Sword fighting has been and always will be among the most popular themes in video games. Whether you’re in a Japanese RPG about the end of the world or a cyberpunk hack-and-slash game in a fictional universe, you’ll always find swords. Because of this, there have been many popular games that have added these weapons as prominent gameplay features that we wouldn’t be able to live without. We’ve created a list of the top 10 Xbox One sword fighting games that you can go play right now.
#10 Onimusha
Onimusha is a franchise developed by Capcom that follows the story of a samurai fighting against different Japanese myths and demons during the Sengoku period. It’s pretty similar in gameplay to the Resident Evil series but more focused on action. There are puzzles to solve by interacting with different atmospheric elements as well as different long-range and elemental weapons that can be found throughout the game. The story is very well told and follows many tropes commonly found in traditional samurai stories including family and revenge among other supernatural elements. The series encompasses the gameplay that everyone loves from survival-horror but makes sure to envelop a more physical and gameplay-heavy experience.
#9 Chivalry 2
Chivalry 2 is a multiplayer game that takes place in a medieval setting where you can join one another in a team deathmatch of up to 64 players. There are tons of medieval melee weapons to take advantage of as well as fighting styles to master which will help you on the field. You don’t have to be an expert in any particular weapon to pick it up and start bludgeoning. You can also sever the limbs of your enemies and then pick them up to use as weapons. Savage.
There are multiplayer modes with different gameplay objectives but the results stay the same–you must kill your enemies using the weaponry that was available during that time period. Be prepared for some pretty brutal and aggressive battles that you’re sure to never forget.
#8 Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey helped change the landscape of what players expect from an Assassin’s Creed game. The story follows the Abstergo group as they have now become an organization that deals in historical assets via realities based on the ancestry of certain peoples. Players are taken to ancient Greece when the war between Spartans and Athenians was at its peak. The new protagonists also change the course of what is normally expected, with players able to choose not only the gender of their character but the armor sets and even sexual preference. Don’t like how something looks on your character? You can remove it cosmetically while still reaping the benefits.
This game introduces castle sieges and raids that involve having to take down certain people in order to take control of areas. Players can also be involved in wars, taking down multiple enemies and their leaders for control. There is a massive world that can be traversed either on foot or on horseback. Yes, fast travel is also available.
#7 Ghostrunner
Ghostrunner might be a little different than other titles on this list. Not only do you fight with swords in this title, but you’ll also need to take advantage of your character’s parkour skills. You’ll be able to traverse through difficult environments by jumping, wall-running, and more. Even better, there’s a feature that allows you to slow down time so that you can dodge bullets in mid-air and deflect them back at your enemies. As you progress through the story, you’ll be able to unlock new abilities and upgrades that enhance the gameplay experience. If you’re a fan of Mirror’s Edge or even Dishonored, you’ll find a lot of similarities in the way that you journey through levels and attack enemies using the best possible tactics that you can find.
#6 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Another staff favorite, The Witcher 3 follows the story of Geralt of Rivia as he travels through different cities in search of his lost adoptive daughter, Ciri. Of course, there’s far more story to unpack beyond that brief description, and the world that CD Projekt Red has created is absolutely incredible, promising hundreds of hours of gameplay. While following the main quests, it’s important to remember that some sidequests unlock secrets and abilities that couldn’t otherwise be found, so it’s always ideal to wander around and search every corner. We’d highly recommend this to anyone who is a fan of fantasy RPGs.
#5 For Honor
For Honor takes players through several different ages of war in the form of knights, samurais, and Vikings, each featuring a unique gameplay experience. Players will be defeating their enemies in melee battles through a third-person perspective. The battles are played in a rock-paper-scissor sense with players needing to pay close attention to the reactions of the enemy players. This is the main means of combat in the game and can result in some incredibly gruesome fights and intense victories. The game has been regarded for its difficult and unique combat system–for good reason. The multiplayer even invokes a friendly-fire feature which means that players can damage their own teammates by accident. You can even take part in different DLC allowing you to play as new factions.
#4 Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Kingdom Come: Deliverance is an action role-playing game set in an open-world environment and played from a first-person perspective. It utilizes a classless role-playing system that allows the player to customize their skills and take on roles such as warrior, bard, thief, or a hybrid of these. Abilities and stats will grow depending on what the player does and says through branched dialogue trees in this intense narrative. During conversations, the time a player takes to make a decision is limited and has an effect on their relationships with others which, in turn, will change the way that characters react to them throughout. Reputation is based on player choices and therefore can bring consequences both good and bad. The choices that you make could very well change the trajectory of how the story progresses.
#3 Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Another great title from the makers of the Dark Souls series and Bloodborne, Sekiro is also a game that tests your patience if you are not determined. While you can’t create your own character or participate in multiplayer content, there are still a lot of aspects to this game that relate it to its Souls partners. Unlike those games, however, you have the ability to revive after being killed using resurrection power and you have tools that help you with exploration. The game is also much faster in regards to its gameplay. Sekiro takes place during the Sengoku period in Japan and there are a lot of elements that pay homage to the country in admirable and honorable ways.
#2 Dark Souls Trilogy
While each of these games follows a completely different story with NPCs and questlines that only vaguely reference one another, it undeniably has a place as one of the greatest franchises of all time. Players are encouraged to fully explore the world presented to them while fighting incredible bosses that each has their own unique mechanics and intense fighting styles. It’s not a surprise that you’ll die in these games thousands of times, but a huge aspect is being able to learn from your mistakes and find new ways to overcome the obstacles presented to you. The series is for those who genuinely want a challenge but anyone with enough patience and dedication can find some fun.
#1 Elden Ring
Another contender for Game of the Year, Elden Ring is the culmination of a collaboration between George R. R. Martin and Hidetaka Miyazaki. It takes what everyone loves about previous Souls-like games and turns it on its head. If you take everything you ever knew about the fantasy genre and managed to find a way to mix that with the darkest recesses of your mind, then you’ll have only a fraction of what you should expect to experience in Elden Ring. You have the option to play with your friends in a kind of drop-in co-op that requires certain prerequisites beforehand but allows you to take on bosses with your friends–an option you’ll need.
