What is a Hack & Slash

I was thinking the same thing, but I also find the names to be interchangeable since they're so similar. Kinda like how some things go by multiple names (e.g. soda, coke, and pop, or  yard sales, lawn sales, and garage sales).

I always thought of "Hack 'n' Slash" as a sub-genre of the Beat-'em-Up genre.

Final Fight & Double Dragon are classic beat-'em-ups.

When I hear the term "Hack 'n' Slash", I tend to think of games more along the lines of Devil May Cry or most Onimusha games. (I guess the "Warriors" series games count too)

I never considered that term a genre unto itself, more just a descriptor of how the gameplay is, if anything. Diablo is an RPG with hack and slash gameplay. Devil May Cry is an action game with hack and slash gameplay. The term itself doesn't describe any one thing in the language I use.

Cool people are talking about this, I like many of your thoughts, especially the whole "sub-genre" thing... I can live with that. It's just back in the days (dam I sound old when I day that lol) things were more defined (IMO)... but I could just be romanticizing the past.

It must have passed me by when the term Hack&Slash became so murky... like the overly abused word "ironic" (but not as bad lol)

I haven't heard the term hack and slash in forever. I don't even remember what people used it for.

I think back then people used hack and slash and beat'em up to describe the style of action. Streets of Rage and Final Fight were beat'em ups, while Castlevania would have been a Hack'n Slash, probably.

Basically, Streets of Rage and Final Fight have you brawling, and you duke it out one enemy at a time, and one enemy might take about 10-25 seconds to beat. A hack and slash would have you basically anywhere, with a melee weapon, killing enemies left and right.

That's the thing, what you just described (and the games you named), IMO, are beat'em up games... in most of the hack n' slash games like baldur's gate and diablo, you don't need to eliminate ALL enemies to unlock progression (unless said enemies were key to the story) , you could run away if you want (though I would rather kill 'em all).

 Again (as I have said in my above comments), I can except all the games that are mentioned above are "beat 'em ups" with "hack 'n slash" elemnts but I (personally) cannot except them as pure hack 'n slashes.

yup all opinions, as I have said before the the term "hack 'n slash" has become so diluted that too many people have slapped that label onto their games.

now about commenting on your comment, I can only comment on what was there... I, in no way consider "eliminate to unlock the progression" to be the ONLY defining feature of a beat 'em up... cuase you are right, that would include too many games, but I can only comment on what was written.

there are many different qualities of beat 'em ups like; limited item drops (mainly just health, magic (or stamina), temporary weapons... but nothing permanent. Only in recent years have permanent items have been introduced but they are hardly enemy drops, they are usually story items. there is also the combo system (though in the early years of beat 'em ups, combos weren't so big) or at least the ability to string combos together... there are other things that define beat 'em ups but I don't feel it is extremely necessary to name them all.

Now you say bulders gate is strategy? there really is no strategy in that game (well not much). That game is the epitome of hack 'n slash... when I was younger (dam I hate saying that), that was what a hack 'n slash was, you would mindlessly beat mobs, gain weapons, armor and treasure from enemy drops.

This is my opinion, if you don't get weapons, armor and items as drops from enemies I personally don't consider it a hack 'n slash... though this does not mean other games cannot be part of the hack 'n slash genre I just feel it would be considered a sub class.

Again this is just one person's opinion, so please don't jump down my throat for it... I am not trying to convert people to my way of thinking, that would be stupid. I am not trying to push my views on anyone, people are free to see things the way they want. In the long run none of this really matters.

This thread made me realize that the term hack 'n slash has become a broad term for many games... not just the ones that I grew up with, I can see why but it just kinda suck to me that when I go to a gaming store and ask for a hack 'n slash rpg, I get confused looks...

this is never gonna end, so I'm just gonna stop posting... I have already said all I wanted to say in my previous posts.

Mind you I am not doing it because I feel bad or anything like that, but I truly think I've said everything I wanted to. If I continue I will just be saying the same thing over and over again. so I am done "so long, and thanks for all the fish"