10 Best Games With Satisfying Parry Mechanics

A more effective approach to winning a fight is to avoid it altogether, if possible. However, if you can’t dodge the conflict, then your next best option would be to ensure you don’t get hit. In reality as well as in video games, this advice might seem easier to follow than it actually is.

Evading a roll can be quite challenging, and there’s hardly anyone who could withstand a heavy blow head-on. In such situations, the best course of action left would be a defensive move known as a parry.

Instead of merely avoiding or stopping attacks entirely, several action games enable you to skillfully push back an opponent’s strike, usually causing them to lose balance in the process.

An effective parrying method offers you a practical and skilled method for self-defense, and it frequently provides a deeply gratifying sensation. Whether it’s a resonant clash or a subtle evasion, they simply won’t reach you.

10. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

The Definitive Parrying Experience

In most Souls-like games, you have the choice to parry, but dodging and complete blocking are equally effective alternatives. Therefore, parrying is more of a specialized option for players who prefer that technique.

In contrast to many other games, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice stands out as it doesn’t rely heavily on dodging, and simple attacks can be endured. However, in Sekiro, parrying is not just a skill to use occasionally; instead, it forms the core of gameplay experience.

Timing is crucial when you press the guard button just slightly before an attack reaches you. The window for this action is quite narrow, but mastering it will help chip away at your opponent’s defense. You’ll need to do this repeatedly and quickly in battle, but each successful parry weakens your adversary.

In certain situations during combat in Sekiro, ordinary parries won’t work against heavy attacks, so you must observe the enemy’s position and counter with a series of strategic maneuvers instead. The gameplay is less about reckless aggression and more about tactically wearing down your opponent before delivering a decisive, powerful strike for the final blow.

9. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

Put Your Back Into It

In Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Raiden’s cyborg physique enables him to accomplish astonishingly powerful tasks, like lifting and wielding objects far larger than himself. It’s no secret that Raiden knows how to exert a great deal of force behind his attacks, a skill that extends beyond just his standard sword strikes.

As soon as an adversary signals their impending strike, Raiden can deliver a powerful blow with the underside of his blade at impact, throwing them off-balance so severely that they become instantly susceptible to quick slices using Blade Mode.

Mastering it takes some time due to its situationally dependent nature, but when you’ve got the rhythm figured out, you can swiftly and seamlessly drain health from several foes in an almost flawless sequence.

8. Hi-Fi Rush

Parry On The Beat

In Hi-Fi Rush, every single action syncs with the rhythm, including Chai’s guitar strokes and approaching enemy assaults. Around halfway through the game, Chai comes to understand that this implies attacks will always have a predictable pattern, allowing him to capitalize on it.

Just like every other battle move in this game, timing my Chai’s Rhythm Parry correctly is crucial, but it syncs up seamlessly with most enemy attacks.

Almost any form of attack, whether it’s a slice or a projectile, can be deflected, causing the damage to rebound onto the attacker. With precise timing, you can ward off most of the harm without having to adjust your position or interrupt your attack sequence.

In addition to standard battles, there are mini-game style parry challenges for when you encounter bigger adversaries and bosses. These challenges prompt a specific rhythm and order of parries. If you manage to execute all the parries flawlessly according to this sequence, you can instantly defeat larger enemies or deal substantial damage to bosses immediately.

7. Nine Sols

Timing Is Everything

In a 2D gaming world, one could assume that blocking attacks would be simpler than in 3D games. However, Nine Sols doesn’t compromise; parrying here is as intricate and challenging as navigating through a three-dimensional landscape.

Yi’s block is crucial in his defensive arsenal, demanding you to press the guard button with exact timing as an assault approaches. If it’s done too late, you’ll sustain regular harm, but if it’s done too soon, you’ll execute a clumsy block that inflicts temporary damage on yourself.

Your need for precision in timing is crucial, as too many careless deflections could lead to a slow and painful defeat. The game also reduces the opportunity for repeated defensive moves when pressing the block button excessively, to discourage any overconfidence on your part.

In simpler terms, a skill you can acquire later on lets you execute a more powerful deflection that shields against most attacks, but it demands precise timing as you need to charge and discharge the defense rather than simply pushing it.

6. Lies Of P

Feel That Impact

The deception mechanisms in P’s combat system share some resemblance and are streamlined when compared to those found in other Soulslike titles, such as Sekiro.

To avoid getting hurt, press the defense key immediately when an opponent attacks. This way, you’ll execute a perfect block, ensuring you won’t take any damage.

In this rephrased version, I’ve made it more straightforward and easier to understand by breaking down the original sentence into simpler steps and using everyday language to describe the actions in a game context.

In Lies of P, this parry stands out from similar games in two key aspects. To start, unlike several Soulslikes where strong attacks usually can’t be parried, here, powerful assaults can be effectively parried. Timing is crucial, but even when an enemy charges at you with red flashes, if the timing is spot-on, a successful parry can still occur.

In this game, the way a block is executed subtly differs based on its precision. A common block results in a soft, metallic “tink” sound accompanied by a few sparks. However, when performed perfectly, it produces a resonant “CLANG” and a burst of red sparks, making it clear to the player and providing a satisfying sense of achievement.

5. Devil May Cry 5

“Royal Guard!”

In Devil May Cry 3, Dante gained the flexibility to swiftly transition among four battle Styles: Swordmaster, Gunslinger, Trickster, and Royal Guard. These styles persist in Devil May Cry 5. Among these, Swordmaster, Gunslinger, and Trickster are generally considered the most accessible and versatile for various fight scenarios by many players.

Instead, the Royal Guard functions more like a hidden advantage for those adept at timing. Unlike what its name suggests, it’s not an actual guard, but rather a strategic position Dante can take to deflect and assimilate the power of enemy attacks when timed perfectly.

This feature not only prevents incoming harm, but also accumulates it in a gauge. Once filled, you can use it to execute one of Dante’s strongest individual attack moves.

This approach has a knack for appreciating those who exercise patience and precision, yet it occasionally seems as if the peculiar posture isn’t a genuine martial art technique, but perhaps an impromptu invention by Dante during a moment of leisure instead.

4. Sifu

With Your Bare Hands

The teacher employs a defensive strategy that we refer to as a “multiple-tier protection scheme.” Picture a layered dip, but rather than layers of beans and sour cream, envision layers of skillful punches.

In the context of Sifu, there are three strategies for defense that you must adapt quickly according to the present circumstances.

As a gamer, I find myself using three strategies when facing off against my opponents: I’ll use basic attacks to shield my health at the expense of some of my own structure; I’ll attempt to parry larger attacks to completely dodge any damage and weaken my foe’s structure; and if there’s no other choice, I can choose to dodge entirely to create an opportunity for a counterattack.

In this game, both parrying and dodging involve uncomplicated, low-key actions and visual effects. The aim here isn’t to boast about one’s abilities; instead, it is to swiftly and effectively vanquish opponents using your skills.

The entire setup functions seamlessly to help you stay focused and instinctively dodge or divert, a skill that becomes second nature to you (as not giving it much thought is crucial to avoid getting overwhelmed).

3. Resident Evil 4 (2023)

You Can Parry A Chainsaw

In the initial version of Resident Evil 4, there was an unintentional blocking mechanism incorporated into Leon’s knife attack. By timing it perfectly, you could deflect large and robust projectiles such as arrows.

In the original game, it’s uncertain whether the knife was meant for that specific purpose, but undeniably, it will be used in that manner in the 2023 remake.

In the updated Resident Evil 4, there’s a new feature called knife parrying that makes Leon able to swiftly counter any sudden assaults with a quick swipe. This move can be employed to ward off melee attacks from Ganados, and even deflect arrows similarly to how it was done in the original game.

What’s particularly thrilling about this is that the blade can also deflect the notorious chainsaw wielded by Dr. Salvador. Admittedly, the blade shatters upon impact, but the jaw-dropping sight of a chainsaw block makes it all worthwhile, even if it means losing a couple of knives.

2. En Garde!

Swashbuckler Style

In tribute to the thrilling genre of films about dashing sword-fighters, mastering parrying plays a crucial role in the game En Garde, just as Zorro or any other hero wouldn’t get hurt without skillfully dodging attacks in real fights. That’s what this game aims to simulate for you.

Adversaries signal their attacks in quick, alternating bursts of either blue or red light. Parry the blue lights, but dodge the red ones. Gradually weaken their guard, then strike decisively when they’re unbalanced.

In any encounter with multiple guards, it’s crucial to keep a sharp eye on your surroundings to deflect attacks from every angle. If the situation becomes overwhelming, don’t hesitate to use the environment to your advantage – kick objects close by to momentarily stun your adversaries and buy some time to manage the rest of them effectively.

1. Batman: Arkham City

Parry Three Dudes At Once

Batman consistently stands out as an apparently ordinary individual among actual super-powered beings, thanks to his blend of abilities and intellect.

In Batman: Arkham City, as well as in its popular counter system, you’ll notice two key features. When Batman gets into a scuffle with thugs, lines that indicate an incoming attack will glow blue above their heads. This allows you to swiftly react, causing damage and pushing them back.

In the initial Arkham game, Batman was capable of countering an attack from one enemy at once. However, in Arkham City, he can effectively counter multiple enemies who are indicating their attacks all at the same time.

From a technical perspective, I must admit that some other parrying styles may be more intricate, but when it comes to Batman’s moves, the sheer joy of executing them one after another makes all the difference, and the complexity becomes almost irrelevant.

2025-02-28 17:41