Hack and slash, also known as hack and slay (H&S or HnS) or slash 'em up, refers to a type of gameplay that emphasizes combat with melee-based weapons (such as swords or blades). They may also feature projectile-based weapons as well (such as guns) as secondary weapons. It is a sub-genre of

beat 'em up The beat 'em up (also known as brawler and, in some markets, beat 'em all) is a video game genre featuring hand-to-hand combat against a large number of opponents. Traditional beat 'em ups take place in scrolling, two-dimensional (2D) levels, ...

games, which focuses on melee combat usually with swords. Hack-and-slash

action games An action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction-time. The genre includes a large variety of sub-genres, such as fighting games, beat 'em ups, shooter games, and platform gam ...

are sometimes known as character action games. The term "hack and slash" was originally used to describe a play style in

tabletop role-playing games A tabletop role-playing game (typically abbreviated as TRPG or TTRPG), also known as a pen-and-paper role-playing game, is a form of role-playing game (RPG) in which the participants describe their characters' actions through speech. Participa ...

, carrying over from there to

MUD A MUD (; originally multi-user dungeon, with later variants multi-user dimension and multi-user domain) is a Multiplayer video game, multiplayer Time-keeping systems in games#Real-time, real-time virtual world, usually Text-based game, text-bas ...

s, MMORPGs, and

role-playing video game A role-playing video game (commonly referred to as simply a role-playing game or RPG, as well as a computer role-playing game or CRPG) is a video game genre where the player controls the actions of a character (or several party members) immers ...

s. In arcade and console style action video games, the term has an entirely different usage, specifically referring to action games with a focus on

real-time Real-time or real time describes various operations in computing or other processes that must guarantee response times within a specified time (deadline), usually a relatively short time. A real-time process is generally one that happens in defined ...

combat with

hand-to-hand Hand-to-hand combat (sometimes abbreviated as HTH or H2H) is a physical confrontation between two or more persons at short range (grappling distance or within the physical reach of a handheld weapon) that does not involve the use of weapons.Huns ...

weapons as opposed to guns or fists. The two types of hack-and-slash games are largely unrelated, though

action role-playing games An action role-playing game (often abbreviated action RPG or ARPG) is a subgenre of video games that combines core elements from both the action game and role-playing genre. Definition The games emphasize real-time combat where the player h ...

may combine elements of both.

Types of hack-and-slash games

Action video games

In the context of action video games, the terms "hack and slash" or "slash 'em up" refer to melee weapon-based action games that are a sub-genre of

beat 'em ups The beat 'em up (also known as brawler and, in some markets, beat 'em all) is a video game genre featuring hand-to-hand combat against a large number of opponents. Traditional beat 'em ups take place in scrolling, two-dimensional (2D) levels, ...

. Traditional 2D side-scrolling examples include

Taito is a Japanese company that specializes in video games, toys, arcade cabinets and game centers, based in Shinjuku, Tokyo. The company was founded by Michael Kogan in 1953 as the importing vodka, vending machines and jukeboxes into Japan. It b ...

's ''

The Legend of Kage is a side-scrolling hack-and-slash game developed and released by Taito as an arcade video game in 1985. It was ported to the Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, Nintendo Entertainment System, MSX, Sharp X1, and ZX Spectrum, Plot The player takes the ro ...

'' (1985) and '' Rastan'' (1987),

Sega is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational video game and entertainment company headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo. Its international branches, Sega of America and Sega Europe, are headquartered in Irvine, California and London, r ...

's arcade video game series ''

Shinobi A or was a covert agent or mercenary in feudal Japan. The functions of a ninja included reconnaissance, espionage, infiltration, deception, ambush, bodyguarding and their fighting skills in martial arts, including ninjutsu.Kawakami, pp. 21– ...

'' (1987 debut) and '' Golden Axe'' (1989 debut), Data East's arcade game ''

Captain Silver is a side-scrolling hack and slash platform game released for the arcades by Data East in 1987. Home versions were released for the Master System by Sega and for the Nintendo Entertainment System, NES by Tokuma Shoten. Plot A young sailor an ...

'' (1987), Tecmo's early '' Ninja Gaiden'' (''Shadow Warriors'') 2D games (1988 debut),

Capcom is a Japanese video game developer and video game publisher, publisher. It has created a number of List of best-selling video game franchises, multi-million-selling game franchises, with its most commercially successful being ''Resident Evil' ...

's '' Strider'' (1989), the Sega Master System game '' Danan: The Jungle Fighter'' (1990), Taito's ''

Saint Sword is a hack-and-slash action game developed by Cyclone Systems and published by Taito for the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive in 1991. Gameplay There are seven stages for gamers to play through; most of the enemies in each stage are merely a palette swa ...

'' (1991), Vivid Image's home computer game '' First Samurai'' (1991), and

Vanillaware is a Japanese video game developer based in Osaka. An independent company, it was founded in 2002 under the name Puraguru by George Kamitani, a game developer who had previously worked at Capcom and Atlus, and directed ''Princess Crown'' (1997 ...

's ''

Dragon's Crown ''Dragon's Crown'' is a 2013 action role-playing game developed by Vanillaware for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita. It was published in Japan and North America by Atlus and in PAL regions by NIS America. A high-definition port for PlaySt ...

'' (2013). The term "hack-and-slash" in reference to

action-adventure games The action-adventure genre is a video game hybrid genre that combines core elements from both the action game and adventure game genres. Typically, pure adventure games have situational problems for the player to solve to complete a storyli ...

dates back to 1987, when ''Computer Entertainer'' reviewed ''

The Legend of Zelda ''The Legend of Zelda'' is an action-adventure game franchise created by the Japanese game designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. It is primarily developed and published by Nintendo, although some portable installments and re-rele ...

'' and said it had "more to offer than the typical hack-and-slash" epics. In the early 21st century, journalists covering the video game industry often use the term "hack and slash" to refer to a distinct genre of 3D, third-person, weapon-based, melee action games. Examples include

's ''

Devil May Cry is a series of action-adventure games created by Hideki Kamiya. It is primarily developed and published by Capcom. The series centers on the demon hunter Dante and his efforts to thwart various demon invasions of Earth. Its gameplay consists o ...

'', ''

Onimusha is a series of video games developed and published by Capcom. It makes use of the historic figures that shaped Japan's history, retelling their stories with supernatural elements. Most of the games are of the action-adventure genre, a combinatio ...

'', and '' Sengoku Basara'' franchises, Koei Tecmo's ''

Dynasty Warriors is a series of Japanese hack and slash action video games created by Omega Force and Koei (now is Koei Tecmo). The series is a spin-off of Koei's turn-based strategy '' Romance of the Three Kingdoms'' series, based upon the Chinese novel of ...

'' and 3D '' Ninja Gaiden'' games,

Sony , commonly stylized as SONY, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. As a major technology company, it operates as one of the world's largest manufacturers of consumer and professional ...

's '' Genji: Dawn of the Samurai'' and ''

God of War A war god in mythology associated with war, combat, or bloodshed. They occur commonly in both monotheistic and polytheistic religions. Unlike most gods and goddesses in polytheistic religions, monotheistic deities have traditionally been po ...

'', as well as ''

Bayonetta is a series of action-adventure games created by Hideki Kamiya and developed by PlatinumGames. The franchise was introduced in 2009 with ''Bayonetta''. Two sequels were released, ''Bayonetta 2'' (2014) and ''Bayonetta 3'' (2022), as well as a s ...

'', ''

Darksiders ''Darksiders'' is a hack and slash action-adventure video game franchise created by Vigil Games, now developed by Gunfire Games, which consists of some of the original members of Vigil. The series is set on a post-apocalyptic Earth, where mank ...

'', '' Dante's Inferno'',Is Dante's Inferno Divine or a Comedy of Errors?
UGO Networks, February 9, 2010Heavenly Sword Review
VideoGamer.com, 04/09/2007 and '' No More Heroes''. The genre is sometimes known as "character action" games, and represent a modern evolution of traditional arcade action games. This subgenre of games was largely defined by Hideki Kamiya, creator of ''Devil May Cry'' and ''Bayonetta''. In turn, ''

'' (2001) was influenced by earlier hack-and-slash games including '' Onimusha: Warlords'' (2001)''Electronic Gaming Monthly'', December 2001 issue, p. 56. and ''Strider''.Jones, Darran (24 Apr 2010). "The Making of... Strider". ''Retro Gamer'' (76). pp. 48-53.

Role-playing games

The term "hack and slash" itself has roots in " pen and paper"

RPGs RPG may refer to: Military * Rocket-propelled grenade, a shoulder-launched anti-tank weapon **''Ruchnoi Protivotankoviy Granatomyot'' (Russian: ''Ручной Противотанковый Гранатомёт''), hand-held anti-tank grenade launc ...

such as '' Dungeons & Dragons'', denoting

campaigns Campaign or The Campaign may refer to: Types of campaigns * Campaign, in agriculture, the period during which sugar beets are harvested and processed *Advertising campaign, a series of advertisement messages that share a single idea and theme *Bl ...

of violence with no other plot elements or significant goal. The term itself dates at least as far back as 1980, as shown in a ''

Dragon A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...

'' article by

Jean Wells Oeva Jean Wells Koebernick (July 25, 1955 – January 25, 2012) was an American writer, artist, and editor in the field of role-playing games. She was the first female game designer to be hired by TSR, Inc. Her career at TSR stalled after sh ...

and Kim Mohan which includes the following statement: "There is great potential for more than hacking and slashing in ''D&D'' or ''AD&D''; there is the possibility of intrigue, mystery and romance involving both sexes, to the benefit of all characters in a campaign." Hack and slash made the transition from the tabletop to

role-playing video games A role-playing video game (commonly referred to as simply a role-playing game or RPG, as well as a computer role-playing game or CRPG) is a video game genre where the player controls the actions of a character (or several party members) immers ...

, usually starting in ''D&D''-like worlds. This form of gameplay influenced a wide range of

action role-playing game An action role-playing game (often abbreviated action RPG or ARPG) is a subgenre of video games that combines core elements from both the action game and role-playing genre. Definition The games emphasize real-time combat where the player h ...

s, including games such as ''

Xanadu Xanadu may refer to: * Shangdu, the ancient summer capital of Kublai Khan's empire in China * a metaphor for opulence or an idyllic place, based upon Coleridge's description of Shangdu in his poem ''Kubla Khan'' Other places * Xanadu (Titan), ...

'' and '' Diablo''.

References

{{Martial arts 20th-century neologisms MUD terminology Role-playing game terminology Video game gameplay Video game genres Video game terminology

Types of hack-and-slash games

Action video games

Role-playing games

See also

References