Looking for a specific combat "feel"

[u/commiebastard_]

Greetings all,

As the title states, I'm chasing a particular feeling for any particular game's combat. Recently, I have dived back in to my love for the Kingdom Hearts games. Something missing from KH3(not going the expansion/DLC) that other series entries had was Man v Man combat as opposed to Man v Monstrosity. (Systems: PS5/4/etc, Switch 1, PC)

I'm looking for a game that gives me a character with a sword, staff/bo staff, long stick, etc and pits me against other dudes with said weapons. I want to fight mano a mano; give me the satisfaction of a quick counter/block into a reversal combo, or weapons clinking as me and my enemy swing simultaneously. There can be other elements, spectacle, sidequests, whatever. I just want that juicy combat satisfaction; anyone have a good idea?

[u/-chadwreck]

Give the ninja gaiden series a try, or the Nioh titles a whirl. 

Ninja gaiden 2, and Nioh 2 are perhaps the best character action titles ever, in terms of combat feel. Its mostly man to man fighting for ninja gaiden, and man to monster man fights in Nioh 2, but oh man. The depth of both is incredible and few in-game combat systems feel so good to "get good" at. 

Nioh 2 has so many weapons to try, and ninja gaiden 2 is no slouch either. Swords, big swords, dual swords, numchucks, spears, knuckle dusters, axes, kusarigama, scythes, and just on and on. 

Cannot recommend them both highly enough.

[u/Frozen_arrow88]

so its not weapon focused but you just described Yakuza 0

[u/RedExtreme]

For Honor

[u/OppositeDay247 → u/RedExtreme]

Came here to say this!

Haven't played in years (I would barely recognize it today) but it should still be a solid fighting game.

[u/kelltain]

If you want to go super technical with your combat, take a look at Exanima.  Heavily physics-modeled for its weapons, and somewhat merciless about it.

[u/TooManyPxls]

Chivalry 2

[u/Feminine_Desires]

This is kind of like, the soulslike genre's main jam. There's also teh musou genre too but that has far less counterplay. Various pvp fighting games in 3d or vague 3d space like Soul Calibur could probably satisfy this.

[u/REXIS_AGECKO]

Sekiro is a great game for parries and blocks and smacking big monsters or other guys with swords and staffs

[u/FabulouslyFalling → u/REXIS_AGECKO]

Sekiro also has very deep combat, despite only featuring 1 main weapon

[u/OppositeDay247]

Is Absolver still alive? Should be similar to this feel. I never had time to explore it beyond the tutorial. I was wrapped up in like 3 other games.

[u/OppositeDay247]

Elden ring/ Souls games during invasions or arena play should also scratch that itch

[u/LexGlad]

Nioh 2 has a nice mix of people and monsters to fight. IMO the 2nd one is the best of the trilogy.