Games

Open-World Games That Have Complicated But Great Combat Systems

Published

8 hours ago

January 23, 2025

Christoph Rediske

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Summary

Table of Contents

Complex combat systems in open-world games can engage players seeking a challenge, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
Mastery of combat mechanics is crucial in games like Elden Ring and Kingdom Come: Deliverance, requiring players to learn and strategize.
Transitioning to new combat systems, like in Yakuza: Like a Dragon, can be difficult but rewarding with perseverance and understanding.

Most people assume that open-world games are as accessible as they come and try to cater to a wide audience. This makes it hard for these titles to boast anything even remotely complex that may not sit right with players who don’t want to spend a long time getting over this learning curve.

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These licensed open-world games are authentic and enjoyable for players interested in them.

However, as recent trends have proven, players also like to be challenged instead of enjoying a laid-back experience all the time. As a result, open-world games with complicated combat systems can strike a chord with these players and keep them engaged till the very end.

8

Elden Ring

The Soulsborne Combat Fit Perfectly In An Open-World Game

Systems

Released: February 25, 2022
OpenCritic Rating: Advertisement

Mighty

Elden Ring is one of the greatest open-world games ever made. The sheer amount of love players have for this title makes it clear that the sandbox experiment was a success, with players loving the combination of natural exploration and Soulsborne combat.

As one would expect from a FromSoftware action game, every battle is a tense affair as players try to avoid any needless damage while slowly chipping away at the health bars of tough bosses. Over time, the Tarnished will acquire more weapons and spells that players can use to diversify their moves and make the most of a compelling combat system.

7

Kingdom Come: Deliverance

The Combat Can Take A While To Master But It’s Worth The Effort To Learn

Released: February 13, 2018
Developer(s): Warhorse Studios
OpenCritic Rating: Fair

It’s easy for players to feel helpless at the start of Kingdom Come: Deliverance. Henry fits the role of being a blacksmith’s son with no skills to his name, leading to the player being killed quite handily by the weakest bandits around.

This makes it important for the player to get the training they need to wield a sword properly. They’ll eventually understand how to block attacks, strike at an opponent’s opening, and use both combos & master strikes to take on multiple opponents at once without breaking a sweat.

6

Yakuza: Like A Dragon

The Turn-Based Combat Is An Adjustment That Takes Some Time But Feels Natural After A Point

Systems

Released: November 10, 2020
OpenCritic Rating: Mighty

The real-time combat of the Yakuza series was easy to understand, with players loving the simplicity of beating down foes and using Heat Moves to tear them apart. However, with the shift to a turn-based system, players unfamiliar with this combat system had to endure an uphill climb.

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Yakuza: Like a Dragon is one of the hardest games in the series because of this gameplay shift, making it important for players to switch jobs and grind at regular intervals to become stronger than ever before. Without mastering the intricacies of this turn-based combat system, players will be destroyed by the advent of certain difficulty spikes that can catch them unawares.

5

Kenshi

Combat Is Strategic And Takes A While To Master

Released: December 6, 2018
OpenCritic Rating: Advertisement

Strong

Kenshi is an open-world game that doesn’t shy away from throwing players into the world without any guidance. Something as simple as moving from one city to another is a death sentence for unskilled players who explore the world on their own only to be handily defeated by the game’s weakest enemy.

This makes it important for players to grind up their stats just enough to be effective at using weapons. Players who don’t mind engaging in a bit of micromanagement can control their character’s movement in a tough battle to keep them out of reach for certain attacks before quickly jumping in for a few cheeky hits.

4

The Matchless Kungfu

Fantastic Turn-Based Combat That’s Complex Yet Incredible Satisfying

Platform: PC
Release Date: November 6, 2024
Developer: HuanMos Game

One of the most interesting games players can get their hands on, The Matchless Kungfu can take a while for players to understand. It’s possible that the very first turn-based battle will lead to players being defeated handily.

At the heart of it, combat in The Matchless Kungfu employs an elaborate system of rock-paper-scissors that can be fun to engage with after a point. The first-ever victory players enjoy in this game is a rewarding one and sets the stage for an epic adventure where the world expands as players get stronger.

3

Monster Hunter: World

Like Every Other Monster Hunter Game, World’s Combat Is Varied And Complex

Systems

Released: January 26, 2018
OpenCritic Rating: Mighty

Monster Hunter: World is one of the biggest hits in this franchise, with the release on home consoles being a smart decision by Capcom. Many new players decided to give this game a shot, only to realize that the combat was more complex than they expected.

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Thankfully, the massive increase in new players led to the Monster Hunter: World community trying to be as supportive as possible, with many veterans teaming up with new players to show them the ropes and help them become experts in no time. Taking on a massive monster and bringing it down after a lengthy and grueling battle is a satisfying moment, and Monster Hunter: World is full of these epic battles.

2

Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord

Makes Some Changes To The Combat That Enhance Its Depth And Makes It Worth Mastering

Systems

Released: October 25, 2022
OpenCritic Rating: Strong
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The much-awaited Mount & Blade sequel that lets players do whatever they want in a medieval sandbox, Bannerlord makes some intriguing changes to the combat system that take a while to get used to. A battle can become increasingly complex in no time, forcing players to either come to grips with this system or die trying.

Eventually, after a few failures, players will slowly understand how to maximize the efficiency of each weapon type, use shields efficiently to defend themselves and fight on horseback for some cinematic battles. Players willing to put in the work will be hopelessly enamored by Bannerlord‘s intricacies in no time.

1

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

Players Must Exploit Weaknesses And Use Their ATB Bar Wisely To Make Battles More Manageable

Systems

Released: February 29, 2024
OpenCritic Rating: Advertisement

Mighty

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth has done a great job of integrating Synergy skills and an open world to make the second chapter of this game as engaging as possible. The real-time combat lets players take a breather as they select skills from a combat menu to use their ATB and defeat enemies in style.

Players can also map certain abilities to shortcuts that help combat flow smoothly. However, to come out victorious against the game’s toughest bosses, it’s important to understand how each party member works and use a combination of magic and other combat skills.