Maybe Introduce a Parry Picto?

[RionXD]

Just finished the game on Normal—solid experience overall! That said, a thought crossed my mind: not everyone in my friend group is great at parrying, and I’ve noticed it can take 3–4 fights just to learn the timing through dodging alone.

Would love to see an optional Picto or mechanic that visually shows the parry/dodge timing window—something like the system Hogwarts Legacy used. That way, players who want the extra help can toggle it on, and those who prefer the challenge can keep it off. Best of both worlds!

[goodbye_bonito]

3–4 fights just to learn the timing through dodging alone is nothing. Very fast learning curve, so why does it need a fix? That's said I spent way more attempts on some bosses than 3, closer to 30, looking at you Painted Love and I don't think there is a need to change anything.

[Miro Fox]

thereisaparrypicto

theresalsoapictotomakethegameintoatraditionalturnbasedgame

youhavenoideajusthowmanypictosthereare.

[RionXD]

Originally posted by goodbye_bonito:

3–4 fights just to learn the timing through dodging alone is nothing. Very fast learning curve, so why does it need a fix?

It’s not a *fix*, it’s an *option*. No one’s saying the game’s broken—3–4 fights is a fast learning curve for some, sure. But not everyone plays the same way or learns at the same pace. Having a toggleable visual cue just gives players more accessibility and choice. If you don’t need it, you can leave it off. Simple as that.

[GameBuild]

Originally posted by RionXD:

Just finished the game on Normal—solid experience overall! That said, a thought crossed my mind: not everyone in my friend group is great at parrying, and I’ve noticed it can take 3–4 fights just to learn the timing through dodging alone.

Would love to see an optional Picto or mechanic that visually shows the parry/dodge timing window—something like the system Hogwarts Legacy used. That way, players who want the extra help can toggle it on, and those who prefer the challenge can keep it off. Best of both worlds!

To me, most of the dodges and perfect dodges I got from counting the sound cues like a music beat (1-2-3-Dodge, 1-2-dodge). Sometimes, lowering the music volume will also help. Some attacks are intentionally difficult to read though. Parrying you have to wait until the very last moment right before getting hit. It's way more difficult than dodging but doable with lots of practicing. That's why we can fight merchants.

I also noticed that my reaction time is better with dodging than parrying because of the button layout. Dodge using right thumb versus parrying using my right index. Carpal tunnel around the corner. I've just tested, and parrying using the keyboard is way easier than with controller "shoulder button".

[RionXD]

Originally posted by GameBuild:

Originally posted by RionXD:

Just finished the game on Normal—solid experience overall! That said, a thought crossed my mind: not everyone in my friend group is great at parrying, and I’ve noticed it can take 3–4 fights just to learn the timing through dodging alone.

Would love to see an optional Picto or mechanic that visually shows the parry/dodge timing window—something like the system Hogwarts Legacy used. That way, players who want the extra help can toggle it on, and those who prefer the challenge can keep it off. Best of both worlds!

To me, most of the dodges and perfect dodges I got from counting the sound cues like a music beat (1-2-3-Dodge, 1-2-dodge). Sometimes, lowering the music volume will also help. Some attacks are intentionally difficult to read though. Parrying you have to wait until the very last moment right before getting hit. It's way more difficult than dodging but doable with lots of practicing. That's why we can fight merchants.

Totally get that—I didn’t count either, just felt it out. I just thought it’d be a nice option for folks who aren’t as intuitive with parrying haha. Fighting merchants definitely helps though!

[Shin Happens]

My solution to all that was to never even let the enemy attack anymore :-D Everything is dead before they get a chance to attack my team.

No particular spoilers...
Max out Agility and add some pictos that add speed. Which will guarantee you almost always attack first and that all three of your characters attack before the enemy can attack you.

With certain pictos equipped you can even play twice with each character, i.e. each character gets two attacks. Which means you get six attacks in total with your team in the very first round. And that means parrying and doding no longer is a concern, because you will never get attacked anymore. Because every enemy will be dead.

Of course this can be a bit boring, but it's one viable tactic to make the game pretty easy. Of course this only becomes possible in Act III. Before that parrying or dodging is pretty much required.

if your friends or you struggle too much... you may consider installing the dodge/parry mod from Nexus Mods that extends the timing windows and makes the whole procedure easier. This only works on PC of course. This mod has various options, from only somewhat easier to braindead easy. Pick the option that works best for you so the game is enjoyable regardless of reflexes or skill level. This is your game after all, mod it to your heart's content.

And ultimately there is also a free Cheat Engine table that does all the parrying, doding, jumping for you, i.e. you will never get hit anymore. But this is of course once again the braindead solution. You basically put the game in story mode with this, since combat no longer requires any skill. Or you activate the options on demand (you can disable and enable them on the flly) and you only use the options for certain super hard bosses that you can't otherwise beat.

[SciopticChimken]

All these posts are funny to me because I still remember when XVI was being shown off and there was a whole uproar from action players because they decided to add optional ring accessories that auto completed all QTEs for dodging and literally slowed the game down to a halt on another. Actually parrying bosses in that is difficult and a lot of people didnt even know that it was a mechanic

[DeadBabyJuggler]

Originally posted by RionXD:

Just finished the game on Normal—solid experience overall! That said, a thought crossed my mind: not everyone in my friend group is great at parrying, and I’ve noticed it can take 3–4 fights just to learn the timing through dodging alone.

Would love to see an optional Picto or mechanic that visually shows the parry/dodge timing window—something like the system Hogwarts Legacy used. That way, players who want the extra help can toggle it on, and those who prefer the challenge can keep it off. Best of both worlds!

Maybe just get good?

All of these posts complaining about the parry is hilarious and a testament as to how hand-holding video games have become. They have already made it more accessible for people who don't like QTE with the ability to skip them. Get better. Practice. 3-4 times is nothing and honestly...if you are aware of the cues sometimes you can score parries even on first attempts. Beyond that It only takes a couple of times to get used to the patterns, timing and audio cues. You don't even need to be a master at it. I NEVER dodge and I get wrecked from time to time but those incidents are few and far between. After a while it becomes muscle memory. If the people complaining spent half as much time trying to get better at this stuff then complaining and debating the merit of making the parrying easier you wouldn't have a problem.

[RionXD]

Just to clarify—this isn’t a *fix*, it’s an *addition*. Some players might never quite "get good" at timing, no matter how much they practice, and that’s okay. Adding an optional timing aid makes the game more accessible without changing the core experience. In the long run, it could bring in more players, which means more support and revenue for the devs. Everyone wins.

[Zaph]

Cant you turn auto QTE's on in the settings to have it do it for you and make it like a real turn based rpg?

[slocik]

Originally posted by goodbye_bonito:

3–4 fights just to learn the timing through dodging alone is nothing. Very fast learning curve,

exactly, only incels and racist refuse to replay the same fight 20 times
best games waste your time the most

[RionXD]

I know the game is doing well, but this could potentially make it even better. Not sure what’s so hard to understand about that. This idea isn’t for players like me who finished the game with only slight difficulty—it’s for those who genuinely struggle with timing. Sure, they could take the extra time to learn it, but the reality is they’re not. Some are getting frustrated and even telling others not to bother. An optional aid would make it more accessible without changing the core experience—and that means more players, more support, and more success for the devs.

[MrQun]

Originally posted by DeadBabyJuggler:

Maybe just get good?

All of these posts complaining about the parry is hilarious and a testament as to how hand-holding video games have become.

Says the gamer who has over 3,000 games on their Steam profile. It is quite easy to claim that a game is not that hard when the vast majority of your time is playing games.

Look, I ain't judging you or anything. But you need to understand that not everyone has the time nor the inclination to spend hours after hours after afters learning to play a game. Most people have lives outside of gaming.

[dustinwills51]

Originally posted by slocik:

Originally posted by goodbye_bonito:

3–4 fights just to learn the timing through dodging alone is nothing. Very fast learning curve,

exactly, only incels and racist refuse to replay the same fight 20 times
best games waste your time the most

so true, if you suck you suck, no helping it i'm afraid.

[Foleo375]

Originally posted by dustinwills51:

Originally posted by slocik:

exactly, only incels and racist refuse to replay the same fight 20 times
best games waste your time the most

so true, if you suck you suck, no helping it i'm afraid.

What if you are visually impaired and would like the option to use the pictos and build choices to automate the parry dodge jump mechanic or make it easier?
Was hoping that was already in there somewhere as i have trouble with the visual cues and would love to work on a party build that mitigates the need for it. Was going to go all defsne or heavy defense. But, pictos that alter it or make it chance based would be nice.