Few games nowadays add full directional swings to melee combat. I really think this idea can bring a lot of diversity as a melee combat mechanic, as a prime example: Mount & Blade felt awesome by using concepts such as momentum, even with low production values. If any company picked this kind of idea and improved it greatly (or if M&B developers do it themselves), we could have a game with melee fighting that is more than trading blows (yes Oblivion I'm looking at you).

The Jedi Knight games also featured directional swings, and they were pretty fun games. Too bad I don't think there will be a sequel for them.

The lack of it might be because it would add more complexity to a game, making it less accessible and more frustrating to the mainstream audience. But still I would say this kind of approach is, sadly, underused. Of course implementing it is not an easy task, plus balancing, adding other variables such as parry/blocking. But if well done, the results could be way ahead of most games we see today in terms of gameplay.

AoC combat uses directional swings and IMO it is one of the best combat systems on the market.

for real time darkfall has kind of directional swing kind of crappily implemented.  Why they did not implement it better beats me would of been a fun melee mechanic.

With good animation I could see it  being fun.  Becasue D&L looks so bad and feels so stiff, it diminishes the potential.  Its done well in the Riddick series of games and even then, I never found it BETTER than a system that just uses strong, medium, light attacks with combos, like God of  WAR, Ninja Gaiden or Devil May Cry.  Those games are just more fun and responsive.

Doesn't Oblivion and Morrowind have directional swings for melee weapons? Or do they simply change the attack depending on the direction key held.

 Die By the Sword ftw.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Die_by_the_Sword