Hack and slash is also called hack and slay, it can refer to either a subgenre of action game or as a type of gameplay. In both cases, it describes the emphasis on close combat with short-range weapons.

As a type of gameplay it will correspond to a real-time action game such as Diablo or Dungeon Master.

Some games employ hack and slash conventions without any role-playing game; in these cases such as Golden Axe, hack and slash could describe the game itself. The difference between the two genres is quite ambiguous sometimes as the particular attributes of each of them can be found in both.

As a subgenre of action games: these particular games focus entirely on H and S . in that a player must face large waves of underpowered enemies (such as Dinasty Warriors), often followed by a boss fight at the end of the level and to reach the next one. This genre is close from the beat them up games.

However on the contrary of the beat them ups games, this genre arms the player with a close-range weapon and the goal is to kill opponents whereas in beat em ups the goal is to incapacitate them.

The Hack and slash usually takes place in a medieval or fantasy setting.