Faith of Danschant

Faith of Danschant: Hereafter is a sequel to developer Beijing Joyfun’s 2017 original. The game puts you in the shoes of a warrior who must embark on a quest to cleanse his village of demon presence, and that journey is punctuated by plenty of thrilling battles against a slew of different kinds of beasts. The combat is appropriately flashy with a focus on chaining combos, and that combined with interesting set-piece moments should make Faith of Danschant: Hereafter a really fun time. It will be released for PC sometime in the near future.

Black Myth Wukong

Chinese developer Game Science’s upcoming Black Myth Wukong looks like an excellent adaptation of the popular action genre. Set against the backdrop of a fantasy kingdom with a diverse range of biomes, Wukong’s gameplay is a mix of Soulslike and hack and slash – which makes for a fun yet tactical combat loop. The art direction also looks stellar, and we are excited to see what’s in store when it releases for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on August 20.

Monster Hunter Wilds

Monster Hunter World and Rise enjoyed massive critical and commercial success on their respective platforms, and the upcoming Monster Hunter Wilds is on track to keep that goodwill going with its vast open-world brimming with all kinds of ferocious monsters and new additions like weather calamities. It’s largely the same experience that fans are used to with prior renditions, but we are still here for it. Monster Hunter Wilds comes out for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S sometime soon.

JUMUN – Will on the Blade

Announced in January 2023 by a solo developer revealing little to no details about themself, JUMUN – Will on the Blade is an open-world action RPG developed on Unreal Engine 5 for PC and consoles. Details are scant on the setting, though there’s an influence of samurai and Japanese-style architecture.

As for the gameplay, based on the developer’s WIP videos, it combines fast-paced melee combat with high mobility, as players can dash in and inflict heavy damage with blades and martial arts before quickly retreating. Stealth also plays a role, as you can sneak through tall grass for quick executions, and the enhanced mobility even allows for quick traversal through treetops. There’s even a grappling hook, because why not?

Though it’s too early to say when JUMUN – Will on the Blade could launch, there’s definitely potential.

WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers

WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers is an odd title. Developed by Leenzee Games, founded in 2016, it’s a historical action RPG set during the end of the Ming Dynasty. The overall direction is supernatural horror as the protagonist, Wuchang, battles overwhelming beasts alongside twisted human soldiers.

While the aesthetic looks promising, some are alleging similarities to the sound effects from FromSoftware’s Dark Souls series and Bloodborne in its 2021 gameplay reveal (and that’s before getting into some of the similarities to Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice). Perhaps these were placeholders, and things have changed since then. Regardless, it’s seemingly out in 2024, so maybe we’ll see more updated footage that provides a better picture.

Hellblade 2

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 is an excellent continuation of Senua’s adventures across the Scandinavian islands, and it looks exactly what we want from such a sequel. Built using Unreal Engine 5, Hellblade 2 impresses with its high level of fidelity and immaculately rendered facial expressions. The actual combat loop is still pretty simple, but the excellent animation work and the sheer desperation on display as Senua flails her sword at enemies is what makes it worth checking out when it comes out for PC and Xbox Series X/S sometime in the near future.

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree

FromSoftware’s Elden Ring is the game that catapulted the Soulslike genre into the mainstream, and fans are understandably excited about Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. Set to thrust players back to The Lands Between, Shadow of the Erdtree will feature a bunch of new bosses to fight, weapons to collect, and secrets to unfold which should keep you busy for dozens and dozens of hours. It comes out on June 21 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

Dragon’s Dogma 2

Dragon’s Dogma is now available for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S on 22 March 2024. Dragon’s Dogma 2 allows players to craft their journey in a land overrun by all sorts of peril. While the combat isn’t as flashy as other hack-and-slash games on this list, it certainly has its fast-paced moments and the fact that it puts a ton of focus on build customization makes it all the more engaging. These themes of player freedom also extend to the campaign, where your choices during critical moments will decide the conclusion of this setting.

Honor of Kings: World

Currently in development, Honor of Kings: World puts players in the shoes of a warrior who must fight against all odds to save his homeland from the wrath of demons and otherworldly beings. It flaunts some amazing visuals and a combat system that revolves around stringing together hard-hitting combos along with cool traversal tricks like gliding – which should make for an experience that’s a consistently joyous affair. It comes out for multiple platforms which means it should hopefully be out for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S sometime soon.

The Perceiver

17ZHE Studio is hard at work on The Perceiver, an upcoming open-world action RPG that is highly inspired by FromSoftware’s works like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice or even Sucker Punch’s Ghost of Tsushima. Set in a huge open world that’s brought to life with great attention to detail, The Perceiver is all about taking part in frantic sword fights that are a careful dance of swift strikes and last-minute dodges – making for a flashy yet tactical gameplay loop that forces you to pay attention to your enemy’s movements and come up with strategies on the fly.

Where Winds Meet

Where Winds Meet seamlessly blends Chinese history and fantasy elements together, making for a game that feels pretty unique in terms of the art direction. It’s a really ambitious game that juggles different gameplay types from traversal to combat and even puzzles, and that should culminate in a consistently engaging experience through and through. It releases for PC soon, though there is a possibility that it might come out for Xbox Series X/S and PS5 as well.

Marvel’s Wolverine

Insomniac Games has rightfully established its reputation as Sony’s top talent off the back of the excellent Spider-Man games, and the developer is now hard at work on Marvel’s Wolverine which will be released for the PS5 at some point in the future. There’s not much information on what the story or the gameplay might entail, but it’s almost certain that it’s going to be a hack-and-slash-styled experience given the developer’s past projects and Wolverine’s primary mode of attack. More details will probably surface soon, and we are really stoked to see how Insomniac adapts its learnings from past projects into this new realm.

Rise of the Ronin

Team Ninja has delivered smash hit after smash hit with its take on the Souls games, and Rise of the Ronin should have felt like a natural evolution of what we have seen in its prior projects. Set in an ancient era ravaged by war and conflict, Rise of the Ronin tasks you to forge your destiny through your choices in an open world ripe with opportunity. However, the game turned out to be a mixed bag with various gameplay issues. The combat, however, is flashy and methodical, and that combined with great traversal options could make a fun experience for some players.

Lost Soul Aside

Lost Soul Aside is the upcoming action RPG from developer UtilZeroGames. Its high octane gameplay mechanics are apparent at first glance, and it feels absolutely exhilirating. It flaunts some excellent visuals that are built using Unreal Engine 5 and combining that with a combat loop that prioritizes personal expression should make for a consistently engaging and action-packed experience. It’s set to release for PS5 sometime this year, though it’s likely that it might be pushed back to a later date.

Crimson Desert

Of all upcoming hack-and-slash titles, Pearl Abyss’s Crimson Desert is perhaps the most exciting. Set in the universe of Black Desert Online, it’s coming to consoles and PC. Players control Macduff, a mercenary who ventures through the continent of Pywel and faces numerous obstacles. Work-in-progress gameplay debuted during Gamescom Opening Night Live last year, showcasing fast-paced combat with extensive environmental destruction, stunning environments, massive battles and a large-scale open world.

Along with taking on tasks for NPCs, players could also hijack wagons, fish, explore surreal locations, climb almost anything (including massive monsters and even use supernatural abilities to fly through the air. It’s a lot to take in, and how extensive the scope and fidelity (especially on previous-gen consoles) can be remains to be seen. Nevertheless, Crimson Desert looks exciting, and we can’t wait to see how it turns out.