I’ve been playing Bayonetta on and off for a bit of time, and now that I’m near the end of it (just started Requiem), the genre kinda grew on me, which surprised me quite a bit.

I see loads of games being thrown in the same bag:

• Bayonetta
• Devil May Cry
• Darksiders
• Ninja Gaiden
• No More Heroes
• God of War
• several Warriors/Musou games
• etc. etc.

So I was wondering what makes any specific game in the general genre distinct and special, and wanted to discuss in this thread.

My experience with this genre is limited as the Switch is my first ever console, but I will share what little experience I have in a comment.

P.S. I hope this thread will be a bit more lively than my previous try with the Different types of 3D platformers thread.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice feels like a fighting game
Polygon - Jeff Ramos
https://www.polygon.com/2018/8/22/17760320/sekiro-shadows-die-twice-gameplay-impressions-combat

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is definitely not another Dark Souls. Where FromSoftware’s previous action games could feel like tense memory games, the developer’s next effort instead seems to crib from a different genre entirely: fighting games.

The Souls games and Bloodborne can be notoriously uninviting, and that’s what fuels their sense of satisfaction. By contrast, Sekiro’s appeal lies in its careful consideration. Reading your enemies, perfecting the timing on deflecting attacks and creating clever openings: These are the keys to staying alive. Precision like the kind Sekiro requires of you isn’t rare for action games, even if it feels dissimilar from FromSoftware’s most recent series. In Sekiro’s case, however, we found ourselves playing it less like an action game, and more like the kinds of fighting games that make you study your opponents before striking.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Is Definitely Not "Just Another Dark Souls"
Gamespot - Alessandro Fillari
https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sekiro-shadows-die-twice-is-definitely-not-just-an/1100-6461324/

When looking at From Software's Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, it's clear that it's built on the foundations of the team's previous work on the Dark Souls series. Focusing on an uncompromising and stoic design sense that rewards patient players who learn from their mistakes, the developer's next big title definitely channels some of the best of what their last ten years of games have to offer. However, Sekiro is a major shift away from the slower, and more cautious playstyle of action-RPG Dark Souls and even Bloodborne--moving further into the direction of what seems to be a traditional action game.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Hands-On
Kotaku - Chris Person
https://kotaku.com/sekiro-shadows-die-twice-hands-on-1828506631

We played Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and it’s about as punishing as you would expect from the developers of Dark Souls. But it may be take some unlearning for long-term Souls players.

'Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice' Offers a Brutal, Beautiful Challenge
Hollywood Reporter - Patrick Shanley
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/inside-sekiro-shadows-die-twice-gameplay-1135402

Now, FromSoftware has traveled from the hellish world of Lordran to its own fantastical reimagining of 16th century Sengoku Japan in the upcoming Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. The much-anticipated title is set for release on March 22, 2019, and a lucky few were able to get their hands on the game at this year's Gamescom convention in Cologne, Germany — and an even luckier few were spared the long plane ride and got to try out the game stateside in Santa Monica.

The demo showcased at Activision Blizzard HQ gave the player control of the eponymous Sekiro, a shinobi assassin who sports a prosthetic arm and a killer instinct. Right from the start, differences between Sekiro and past FromSoftware titles are evident. While the game features a similar HUD (head-up display) to Dark Souls titles and combat that allows the player to lock on to enemies with the push of the right analog stick, the introduction of new mechanics such as jumping and an incredibly useful grappling hook make for a much more fluid gameplay experience.

My friends and I just finished our first run through EDF 4.1, and we had a blast. We each accumulated about 60 hours in the game doing so. Some of that was probably spent goofing around on other classes or strengthening up a bit for the three or four missions we got stuck on. All in all though, I'm amazed that it took us that long to get through.

Actually, I'd say that's my response to this game in general. For something I had never really heard of, it was surprisingly good. The game was ridiculous at the start with the giant bugs but as it went it somehow just got crazier and crazier. The scale of the game was just fantastic in terms of enemy variety and size. The hilarity of the B movie writing paired with the outrageous gameplay made it an uproar between the four of us.

The progression system was decent and probably the weakest point. The sheer amount of equipment was a big plus, since it's always exciting to see something new at the end of a mission and find out if it's any good or not, but it was pretty easy to identify an optimal strategy for each mission. There were some classes of weapons (for ranger at least) that were outright useless in a practical sense, which is disappointing. The variety in weapon design is great, but it's unfortunate that it couldn't be more balanced.

Are there any other games that really scratch this itch? I can think of a lot of four-player co-op games that don't really fill that void. EDF is too fast-paced, has too many good "wtf moments", and has too enjoyable a progression system. For those of y'all on ~ who have played it: what other games did you enjoy that were sort of alike to EDF 4.1?