Best New Upcoming Hack and Slash Games of 2026

Hack-and-slash titles are iconic in the gaming space because they can be simple, fun, and yet have deep stories to enjoy, while you kill everything in sight. Next year will have plenty from this genre to check out, so take a look at our list below.

#15 – Mortal Shell 2

We’ll start our list with a sequel that many of you might like, as the first game was very enjoyable. Mortal Shell 2 follows up on the unique gameplay system of the first title, while putting you in an even more dangerous world than the first one. This time around, you are a harbinger sent to fell a false god. To do so, you’ll wander the land and find the many “shells” of past warriors that you can use to take down the false gods’ legions!

Like before, each shell gives you new powers and abilities, so mix and match until you find the right fighting style for you!

#14 – Samurai Pizza Cats: Blast from the Past!

And now…for something completely different, as we’re about to talk to you about Samurai Pizza Cats: Blast from the Past!

Yes, this is real, and apparently, this is something that some people have been wanting for decades. What a world we live in. Anyway, in the game, you play as one of the Samurai Pizza Cats, who must fight off evil forces to save Little Tokyo!

Pick your cat, then battle across the land to stop foes, while also powering up your pizza-loving cats! The anime-style of the original is fully on display, so take a leap when the game comes out and see if it’s purr-fect in your eyes.

#13 – Project Evilbane

Why do hack-and-slash adventures on your own when you can do them with friends? Exactly! In Project Evilbane, you’ll have the option to rush into battle alongside three trusted friends to take on massive monsters and hordes of other enemies.

Your world is in straight-up chaos, and only your group has what it takes to fight everything off and bring things back to how they were meant to be! Build up each warrior so they can use their skills perfectly and defeat everything that comes their way!

It won’t be easy, but it must be done for peace to happen once again!

#12 – Chained Beasts

When you think about gladiator fights, you likely picture the Roman Coliseum and the many fights that took place within, many of which were fights to the death. However, in Chained Beasts, you’ll get a slightly different “gladiator experience.”

For example, in the game, you won’t just be fighting by your friends’ side; you’ll be chained to them. Yep. Really. That means you’ll have to be mindful of every step you take, and hope that your friends don’t overextend the chain!

Will you be able to overcome this hurdle and defeat all the enemies coming for you? You’ll find out soon enough…

#11 – Alabaster Dawn

How about a hack-and-slash title that feels a bit more old-school? In Alabaster Dawn, the goddess known as Nyx has done a terrible deed to the world. Everyone who was within it, both god and man, is gone. You are Juno, who was chosen to try to right the wrongs that Nyx made. But how can she do this task when she is alone and in a world full of monsters?

That will be your task to figure out! With multiple elements to command and weapons to use, you’ll use Juno’s skills to find and restore humanity so that Nyx can be taken down for good.

#10 – Layers Deep

It’s always interesting to see how a game comes to life, and in the case of Layers Deep, this was a Metroidvania-style hack-and-slash game that was birthed on Kickstarter! In the game, you’ll play an onion that is born one Autumn, only to find that the world you now are within isn’t the best of places. In fact, it’s falling apart.

Your only hope is to try to find a way to the surface and get out of this place. But can you do that? The world around you has many threats, and you’ll need to fight them to survive!

#9 Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults

There once was a terror that threatened the entire realm. She had an army of monsters at her beck and call, and with her forces, she would’ve plunged the world into darkness. However, a quartet of heroes was able to stop her and put an end to her machinations. However, true evil never stays dead forever, and in Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults, you’ll find that this force of evil is back…and she wants revenge.

To stop her from getting her desires, you’ll be in a group of four, and you must work together and grow stronger as you descend into her terror-filled home and stop this threat once and for all!

#8 – Fatekeeper

Sword and sorcery are classic elements in certain hack-and-slash titles, and Fatekeeper is no different. In the game, you’ll play a warrior who is traveling the land, attempting to take on the threats that lie within it. Arguably, the best part about the game is the freedom you’ll have to take on the world as you see fit. Yes, there is a main story for you to have fun with, and you’ll want to do it, but there are plenty of places to visit, ruins to explore, and treasures to unearth.

So, as you build up your character to be the best warrior you can be, be sure to also take on the world and see what it offers!

#7 – Tears of Metal

Your island was once very peaceful, and then, the “Dragon Meteor” came and changed everything. Suddenly, your island was invaded, and hordes of enemies now stand between you and reclaiming! So, what’s a warrior to do? Kill every single one of them!

In Tears of Metal, you’ll run into battle with both your own weapons and a group of Scottish soldiers dedicated to taking the island back for its people. With each successful battle, you can upgrade your battalion and make it stronger than ever before.

Be smart in battle, or else face the consequences, and take on the hordes so you can survive the truth behind the meteor’s arrival!

#6 – Echoes of Argora

What is one to do when the world goes dark? Why, you must go and seek out the light that was taken, so life can resume as it once did! In Echoes of Argora, you’ll play a chosen hero named Azure. After the land he lived in was plunged into darkness, he must travel the land and search for the Holy Flame to restore balance and peace.

The journey won’t be easy, but you need not fight this battle alone! You’ll get powers and abilities from the gods themselves to fell the creatures before you.

So go forth, and let the line shine once more!

#5 – Vindictus: Defying Fate

While you may think that “all hack-and-slash games are the same,” there are plenty out there that want you to focus on what your opponents are doing and then be ready to counter them at a moment’s notice. In Vindictus: Defying Fate, that’s exactly what you’ll be doing. You’ll choose from one of many characters, and then use their skills and abilities to take on foes of massive size and ability.

Hone in on how they move and what they do to attack, then counter and push them toward the brink! There are many threats that await you; don’t miss your opportunity to take them down!

#4 – DYNASTY WARRIORS 3: Complete Edition Remastered

When it comes to hack-and-slash titles, few do it more, and do it better, than Koei Tecmo. So, if we didn’t include DYNASTY WARRIORS 3: Complete Edition Remastered on this list, we would be doing you a disservice.

This complete edition brings together the two main versions of the third entry and unleashes all the characters and their abilities for your amusement. So, if you’ve wanted to relive the adventures that helped inspire the series for years to come, while enjoying it with a modern coat of paint, this is definitely the thing for you.

May you slay enemies by the hundreds to your hearts’ content!

#3 – Phantom Blade Zero

Death is always a certainty, but in the video game world, there are always “ways around it,” and Phantom Blade Zero is one example of how death is both an answer and something to fear. In the game, you play as an assassin named Soul. He is a proud member of an order of killers when the unthinkable happens. The order’s leader is killed, and Soul is blamed.

In a twist, though, he’s given 66 days to carry out his vengeance before he dies for good. During that period, you will fight legions of enemies, and with each death that the enemies force upon you, you lose one of your days.

Can you overcome this and restore your honor before it’s too late?

#2 – Onimusha: Way of the Sword

Welcome to the Edo era of Japan. What should’ve been a land of prosperity and peace is being overrun by monsters known as Genma, which have been brought here by a cloud-like presence known as “Malice.” You are a Samurai who wishes to free his land from these monsters. The good news is that you have a special item, a gauntlet, that’ll allow you to do just that. The bad news is that these monsters are everywhere and come in all shapes and sizes!

Will you be able to wield your blade properly and strike down these threats? Japan needs you, so don’t fail!

#1 – Nioh 3

Koei Tecmo REALLY loves their hack-and-slash games, so it feels appropriate and downright fitting that we end things with Nioh 3. This franchise is all about taking the realm of Japan and throwing in some supernatural threats to deal with, and this game is no different. One twist it does have, though, is that the world is more open to explore! Thus, you can see Japan at the pace you wish.

Then, when it’s time for combat, you have two different styles you can use. You can embody the Samurai to face foes, or pick them apart as a Ninja!

Do what you must to survive in this monster-filled land!