Hack and Slash is dead.

[darkknightkryta]

So I've been playing through Onechanbara on PS4.  It's a simple; albeit cheaply made game.  It's fun, zanny and I quite like it.  So I got to thinking about it recently, comparing it with Ninja Gaiden (The game's pretty much a Ninja Gaiden 3 clone), Lollipop Chainsaw and Deadpool.  All 4 of these games have similar, old school style and old school combat mechanics.  Onechanbara just has crazy combos, befitting of a Japanese action game.  But all those games get hated on.  But why?  Lollipop Chainsaw is a very fun, over the top game, that had a lot of heart put into it.  Ninja Gaiden 3 is just as good as Ninja Gaiden 2, which in turn is a heck of a lot better than NInja Gaiden Sigma (Seriously tried to replay Sigma on my Vita and I have no idea how I finished it.  It aged terribly).  Even finishing Bayonetta 2, I find, from a gamelay perspective, it's not much better than Onechanbara yet is one of the highest rated games this past year.  Should we hate on these titles because the studios didn't have the resources to give us games that look as good as high budget titles?  I personally don't think so.

God of War titles use up 50 million dollars to produce and it's in the same genre.  I doubt any of these smaller studios have that kind of money to spend on a game.  There's also a larger problem I find in the industry; the hack and slash genre is wrongfully dead.  I personally think there's more variety in these average hack and slash than the average cover shooter, yet cover shooters get praise after praise.  Is it cause these titles don't have online play?  The same online play that gets tacked on to these titles, which in turn don't get used (Tomb Raider for instance).  I understand that these titles shouldn't be as praised as something that has the high production values, but to turn your nose on them without even playing them because some reviewer thinks they're repetitive (The irony) is foolish.

I can say I've had just as much fun with Lollipop Chainsaw, Onechanbara and Deadpool as I had with the infamous titles I've played (I would actually put the first Infamous in the same avreageness as these titles).  I dare say I've enjoyed the core gameplay better in the previously mentioned series.  Even in other genres; wo of the funnest RPGs I've played in the past few years have been Time and Eternity, and Persona 4.  Both titles have pretty weak production values.  Yet I had more fun with those titles than I had with Final Fantasy XIII and Lightning Returns.

Same goes for Nier.  Nier is quite possibly the best 10 dollars I put towards a game and I will be getting Nier 2 at full price when it releases.  Now are all hack and slash games as good?  No they're not.  Conan and Golden Axe: Beast Rider, are two average hack and slash titles I've played that aren't good.  They're not bad mind you and worth a look at.  But they weren't as combo fun as Lolipop Chainsaw or Onechanbara.

They also lack comedy/style of those those titles, including Deadpool.  Ultimately, I think every title is worth a look at.  If you don't give games a chance you might miss out on a title that you'll really enjoy.  If I didn't take a chance with the likes of Onechanbara, Lollipop Chainsaw and Time and Eternity, I'd have missed out on some great gems.

So go out there and try something new.

[Raven]

So I've been playing through Onechanbara on PS4.  It's a simple; albeit cheaply made game.  It's fun, zanny and I quite like it.  So I got to thinking about it recently, comparing it with Ninja Gaiden (The game's pretty much a Ninja Gaiden 3 clone), Lollipop Chainsaw and Deadpool.  All 4 of these games have similar, old school style and old school combat mechanics.  Onechanbara just has crazy combos, befitting of a Japanese action game.  But all those games get hated on.  But why?  Lollipop Chainsaw is a very fun, over the top game, that had a lot of heart put into it.  Ninja Gaiden 3 is just as good as Ninja Gaiden 2, which in turn is a hell of a lot better than NInja Gaiden Sigma (Seriously tried to replay Sigma on my Vita and I have no idea how I finished it.  It aged terribly).  Even finishing Bayonetta 2, I find, from a gamelay perspective, it's not much better than Onechanbara yet is one of the highest rated games this past year.  Should we hate on these titles because the studios didn't have the resources to give us games that look as good as high budget titles?  I personally don't think so.  God of War titles use up 50 million dollars to produce and it's in the same genre.  I doubt any of these smaller studios have that kind of money to spend on a game.  There's also a larger problem I find in the industry; the hack and slash genre is wrongfully dead.  I personally think there's more variety in these average hack and slash than the average cover shooter, yet cover shooters get praise after praise.  Is it cause these titles don't have online play?  The same online play that gets tacked on to these titles, which in turn don't get used (Tomb Raider for instance).  I understand that these titles shouldn't be as praised as something that has the high production values, but to turn your nose on them without even playing them because some reviewer thinks they're repetitive (The irony) is foolish.  I can say I've had just as much fun with Lollipop Chainsaw, Onechanbara and Deadpool as I had with the infamous titles I've played (I would actually put the first Infamous in the same avreageness as these titles).  I dare say I've enjoyed the core gameplay better in the previously mentioned series.  Even in other genres; wo of the funnest RPGs I've played in the past few years have been Time and Eternity, and Persona 4.  Both titles have pretty weak production values.  Yet I had more fun with those titles than I had with Final Fantasy XIII and Lightning Returns.  Same goes for Nier.  Nier is quite possibly the best 10 dollars I put towards a game and I will be getting Nier 2 at full price when it releases.  Now are all hack and slash games as good?  No they're not.  Conan and Golden Axe: Beast Rider, are two average hack and slash titles I've played that aren't good.  They're not bad mind you and worth a look at.  But they weren't as combo fun as Lolipop Chainsaw or Onechanbara.  They also lack comedy/style of those those titles, including Deadpool.  Ultimately, I think every title is worth a look at.  If you don't give games a chance you might miss out on a title that you'll really enjoy.  If I didn't take a chance with the likes of Onechanbara, Lollipop Chainsaw and Time and Eternity, I'd have missed out on some great gems.  So go out there and try something new.

Wall of Text crits my eyes. It is super effective.

[Legend]

Wall of Text crits my eyes. It is super effective.

I randomly edited in paragraphs. All good!

[darkknightkryta]

Thanks Legend, didn't realize it was so long.

[Xevross]

Wall of Text crits my eyes. It is super effective.

Thankfully I have a super high special defense.

Hack n slash games are some of the most pure fun you can have. I've put countless hours into diablo 3 and don't regret any of that. God of war 3 is one of my favourites of all time too.

This makes me realise that I haven't played very many. Maybe I should play more...

[darkknightkryta]

Thankfully I have a super high special defense.

Hack n slash games are some of the most pure fun you can have. I've put countless hours into diablo 3 and don't regret any of that. God of war 3 is one of my favourites of all time too.

This makes me realise that I haven't played very many. Maybe I should play more...

Yeah, so many of them get hated on for the same reason other games get praised for .  Like Ninja Gaiden 3 got hated on and it was as good as Ninja Gaiden 2.  I suggest playing any of the above titles.  Especially Lollipop Chainsaw.  Such a fun game.

[Xevross]

Yeah, so many of them get hated on for the same reason other games get praised for .  Like Ninja Gaiden 3 got hated on and it was as good as Ninja Gaiden 2.  I suggest playing any of the above titles.  Especially Lollipop Chainsaw.  Such a fun game.

I shall look into it!

[BananaKing]

yeah sadly. its a very fun genre and i wish there was A LOT more games in that genre. i hope the next GoW is big enough to get some developers to get back on board and make some new and good Hack and Slash games.

[darkknightkryta]

yeah sadly. its a very fun genre and i wish there was A LOT more games in that genre. i hope the next GoW is big enough to get some developers to get back on board and make some new and good Hack and Slash games.

Seriously.  Picked up Devil May Cry 4 on PS4 for that reason.  Capcom needs money from it to fund Devil May Cry 5.