The combat is a nightmare

[Fantoche]

I'm sorry but I'm really trying to like it but it makes NO SENSE AT ALL.

1. 2 minutes tutorial for combat (standard)
2. Inspector ok'd you to get in the street as a "one man police force" armed with your OWN gun (a semi automatic in 1879???) (fine it's a game)
3. Enemies have armor parts to shoot off (uh uh..? weird but okay?)
4. You must... stun them? Using environment? Shooting them in the guts or head kills them and it's a no? (Uhhh.... even when THEY FIRE BACK?)
5. What is this QTE? What?
6. This is weird as hell in a 1 vs 1. When there's 3 enemies this is a NIGHTMARE.

Is there a way to upgrade things or make things easier?

EDIT : No I'm not flaming on this game, I'm a huge Sherlock fans but this and Awakened V2 are SUCH a step down from Crimes and Devil's daughter it's maddening

[Bjørn]

Ah yes, the combat... There is an option to skip it (except for the tutorial one), luckily, otherwise I don't think I would have finished and enjoyed this game as much as I did. I did a few combat sequences, then got frustrated by the weird mechanics (and those QTE things you mention threw me completely off), and skipped the rest.

You skip them simply by pressing Esc before the fights, before a timer runs out.

I don't remember if you have to enable the possibility to skip combat in the game options first, or if it's skippable by default, but that's the only advice I have for this; skip combat!

But maybe others have better tips if you want to do it, for achievements and such. I remember it has been discussed several times before.

There are some pirate dens(?) scattered around the map, not related to missions, that apparently give good loot and such, but combat is not skippable for those so I didn't do any of them. I still had no problems with money or other aspects of the game, so they're not necessary.

[Fantoche]

Originally posted by Bjørn:

Ah yes, the combat... :steamdeadpan: There is an option to skip it (except for the tutorial one), luckily, otherwise I don't think I would have finished and enjoyed this game as much as I did. I did a few combat sequences, then got frustrated by the weird mechanics (and those QTE things you mention threw me completely off), and skipped the rest.

You skip them simply by pressing Esc before the fights, before a timer runs out.

I don't remember if you have to enable the possibility to skip combat in the game options first, or if it's skippable by default, but that's the only advice I have for this; skip combat! :lunar2019crylaughingpig:

But maybe others have better tips if you want to do it, for achievements and such. I remember it has been discussed several times before.

There are some pirate dens(?) scattered around the map, not related to missions, that apparently give good loot and such, but combat is not skippable for those so I didn't do any of them. I still had no problems with money or other aspects of the game, so they're not necessary.

Good to know. I'll try to squeeze just enough wins to get the achieve but the entire thing makes absolutely no sense. Let me kill if I'm shot at. Let me use fists alone if not. That's how you do lethal and non lethal. Sherlock should never be "Geez, can't touch those guys!"

[harlekinrains]

You dont need to stun them using environment.

You have to do what Halo has coined "combat puzzle".

To which the COD player responds, I point and then I piewpiew, why isnt opponent dead, so unfair.

So Halo used it for one enemy only - the brute. (You have to shoot in back, amazing.)

Here are a few base concepts:

You are basically god.

You are faster than the enemies.

You have almost unlimited bullet time. (Slow down time.)

Afair shots during bullet time even hurt less.

You get health back on succesfull takedowns.

When enemies appear they are in a stun phase for a few moments, before they engage.

They also are after every successful takedown, for a few short seconds.

Takedowns even interrupt enemy animations, so 2 microseconds before an enemy shoots - you take down their buddy, and they'll not shoot any longer.

You have a snuffbox, that skips one phase, that constantly regenerates, but only after foes have no armor anymore. That even hits slightly behind you (so huge hitbox).

During and shortly after a takedown all enemy animations reset, so no one is shooting at you. But you can shoot at them (after takedowns). And you still have bullet time.

Two caviats:

1. In the harder stages, you have to basically nail the takedown mini game every time, so you dont get overwhelmed.
2. Which is entirely possible, because the first movement asked from you already tells you what the second quicktime event (rapid press) will be. They are connected. Once you know that, its not even hard anymore.

What people usually do wrong.

- Relying on the environment and enemy pathing (its just... inconsistent, not fun, why...)

- Trying to use a cover system, thats basically not in the game (just run, make some distance, then approach, then maybe use cover while you shoot, but not for the approach).

Here is how you ace combt in this game (those are the hardest dungeons, with "skulls" activated, so some of your abilities artificially restricted):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mJRuuZLK6E

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqz5UoO9t34

(Stop the second video after combat, if you dont want to see what a late stage home/mansion looks like.)

And here is the "meta" for the combat puzzle.

Go after the guys with revolvers and hats first, even when they are armored. They have a higher shooting frequency, and good aim, so they are often the ones hitting you out of bullet time.

The order on the rest of the enemies (which ones to take down ealier, to make running away from others easier), youll learn while you play. Hint, the big brute is usually your last target. If you want to know the exact order, look for some other posts by me in this forum.

[harlekinrains]

Also, this is why you really play the game:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGfde8w43l8

;)

(And for a propperly good ending. :) (Rare in a video game.))

[Fantoche]

Man those videos make it look so easy.

But you DO run out fairly quick of environment hazards to "stun" them to go in for the "arrest"

[sushi_komplett]

Originally posted by Fantoche:

Man those videos make it look so easy.

But you DO run out fairly quick of environment hazards to "stun" them to go in for the "arrest"

Try to save the environment objects for the cases where you miss the objects on the enemies' bodies. Try to become good at hitting the respective stun object on an enemy, then take down the enemy immediately before proceeding to the next one. When your snuffbox is ready, try to get close to two or three enemies to stun them all at once and quickly take them down. Always move and use rolling to not be hit and to be ready when opponents reload.

Note: I play the combat scenes on easy mode because I want a crime game and not a shooter, but imo on easy mode the combat is quite manageable once you understand it.

[Fantoche]

Originally posted by sushi_komplett:

Originally posted by Fantoche:

Man those videos make it look so easy.

But you DO run out fairly quick of environment hazards to "stun" them to go in for the "arrest"

Try to save the environment objects for the cases where you miss the objects on the enemies' bodies. Try to become good at hitting the respective stun object on an enemy, then take down the enemy immediately before proceeding to the next one. When your snuffbox is ready, try to get close to two or three enemies to stun them all at once and quickly take them down. Always move and use rolling to not be hit and to be ready when opponents reload.

Note: I play the combat scenes on easy mode because I want a crime game and not a shooter, but imo on easy mode the combat is quite manageable once you understand it.

oh I get you, I got a bit better but man would I love that combat out completely. Nothing screams "Sherlock game" like some sort ox experimental shooter..

[sushi_komplett]

Originally posted by Fantoche:

Originally posted by sushi_komplett:

Try to save the environment objects for the cases where you miss the objects on the enemies' bodies. Try to become good at hitting the respective stun object on an enemy, then take down the enemy immediately before proceeding to the next one. When your snuffbox is ready, try to get close to two or three enemies to stun them all at once and quickly take them down. Always move and use rolling to not be hit and to be ready when opponents reload.

Note: I play the combat scenes on easy mode because I want a crime game and not a shooter, but imo on easy mode the combat is quite manageable once you understand it.

oh I get you, I got a bit better but man would I love that combat out completely. Nothing screams "Sherlock game" like some sort ox experimental shooter..

True, I also think it's not the best possible implementation of action in the game. On the other hand, you can skip those sequences if you don't like them at all, so I'm fine with them.