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Best execution mechanics in games?

Firmament1

Firmament1

Member
Aug 15, 2019
1,287
You guys all know what I mean.

Stun an enemy, or fill up a bar, and then you hit a button, and you're treated to a big flashy kill by your guy. They're generally pretty fun.

What are your personal favourites when it comes to this? I've always been a fan of Ninja Gaiden 2 and Razor's Edge's obliteration techniques. Each weapon has a chance of dismembering a dude, and then once you've done that, hit heavy attack, and then Ryu fucking slaughters the poor sap.

Sekiro also had a nice one where when you have to bust the enemy's posture before doing that. The kills are also really well-animated too. Like this. Spoilers for bosses.

There was DOOM's glory kill where once the enemy turned orange, you could kill them with a melee attack to get back some health. It was a really cool way of forcing you to get aggressive.

What are your thoughts?
 
saenima

saenima

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
11,892
I liked Space Marine's approach. Executing enemies gave you a good amount of health. Due to how most of the times you'd be surrounded by dozens of enemies and to how everything slowed and accelerated for executions, it made for an interestingly visceral ballet.

I also like them in The Last of Us. You can strangle enemies, which takes time and puts you under risk of getting caught, or you can use shivs to get it done quickly. Only shivs are a very limited resource. So even executions play into the resource management aspect of the game. Shivs are also the only way to execute clickers, so when you come across them, you have to be selective on which ones to kill and which ones to stealth.
 
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Van Bur3n

Van Bur3n

Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
26,089
I like Halo assassinations. I nice way to shit on the receiving player. Until you get killed while doing it.
 
OrangeNova

OrangeNova

Member
Oct 30, 2017
12,631
Canada
DOOM 2016 was my favourite, because it was quick and unobtrusive, and felt like it fed into the gameplay well.
 
RedStep

RedStep

Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
2,649
Ninja Gaiden 2's is pretty smooth as well as Mark of Kri for the same reason - you can combine kill moves and SUPER kill somebody. Like, chop them in half with one attack and then grab the top half and stab it to death (Mark of Kri). It feels more dynamic than just transitioning into a set animation.
 
antitrop

antitrop

Member
Oct 25, 2017
12,577
I'm still a huge fan of the way Spec Ops: The Line made its execution animations increasingly more brutal as the game went on, even if none of them are noteworthy on their own.
 
Chopchop

Chopchop

Member
Oct 25, 2017
14,171
Souls game parries and ripostes simply never got old.

Bloodborne viscerals feel just as good.

Sekiro executions are great too. A particularly nice touch is how there are separate animations depending on how you got that final guard break. Deathblows that come from Mikiri Counters or aerial kicks look awesome.

Doom's glory kills somehow lacked something to me. I think it was the way everything came apart like jelly and/or instantly had no weight as soon as you entered the animation. I preferred to just shoot things. The chainsaw kills were usually cool, though.

Metal Gear Rising executions were cool and a good healing mechanic, but got old after a while.
 
SofNascimento

SofNascimento

cursed
Member
Oct 28, 2017
21,274
São Paulo - Brazil
Playing The Surge 2 right now and I should mention its execution mechanics is incredible. Between choosing the body part you want to cut out, the different animations for different weapons and its perfect fit into the flow of combat it's extremely satisfying.
 
lucebuce

lucebuce

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Member
Oct 25, 2017
22,891
Pakistan
For Honor has some godlike ones, and there's an element of strategy involved too as the longer the execution is then the more health you get but of course you can't move or block while you're in the middle of the animation.

 

Deleted member 13645

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
6,052
lucebuce said:
For Honor has some godlike ones, and there's an element of strategy involved too as the longer the execution is then the more health you get but of course you can't move or block while you're in the middle of the animation.
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YUP. For Honor is by far the answer for me. Tons of beautifully animated executions, and lots of great effects you can apply to them to really destroy the enemy morale, on top of having a functional purpose to heal yourself.
 
Cactuar

Cactuar

Banned
Nov 30, 2018
5,878
Belongs to the greatest game of the generation so far, the Witcher 3.

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Makoto Yuki

Makoto Yuki

▲ Legend ▲
Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,397
This thread reminds me of how brutally satisfying and visually exciting the executions are in NG3RE. That being said, game was kinda frustrating, at least it was better than the original NG3. That was a low bar though.
 
Griselbrand

Griselbrand

Member
Oct 26, 2017
3,237
I like the ones in For Honor.

You can use one of four executions (that you select for each prompt) which restore more health the longer the animation is. This is also a way to guarantee your opponent cannot be revived where they went down and is forced to respawn.

So it can become an interesting choice in Multi-player because although the natural inclination is to execute your enemy you cannot cancel the animation. Which might mean you get ganked during a particularly long execution or you get a glimpse of your teammate getting their ass handed to them in the background.

Plus, most of the executions are real gnarly and some are humiliating for the victim.
 
zoabs

zoabs

One Winged Slayer
Avenger
May 7, 2018
1,672
Ninja Gaiden 2 or Gears of War's endless trolly punching execution. The latter brings me a ton of joy each time it happens.
 
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Firmament1

Firmament1

Member
Aug 15, 2019
1,287
Makoto Yuki said:
This thread reminds me of how brutally satisfying and visually exciting the executions are in NG3RE. That being said, game was kinda frustrating, at least it was better than the original NG3. That was a low bar though.
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Razor's Edge retained a lot of the godawful boss fights, and certain enemies had a habit of Matrix-dodging the shit out of your attacks. When it actually worked, and all the pieces were in place? It was excellent.

Problem was, on PS3 at least (I don't have a copy of it on the 360), the game was basically unplayable on Master Ninja onwards, due to the insane input lag and slowdown.
 
ClickyCal'

ClickyCal'

Member
Oct 25, 2017
59,487
In days gone, you can get upgrades to do more melee combos and it's really satisfying to smash a bladed baseball bat in freakers.

Also counter moves against bosses in samus returns.
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Grettir_the_Swole

Grettir_the_Swole

Member
Nov 1, 2017
1,348
FL, United States
Torpedo Vegas said:
I like the environment context sensitive ones in games like Sleeping Dogs, or that Punisher game on the PS2 and OG Xbox.
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I totally forgot about those executions. Even though it took a mediocre film to spawn it that was a really solid third person shooter. Great choice.

The lack of MK references is unsettling. Am I so old no one cares about fatalities anymore?

The ultimate moves in Kingdom Hearts 2 and 3 are pretty satisfying once you build up enough Disney Magic TM
 
HiLife

HiLife

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Oct 25, 2017
39,616
Gears executions tend to have satisfying ones if you can pull it off before being gnasher'd.
 
Kalentan

Kalentan

Member
Oct 25, 2017
44,623
The Surge 2.

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(Couldn't find gifs of just the executions.)

It's awesome too since it ties into the looting mechanic and also makes you think how you will fight an enemy. :)
 
Tacitus

Tacitus

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Oct 25, 2017
4,030
saenima said:
I liked Space Marine's approach. Executing enemies gave you a good amount of health. Due to how most of the times you'd be surrounded by dozens of enemies and to how everything slowed and accelerated for executions, it made for an interestingly visceral ballet.
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It was nice seeing a swarm of grots coming your way because they could be executed straight away => walking health packs!
 
m23

m23

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Oct 25, 2017
5,416
Gears, Ninja Gaiden 2, Doom all come to mind.

Oh and Witcher 3 as someone mentioned above.
 
Richter1887

Richter1887

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
39,146
Manhunt executions.

Still the most brutal shit I have ever seen. Especially the plastic bag ones. So fucking brutal especially due to the sound effects.

It adds a lot to the snuff film/hide and seek played with human garbage atmosphere.
 
hikarutilmitt

hikarutilmitt

Member
Dec 16, 2017
11,404
NG3RE's more balanced yet still fun and useful Steel on Bone mechanic actually works really well, allows multiple kills and is quicker than most full on executions. I'm really enjoying the finishers in Destiny 2 for this same reason: I'm not breaking up the actual gameplay by hitting the button and waiting for 10 seconds while I watch my guardian kill an enemy, it's a quick initial hit then done.
 
Roshin

Roshin

Member
Oct 30, 2017
2,840
Sweden
Richter1887 said:
Manhunt executions.

Still the most brutal shit I have ever seen. Especially the plastic bag ones. So fucking brutal especially due to the sound effects.

It adds a lot to the snuff film/hide and seek played with human garbage atmosphere.
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Thank you. Nothing like Manhunt for brutal and filthy executions. The plastic bag over the head, shards of glass stabbed into the eyes, or just a plain old hammer to the head.
 
Cactuar

Cactuar

Banned
Nov 30, 2018
5,878
TheFallenSaboteur said:
I feel like playing The Witcher 3 just because of these gifs. I tried getting into it years ago but hated how slow as fuck it felt. Might try it again.
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You really should, you'd be doing yourself a favor. It truly is the greatest game of the generation. This is assuming you love heavy story/lore in your games. You do not need to have knowledge of the previous Witchers to fully enjoy it. I went in blind, and came out amazed. Give until you're through the "Bloody Baron" arch, if you're still not feeling it, then it may not be for you.
 

Deleted member 17402

User requested account closure
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Cactuar said:
You really should, you'd be doing yourself a favor. It truly is the greatest game of the generation. This is assuming you love heavy story/lore in your games. You do not need to have knowledge of the previous Witchers to fully enjoy it. I went in blind, and came out amazed. Give until you're through the "Bloody Baron" arch, if you're still not feeling it, then it may not be for you.
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Problem is I thought it was slow and really disliked how it controlled. Not sure I can overcome that.
 
GameShowPresident

GameShowPresident

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Mar 5, 2019
557
Shout outside to Yakuza's heat moves that almost resemble Mortal Kombat moves minus the x-ray vision, only to be followed by a cutscene where the enemies hold their stomach in the same canned animation.
 
Kinthey

Kinthey

Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
22,270
Sekiro's deathblows feel damn satisfying

beautifully animated and made extra intense by the strong sound design


It really makes you feel like you just managed to break through the enemies defense. That's also underlined by the gameplay as it allows you to completely circumvent the enemies healthbar.

And last but not least do all of the large bosses get unique executions.

 
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