Summary
Thehack-and-slashgenre spun off from the brawler genre, and now hack-and-slash games are more prevalent than ever before. There are mindless experiences likeDynasty Warriorsthat offer fans a lot of characters to play. Then there are games like the originalDevil May Crythat redefined the hack-and-slash genre.
Many games would follow this new stylistic approach to the action genre, includingDarksidersandMetal Gear Rising: Revengeance. While great, those hack-and-slash games are missing one thing: co-op. That’s whatDynasty Warriorshas an abundance of, and there are plenty of other options like it available for fans of both co-op gameplay and the hack-and-slash genre.
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicleswas one of themost unique multiplayer experienceson the GameCube. Single-player campaigns could be played with just a GameCube controller, but multiplayer required four cables and four Game Boy Advance systems.
The GBA served as the controller and the menu system, which was like a clunkier DS setup. Players would travel throughout the game’s world, attacking baddies, learning spells, and dispelling Miasma to make the world clean again. It was local co-op only on the GameCube, but the 2020 remaster added online co-op and obviously did away with the GBA support.
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventureshad a similar setup toFinal Fantasy Crystal Chronicleson the GameCube, as it too needed four cables and GBAs to play fully. Each player got to be a colored Link who was split in four thanks to a curse. While there was some puzzle-solving in levels, it was mostly an action game, which was different frommost entries in the seriesto that point.
Visually, the game looked likeThe Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Pastwith just a tad of cel-shaded energy to make it pop. Unfortunately, it has remained a GameCube exclusive since it was released in 2004, unlikeFinal Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, which got that remaster.
Hyrule Warriorsis anotherZeldaspin-off worth mentioning and one that is easier to play today. It began as a Wii U exclusive before going to the 3DS and then to the Switch, which is the definitive version of the experience. It’s the ultimate fan’s dream, as players could jump into the shoes of mainstays like Link and Zelda, along with oddities like Linkle and the King of Red Lions.
The game is a spin-off ofDynasty Warriors, and the developer, Omega Force, has madeseveral Musou spinoffsfor Nintendo before. It supports two players locally, which isn’t as grand as other experiences out there, but it helps with some of the tedium.
Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3isanother spin-offfromDynasty Warriors, and it is one of the dozens of anime games that Omega Force has made. Of the many, this one is up there, as it gives players exactly what they want: tons of fan service.
Players can team up on the couch locally for some side-by-side action, or they can jump online to play in four-player matches. They can choose from a wide range of characters and mechs from the franchise, like Heero fromGundam Wingor Kamille fromZeta Gundam. The cel-shading art style also helped it stand out, and it still looks impressive, too, because of this aesthetic choice.
Ember Knightsis a newer game, and it’s a four-player roguelike. Players can jump into it locally or online to make the game a bit easier, but even alone, this is one of the more accessible roguelikes out there.
Players control a titular Ember Knight whose duty is to protect a crumbling world from being ripped apart by an evil wizard who summoned a rift. They will gain temporary upgrades in runs, and thenthey can upgrade themselvesand the hub after returning upon death. From stat upgrades to new weapons beyond the sword, there’s always something new to check out.
Dragon’s Crownis another fantasy-based adventure, but this one is in2D from Vanillaware, a developer that excels in this art style. Players can choose from a variety of classes and races, from warriors to mages. They can level up their characters in dungeons, find loot, go back to town to trade in quests, and so on.
The cool thing about the four-player co-op is that players can team up across platforms, which originally included the PS3 and PS Vita; the PS4 was added later.
Champions of Norrathwas a spin-off ofEverQuest, which was a Sony-owned fantasy MMO that most have probably forgotten by now.Champions of Norrathplayed a lot likeDiablo, as players could choose a class, jump into dungeons alone or with three other friends, and loot chests and corpses until the sun came up.
Players could choose to be a Barbarian, Ranger, Cleric, Wizard, or Shadowknight, and after one playthrough was complete, characters could be carried over for a harder adventure. There was a sequel as well,Champions: Return to Arms, which is also worth recommending. Even though this is a Sony franchise, they haven’t made an effort to port it anywherebeyond the PS2.
TheDiabloseries is probably always going to be the multiplayer game to beat across many categories. The latest version,Diablo 4, didn’t change the formula drastically, but it did enough to make the franchise feel fresh again. One of the biggest improvements was the open-world and non-linear story, which allowed players to change their pace as they saw fit.
There is couch co-op for console players, and four players can get together online, too. This is one of those games that’s going to keep on giving since Blizzard is dedicated to putting out free updates.
