Hack and slash

Last updated

Hack and slash, also known as hack and slay (H&S or HnS) or slash 'em up, [1] [2] 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 games, which focuses on melee combat, usually with swords. Third-person hack and slash games are also sometimes known as character action games and spectacle fighters.

Contents

The term "hack and slash" was originally used to describe a play style in tabletop role-playing games, carrying over from there to MUDs, massively multiplayer online role-playing games, and role-playing video games. 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 combat with hand-to-hand weapons as opposed to guns or fists. The two types of hack-and-slash games are largely unrelated, though action role-playing games 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" [1] [2] refer to melee weapon-based action games that are a sub-genre of beat 'em ups. Traditional 2D side-scrolling examples include Taito's The Legend of Kage (1985) [2] and Rastan (1987), [1] [3] Sega's arcade video game series Shinobi (1987 debut) [1] [4] and Golden Axe (1989 debut), [5] [6] Data East's arcade game Captain Silver (1987), [1] Tecmo's early Ninja Gaiden (Shadow Warriors) 2D games (1988 debut), [1] Capcom's Strider (1989), [2] [7] the Sega Master System game Danan: The Jungle Fighter (1990), [1] Taito's Saint Sword (1991), [1] Vivid Image's home computer game First Samurai (1991), [2] and Vanillaware's Dragon's Crown (2013). [4] The term "hack-and-slash" in reference to action-adventure games dates back to 1987, when Computer Entertainer reviewed The Legend of Zelda and said it had "more to offer than the typical hack-and-slash" epics. [8]

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 Capcom's Devil May Cry , Onimusha , and Sengoku Basara [9] franchises, Koei Tecmo's Dynasty Warriors and 3D Ninja Gaiden games, Sony's Genji: Dawn of the Samurai and God of War , as well as Bayonetta , Darksiders , Dante's Inferno , [10] [11] [12] 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. [13] In turn, Devil May Cry (2001) was influenced by earlier hack-and-slash games, including Onimusha: Warlords (2001) [14] and Strider. [15]

Role-playing games

The term "hack and slash" itself has roots in "pen and paper" role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), denoting campaigns 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 article by Jean Wells 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." [16]

Hack and slash made the transition from the tabletop to role-playing video games, usually starting in D&D-like worlds. [17] This form of gameplay influenced a wide range of action role-playing games, including games such as Xanadu [18] and Diablo . [19]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Capcom</span> Japanese video game company

Capcom Co., Ltd. is a Japanese video game company. It has created a number of critically acclaimed and multi-million-selling game franchises, with its most commercially successful being Resident Evil, Monster Hunter, Street Fighter, Mega Man, Devil May Cry, Dead Rising, Dragon's Dogma, Ace Attorney, and Marvel vs. Capcom. Established in 1979, it has become an international enterprise with subsidiaries in East Asia, Europe, and North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Player character</span> Character controlled by a game player

A player character is a fictional character in a video game or tabletop role-playing game whose actions are controlled by a player rather than the rules of the game. The characters that are not controlled by a player are called non-player characters (NPCs). The actions of non-player characters are typically handled by the game itself in video games, or according to rules followed by a gamemaster refereeing tabletop role-playing games. The player character functions as a fictional, alternate body for the player controlling the character.

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, rhythm games and platform games. Multiplayer online battle arena and some real-time strategy games are also considered action games.

Dante (<i>Devil May Cry</i>) Fictional character in the Devil May Cry series

Dante, also known under the alias of Tony Redgrave, is a character and the main protagonist in Devil May Cry, an action-adventure hack and slash video game series by Japanese developer and publisher Capcom. Introduced as the protagonist of the 2001 game with the same name, Dante is a devil hunter dedicated to exterminating them and other supernatural foes in revenge for losing his mother Eva and having his older twin brother, Vergil, lost. He is the son of Sparda, inheriting demonic powers which he uses with a variety of weapons in the games. The character also appears in several Devil May Cry novels and manga volumes and is featured in the 2007 anime television series. Dante has also made multiple guest appearances in crossover games. Since 2005, he has been portrayed in voice acting and motion capture by Reuben Langdon.

<i>Kung-Fu Master</i> (video game) 1984 video game

Kung-Fu Master, known as Spartan X in Japan, is a side-scrolling beat 'em up developed by Irem as an arcade video game in 1984, and distributed by Data East in North America. Designed by Takashi Nishiyama, the game was based on Hong Kong martial arts films. It is a loose adaptation of the Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, and Yuen Biao film Wheels on Meals (1984), called Spartan X in Japan, with the protagonist Thomas named after Jackie Chan's character in the film. The game is also heavily inspired by the Bruce Lee film Game of Death (1972), which was the basis for the game's concept. Nishiyama, who had previously designed the side-scrolling shooter Moon Patrol (1982), combined fighting elements with a shoot 'em up gameplay rhythm. Irem and Data East exported the game to the West without the Spartan X license.

<i>Strider</i> (1989 arcade game) 1989 platforming video game

Strider, released in Japan as Strider Hiryū, is a hack-and-slash platform game released in arcades in 1989 by Capcom. Set in a dystopian future where Earth is ruled by the tyrannical Grandmaster Meio, it follows the titular Strider named Hiryu as he attempts to end his tyrannical reign for good. The game resulted from cooperation between Capcom and manga publisher Moto Kikaku. It marked the video game debut of Strider Hiryu, after the character was introduced in the 1988 manga Strider Hiryu.

2001 saw many sequels and prequels in video games, such as Madden NFL 2002, NBA Live 2002, NBA 2K2, WWF Smackdown! Just Bring It, Capcom vs. SNK 2,Dead or Alive 3, Final Fantasy X, Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec, Grand Theft Auto III, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Myst III: Exile, Crazy Taxi 2, SSX Tricky, Super Smash Bros. Melee, Sonic Adventure 2, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3, and Virtua Fighter 4. New intellectual properties include Ace Attorney, Advance Wars,Animal Crossing, Burnout, Gothic, Black & White, Devil May Cry, Fatal Frame, Ghost Recon,Halo, Jak and Daxter, Max Payne, Oni, Onimusha: Warlords, Operation Flashpoint, Pikmin, Pro Evolution Soccer, Red Faction, Serious Sam, and Tropico.

<i>Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow over Mystara</i> 1996 arcade game

Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow over Mystara is an arcade game developed and published by Capcom in 1996 as a sequel to Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom. The game is set in the Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting of Mystara.

<i>Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom</i> 1994 arcade game

Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom, published in 1994, is the first of two arcade games created by Capcom based on the Dungeons & Dragons tabletop role-playing game and set in the Mystara campaign setting. It is a side scrolling beat 'em up with some role-playing video game elements for one to four players. The game was also released on the Sega Saturn, packaged with its sequel, Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow over Mystara, under the title Dungeons & Dragons Collection, although the Saturn version limited the gameplay to only two players. In 2013, both games were re-released for modern platforms as Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara.

A beat 'em up 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, while a number of modern games feature more open three-dimensional (3D) environments with yet larger numbers of enemies. The gameplay tends to follow arcade genre conventions, such as being simple to learn but difficult to master, and the combat system tends to be more highly developed than other side-scrolling action games. Two-player cooperative gameplay and multiple player characters are also hallmarks of the genre. Most of these games take place in urban settings and feature crime-fighting and revenge-based plots, though some games may employ historical, science fiction or fantasy themes.

<i>Knights of the Round</i> (video game) 1991 video game

Knights of the Round is an arcade game released by Capcom in 1991. A side-scrolling beat 'em up based loosely on the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, the game features an action role-playing video game-like level advancement system, with fighters automatically being upgraded to new weapons and armor as they advance through the game. In September 13, 2018, Capcom announced Capcom Beat 'Em Up Bundle with the arcade edition of Knights of the Round being one of seven titles and being released digitally for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows on September 18, 2018.

A side-scrolling video game is a game viewed from a side-view camera angle where the screen follows the player as they move left or right. The jump from single-screen or flip-screen graphics to scrolling graphics during the golden age of arcade games was a pivotal leap in game design, comparable to the move to 3D graphics during the fifth generation.

<i>Onimusha: Warlords</i> 2001 action-adventure hack and slash video game

Onimusha: Warlords, known in Japan as Onimusha, is an action-adventure hack and slash video game developed and published by Capcom for the PlayStation 2. The first entry of the Onimusha series, it was originally released in 2001. An updated form as Genma Onimusha for the Xbox was released in 2002. The original Warlords version was ported to Microsoft Windows, although it was only available in China and Russia. A remaster for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One was released in 2018, with a Windows version following in 2019.

<i>The Punisher</i> (1993 video game) 1993 arcade game

The Punisher is a 1993 beat 'em up arcade game developed and released by Capcom. It stars the Marvel Comics' antihero the Punisher and co-stars S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Nick Fury as the second player's character as they embark on a mission to kill the crime lord the Kingpin and bring down his organization. While following the same general formula as Capcom's previous beat 'em ups, the game has a range of usable weapons and a comics-style presentation.

Hideki Kamiya is a Japanese video game designer and director. He began his career in 1994 with Capcom, where he directed Resident Evil 2 (1998), Devil May Cry (2001), Viewtiful Joe (2003), and Ōkami (2006). From 2004 to 2006, he worked for the Capcom subsidiary Clover Studio.

Devil May Cry is an urban fantasy action-adventure game franchise 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 of combat scenarios in which the player must attempt to extend long chains of attacks, avoiding damage and exhibiting stylized combat by varying their attacks; this combat, along with time and the number of items collected and used, are considered in grading the player's performance.

<i>Devil May Cry</i> (video game) 2001 video game

Devil May Cry is a 2001 action-adventure game developed and published by Capcom. Released from August to December, originally for the PlayStation 2, it is the first installment in the Devil May Cry series. Set in modern times on the fictional Mallet Island, the story centers on Dante, a demon hunter who uses his business to carry out a lifelong vendetta against all demons. He meets a woman named Trish who takes him on a journey to defeat the demon lord Mundus, who is responsible for the deaths of Dante's brother and mother. The story is told primarily through a mixture of cutscenes, which use the game engine and several pre-rendered full motion videos. The game is very loosely based on the Italian poem Divine Comedy by the use of allusions, including the game's protagonist Dante and other characters like Trish and Vergil (Virgil).

<i>Rastan</i> (video game) 1987 video game

Rastan Saga, known as Rastan in North America, is a side-scrolling hack and slash arcade video game released by Taito in 1987. It was a critical and commercial success and was ported to home platforms.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Complete Games Guide". Mean Machines . No. 20 (28 April 1992). May 1992. pp. 6, 14, 18, 20, 22, 26.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "First Samurai". Computer and Video Games . No. 121 (December 1991). 15 November 1991. pp. 28–30.
  3. ↑ Reed, Kristan (4 January 2007). "Taito Legends Power-Up". Eurogamer . Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  4. 1 2 Gass, Zach (11 May 2020). "10 Awesome Hack and Slash Games That Aren't God of War". Screen Rant . Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  5. ↑ Greg Kasavin (30 November 2006). "Golden Axe Review". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 4 February 2009. Retrieved 7 October 2008.
  6. ↑ Patrick Shaw (16 May 2008). "Golden Axe: Beast Rider". GamePro. Archived from the original on 17 October 2008. Retrieved 7 October 2008.
  7. ↑ Weiss, Brett (9 July 2018). Classic Home Video Games, 1989-1990: A Complete Guide to Sega Genesis, Neo Geo and TurboGrafx-16 Games. McFarland & Company. p. 206. ISBN   978-0-7864-9231-2.
  8. ↑ "Nintendo Software" (PDF). Computer Entertainer . Vol. 6, no. 5. August 1987. p. 12. Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 November 2019.
  9. ↑ "The Story behind Development of "Sengoku BASARA"". Capcom. 24 December 2015.
  10. ↑ "Dante's Inferno Review - UGO.com". 5 November 2013. Archived from the original on 5 November 2013.
  11. ↑ Freeman, Will (6 June 2021). "Heavenly Sword Review". VideoGamer. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  12. ↑ Pementel, Michael (7 January 2019). "A Timeless Hack And Slash Historical Adventure: Remembering 'Onimusha: Warlords'". Bloody Disgusting . Retrieved 11 August 2021.
  13. ↑ Hovermale, Chris (10 March 2019). "How Devil May Cry's arcade inspirations shaped character action games". Destructoid . Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  14. ↑ "Afterthoughts: Devil May Cry". Electronic Gaming Monthly. December 2001. p. 56. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  15. ↑ Fahey, Rob (1 January 2007). "Strider 1/2". Eurogamer.net. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  16. ↑ Wells, Jean; Mohan, Kim (July 1980). "Women want equality - and why not?". Dragon #39. V (1). TSR Hobbies, Inc.: 16.
  17. ↑ David Myers. "The attack of the backstories (and why they won't win)" (PDF). Loyola University New Orleans. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 December 2008.
  18. ↑ "Hack and Slash: What Makes a Good Action RPG?". 1UP.com . 18 May 2010. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 2 March 2011.
  19. ↑ Kruse, Cord (5 September 2008). "Diablo III: Timeline, Expanded RPG Elements, iTunes D3 Music". Inside Mac Games. Archived from the original on 6 June 2019. Retrieved 7 October 2008.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.