The Best Hand-To-Hand Combat In Open-World Games

There are a lot of open-world games available now, so new ones really need something special to stand out. Some try to do that with powerful weapons, while others focus on simpler, close-up fighting. However, even with so many options, surprisingly few games make fighting with your fists a central part of the experience.

Many of the greatest open-world games offer fantastic close-quarters combat that’s both fun to play and watch. If you enjoy the thought of powerfully defeating enemies with your bare hands, here are some new games to keep an eye on.

While ‘hand-to-hand combat‘ can actually include weapons, for this discussion, we’re specifically looking at open-world games where fighting with your fists is the main focus. That means we’re leaving out games like Ghost of Tsushima and Middle-earth: Shadow of War. Where Winds Meet could potentially fit the bill once it adds gauntlets in a future update.

7. Absolver

Online-Focused Brawler With Great Hand-To-Hand Combat

I wasn’t sure whether to include Absolver because its world isn’t very large and isn’t fully open. However, you still have freedom to explore the areas, whether you play alone or with others. While initially described as a fist-fighting version of Dark Souls, Absolver actually became something special and unique. The game centers around martial arts and different fighting styles, offering a complex and customizable combat system that rewards skill and practice more than just having strong stats.

In Absolver, you’ll journey to find and battle other martial artists. Combat focuses on well-timed attacks, strategic positioning, and predicting your opponent’s moves. It’s a challenging game to start – the first few hours can be quite difficult – but you’ll steadily improve as you learn.

Honestly, the online scene isn’t as lively as it used to be, and it feels like the single-player part is mostly just there to teach you the ropes for the online battles. That said, you can still probably spend a few hours enjoying the offline mode if you’re looking for something to do.

6. Yakuza 0

A Great Entry Point Into The Yakuza Series With Sublime Beat-Em-Up Gameplay

If you’re new to the Yakuza series, Yakuza 0 is a fantastic place to start. It boasts a compelling story, memorable characters, and an enjoyable combat system that will easily keep you playing for many hours. The game lets you experience the story through two main characters, Kiryu and Majima, each with their own unique fighting style. Kiryu is a strong and reliable fighter, while Majima is wilder and more unpredictable, fighting like a ferocious animal.

The game begins with characters having limited abilities, but players gradually unlock powerful moves and a unique fighting style for each one. Successfully pulling off impressive attacks, like Majima’s stabs or Kiryu’s suplexes, feels incredibly rewarding after investing time and money into developing their fighting skills.

5. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth (Tifa)

Tifa Is One Of The Most Iconic Fisticuffs Fighters Of All Time

You can technically complete Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth‘s 50+ hour campaign without fighting at all, but you could also spend most of it just using your fists. This second game in the remake series goes fully open-world, making it the most expansive and ambitious Final Fantasy 7 game yet. Similar to the first remake, Rebirth lets you switch between characters, and Tifa is a key member of the party for much of the story.

All the characters are well-designed, but Tifa is arguably the most fun to play, especially after Cloud. Her fighting style focuses on movement, smooth transitions, and chaining attacks together, similar to the combat in games like Sleeping Dogs or Like a Dragon, but more refined. Not only is it enjoyable, but Tifa truly shines when you learn to time your attacks perfectly.

4. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

The Two Spider-Men Boast Some Amazing Moves In Combat

I was so hyped for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and it did not disappoint! Being able to play as both Peter Parker and Miles Morales was amazing, and they really made each of them feel distinct. They don’t control totally differently, but their fighting styles are awesome. Peter is all about going on the offensive, while Miles focuses on stunning enemies and dealing quick, powerful damage. Honestly, both of their movesets felt deep enough to support their own separate games, so it was great to have both in one!

While opinions are divided, Spider-Man 2‘s combat is a clear improvement over previous games. It’s deeper and more engaging, but still easy to pick up and looks fantastic. The new Symbiote and Iron Arm powers are really satisfying, and the ability to parry adds another layer of strategy. Enemies are also a bit more challenging, behaving in less predictable ways. Unlike many melee-focused games, Spider-Man 2 encourages players to use aerial moves and rewards skillful combat with the ability to take on large groups of enemies with flair.

3. Lost Judgment

The Most Polished Real-Time Combat By RGG Studio

When the main Yakuza games changed to turn-based battles, the Judgment spin-offs kept the exciting, action-packed fighting that RGG Studio was known for, and Lost Judgment was the last game in that style. While recent Yakuza games have gone back to action combat, Lost Judgment is still considered the best example of it.

While Yagami might not have the same captivating personality as other heroes in the Yakuza series, he more than makes up for it with his incredible fighting skills. Players can seamlessly switch between fighting styles, unleashing powerful Heat Moves and chaining together complex attacks. Once you’ve upgraded his abilities, Yagami becomes an unstoppable force against anyone who dares to challenge him.

We also want to highlight Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise, another excellent fighting game from Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio.

2. Sleeping Dogs

A Brutal Hand-To-Hand Combat System Heavily Inspired By The Arkham Series

Sleeping Dogs successfully demonstrated that an open-world game like Grand Theft Auto could be built around intense hand-to-hand combat, provided the gameplay is excellent. Heavily influenced by Hong Kong action movies, the game features a compelling cop story set in the 1990s, complete with impactful and enjoyable action sequences.

A highlight of Sleeping Dogs is its incredibly satisfying hand-to-hand combat, which feels similar to the Arkham games but is much more violent. It’s always fun to grab enemies and use your surroundings to take them down, and while guns are available, they don’t distract from the exciting close-combat focus.

1. Batman: Arkham Knight

The Most Polished And Feature-Rich Version Of Arkham’s Iconic Combat

Man, the first Arkham Asylum totally changed how games did hand-to-hand fighting, it was a huge deal. Rocksteady kept building on that in the next two games, and each one felt even smoother and more satisfying than the last. Honestly, while I think Arkham City is the better overall game, Arkham Knight just has the best combat system of the three. It’s just so polished and feels amazing to use.

The combat in Arkham Knight is incredibly smooth and refined, letting you move seamlessly from one enemy to another. Batman feels remarkably responsive, and the game expertly balances exciting, cinematic action with precise control. You’ll face a variety of enemies that keep the challenges fresh, and you improve your skills through practice and mastering the combat system, not just by leveling up.

2026-01-26 02:07