The Hardest Hack-and-Slash & Beat 'em Ups

These are the 43 hardest hack-and-slash games as rated by the How Difficult Is It community, ordered from most to least punishing. Battletoads leads the list at 9.1/10, ahead of Ninja Gaiden and God Hand. Every score is averaged from real player votes, and a game needs at least five ratings to qualify.

Game	Release Year	Rating	Weighted Rating	Number of Ratings
Battletoads	1991	9.1	9.0	14
Ninja Gaiden	1988	9.1	9.0	21
God Hand	2006	9.1	8.9	17
Nine Sols	2024	8.1	7.8	37
Devil May Cry	2001	7.9	7.7	16
Cyber Shadow	2021	7.8	7.6	10
The Last Faith	2023	7.9	7.6	7
Hades II	2024	7.3	7.1	22
Castlevania	1986	7.3	7.0	12
Blasphemous	2019	7.2	6.9	21
Black Myth: Wukong	2024	7.1	6.9	14
Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening	2005	7.2	6.9	23
Blue Fire	2021	7.1	6.9	11
Devil May Cry 4	2008	7.1	6.8	9
Blasphemous II	2023	7.0	6.8	12
Hades	2018	7.0	6.7	38
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow	2005	6.7	6.6	11
Sifu	2022	6.8	6.5	20
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia	2008	6.6	6.5	11
Bayonetta	2009	6.6	6.3	9
Mortal Sin	2023	6.5	6.3	11
Wizard of Legend	2018	6.5	6.3	14
God of War II	2007	6.4	6.1	17
Risk of Rain	2013	6.4	6.1	17
God of War	2005	6.2	6.0	16
God of War III	2010	6.1	5.9	19
Afterimage	2023	6.0	5.8	6
God of War: Ascension	2013	5.9	5.7	17
Devil May Cry 5	2019	5.9	5.6	8
God of War Ragnarök	2022	5.8	5.6	25
Final Fantasy XV	2016	5.7	5.5	20
God of War	2018	5.7	5.4	39
Ember Knights	2022	5.0	4.8	11
Death's Door	2021	5.0	4.8	12
Castlevania	1999	4.8	4.6	12
Diablo II	2000	4.6	4.4	16
Soulstone Survivors	2022	4.5	4.3	11
Streets of Rogue	2019	4.3	4.1	15
Diablo IV	2023	4.2	4.0	14
Batman: Arkham Asylum	2009	4.2	4.0	5
Diablo III	2012	4.2	4.0	17
Moonlighter	2018	4.1	3.8	17
Devil May Cry 2	2003	3.0	2.8	6

Hardest games by genre

RPGs Platformers Indie Games Shooters Puzzle Games Turn-Based Strategy Games Hack-and-Slash & Beat 'em Ups Arcade Games Simulators Strategy Games

Hardest games by era

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Game	Release Year	Rating	Weighted Rating	Number of Ratings