Summary

  • Demon hunters rely on blessed weapons and supernatural abilities to combat evil effectively.
  • Video game villains like demons challenge players as menacing antagonists.
  • Characters like the Doom Slayer and Dante display ruthless efficiency in exterminating demonic forces.

One of the more classic enemies to face in video games is demons. They tend to spread their mayhem and corruption wherever they wake for human flesh or souls. They are born of evil, which is why one of the more consistent solutions to their extermination is those who specialize in hunting them down.

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Demon hunters are usually tasked with taking down their targets through deals or requests. Demons might even target the demon hunters themselves to thwart their possible preparation. The more effective arsenal for demon hunters involves blessed weapons like the cross, stakes, and holy water. Other hunters are more enthusiastic to load bullets into regular guns, including shotguns and assault rifles. The more special hunters tend to use both options while having supernatural strength and reactions, fighting fire with fire.

10 Bloodstained: Ritual Of The Night

Crystallized Curse

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
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Action RPG
Metroidvania
Side-scroller
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8 /10

Released
June 18, 2019
Developer(s)
ArtPlay
Publisher(s)
505 Games
Franchise
Bloodstained
Genre(s)
Action RPG, Metroidvania, Side-scroller
OpenCritic Rating
Strong

Bloodstained: Ritual Of The Night follows Miriam’s awakening to her cursed fate. She’s conditioned as a Shardbinder, a user with crystals embedded in their body for demonic power. Since she has no memory, she’s forced to explore the ominous castle for answers while using her powers to extinguish the evil in her way.

She can fight 'bare-handed' with her kicks, though she can craft other weapons to boost her utility. Despite the memory loss, she’s skilled in using various weapons like knives, swords, whips, spears, and even firearms. Resources are required to make her desired weapons, forcing her to defeat enemies to earn their dropped loot. In her later adventures, she uses the whip for extra horizontal range to protect her partnered allies.

9 Soul Hackers 2

Demonic Bond

Soul Hackers 2
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JRPG
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Released
August 26, 2022
Developer(s)
Atlus
Publisher(s)
Atlus, Sega
Genre(s)
JRPG
OpenCritic Rating
Strong

Soul Hackers 2 is the latest entry for the Shin Megami Tensei spinoff, Devil Summoner. It revolves around the secret connection between humans and demons, letting them interact without the public noticing. There are those who train to use the demon’s power through the COMPs, a gauntlet to utilize demonic abilities.

The franchise plays similarly to other monster-catching titles, pitting the player's own demons against various enemies, though in Souls Hackers 2, the summoner can also fight alongside their summoned creatures. Soul Hackers 2 changes its battle formula by also letting the user fuse with their chosen demon for enhanced stats and skills. The playable party can switch their demons to target the enemies' weaknesses while defending their weak spots.

8 Diablo 3

Balance Between Heaven And Hell

Diablo 3
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Action RPG
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Released
September 3, 2013
Developer(s)
Blizzard
Publisher(s)
Blizzard
Franchise
Diablo
Platform(s)
PC, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, Switch
Genre(s)
Action RPG
OpenCritic Rating
Mighty

Diablo 3 focuses on the perspective of the Nephalem, a being with both divine and hellish relations. Their existence shifts the tension between the angelic and demonic forces in the Great Conflict. This fate forces them to challenge supernatural beings and fall amidst a grand war as they begin their adventure through the Mortal Realm.

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The Nephalem is customizable, with several available classes that range from a barbarian for physical attacks, a monk for blessed attacks, and a wizard for magical attacks. Demon Hunters are another available class that raises their zoning capabilities with crossbows and explosives.

7 Darksiders 3

Enraged Hunt

Darksiders 3
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Action RPG
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Released
November 27, 2018
Developer(s)
Gunfire Games
Publisher(s)
THQ Nordic
Franchise
Darksiders
Platform(s)
PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC, Stadia
Genre(s)
Action RPG
OpenCritic Rating
Fair

Darksiders 3 gives its spotlight to Fury, one of the four horseman. The Four Riders serve under the Charred Council to portray rightful balance under their grand rule. Using their bestowed power lets them complete several missions that force them to fight various races, especially against those from heaven and the abyss. What sours their name is how they even fought their kin race, the Nephilim.

After War and Death stray from the Charred Council’s rule, Fury is given the quest to hunt the Seven Deadly Sins on the apocalyptic Earth. She obediently goes to Earth to accomplish her quest, making her combat demonic and blessed beings with her trusty blade whip.

6 Shin Megami Tensei 4

The Bushido

Shin Megami Tensei IV
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JRPG
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Released
July 16, 2013
Developer(s)
Atlus
Publisher(s)
Atlus, Deep Silver
Franchise
Shin Megami Tensei
Platform(s)
3DS
Genre(s)
JRPG

Shin Megami Tensei 4 takes place in Mikado, protected by an army of samurai. The samurai are tasked with eliminating the demons that invade their home kingdom. Those who turn eighteen can participate in the Gauntlet Rite to earn the right of samurai with the gauntlet to summon demons and gain aid from the Burrough.

The gauntlet doesn’t just let the samurai control and summon demons, but also fuse and whisper. The Fusion app can create a desired stronger demon by fusing multiple demons with certain fusion methods. Demon whisper gives the user access to a demon’s skills, strengthening their available utility. Both of these options give the samurai enough to make the perfect party to push back the dark evil.

5 Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2

Bound By Legacy

Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2
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Released
March 26, 2013
Platform(s)
PlayStation 3, PS Vita

Ninja Gaiden focuses on the Hayabusa clan, whose bloodline is linked to the Dragon Lineage Legacy. The chosen clansmen have trained as ninjas since childhood to protect their people and their ancient legacy against the demonic fiends. Ryu was the elite ninja with the most promise to satisfy the Hayabusa name. Following his bloodline allows him to wield the Dragon Blade, an ancient weapon passed through several generations of the Hayabusa clan.

Ryu uses his main ancient sword and ninpo techniques to annihilate anyone threatening his home clan, including other ninjas and fiends. He can even use other weapons like dual swords and claws to change his agile fighting style, which is needed to face the more dangerous threats like the great archfiends.

4 Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba The Hinokami Chronicles

Breathtaking Techniques

Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles
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Fighting
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Released
October 16, 2021
Developer(s)
CyberConnect2
Publisher(s)
Sega
Franchise
Demon Slayer
Platform(s)
PS4
Genre(s)
Fighting

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba The Hinokami Chronicles pits the well-trained Demon Slayer Corps against the bloodthirsty demons. They use breathing techniques to unleash stylistic sword attacks to barely match a demon’s strength. Since humans are much weaker, the demon slayers always need to team up with a partner to catch up to a ranked demon.

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The demons’ most dangerous abilities are their superstrength and limitless energy. They’re the only fighters who can recover health mid-combat, making their mistakes less committal. Since they fight by themselves, they’re equipped with blood demon arts for enhanced attacks like projectiles. The demon slayers have to work together with their close-range skills to catch the night-based distant fighters.

3 Devil May Cry 5

Pizza-loving Demon Hunter

Devil May Cry 5
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Released
March 8, 2019
Developer(s)
Capcom
Publisher(s)
Capcom
Franchise
Devil May Cry
Genre(s)
Action
OpenCritic Rating
Mighty

Devil May Cry is Dante's business for eliminating any demon endangering the world, since it includes his customers. Despite his opponent’s menacing strength, he still nonchalantly talks down to his opponent before confidently engaging. His most loyal companions are Rebellion, Ebony, and Ivory. His usual sword and guns never fail with his ever-changing fighting style, but he can take other weapons to make himself more dangerous.

Dante prefers to do his missions solo, though others, like Lady, Trish, and Nero, still aid him for their own reasons. They have their different strengths, like Lady’s excellent gun-wielding or Nero’s devastating grabs. There are moments when the big-mouth hunter is forced to accept assistance in dire situations, including from his own relatives.

2 Doom Eternal

Unstoppable Rage

DOOM Eternal
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Released
March 20, 2020
Developer(s)
id Software
Publisher(s)
Bethesda
Franchise
DOOM
Genre(s)
FPS, Action
OpenCritic Rating
Mighty

Doom Eternal sees the Earth crawling with demonic invaders, but even on the verge of conquering the planet, the demons still fear the efforts of one individual: the Doom Slayer. Doom Eternal surprisingly explores the lore of the Doom franchise quite a bit, delving into an ancient order of demon slayers and the past of Doom Guy himself.

The player's time will almost entirely be devoted to one thing: hunting the demons down and tearing them apart. Doom Slayer makes the hellish creatures fear his existence. The demons’ best strategy is the war of attrition, hoping to take down the Doom Slayer with their large numbers. Their efforts prove little against the Doom Slayer’s most effective tactic: ripping and tearing through demonic flesh. He uses a large supply of diverse weapons in his relentless mission, including the incredible Crucible Blade, though sometimes his best weapons are his fists with the right powerup.

1 Super Castlevania 4

Lineage Of Darkness Vanquishers

Super Castlevania IV
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Action-Adventure
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Released
December 4, 1991
Developer(s)
Konami
Publisher(s)
Konami
Franchise
Castlevania
Platform(s)
PC, SNES, PS4, Switch, Xbox One
Genre(s)
Action-Adventure

Castlevania is a long-running series that involves a generational family challenging the immortal source of evil, Count Dracula. Each Belmont has trained to track down the Prince of Darkness, exploring through his decrepit castle filled with the vampire’s minions and traps. They face many obstacles to eliminate the mastermind of evil, even dealing with his castle being flipped over.

The Belmonts host different weapons to fight against the corrupted dark forces like their cross, knives, axes, and trusty whip. Each Belmont houses their own preferred weapons and techniques, widening their utilities. As the immortal vampire grew stronger, the newer generation of Belmonts gained allies to join their grand quest, including Dracula’s son.

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