10 Games With the BEST Sword Combat
10 Games With the Best Sword Combat
Welcome to MojoPlays, and today, we’re looking over the games that studied the blade, came out swinging and now dominate the industry as a result.
“The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” (2015)
Steel for humans, silver for monsters. A simple rule, but one that helped shape Geralt’s particular brand of swordplay during his journey across the continent. While his use of magic via signs also plays a part, the White Wolf’s primary form of attack remains his twin swords. It takes the standard fare of light and heavy attacks and layers in added complexity by forcing you to switch weapons depending on your opponents, but more than that, it highly encourages use of oils and other concoctions to increase their effectiveness, keeping combat just as addictive as a game of gwent.
“Monster Hunter Wilds” (2025)
Sometimes bigger does mean better, and weapons don’t get wilder, pun intended, than in Monster Hunter’s latest venture. If you’re looking to entrap or slay colossal creatures across dynamic landscapes with all the odds stacked against you, then you’re going to have to come prepared. While altering your loadout is key to bringing down your prey, hunts in this game switches between frenzied and tactical at a moment’s notice. That’s why it's so vital to pick the right weapon, and the swords on display here truly are to die for. Each weapon type, from long swords to dual blades to gunlances, come with their own unique skills, allowing for vast amounts of experimentation as you decide the optimal way to bring down a beast like Arkveld.
“Kingdom Come: Deliverance II” (2025)
If you crave realism, authenticity and anything that doesn’t involve button mashing, then we’d like to introduce you to Henry. This RPG is all about diving deep into its intricate mechanics, with very few shortcuts, all to allow maximum immersion. This extends all the way to how Henry handles swords. Duels in Kingdom Come don’t allow you to sweep in like a storm and chop a million men to pieces. Every deflection, every strike, you have to judge and input in real-time, all from a first person perspective. It greatly increases the tension, putting you in the thick of the action. While it may strip away the power fantasy element, it also stands as the perfect encapsulation of what Deliverance 2 is all about - unfiltered, historical fun.
“Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order” and “Star Wars Jedi: Survivor” (2019; 2023)
Who would have guessed that all the Star Wars name needed to carve its way back into the single player gaming scene is a drop of Soulslike goodness? Alongside a great story outside of the main canon, few games in recent years have channeled the raw power of feeling like a Jedi, both through an excessive use of the Force, and a crazy lightsaber skill set. Cal Kestis is nothing if not resourceful, and over the course of the franchise, is able to alter his weapon in a variety of ways. Sure, you can fight the Empire with classic saber combat, but there’s also Dual Blades for faster attacks, Double Bladed Staff to take down multiple enemies, Crossguard to shatter defences, as well as the Blaster and Blade if you want to channel your inner Han Solo!
“Nier Automata” (2017)
You can’t bring glory to mankind without knowing how to slice up a few machines. Lucky for us, 2B isn’t just all beauty and brains, she’s got brawn and blades to spare. While a multitude of weapons can be scavenged, forged and leveled up, and the POD system can provide no end of ranged attacks, the main focus for combat remains light and heavy attacks via 2B’s two signature swords. It’s way too easy to pull off fast and flashy combos, especially when you nail the dodge mechanic, to the point where you’ll end up dancing through bullet hells before busting out Virtuous Treaty for a bite.
“Elden Ring” (2022)
The only game where there’s a sword for every occasion, and then some! All across the Lands Between, players will find themselves encountering and uncovering no end of swords of every shape and size. Are you looking to crush your foes with greatswords with no fancy gimmicks? Take your pick. Are you all about speed and wanting to pull off acrobatic barrages even when dressed in heavy armor? Got those too. Do you want to bring the pain by lashing out with blades that contain radically different magical properties? Take down a shardbearer and chances are they’ll have one ready for you to plunder. It’s honestly ridiculous how much is on offer here, and that’s just the swords!
“Ninja Gaiden 4” (2025)
When you think Ryu Hayabusa and his never ending crusade against demons, the mind instantly wanders to his array of ninja tools used to slaughter his enemies, as well as the punishing difficulty the franchise is known for. That same spirit has been passed on to newcomer Yakumo, only now the gameplay has been polished to a buttery smooth finish. With his own set of weapons, including a pair of twin swords, Yakumo has inherited that same level of advanced combat that’s easy to pick up but brutal to master, especially when those difficulty spikes start to creep in. With his newfound Blood Raven transformation able to turn the tide of battle at a moment’s notice, combat here is all about pressing the advantage and adapting to the unrelenting blood-soaked rhythm!
“Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance” (2013)
The only thing more awesome than this game’s absolute banger of a soundtrack is the way it allows you to slice everything to ribbons. Gone is the signature Metal Gear brand of stealth in favour of coming in like a lightning bolt and unleashing cybernetic warfare on any unfortunate souls caught in Raiden’s path, made all the better with the introduction of Blade Mode – which slows down time and allows players to control the angle and speed of their sword swings. There’s nothing more satisfying than systemically cutting your enemy apart, before ripping out their spine to use as a fuel source. Now that’s metal.
“Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice” (2019)
You want challenging? You want combat that will break you down and force you to adapt until you’re a one-man killing machine? Then we humbly recommend stepping into the gauntlet that is Sekiro. Deflections, parries, counters and above all else precision is the name of the game here – learning how to weave through a blizzard of blows before unleashing a strike that shatters enemies’ posture. Aggressiveness and caution are equally important here, and while the learning curve is the steepest in FromSoft’s catalogue, if you stick with it long enough, you’ll find yourself embroiled in some of the most rewarding battles in modern gaming.
“Ghost of Tsushima” and “Ghost of Yotei” (2020; 2025)
Calling these games cinematic almost seems like a disservice. The sheer magnitude of Tsushima and Yotei’s accomplishments remain unsurpassed in terms of their landscapes, fluidity, and especially when it comes to clashing swords. While you can choose how to approach combat, including attacking from the shadows, nothing beats challenging the nearest scumbag to a standoff, only to slice them in half with blinding speed. Jin’s stances as well as Atsu’s various weapons each bring their own benefits, but what they have in common is just how good it feels to play. Switching your style between swings, unleashing the Ghost to terrify your foe, cutting off his head before riding off into the sunset in search of another duel. You just can’t beat it.
Which game do you think has the best combat to date? Let us know in the comments!
