I though Dark Messiah had great combat all round. Honestly, I'm kinda sorry now that I never finished it. Maybe one day I'll try again. It was not a perfect game by any stretch, but combat itself was one of the best I've seen.

The Riddick games... I love them, they are absolutely great. But the melee combat itself never sat quite right with me. Maybe I just wasn't very good at it, but I always felt a bit panicky when it came to trading blows, not sure if I'm doing it right at all.

I've heard the combat is kind of broken and that the optimal strategy is to just spam the kick on all the enemies, that it's more efficient than trying to go for a fair fight.

I can overlook that, the combat in Prince of Persia is broken in a similar manner and I just don't use the overpowered move, but it's a bit of a let down to have to intentionally limit yourself, if that's the case.

No, as far as I know. But I've always wanted to play one. I guess I can cross off Vermintide from that list now.

I mean, Dark Messiah of M&M is as close as it gets for me, but it wasn't the design of the melee combat system, it was the game around it - cliffs and spikes and throwable objects everywhere. Basically, the environment covered for it. Oh, and there's also Dishonored, same developer, better melee, needs more spikes :p

I thought Skyrim was a step down from Oblivion, due to the camera always following the motion. What moron looks away from the opponent just to trace the arc of his own weapon?

Had really high hopes for Zeno Clash, but it was a depressingly bad experience. I played the second one, though.

Oni

I know its 3rd person, but it feels like 1st person anyway. :)

The best ones always seem to be TPS to me. Most FPS ones (and even TPS ones) don't seem to be all that great with melee combat.

Hands down, the best one I've played for melee combat in either TPS or FPS thus far is the Witcher series, and the later the installment, the better it gets.

The inherent problem with first person melee combat is in perspective and representation of three dimensional space on a two dimensional surface.

Shooters are okay because bullets close the gap between the target and the player. Third person brawlers are okay because the do a greater job of establishing the relationship between the player and the space around them.

First person melee struggle for not having either one of these crutches but, that is not to say that it can't be done--as you can clearly see all the great suggestions already made--but, perhaps this offers some insight as to why it is a difficult thing to pull off and more fail at it than succeed.

First person melee combat could potentially be brilliant in a VR setting, however--for simply eschewing the aforementioned limitations.

EDIT
In case you missed it; Chivalry: Medieval Warfare is free to own on Steam right now :O

I agree, the witcher's combat is pretty ok, though I like the first one's combat the most for some reason.

Another one I remember is 4d boxing

While default is side-by-side, its really possible to switch into true 1st person and box from this view!

However, it depends, if this implementation of the boxing may tier with "really well".


Edit: Here is the video! https://youtu.be/QRAUeyWRVIw?t=1m41s

Well, Team Fortress 2 has lots of melee weapons for different classes. Many even choose to play as "demo knights", ie. demomen who are merely using a sword or similar (not using grenade launchers at all).

Depends on how you look at it. The devs were obviously in love with the idea of kicking enemies to their doom, and so they put a myriad of deathtraps in the levels. But, they're not everywhere, and kicking isn't some magical press-a-button-to-win move, you still have to time it, position yourself, and catch them off guard. Sometimes kicking Orcs off a cliff is the most efficient way :)

I didn't think to mention Chivalry, because even though Vermintide is a MP game, it's PvE, while Chivalry is PvP (or versus bots). However, like others mentioned, it's probably the most robust FP melee system currently available. Apparently the devs are doing a not-quite-a-sequel, which is (pleasant) news to me.

Another one for Condemned. Many different weapons that all feel so realistic that I hesitate before I smack someone in the head with a rusty pipe.

I'm also going to say that it is actually the only good one I've seen so far, say, I don't really like how the new Shadow Warriors handle the katana.

I don't think any game seriously tried. Or maybe one did but I haven't played it.

And I also don't think the perspective is a real problem. Yes it makes it a little harder to estimate distances, but you learn. I used to think the berserk in doom is useless.. but now that I know how to punch, it's awesome.

In any case, you need to learn your moves and opponents' hitboxes in 2D & third person games too. It's just a little easier, maybe.

Shadow Warrior 2013 "works" but the repertoire of moves is very limited. And the way you control the swing direction is poorly implemented imho, or I just haven't figured it out yet entirely. With slow and wide directional motions it's possible to set the direction quite accurately and reliably, but in the heat of a battle these motions turn into quick flicks and the game does an incredibly poor job of keeping track.

Headshotting people with the Divider of Heavens is great.

metal gear solid, it felt very real snapping some scumbags neck in that game. you could really feel it.


uh, i sound really creepy now

Even though it had just as much an emphasis on gunplay, Red Steel 2 still has the most satisfying first person swordplay I've ever experienced.