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Gaming The Ten Best Melee Combat Games

Discussion in 'Article Discussion' started by Combatus, 24 Jul 2015.

  1. Combatus

    Combatus Bit-tech Modding + hardware reviews Lover of bit-tech Super Moderator

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  2. loftie

    loftie Multimodder

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    Jedi Academy! Dual wield and double bladed lightsabers :)
     
  3. SchizoFrog

    SchizoFrog What's a Dremel?

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    Under what criteria is Skyrim omitted?
     
  4. graphitone

    graphitone What's a Dremel?

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    A lack of finesse? Severance - Blade of Darkness had a more considered melee system. You had time to think your way through the fights.
     
  5. SchizoFrog

    SchizoFrog What's a Dremel?

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    But this is about the game not just the combat system. Besides, in what way really should a melee fight give you 'time to think'? Ha...
     
  6. graphitone

    graphitone What's a Dremel?

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    I thought the game was great as well. It was an ace adventure set in frozen wastes, dilapidated castles and some sort of fiery hell (if memory serves). Maybe 'time to think' was the wrong turn of phrase, the game gives you the opportunity to weigh up your opponent, assess the situation; the enemies (at least not all) don't just rush in and if you take too long to make a move they start taunting you. You could, of course, just charge in if you wanted to, but the option was there if you wanted a more considered approach.
     
  7. Yslen

    Yslen Lord of the Twenty-Seventh Circle

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    This is a good point. Academy was the same engine & combat system as outcast, I believe, with a few refinements. Still I guess you could argue Outcast did it first so deserves the place in the list more.

    Mount and Blade is something I'd put on my own personal list, were I to write one. It's not the most refined melee combat, but a 500-way melee battle where you have to manually swing your weapon and block incoming blows is quite an experience.
     
  8. Wozzname

    Wozzname Some random guy

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    Anyone remember the madness that was the "JA+" mod? Grappling hooks and dual wielding double bladed sabers come to mind!
     
  9. bawjaws

    bawjaws Multimodder

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    It's worth remembering that despite being awesome, Jedi Knight II in it's default state isn't perfect - because despite fencing with swords made out of laser, your lightsaber is basically a big glowing broom handle. Once g_saberRealisticCombat is enabled, of course, it becomes a glorious festival of dismemberment where the merest touch of lightsaber results in limbs flying off all over the shop.

    The ability to kill enemies by running past them with your lightsaber held at an angle and watching them fall into two halves without even having to "attack" them is tremendous.
     
  10. Jedibeeftrix

    Jedibeeftrix What's a Dremel?

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    what, no Severance: Blade of Darkness?
     
  11. d_stilgar

    d_stilgar Old School Modder

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    Gang Beasts anyone?
     
  12. dylAndroid

    dylAndroid is human?

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    While games have been getting better, the true breadth of what happens in a swordfight is still fairly untapped. Things I haven't seen much of:

    Attacks can be made while simultaneously defending. Stealing the other person's weapon is a thing that happens. You can grab a blade with your hand. Grappling is a core aspect, including using your and your opponent's weapon as levers. Most weapons don't do much when striking against armor and need different techniques. On the other hand, armor never universally protects the body, and avoiding fatigue is useful. It's hard to see and hard to breath when wearing a very protective helmet. Fear and protecting oneself from dying shapes combat a lot. When weapons come together in a bind, this is a situation that fighters can stay in, as it's useful and you can maneuver and attack and defend, while feeling through your weapon what your opponent is doing. There's a lot with leverage, power and nimbleness. When you're in close and grappling, pull out your or their dagger to use against them. The list goes on.

    But as mentioned in the article, using standard interfaces to communicate much of this into a game is a tall order.
     
  13. IT Troll

    IT Troll What's a Dremel?

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    I agree that Severance should definitely be in the top 10. Zenoclash should have also got a mention purely for being weird.
     
  14. Phil Rhodes

    Phil Rhodes Hypernobber

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  15. SMIFFYDUDE

    SMIFFYDUDE Supermodders on my D

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    I'm glad others have already mentioned it because my first thought upon seeing this article was, If Severance: Blade of Darkness isn't in this list, then this list is worthless.

    Best hack and slash mechanics in any game I've ever played.
     
  16. Pliqu3011

    Pliqu3011 all flowers in time bend towards the sun

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    The early access game Exanima is also worth looking into if you're looking for more realistic melee fighting mechanics.
    The controls feel weird and clumsy at first, but with practice they become quite natural. Combat feels very "weighty" and "physical".
    There's not much content at the moment outside of the combat (and some RPG-like inventory/equipment mechanics), but I don't think there's anything else like it.

    EDIT:
    Here's a video which demonstrates the combat.
     
    Last edited: 25 Jul 2015
  17. adrock

    adrock Caninus Nervous Rex

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    JO had double bladed lightsabers but you needed a console command to turn it on. being quick enough to enable it at the start of a duel was always satisfying.

    Bushido Blade was awesome melee combat. Weight and reach of weapon, variety of stances and move sets varied by character meant every fight could be different and the smallest slip could be lethally exploited. it was styled as a fighting game but the combat system could be implemented in any 3rd person action game.
     
  18. ch424

    ch424 Design Warrior

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    You seem to have forgotten Lego Star Wars?
     
  19. Strudul

    Strudul ~

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    Vindictus????
     
  20. Maki role

    Maki role Dale you're on a roll... Lover of bit-tech

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    Easily should be on the list, although maybe it's not because it's still under development perhaps? I've had more fun brawling in gang beasts than Chivalry and Nidhogg combined, and those are both excellent titles.
     
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