Third-Person Melee Combat (TPMC) / Third-Person Melee Action (TPMA)

1- Concept and Terminology

The Third-Person Melee Combat (TPMC) or Third-Person Melee Action (TPMA) is a sub-genre of third-person action/adventure video games. However, it is distinguished by specific characteristics, notably the use of melee weapons.

The camera adopts a perspective located behind and slightly above the player-controlled character (TPP « Third-Person Perspective »). This point of view is particularly common in action-adventure, RPG, Survival-horror, and other games.

The objective of this article is to demonstrate that TPMC has nothing to do with hack-and-slash games such as Devil May Cry, Metal Gear Rising, Stellar Blade, and Bayonetta, due to reasons of style which is truly very different (speed, hits, involvement of firearms, etc.).

The TPMC gameplay style resorts to this type of gameplay which is centered on close-quarters combat and features armies or groups clashing primarily with bladed weapons (such as swords, spears, axes, or other melee weapons), without recourse to firearms. These games feature medieval, fantastical, or historical worlds where firearms are absent or do not play a central role in combat for specific contexts.

2- Analysis

The objective of the article is to take some game examples to better understand the concept of TPMC. We can dissect the genre into historical periods which insist upon a choice of gameplay that pushes developers to choose a style based essentially on melee weapons. We will follow the historical chronology of the games and not their release chronology.

3- The Stamina System and its Relationship with TPMC Games

In TPMC games, the stamina system plays a fundamental role, especially when the player exclusively uses melee weapons to confront their adversaries. This system contributes above all to reinforcing immersion and realism.

• In reality, a fighter tires by performing repeated attacks, dodging, or running. Integrating this fatigue in the form of a stamina gauge makes confrontations more credible and more intense.
• For example, in the Dark Souls series, every action—whether an attack, a block, or a roll—consumes a portion of the stamina bar. The player must therefore carefully monitor this resource, as attacking without thinking can leave them vulnerable and unable to dodge an enemy counter-attack.
• This system also allows for good balancing of close-quarters combat. Without endurance, the player could chain blows unlimitedly, rendering the gameplay repetitive and unbalanced. Stamina introduces a form of natural regulation: when exhausted, the character becomes slow and vulnerable, which creates opportunities for the adversary to retaliate.
• In Monster Hunter: World, for example, powerful attacks with weapons like the great sword consume a lot of endurance. The player must then reflect on the right moment to launch a heavy strike, because a miscalculation can leave a dangerous opening for the monsters. This precise management gives the fights a deep strategic dimension and values the mastery of timing.
• The stamina system also influences the general rhythm of the gameplay. Instead of disorderly and continuous combat, it creates a natural alternation between phases of offense, defense, and recovery. The player must plan their actions carefully: attack when an opening presents itself, dodge to avoid enemy blows, then retreat to allow their stamina gauge to recover.
• In a game like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, the management of posture (which functions similarly to endurance) obliges the player to balance attack and defense to break the adversary's guard without needlessly exposing themselves. This gives the combat a fluid and tactical rhythm, where every decision counts.
• The third-person perspective further accentuates this importance, as it offers a clear view of the environment and the position of the enemies. Thanks to this camera, the player can better read the opposing movements, anticipate attacks, and manage distance effectively.
• In God of War (2018), for example, the stamina gauge is not as visible as in Dark Souls, but the management of fatigue translates into recovery times after heavy attacks and dodges. The player must use the camera and their positioning to strike at the right moment, while remaining attentive to their mobility and the combat space.
• Finally, the stamina system plays a key role in character progression and the customization of playstyle. As the adventure progresses, the player can often improve their stamina gauge, which allows them to perform more actions before running out of energy.
• In Elden Ring, for example, investing in the stamina statistic increases the capacity to wear heavier armor while maintaining good mobility, or to chain more attacks without pause. This strategic choice directly influences the manner in which the player confronts their enemies: a heavy and powerful character will rely on a few decisive strikes, while a light character will favor agility and dodging.

In short, the stamina system in third-person games relying solely on close-quarters combat is not a simple secondary mechanic: it structures the gameplay, balances confrontations, enriches strategy, and reinforces immersion. Emblematic games like Dark Souls, Monster Hunter, Sekiro, or God of War perfectly demonstrate how this energy gauge transforms every combat into a true tactical dance, where mastery of timing, distance, and resource management becomes the key to victory.

For the game Silent Hill F, the stamina system occupies a central place, although the game takes place in a modern era where firearms exist. This mechanic, far from being a simple addition of realism, reflects the philosophy of survival horror: the protagonist's vulnerability to horror. Endurance limits the player's ability to run, dodge, or defend themselves, imposing a constant tension that reinforces the feeling of psychological and physical fragility. Unlike other action games where firearms offer an impression of advantage over enemies, Silent Hill F chooses to make every movement costly. The player cannot count solely on modern technology to survive; they must manage their breath, anticipate their efforts, and avoid unnecessary confrontations. This constraint transforms endurance into a vital resource, just like health or ammunition.

4- Hack ’n Slash and Melee Weapon Combat

Across all these eras and video game worlds, one constant remains: melee combat, whether realistic or fantastical, tactical or instinctive, remains one of the most immersive forms of confrontation that video games can offer in this category of gameplay style.

The world of video games has always sought to translate the essence of combat through different approaches. Three genres, close but distinct, have established themselves as references in the representation of melee: the hack ’n slash, the beat ’em up, and melee weapon combat games. Each expresses a singular vision of the confrontation, oscillating between exuberance, strategy, and realism.

The hack ’n slash is a genre founded on speed, power, and the sensation of impact. The player embodies a hero who is often overpowered, confronting entire waves of enemies using melee weapons and spectacular combos. The essential dimension of this genre relies on character progression: every fight becomes a means to gain experience, new weapons, or increasingly impressive skills. Titles like Lost Soul Aside, Ninja Gaiden 3, or Dynasty Warriors: Origins perfectly illustrate this logic of increasing power. The player is rewarded by the fluidity of their chains and the massive destruction they provoke. The combat system puts more emphasis on staging and dynamism than on precision or strategy: it is above all a spectacle of power and style.

In contrast to the excessiveness of the hack ’n slash, melee weapon combat games are distinguished by their technical and realistic approach to the duel. Here, every confrontation becomes a test of mastery and concentration. Titles such as For Honor, Dark Souls, Silent Hill F, or Ghost of Tsushima illustrate this search for authenticity in the handling of melee weapons. The player must anticipate opposing blows, control the direction of their attacks, and manage stamina or the weight of their weapon. This approach confers an almost martial dimension to the genre, where victory does not rely on brute power, but on the reading of the combat and the precision of the gesture.

Unlike the beat ’em up (formerly in this category, melee weapon combat), which are often linear, or the hack ’n slash games centered on progression and the frenzy of carnage, these games aim to recreate the tension of a realistic fight, where a single error can be fatal for the player during confrontations.

The evolution of these three genres also translates the evolution of the player's relationship with video game violence: the beat ’em up was born in the arcade era, that of reflex and immediate entertainment with variations of cutting or heavy weapons on enemy bodies; the hack ’n slash extended this logic into vaster worlds, by integrating RPG elements (in the case of some games) and spectacle; finally, TPMC marks a return to the technicality and the reality of physical shock, popularized by modern 3D engines and competitive multiplayer.

This progression reveals a trend toward the complexification of combat: the player is no longer content to press buttons; they must understand the mechanics, postures, and rhythm of the combat.

Between the hack ’n slash, the beat ’em up (formerly), and melee weapon combat games (TPMC), they share the same core: the passion for close-quarters combat. However, they differ in their playful philosophy. The first magnifies power and frenzy, the second simplicity and rhythm, the third precision and mastery. By comparing them, we observe the evolution of the action game toward increasingly immersive, demanding, and realistic forms, reflecting the player's desire to experience not only violence, but the art of combat itself.

5- Conclusion

The study of Third-Person Melee Combat (TPMC) reveals a major video game phenomenon: the rehabilitation of close-quarters combat as a form of artistic, narrative, and sensory expression. Far from being a simple variant of the action game, this sub-genre establishes itself as a total immersive experience, where every blow struck translates an intention, an emotion, and a relationship with the game world.

The evolution of TPMC shows that developers have sought to reconcile realism, technicality, and physical feeling. In a medium often dominated by firearms and distance, the return to melee embodies a will to bring the player back to the proximity of danger and the hero's vulnerability. This proximity transforms the confrontation into a sensory dialogue between the player and the adversary: every parry, every strike, every loss of endurance becomes a component of the narrative.

Contemporary games like God of War, Ghost of Tsushima, or Elden Ring perfectly illustrate this ambition. They no longer content themselves with opposing enemies, but build a philosophy of combat: the duel becomes a metaphor for survival, self-mastery, and personal dépassement (surpassing oneself). The melee weapon, an extension of the body and a symbol of will, embodies an intimate relationship between the player and their avatar.

On the aesthetic level, TPMC also translates a turning point in the staging of the action game. The close-up camera, the heaviness of the blows, the management of stamina, and the realistic animations participate in an interactive cinematography that places the player at the heart of the action. You no longer watch the combat: you feel it. This choice reinforces immersion and accentuates the dramatic tension specific to each duel.