DMC: Kill everything with Style Bayo: Kill everything with Sex appeal Gaiden: GO NINJA GO NINJA GO NINJA GO!

God this genre is so underrated it hurts. Great video! Spread the love!

About Bayonetta's Dodge-Offset. You can offset with a lot of mechanics, Dodge-Offset and Taunt Offset are just two of those mechanics. You can also off-set with Panther Form and Umbran Spear. Generally though I have to mention that believe that Witchtime actually obscures Bayonetta's Combat Depth, after all wheen you trigger witchtime you are free to beat the shit out of your enemy without any consequences, even if just for a limited time. This is partly why I believe that enemies over the course of the game become less and less affected by Witchtime, Gracious and Glorious in Chapter 10 being one of the peaks of that, this also comes with the welcome fact that enemies don't become one-trick ponies and they actually can show off what they can do. With that, I believe the game tries to make the player less reliant on Witchtime, in other words, the skillgap exists through the reliance on one mechanic that gives a big reward for a relatively small action, peaking in the Non-Stop Infinite Climax difficulty, which completely removes Witchtime. At the same time, the player has to master Dodge-Offset, which is an absolute necessity if you want conquer the highest difficulty without getting Stone Awards and the Secret Boss who is locked on the highest difficulty. The only problem I have with that is that the game doesn't really directly mention Dodge-Offset unless you look it up, even though it is such a big game-changer. Overall though, very good video! I like the idea of the Cycle of Mastery and I think it pretty much sums up very well what I love about thiss genre! Sincerly, MrEinFan aka Chris

>>Think im good at DMC4 >>Watch Donguri play I no longer think im good at DMC4.

Ninja Gaiden PC right now damn it.

one huge part of ninja gaiden's depth is its dedication to attacks. The thing is in ninja gaiden is that start up and active frames are not cancelable, only recovery is so when you do a basic attack, you are committed to it until recovery for most moves. The options you have in recovery are projectile, block or ninpo. So one option is offensive (projectile/shuriken), one is defensive (block> dodge cancel) and one is to give yourself more breathing room but at a limited resource to assess a situation (ninpo). All within microseconds due to the speed and pace of ninja gaiden.

we need more games like this more than soulsbourne.

I love that DMC and Bayonetta are getting new entries in their series with DMC5 and Bayonetta 3 but damn i wish Ninja Gaiden was too, i guess NG is just gonna stay MIA for now since Team Ninja is most likely busy with Nioh 2.

There's something that I would like to mention about this genre, in particular these titles that you mentioned: Your first time through the game, is just your practice run. Hack n' slash games DEMANDS you to play through the game multiple times, and in doing so, you have a better understanding of the combat system. And once you have fully understood the combat system, is when the real fun comes into play: Get the highest ranks. I remember when I played Astral Chain, one of my favorite games of this genre, I understood the combat system pretty well and aimed to get the highest rank, and that was soo much fun, because as I said, I fully understood the combat. Heck, even something like Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is ultra fun once you fully understand the combat and demolish your enemies in no time.

This is like the Bible for hack and slash 👌👏

YES! My husband wonder's why I play so much DMC5. I'm just like you don't get it. It's not about just killing the enemies. It's about how fn stylish and about how much you humiliate your enemies in the process and that huge smile on your face while doing so.

Ninja Gaiden and Dmc are my favorite single player game series, been playing them for years. Only one I havent tried yet is Bayonetta but i always hear good things about it, so looking forward to trying that eventually

I think Vanquish would be a good example of game design that works for casuals and masters of the mechanics alike.

Yo this was some fantastic stuff Nick! My favorite action game is probably The Wonderful 101. I love how it deals with mastery of it's mechanics in a much different way than most of the games you looked at. There is really only one attack button but having to change weapons by creating different shapes on screen and doing this on the fly, while also learning what is effective against certain enemies, was something so unique and I just adored it.

Dante and Ryu on the thumbnail. The main character from both of my favorite action game series. Love it

beat ninja gaiden 2 without taking damage - you are now ready to face chuck norris, bruce lee and muhhamad ali 1v3

I agree with everything in this video, but there is one thing missing in this discussion. It never tackled "teaching tools". These games, especially DMC, had teaching tools that allowed you to get to know the mechanics.

I love DMC, i only played 3 but i know this whole series is amazing. Look at playable Vergil in DMC3, you can use Beowulf's backward attack (RB+walking backwards+Y) to launch enemy and character in the air, you can wait and use Yamato's air slash to damage enemy or stick with Beowulf, wait for enemy to fall a little bit and then us starfall, you can also use Yamato's back attack to launch enemy in the air then jump and use air slash or just stick with basic combo. This game gives you freedom and it feels amazing.

Other games that really push the mastery aspect are stealth and sim racers for me. Mastery of Dirt Rally or Splinter Cell/Dishonoured goes beyond just being capable, but performing flawlessly is on a whole 'nother level.

I remember when Ninja Gaiden Black sent me to Ninja Dog mode. it was a humbling experience. I eventually able to beat the game. I need to play that game again.

You describe so beautifully why character action games are so satisfying!

God hand, vanquish and the wonderful 101 can be connected to the cycle of mastery

I remember playing Ninja Gaiden when I was a little kid and I remember it being extremely easy. So recently picked it up again and it's firmly kicked my ass ever since I started playing again😊

in Italy we call this genere "stylish" beacuse your fighting style make the game a great experience

Bayonetta can disrespect me anytime!

Phenomenal video. Every dev should watch this, seriously. It's bang on accurate in how great action games refrain from being boring and repetitive. Too many devs fail to understand this and think shoving in more fetch quests or creating a massive map is the key to a great game.

Absolutely wonderful job.this video holds true with every last fact and i realized how accurate you were with your descriptions as i had played bayonetta 1 and found myself constantly restarting levels in order to learn enemy patterns and gain higher scores all while constantly trying to improve my combos to make them longer and more effective. I love what you're doing and honestly cannot wait to see the rest of your videos. Thank you so much for making this

0:51 "To be clear..." You know, what I mean? 😏 "2B clear..."

Man your contents quality is beyond amazing! You definitely deserve more subscribers!

Wow, that actually helped me understand the underlying mechanics of these games. Especially the ones mentioned in the video. I struggled hard in NGS because I just kept on using Flying Swallow so I'd like to play it again with a different mindset.

Devil May Cry 3 and 4 are two of my favorite games of all time and I live to see my screen get shot to a thousand pieces at the end of a Dante Must Die level. Even just things like that, these games encourage you in subtle ways. No one wants an Enzo statue in Bayonetta you want to keep playing that level until you get that Rodan statue at least.

Not exactly the same style of action game, but Kingdom Hearts 2 on its highest difficulty(LV1 Critical) does a great job of making all options useful to the player while providing great challenge. The (mostly) seamless magic/physical combo system does a great job of empowering you and making combos eye candy, even if you don't get points or a style meter.

DMC: ROYAL GUARD ROYAL GUARD ROYAL GUARD Bayonetta: ALMOST, SO CLOSE, YOURE MAKING IT EASY, SEE YA Gaiden: *spams ultimate technique*

>thinks ”i’m pretty good at bayonetta” >see donguri play bayonetta >thinks ”i suck at bayonetta”

Nioh has some crazy deep mechanics for an action rpg.

Also, getting dmc3 for the switch is entirely worth it for the freestyle mode in my opinion. Having access to the 4 main styles through the entire game is so much fun just as it is in dmc 4

It's actually the 4 Cycles of Mastery: TrickSwordGunGuard.

I love this genre so much, absolutely styling on your enemies is so much fun fr

Fantastic video! Can't wait to try DMC some time. Basically the only action spectacle fighter thing I haven't played :)

Without flying Swallow, Ninja Gaiden would be near impossible for me

Sun Tzu said that and I'd say he knows a little more about fighting than you do pal because he invented it. And then he perfected it so that no living man could best him in the wring of honour.

I loved everything in this video also I like how you used rules of nature from metal gear rising revengence

Love that you are back making some banging vids

0:50 "And 2B clear,.." oh you sly man

These kind of games are the inspiration for my own upcoming game's combat with a bit of super robot/ kaiju flare

Now this is my kind of video. Fantastic work all around. Bayonetta and Wonderful 101 still remains my top favorite titles due to its stylish and rewarding mechanics. I can never get enough of these types of games in general.

Ah yes, a Nickolai upload. A rare breed of video, but one that is amongst the most exquisite of its kind. *obnoxious kiss on the fingers that makes you believe I'm cultured*

When it comes to Ninja Gaiden Black/Sigma and 2/Sigma 2, I'm happy just for finishing the level

Ninja Gaiden can suffer a little from first order optimum strategy. The Izuna Drop and the flying swallow are moves that I do spam the most in the game. Even on harf mode. Not as bad as other games, but it does happen sometimes This is something that will get me a lot of flack. But DmC Devil May Cry does have a system I love. Where you can start one combo with one weapon and end the same combo with a different weapon. Since you can easily switch weapons and the similar inputs (but different results). Though enemy AI's are very passive and attack you less whe they are off screen. Also keep in mind, as much as I love DmC Devil May Cry, it isn't as good as DMC5. That game is still much better

I hope your channel soon blows up, this was amazing.

you just got yourself a sub...great video...for me its Ninja Gaiden all day..the feeling of going into a battle and beating hard foes without being touched is what I imagine real ninjas felt.... Also I loved how team ninja handled difficulty ..the didn't just up the enemies damage and hp...but rather made you play a different game..new enemy types..new groups new bosses weapons at different points....I wished every game did it like that

and with this you earned a new sub and as for my favourite action title it's most definitely Ninja Gaiden 2 although Devil May Cry 4 Special is a very close second

I really hope this channel grows!

Love you videos man!! I really do wonder why you only have few views despite having great content :

2:24 Dante from Dante's inferno is an actual chad though, he fought and trapped satan with his brute strength and didn't hide behind a broken insta-kill block mechanic.

First of all, great video on hack n' slash gameplay style. Now some personally silly stuff * breaths in * I'd like to go parallel-y to another line of thought. Ever thought of whether you are playing a game wrong or different than how the devs envisioned/didn't emphasize on that much? Because how I experienced these games are a child were playing them as action-adventure games. As in, God of War style. 2nd mission in DMC3SE kicked my ass, so the game turned down the difficulty for me to easy. I rarely got an S, and conserved the green healing stones/gems like a survival horror game. I also played DMC4 on Human, though I got more S this time since Nero was very casual friendly. But I love these games to death. They are a big part of my teenage years because their style, aesthetics and tone. It was after playing Castlevania Aria of Sorrow and Rogue Legacy did the idea of "skillful play" clicked with me. _"Being able to overcome an enemy that is already defeated"._ I went with this ideology in Metal Gear Rising, and OH BOI it was satisfying. All bosses test you on the skills you've learned in the game and test you on that, with final one being the ultimate challenge. My jaw dropped when it defeated it. Then playing the game on harder difficulty with no damage and it suddenly became a whole new game, because how much I needed to shift my strategy to ensure I don't get hit. On another unrelated note, I HIGHLY recommend watching LambHoot's video on God of War 3. He makes some fascinating observations on action games.

Nice video dude enjoyed

Prince of Persia warrior within was a great hack n slash/charecter action game But it suffered from a huge first order optimal strategy problem

exactly how my soul feels. Subbed!

TRULY good video sir. Strong Incite, I learned a lot from even as an action game enthusiast myself.

I'm sorry but all I could think about during this vid is about Being tracked by a starving beast Looking for its daily feast A predator on the verge of death Close to it's last breath Getting close to it's last breath RULES OF NATURE!!!!

This video was great and makes me want to play all these games again lol

i knew i recognized that dmc4 gameplay lmao vash nice

Great video subbed

Spam this video to everyone who says DMC and Bayonetta are reliant on button mashing

7:08 it's insane to think this was a original xbox title from 2004!

I love this video Great work

'How Japanese Action Games Encourage Skill'

This is impressively stated. Gaming creators should take note. I just recently startef getting into dmc but omg Ninja Gaiden though....i have never played any game with more player focus and mechanic mastery than Ninja fucking Gaiden. I put it so many hours in my childhood to get good and still haven't finished Master Ninja. My heart is still breaking knowing we dont have a true Ninja Gaiden on Ps4 or Xbone. Very informative my friend. Gamers have the knowledge on what makes games great.

This is probably my favorite video on youtube, great job! These are my favorite games and you have a very good understanding of them. Im so happy to see someone analyzing these types of games so perfectly. p.s What do u think about the new Devil May Cry 5 trailer?

Just one thing on Ninja Gaiden. The Izuna drop is very unsafe on Very Hard & Master Ninja. Enemies (I'm looking at you she-cats) will routinely swipe you out the air while your performing the start of the technique. The flying swallow is INCREDIBLY unsafe because enemies will directly counter it like the bayonet-weilding army men. Most at higher levels will dodge it relatively easily leaving you vulnerable. Having played DMC1-3 and Bayonetta all on the highest difficulties I feel as if Ninja Gaiden has the best combat in my opinion. Incredibly fluid, difficult, rewarding, and immersive. The control starts to feel like a medium with which YOU jump YOU slash & YOU dodge.

Astral chain is one of them It's has dodge offset like bayonetta And mastering stuff like sync attacks And legion skills makes an otherwise Simple games very complicated

Finally, a guy that can commentate, correctly analyse and actually go pro at the game

Those are my top 3 favorite action games too 😎👍🏾👍🏾

I am used to calling this genre "Hack and Slash" since the first Devil May Cry game I played. Maybe calling it Action Hack and Slash is better because Action seems way too broad. Most FPS games are action, but they are not in the same category.

this was great. As a developer I have contemplated this for years

Power and motivation. I see, vergil is a combat game lover too

DMC3 & NG2 top notch

transformers devastation as a platinum game has already exceeded my love apart from bayo and mgr . even though it lacks in some areas.... ahem ahem level design and arbitrary rpg elements , this game has a ton of nuances and mechanical complexity in order to be stylish and play efficiently. my man don't overlook this one

When I play these action games, I never really put time into understanding the mechanics but I always try to use different sorts of combos instead of just pressing the same one over and over again.

*rules of nature playing the background* Nice

I’m still dying for Bayonetta 3

So gooood video!

Never realized how underrated ninja guiden is

I love the videos of people playing as dante and getting them sick combos but personally I loved nero much more especially in the fight against credo.

THANK YOU

"To be clear" *shows NieR Automata gameplay*

Dmc4 at the end was.... Whoo

i love how these 3 games are xbox, ps2, and nintendo exclusives

I love Ninja Gaiden, they are the best action games ever made and i don't think it's even close. But if you are so inclined you can actually beat practically all of NG/S1 and NG/S2 by spamming Ultimate Technique and all of NG3RE by spamming Graveyard Spin, aka scythe 360. But i mean, that's if you want to be "that guy".

Ninja gaiden is a rare case since the combat also relys on the environment. With raiden's wall run and the follow up moves. The environment are also not just insta I win situations like sleepong dogs or batman arkham knight

Can you make more videos? I thoroughly enjoyed this video, if possible could you make some videos about card games like hearthstone/mtg/pokemon?

My personal favorite Hack n Slash are always Devil May Cry (not DmC), Bayonetta, Ninja Gaiden and God of War. Goddamn, i miss God of War as a Hack n Slash game...

I love the DMC series.

Well well well, if it ain't ol' Nicko coming out here walking up fsmashin with a video.

Not sure if your still reading the comments, but I enjoy the combat in Castlevania lords of shadow , The reason is due to three different systems. You have the light and Shadow Magic system the focus system from perfect blocking and keeping up combos, and the traditional sub weapon system. You can utilizing these systems together to create something that I've never experienced with these games and I've played them all the ones you listed. That's what made Lords of Shadow unique, I didn't need a bunch of different weapons, I have one main weapon bundled with sub weapons with Magic that buff them in interesting ways that also could deal double damage to certain enemies so that was good to know . It gets talked down but playing with the toolset in los made me think highly of it.

Ninja Gaiden Now on pc june 10

Outrun 2 and that drift is mastery

U deserve more subs

I haven't played Devil May Cry, Bayonetta, or 3D Ninja Gaiden yet, but I do love Kingdom Hearts and No More Heroes so I'll definitely play those other games eventually