My main complaint about the game: combat styles are hard to tell apart at a glance.

[gungadin22000]

When switching between combat styles, each style is denoted with a Japanese icon and a Japanese name which to my gailjin eyes look nearly identical. This is listed at the bottom of the screen, so in the heat of combat I can often not tell which style it is I am switching to.

The fact that each enemy weapon type has a fighting style designed to counter it specifically means that I usually just cycle combat styles until I get the blue arrows and then get surprised every time I try to use my weapon skills, since they're also just called 1, 2 or 3 in the small style selection popup.

In Nioh 2, you had 3 styles for each weapon and they were easily discernable, having set skills and very distinct stances for each one. It was a lot easier to navigate.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE having this many styles to choose from, making each katana-fighter pretty unique as you can mix and match from a number of styles, but am I the only one thinking they could be made more visually discernable?

Off the top of my head, I would suggest:

1. Make the names of the style optionally translated into English, something short and to the point. Might be less immersive, as I am sure that a number of the style names are historically accurate, but it would be easier for me to remember what Dragon Style does as opposed to Hochin-Ipoon style.

2. Make the name of the style briefly flash behind your character when selected so you don't have to keep an eye on the bottom of the screen at all times.

Anyone else struggle with the style mechanic?

[Senki]

I agree

They do show which style counters the enemy that you are locked onto but I don't want to take my eyes off the enemy to look at that in a game like this

[kcnue]

who tf cares? the appropriate style is marked by a blue double arrow next to it.

[Oninomiru]

Dude you have red, blue and grey arrows on top of styles when switching. Unless you stick the same style type on katana (not like any other weapon has this luxury). Just look at the arrows on styles or above enemy head.

Alternatively can also do what I did - put Jin, Chi and Ten style on specific section and take mental note of it. Ten always looks like high, Jin like medium, Chi like low.

[kcnue]

and make sure u have 1 style from each category equipped so that u can't come up short. so 1 jin style, 1 chi style, 1 ten style. u don;t even need to remember anything. just parry the mfkr and panic him and then u can switch the style at your leisure or just take some distance and switch the style. it takes half a second to look in the bottom right corner...

[AILAD]

The styles are nothing like Nioh's stances. They are a rock paper scissor gimmick similar to Tsushima's. You just pick whatever the game tells you works best for a situtation.

[kcnue]

Originally posted by AILAD:

The styles are nothing like Nioh's stances. They are a rock paper scissor gimmick similar to Tsushima's. You just pick whatever the game tells you works best for a situtation.

and?

[Aria Athena]

Originally posted by AILAD:

The styles are nothing like Nioh's stances. They are a rock paper scissor gimmick similar to Tsushima's. You just pick whatever the game tells you works best for a situtation.

I don't like them for a different reason. The most important thing in actions games such as this, is finding a moveset that suits you well. In Nioh, stances were there to combine them and find an optimal combo, continue chaining attacks, while also getting ki back with flux (that's what it was called I think). Here those functions were given to switching weapons and blade flash. Meanwhile, the game forces you to chose between changing stances for an advantage, and sticking to the one you like the most.

In my case, I play with dual swords as main, and I hate all but one stance. Same with spears, glaives and katanas. I don't find the advantage of fighting with the optimal style, more important than using the moveset I like the most.

Finally, I have yet to find a reason to be switching stances mid combo. The game said it was to help you chain more attacks, but you will be using blade flash regardless, and switching weapons is also better for sustaining your ki, albeit more dangerous.

[tizeY]

lock onto enemy, blue arrow up yes, red arrow down no

exception to this is shinobi stance and default combat

very difficult indeed, it's also not difficult if you've played a bit you'll know what you're using yourself as movesets are incredibly varied even on weapons with a narrow pool.

[n1lknarf]

Any gameplay mechanic that removes player expression is bad.

[gungadin22000]

Read the OP before commenting, please.

I am not referring to it being hard to discern the correct style for an appropriate enemy. The arrows, as you say, reflect that. I mentioned that in the 2nd paragraph of my post.

I am referring to the fact that it is hard to tell which skills you can use at a specific time at a glance depending on the stance. I feel that this could be made visually more apparent.

[kcnue]

Originally posted by gungadin22000:

Read the OP before commenting, please.

I am not referring to it being hard to discern the correct style for an appropriate enemy. The arrows, as you say, reflect that. I mentioned that in the 2nd paragraph of my post.

I am referring to the fact that it is hard to tell which skills you can use at a specific time at a glance depending on the stance. I feel that this could be made visually more apparent.

tf u talkin bout doe? for real for real! what skills? u mean the special martial arts? u just use them as a bonus for more ki damage on the guy.

u ain;t play wolong dawg?

[gungadin22000]

Yes, I am referring to the martial arts, I think they were called "skills" in Nioh. I find it is difficult to remember which art corresponds to which style, as they are visually identical apart from the names and stance.

If you're really experienced with the game, I guess you could tell at a glance. I can't and feel it could be made more obvious.

[kcnue]

Originally posted by gungadin22000:

Yes, I am referring to the martial arts, I think they were called "skills" in Nioh. I find it is difficult to remember which art corresponds to which style, as they are visually identical apart from the names and stance.

If you're really experienced with the game, I guess you could tell at a glance. I can't and feel it could be made more obvious.

i don't tell anything at glance man. i break the enemy posture and then i hit him with the special skill to break his ki more and narrow down his ki range. no matter what stance, what name. whatever.

i just switch to the blue arrow stance from the stance wheel on the lower right corner of the screen and then i just fight him by parying, blocking dodging. and when i stagger a mafaka for a bit i hit him 2 more times or something and then i use the special. rinse repeat win fight

badabim badabum wadda ya want me to tell ya HAH?

[gungadin22000]

You sound pretty gangster.

[kcnue]

Originally posted by gungadin22000:

You sound pretty gangster.

hey man.... i be blushin out hea....