Chinese martial arts, where deflecting and parrying attacks take precedence. The fighting is fluid and fast, and hitting counterattacks and finishers off a parry is satisfying. If you can get the timing down, Wo Long’s take on the Three Kingdoms has much to offer with its beautiful combat system.

Like A Dragon: Ishin

Flashy Sword Combat With Different Stances And Styles

Like a Dragon: Ishin is a samurai-based prequel and a spin-off from the Yakuza series. The combat features multiple fighting styles that use guns, fists, and swords. The sword-fighting styles are some of the best in the genre and give a cool take on warriors facing each other down in a duel.

Using a sword, the protagonist Ryoma can defend, side-step, and chain combinations as you level up his skills. The Wild Dancer style allows the character to use a gun and sword, swing around his enemies, counter with finishers, and chain parry attacks. The fighting system feels arcade-like in its execution, but fighting requires timing and skill.

Chivalry 2

Brutal Medieval Combat And Swordplay

If you want to take sword combat online and get into open combat in large-scale battles, then Chivalry 2 has you covered. There is a chaotic element to the fights, but the moments you find yourself in a one-on-one battle with a skilled combatant are short but always exciting.

Thanks to the respawn mechanics, you get put back into the action without waiting too long. Whether sieging a castle or defending against attackers, Chivalry 2 captures the brutality of close-quarters combat with the cinematic flair of movies like Braveheart and Kingdom of Heaven.

Xuan Yuan Sword 7

Stylish And Technical Combat

• Platform: PC, PS4, and Xbox One
• Released: 2021
• Developer: Softstar Entertainment

Xuan Yuan Sword 7 is a Chinese-developed action RPG that merges Chinese history and mythology to create an authentic role player that feels fresh. The visuals and character models are impressive by any standard, and the combat systems compare the best in the genre.

The game boasts a smooth and technical fighting system with movements that flow. Moreover, Xuan Yuan Sword has stances and skills to unlock, adding more depth to its martial arts systems. Players can also implement magic attacks that flow seamlessly into the combat and create devasting combos.

Sword And Fairy: Together Forever

Epic Fantasy Swordplay And Action

• Platform: PC, PS4, and Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S
• Released: 2021
• Developer: Softstar Entertainment

Coming from the same developers that created Xuan Yuan 7, Sword and Fairy: Together Forever is another beautiful RPG steeped in Chinese mythology. The beautiful art direction and visuals look even better on the PS5, and the combat animations flow seamlessly in this fantasy swordplay-inspired title from Softstar.

The fighting system in Sword and Fairy shares similarities with the Devil May Cry series in the spectacle and the Warriors series in its simplicity. However, the transitions in battle are more balletic and elegant in their execution. Additionally, the story and characters are incredible. Fans of RPGs and swordplay should not sleep on Sword and Fairy.

Ryse: Son Of Rome

Cinematic Action In The Vein Of Gladiator

Ryse: Son of Rome was an Xbox One launch title and still looks beautiful today. The production values hold up to modern titles on the Xbox with a combat system that is a brutal mix of Gladiator-like cinematic action and Batman: Arkham-style free-flowing parry and counter system.

The enemies react, defend, and counter when attacked with the same moves, so the fights never feel easy. The protagonist can kill enemies with brutal finishers that put them away in entertaining ways.

Elden Ring

Strategic Combat With Many Styles To Choose

The award-winning Elden Ring needs little introduction, but for those not in the know, it is an open-world Soulslike from the studio that defined the genre. Fans of the Dark Souls and Bloodborne series will be familiar with the mechanics of Elden Ring. However, the series has evolved by including new skills accessed via the Ash of War powers.

Moreover, there are hundreds of weapons to find, use and upgrade. Many of which feel different and unique to play. The Ash of War skills dynamically change a weapon and the tactics of a fight. One could have a vastly different experience in successive playthroughs because of the vast choice and depth.

Prince Of Persia

Old School Fencing Combat That Holds Up

• Platform: 3DS, Amiga, Android, Apple 2, Atari ST, Blackberry, Game Boy, Game Boy, Color, Game Gear, Genesis, iOS, Macintosh, Master System, NES, PC, PS3, Sega CD, SNES, Wii, and Xbox 360
• Released: 1989
• Developer: Broderbund​​​​​​

The original Prince of Persia was launched in 1989. The animations and combat were groundbreaking at the time and still feel good to play. The main focus was on platforming using realistic movements via revolutionary rotoscoping techniques made it the most cinematic game of its time.

The animation extends to sword fighting. The duels looked and felt amazing to play. It implements counters, blocks, and side-steps to capture the swashbuckling style of cinematic classics from Harry Hausen or an Errol Flynn movie. Even though they were stylistically different, the 2003 Prince of Persia: Sands of Time action platformer continued the series tradition of cinematic sword fights.

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice

Dark Timing-Based Combat That Feels Weighty

Action-adventure title Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice was created by the same studio that created Heavenly Sword and Enslaved: Odyssey to the West. So, the studio is no stranger to creating fantastic action games with strong narratives.

Hellblade, however, is in a class of its own. The intense psychological drama takes the narrative to places where very few video games dare. Set in the eighth century, Hellblade puts you in the shoes of a Pictish warrior named Senua. The combat system and swordplay are incredibly cinematic and impactful. Executing counters, parries, and dodges is accessible yet satisfying to pull off in one of the most impressive games in recent times.

Onimusha Warlords

Excellent Sword Fighting Combat

• Platform: PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One
• Released: 2019
• Developer: Capcom

Onimusha is still considered one of the best games developed by Capcom. It combines elements of the classic Resident Evil series with a technical sword-fighting system that requires skill.

It also shares many elements with the Devil May Cry series, but it is a much more measured game that favors timing and patience over the kinetic action combat system seen in Devil May Cry. Its remaster was launched in 2019 and still proved to be a game worthy of sword-fighting fans twenty years on.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

An Exciting Dance Of Combat With Memorable Combat

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is one of the greatest RPGs ever developed. It features an excellent storyline with meaningful and memorable side quests that impact the world. Additionally, it has a robust combat system that taps into a sword and sorcery power fantasy.

The Witcher 3 has never felt as weighty as God of War or Dark Souls, but the system shines in its fluidity and the satisfaction of landing counters and finishers at the right time. In addition, skilled gamers can combine spells with swordplay, so the protagonist, Geralt, can make easy work of his surrounding enemies. The Witcher 3 is the closest you can ever get to feeling like Henry Cavill in tight leather pants and taking down bad guys from all angles.

Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series

Realistic Light Saber Combat In VR

• Platform: Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest 3, and PSVR
• Released: 2019
• Developer: Disney Interactive Studios

First launched on the PC VR and Meta Quest before getting a PSVR port in 2020, Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series has a short running time of just three hours over the episodes, but it is one of the most immersive VR titles to date.

The Lightsaber feels good, even when using the Move controllers on the PSVR. The duel with Vader is a feature that never gets old. Moreover, the excellent Lightsaber Dojo mode offers some extra replayability. This title is a dream come true for Star Wars fans who ran around dressed as Jedi Knights in childhood battling their friends with plastic swords or empty wrapping paper tubes.

Dark Souls 3

Polished Soulslike Combat

Launched in 2016 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and the PC, Dark Souls 3 is the third and final entry in the critically acclaimed dark fantasy RPG series. Just like its predecessors, the combat in the Souls series seems simple, but the fighting system requires timing and patience.

The stamina system will force you to ensure every swing of the sword counts, and the parry and riposte techniques require skill and practice to master. Landing parries and hitting successful guard counters are some of the satisfying mechanics in the genre.

Soulcalibur 6

Stunning Arcade Combat With Swords And Other Weapons

Soul Calibur 6 was a comeback for the series and a notable improvement over its predecessor. The combat still feels great for those familiar with its predecessors, and it is more accessible than ever before and easy to pick up for almost anybody.

Even though its combat lacks realism, the fights are strategic when playing against good opponents or the computer on higher difficulty levels. Battles can go back and forth with parries and power moves. A simple mistake can turn the tide and break the flow of an offensive.

Way Of The Samurai 4

Samurai Combat Where Parrying Is Vital

• Platform: PS2, PS3, and PSP
• Released: 2002
• Developer: Acquire

The Way of the Samurai series began on the PlayStation 2 in 2002, with the final mainline entry, Way of the Samurai 4, launched on the PlayStation 3 in 2011. The games are quirky action-adventure games with open-ended branching storylines and choice-based gameplay.

Compared to some of the other titles on this list, Way of the Samurai is a low-budget title. However, the combat system makes it better than the sum of its parts. There are several combat styles to learn and use, and the push-and-pull parrying system will take some practice, but every battle is hard-fought, requiring tactics and timing.

Samurai Shodown

Skill-Based Sword Fighting Combat

• Platform: PC, PS4, Stadia, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S
• Released: 2019
• Developer: SNK

Launched in 2019 and available for all current systems and arcades, Samurai Shodown is a weapons-based fighting game set during the Japanese Tenmai Era. Unlike the Soulcalibur series, Samurai Shodown is not a full-blown arcade experience. The long-running series has prided itself on the requirement that the fights are a battle of skill and patience.

In addition to attacking, the game is as much about defense and timing. There are no fight-changing gimmicks to turn the tide of the battle with a simple button press. Samurai Shodown is all about practice, skill, and timing.

The Surge 2

Sci-Fi Soulslike Combat With Deflections And Counters

Launched in 2019, The Surge 2 is the sequel to the science-fiction Souls-like from 2017. The Surge 2 is a challenging but fair RPG with enemies that require serious thought and strategy to defeat. The combat system in The Surge 2 requires you to target enemy limbs with a variety of makeshift weapons that resemble lances, spears, axes, and sword-like chainsaws.

The counter and parry system is a vast improvement over the original by implementing a new quad-directional parry mechanic that functions in a similar manner to For Honor and Kingdom Come Deliverance.

Assassin’s Creed Unity

Cinematic Fencing And The Best Sword Combat In The Series

Assassin’s Creed: Unity had a troubled launch plagued by bugs and mobile device-related controversy. However, the studio worked hard to bring the game up to standard and made vital improvements to the open-world mechanics.

Unfortunately, this meant that many of the great features in AC: Unity went overlooked. The Parisian setting and the fighting system are some of the best in the Assassin’s Creed series. Unity implemented a strategic sword fencing system that requires precision and timing to create openings. Furthermore, the counter and parry mechanics remain the best in the series, showing off swashbuckling moves and finishers that resemble The Musketeers movies.

Stunning Swordplay Action Focusing On Deflections

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance was launched on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and the PC in 2013. Revengeance is a spin-off set after the events of the core series entry Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. However, unlike the core series, Metal Gear Rising is a blisteringly fast action game with some of the best sword-fighting mechanics in any generation.

In addition to just hacking and slashing, you will also need to learn how to dodge and deflect enemy attacks by striking in the direction of an attack. The beautiful system takes time to master but is satisfying to pull off.