Editing Hack and slash (section)

===Action video games===
In the context of [[action video games]], the terms "hack and slash" or "slash 'em up"<ref name="MM">{{cite magazine |title=Complete Games Guide |magazine=[[Mean Machines]] |date=May 1992 |issue=20 (28 April 1992) |pages=6, 14, 18, 20, 22, 26 |url=https://archive.org/details/Mean_Machines_Complete_Games_Guide_1992-05_EMAP_Images_GB_suppliment_issue_20/page/n4/mode/1up}}</ref><ref name="CVG">{{cite magazine |title=First Samurai |magazine=[[Computer and Video Games]] |date=15 November 1991 |issue=121 (December 1991) |pages=28–30 |url=https://archive.org/details/cvg-magazine-121/page/n27/mode/2up}}</ref> refer to melee weapon-based action games that are a sub-genre of [[beat 'em up]]s. Traditional 2D [[side-scrolling]] examples include [[Taito]]'s ''[[The Legend of Kage]]'' (1985)<ref name="CVG"/> and ''[[Rastan (video game)|Rastan]]'' (1987),<ref name="MM"/><ref>{{cite web |last1=Reed |first1=Kristan |title=Taito Legends Power-Up |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/taito-legends-power-up-review |website=[[Eurogamer]] |access-date=11 April 2021 |date=4 January 2007}}</ref> [[Sega]]'s [[arcade video game]] series ''[[Shinobi (series)|Shinobi]]'' (1987 debut)<ref name="MM"/><ref name="screenrant">{{cite news |last1=Gass |first1=Zach |title=10 Awesome Hack and Slash Games That Aren't God of War |url=https://screenrant.com/best-awesome-hack-slash-games-arent-god-war/ |access-date=11 April 2021 |work=[[Screen Rant]] |date=11 May 2020}}</ref> and ''[[Golden Axe]]'' (1989 debut),<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/wii/action/goldenaxegen/review.html |title=Golden Axe Review |author=Greg Kasavin |publisher=GameSpot |date=30 November 2006 |access-date=7 October 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090204233037/http://www.gamespot.com/wii/action/goldenaxegen/review.html |archive-date=4 February 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.gamepro.com/article/previews/185688/golden-axe-beast-rider/ | author = Patrick Shaw | date = 16 May 2008 | access-date = 7 October 2008 | title = Golden Axe: Beast Rider | publisher = GamePro |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081017133630/http://www.gamepro.com/article/previews/185688/golden-axe-beast-rider/|archive-date=17 October 2008}}</ref> [[Data East]]'s arcade game ''[[Captain Silver]]'' (1987),<ref name="MM"/> [[Tecmo]]'s early ''[[Ninja Gaiden]]'' (''Shadow Warriors'') 2D games (1988 debut),<ref name="MM"/> [[Capcom]]'s ''[[Strider (1989 arcade game)|Strider]]'' (1989),<ref name="CVG"/><ref>{{cite book |last1=Weiss |first1=Brett |title=Classic Home Video Games, 1989-1990: A Complete Guide to Sega Genesis, Neo Geo and TurboGrafx-16 Games |date=9 July 2018 |publisher=[[McFarland & Company]] |isbn=978-0-7864-9231-2 |page=206 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lmRjDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA206}}</ref> the [[Master System]] game ''[[Danan: The Jungle Fighter]]'' (1990),<ref name="MM"/> Taito's ''[[Saint Sword]]'' (1991),<ref name="MM"/> [[Vivid Image]]'s home computer game ''[[First Samurai]]'' (1991),<ref name="CVG"/> and [[Vanillaware]]'s ''[[Dragon's Crown]]'' (2013).<ref name="screenrant"/> The term "hack-and-slash" in reference to [[action-adventure games]] dates back to 1987, when ''[[Computer Entertainer]]'' reviewed ''[[The Legend of Zelda (video game)|The Legend of Zelda]]'' and said it had "more to offer than the typical hack-and-slash" epics.<ref name="CE">{{cite magazine |title=Nintendo Software |magazine=[[Computer Entertainer]] |date=August 1987 |volume=6 |issue=5 |page=12 |url=http://www.ataricompendium.com/archives/newsletters/video_game_update/computer_entertainer_aug87.pdf#page=12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191123024827/http://www.ataricompendium.com/archives/newsletters/video_game_update/computer_entertainer_aug87.pdf |archive-date=23 November 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In the early 21st century, journalists covering the video game industry often use the term "hack and slash" to refer to a distinct genre of [[3D computer graphics|3D]], [[Third-person (video games)|third-person]], weapon-based, melee action games. Examples include Capcom's ''[[Devil May Cry]]'', ''[[Onimusha]]'', and ''[[Sengoku Basara]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.capcom.co.jp/ir/english/feature/2015_basara01/02.html|title=The Story behind Development of "Sengoku BASARA"|publisher=Capcom|date=24 December 2015}}</ref> franchises, [[Koei Tecmo]]'s ''[[Dynasty Warriors]]'' and 3D ''Ninja Gaiden'' games, [[Sony]]'s ''[[Genji: Dawn of the Samurai]]'' and ''[[God of War (franchise)|God of War]]'', as well as ''[[Bayonetta]]'', ''[[Darksiders]]'', ''[[Dante's Inferno (video game)|Dante's Inferno]]'',<ref name=UGO>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ugo.com/games/dantes-inferno-review|title=Dante's Inferno Review - UGO.com|date=5 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105225144/http://www.ugo.com/games/dantes-inferno-review |archive-date=5 November 2013 }}</ref><ref name="VideoGamer">{{Cite web |last=Freeman |first=Will |date=6 June 2021 |title=Heavenly Sword Review |url=https://www.videogamer.com/reviews/heavenly-sword-review/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220525192950/https://www.videogamer.com/reviews/heavenly-sword-review/ |archive-date=25 May 2022 |access-date=10 March 2024 |website=VideoGamer |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Pementel |first1=Michael |title=A Timeless Hack And Slash Historical Adventure: Remembering 'Onimusha: Warlords' |url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/editorials/3540280/timeless-hack-slash-historical-adventure-remembering-onimusha-warlords/ |access-date=11 August 2021 |work=[[Bloody Disgusting]] |date=7 January 2019}}</ref> and ''[[No More Heroes (series)|No More Heroes]]''. The genre is sometimes known as "character action" games, and represent a modern evolution of traditional arcade action games. This subgenre of games was largely defined by [[Hideki Kamiya]], creator of ''Devil May Cry'' and ''Bayonetta''.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hovermale |first1=Chris |title=How Devil May Cry's arcade inspirations shaped character action games |url=https://www.destructoid.com/stories/how-devil-may-cry-s-arcade-inspirations-shaped-character-action-games-545783.phtml |access-date=30 April 2021 |work=[[Destructoid]] |date=10 March 2019 }}{{Dead link|date=July 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In turn, ''[[Devil May Cry (video game)|Devil May Cry]]'' (2001) was influenced by earlier hack-and-slash games, including ''[[Onimusha: Warlords]]'' (2001)<ref name="egm">{{Cite magazine |date=December 2001 |title=Afterthoughts: Devil May Cry |url=http://archive.org/details/electronic-gaming-monthly-issue-149-december-2001 |access-date=9 March 2024 |magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly |page=56}}</ref> and ''Strider''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Fahey |first=Rob |date=1 January 2007 |title=Strider 1/2 |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/strider-1-2-review |access-date=9 August 2020 |website=Eurogamer.net}}</ref>