# Hack and slash
**Hack and slash** is a video game genre, or a pair of related genres sharing one name, in which gameplay centers on melee combat: the player character defeats waves of enemies with bladed or other hand-to-hand weapons, masters weapon-based attacks, and improves combat capabilities over the course of the game.[1](https://en.alegsaonline.com/art/41694) The label covers two distinct traditions. In one, it describes action-oriented 3D melee action games descended from beat 'em ups, such as *Devil May Cry*, *God of War*, and *Bayonetta*.[2](https://publications.lib.chalmers.se/records/fulltext/165277.pdf) In the other, it describes point-and-click action role-playing games in the *Diablo* lineage.[3](https://www.cse.unr.edu/~mharmer/thesis/mharmer_thesis.pdf) The phrase itself originated in tabletop role-playing, where it described a combat-focused approach to play sessions, before migrating to computer and video games.[1](https://en.alegsaonline.com/art/41694)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Core gameplay | Defeating waves of enemies, mastering weapon-based attacks, and improving a character's combat capabilities[1](https://en.alegsaonline.com/art/41694) |
| Origin of the term | Originally described a combat-focused approach in tabletop role-playing sessions, later applied to video games[1](https://en.alegsaonline.com/art/41694) |
| Genre-defining title | Capcom's *Devil May Cry*, released August 23, 2001, is commonly credited as the first true hack-and-slash game and the blueprint for the genre[4](https://www.gamemite.com/article/from-devil-may-cry-to-god-of-war-the-history-of-the-hack-and-slash-genre/) |
| Second branch | *Diablo* (Blizzard Entertainment, 1996) established the point-and-click, hack-and-slash style of action RPG[3](https://www.cse.unr.edu/~mharmer/thesis/mharmer_thesis.pdf) |
| Western landmark | *God of War* (March 22, 2005, Santa Monica Studio) popularized the genre further with cinematic spectacle and quick-time events[4](https://www.gamemite.com/article/from-devil-may-cry-to-god-of-war-the-history-of-the-hack-and-slash-genre/) |
| Mid-2010s decline | The rise of the soulslike genre after *Dark Souls* (2011) drew developers and audiences away from character action games[4](https://www.gamemite.com/article/from-devil-may-cry-to-god-of-war-the-history-of-the-hack-and-slash-genre/) |
| Current output | 803 hack-and-slash games were released on Steam in 2026, out of a cumulative 4,940 tagged titles[5](https://steamdb.info/stats/releases/?tagid=1646) |
## Two meanings of one name
The term has never had a single referent. In the 1980s and 1990s it was used loosely for any action game whose main character wielded a sword, covering everything from Diablo-style action RPGs to side-scrolling action games like *Rastan* and *[Shinobi](https://www.edgepedia.org/shinobi-series)*.[4](https://www.gamemite.com/article/from-devil-may-cry-to-god-of-war-the-history-of-the-hack-and-slash-genre/) • [6](https://as.com/meristation/reportajes/25-anos-de-devil-may-cry-un-videojuego-que-cambio-la-industria-para-siempre-f202608-n/) A 2012 Chalmers University thesis on role-playing battle systems notes that "hack and slash" was by then already a poor term, because it also applied to action-oriented 3D beat 'em up games such as *Bayonetta* ([PlatinumGames](https://www.edgepedia.org/platinumgames), 2009) and *God of War* (SCE [Santa Monica Studio](https://www.edgepedia.org/santa-monica-studio), 2005).[2](https://publications.lib.chalmers.se/records/fulltext/165277.pdf)
The two branches persist. On Steam, the "Hack and Slash" tag is applied to thousands of titles across both traditions, and genre catalogs list games such as *Bloodborne* (2015) under both hack-and-slash and action RPG labels.[5](https://steamdb.info/stats/releases/?tagid=1646) • [7](https://rpggamers.com/genre/hack-and-slash)
## Beat 'em up roots
The character action branch descends indirectly from the action games of the 1980s and 1990s: 2D side-scrollers with sword-wielding characters such as *Ninja Gaiden*, *Strider*, and *Shinobi*, and beat 'em ups such as *Double Dragon*, *Battletoads*, *Streets of Rage*, and *Final Fight*, which put level design and story in the background and prioritized melee combat and boss fights.[4](https://www.gamemite.com/article/from-devil-may-cry-to-god-of-war-the-history-of-the-hack-and-slash-genre/)
The beat 'em up itself developed a set of conventions that later carried over. Irem's *Kung-Fu Master* (1984) began the sidescrolling form; Technos' *Renegade* (1986) introduced belt-scrolling, adding an axis of movement up and down the level, and the first instances of opponents being stunned by combination punches; *Double Dragon* (1987) added two-player co-op along one continuous level.[8](https://www.denofgeek.com/games/the-history-and-evolution-of-beat-em-up-games/) Capcom, whose fighting-game specialty in the 1990s included *Street Fighter* and *Darkstalkers*, inadvertently shaped the combat systems of the coming hack-and-slash genre.[4](https://www.gamemite.com/article/from-devil-may-cry-to-god-of-war-the-history-of-the-hack-and-slash-genre/)
## Devil May Cry and the 3D form
Pinpointing the genre's birth is difficult, but *Devil May Cry*, released by Capcom on August 23, 2001, is commonly believed to be the first true hack-and-slash game. Koei's *Dynasty Warriors 2* and Capcom's *Onimusha: Warlords* had arrived a few months earlier, but *Devil May Cry* became the blueprint, much as *Doom* (1993) was not the first first-person shooter but popularized that genre.[4](https://www.gamemite.com/article/from-devil-may-cry-to-god-of-war-the-history-of-the-hack-and-slash-genre/)
The game assembled the elements that came to define the genre: a charismatic protagonist in [Dante](https://www.edgepedia.org/dante-devil-may-cry), melee and projectile weapons switchable at any moment, a combo-driven combat system reminiscent of fighting games, and large, challenging bosses.[4](https://www.gamemite.com/article/from-devil-may-cry-to-god-of-war-the-history-of-the-hack-and-slash-genre/) Its development history is unusual: the project began as *Resident Evil 4*, before [Shinji Mikami](https://www.edgepedia.org/shinji-mikami) concluded that the changed lore and formula fit better as a new, separate IP, so the game that popularized the genre drew on a survival horror franchise rather than on beat 'em ups.[4](https://www.gamemite.com/article/from-devil-may-cry-to-god-of-war-the-history-of-the-hack-and-slash-genre/) After its release, the Hack 'n' Slash label became associated with 3D action games with deep melee weapon combat systems.[6](https://as.com/meristation/reportajes/25-anos-de-devil-may-cry-un-videojuego-que-cambio-la-industria-para-siempre-f202608-n/)
The sixth console generation saw the genre's rise, with *Ninja Gaiden*, *Shinobi* (2002), *Genji: Dawn of the Samurai*, *Chaos Legion*, and numerous *[Onimusha](https://www.edgepedia.org/onimusha)* and *Dynasty Warriors* sequels. Capcom's rushed *Devil May Cry 2*, directed by Hideaki Itsuno after the original team was bypassed, was poorly received, though the franchise recovered with *[Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening](https://www.edgepedia.org/devil-may-cry-3-dantes-awakening)*.[4](https://www.gamemite.com/article/from-devil-may-cry-to-god-of-war-the-history-of-the-hack-and-slash-genre/)
## God of War, PlatinumGames, and the genre's peak
**God of War** released on March 22, 2005, developed by Santa Monica Studio and published by Sony as a [PlayStation 2](https://www.edgepedia.org/playstation-2) exclusive. Director [David Jaffe](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-jaffe) confirmed that *Devil May Cry* inspired it, specifically its third-person camera, since the game was originally planned from a first-person perspective. It emphasized cinematic spectacle, gruesome finishers, and over-the-top boss battles rather than deep combo systems, and it popularized quick-time events within the genre. Its success led to titles such as *Darksiders*, *Castlevania: Lords of Shadow*, and *Dante's Inferno*; by the late 2000s, *Devil May Cry* and *God of War* were the genre's two pillars, with Dante and Kratos as its most iconic protagonists.[4](https://www.gamemite.com/article/from-devil-may-cry-to-god-of-war-the-history-of-the-hack-and-slash-genre/)
In 2007, PlatinumGames was founded by former Capcom and Clover Studios developers, including [Hideki Kamiya](https://www.edgepedia.org/hideki-kamiya), the original creator of *Devil May Cry*. Kamiya's *Bayonetta* combined the combo-heavy combat and humor of *Devil May Cry* with the set pieces and quick-time events of *God of War*, and PlatinumGames became synonymous with the genre through *MadWorld*, *The Wonderful 101*, *Bayonetta 2*, *Astral Chain*, and collaborations such as *Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance* and *NieR: Automata*.[4](https://www.gamemite.com/article/from-devil-may-cry-to-god-of-war-the-history-of-the-hack-and-slash-genre/)
## The Diablo branch
The other tradition runs through action role-playing games. *Diablo* ([Blizzard Entertainment](https://www.edgepedia.org/blizzard-entertainment), 1996) brought point-and-click, hack-and-slash gameplay to prominence, and *Diablo* and *Diablo II* were the major titles of that style.[3](https://www.cse.unr.edu/~mharmer/thesis/mharmer_thesis.pdf) *Diablo* was initially designed as a single-player, turn-based action RPG inspired by *UFO: Enemy Unknown* before becoming the real-time game that defined the branch.[9](https://www.g2a.com/news/features/from-diablo-to-diablo-4-the-evolution-and-revolution-of-the-hack-and-slash-genre/) *Diablo II* (2000) evolved the click-driven, hack-and-slash gameplay of its predecessor, and the series' loot-driven dungeon crawling became an iconic feature carried into later entries such as *Diablo 3* (2012).[10](https://time.com/4458554/best-video-games-all-time/) • [11](https://www.gamesradar.com/best-diablo-games/) In this branch, hack and slash features more planning, story, and character progression than a beat 'em up, which remains a linear, fighting-focused adventure.[9](https://www.g2a.com/news/features/from-diablo-to-diablo-4-the-evolution-and-revolution-of-the-hack-and-slash-genre/)
## Decline and comeback
The character action genre declined in the mid-2010s. Divisive receptions for *Devil May Cry 4*, *DmC: Devil May Cry*, and *God of War: Ascension* sent their franchises into hiatus, and the 2011 release of *Dark Souls* by [FromSoftware](https://www.edgepedia.org/fromsoftware) and Bandai Namco established the soulslike genre, whose strategic, demanding combat drew developers and audiences away from stylish combo action. The 2018 *God of War* reboot left the genre behind for exploration, RPG mechanics, and a more personal storyline.[4](https://www.gamemite.com/article/from-devil-may-cry-to-god-of-war-the-history-of-the-hack-and-slash-genre/)
The 2020s brought a recovery. *Devil May Cry 5* (2019) revitalized its series with the most complex combat system in the mainline entries, and other studios followed: [Square Enix](https://www.edgepedia.org/square-enix) assembled developers from *Devil May Cry 5*, *Kingdom Hearts*, and PlatinumGames for *Final Fantasy XVI*, and [Shift Up](https://www.edgepedia.org/shift-up) released *Stellar Blade* in 2024. Upcoming titles include *[Lost Soul Aside](https://www.edgepedia.org/lost-soul-aside)*, *Phantom Blade Zero*, *Tides of Annihilation*, and *Onimusha: Way of the Sword*.[4](https://www.gamemite.com/article/from-devil-may-cry-to-god-of-war-the-history-of-the-hack-and-slash-genre/) Release volume reflects the activity: Steam recorded 803 hack-and-slash releases in 2026 alone, against a cumulative 4,940.[5](https://steamdb.info/stats/releases/?tagid=1646)
## Design challenges
Third-person melee games carry recurring design problems.
## References
1. [Hack and Slash (gameplay genre), AlegsaOnline](https://en.alegsaonline.com/art/41694)
2. [Christopher Dristig Stenström (2012). Gameplay Design for Role-Playing Battle Systems, Chalmers University of Technology](https://publications.lib.chalmers.se/records/fulltext/165277.pdf)
3. [M. Harmer. Genre History, University of Nevada, Reno thesis](https://www.cse.unr.edu/~mharmer/thesis/mharmer_thesis.pdf)
4. [Julián F.L (2025). From Devil May Cry to God of War: The History of the Hack-and-Slash Genre, GameMite](https://www.gamemite.com/article/from-devil-may-cry-to-god-of-war-the-history-of-the-hack-and-slash-genre/)
5. [Steam Game Releases Summary for Hack and Slash, SteamDB](https://steamdb.info/stats/releases/?tagid=1646)
6. [Se cumplen 25 años de Devil May Cry, MeriStation](https://as.com/meristation/reportajes/25-anos-de-devil-may-cry-un-videojuego-que-cambio-la-industria-para-siempre-f202608-n/)
7. [Hack and slash games A–Z, RPG Gamers](https://rpggamers.com/genre/hack-and-slash)
8. [Gavin Jasper (2024). The History and Evolution of Beat-Em-Up Games, Den of Geek](https://www.denofgeek.com/games/the-history-and-evolution-of-beat-em-up-games/)
9. [From Diablo to Diablo 4: The Evolution and Revolution of the Hack and Slash Genre, G2A News](https://www.g2a.com/news/features/from-diablo-to-diablo-4-the-evolution-and-revolution-of-the-hack-and-slash-genre/)
10. [The 50 Best Video Games of All Time, TIME](https://time.com/4458554/best-video-games-all-time/)
11. [The best Diablo games of all time, ranked, GamesRadar+](https://www.gamesradar.com/best-diablo-games/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Video games and digital play › Games and gameplay › Game genres › Action, adventure, and role-playing games › Hack and slash games*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license