How reversals work?

[Thorstorm]

I honestly need a dev to explain how reversals work.

Why is it that ground attacks can't be reversed half the time? does it has to do with the stamina? there's no prompt at all.

Also if I miss the reversal window (Y) I have to guess between 3 buttons in less than one second to block their move everytime?

And I think the prompt button should be more visible, sometimes it's literally hard to spot.

[Y2K]

Not a dev and not sure if this will help but I will try

First reversal windows are adjustable sliders in options where irrespective of overall game difficulty you can adjust the speed and ease of various settings including reversal and different types as in not just for moves but for pins and submission. It helps to an extent.

Second I think the game does not prompt Y when the move is such that it needs to be reversed by either pressing A or X. In standing grapple even B is added to the mix for irish whip reversal

Third preempting the move type and increasing or timing the reversal window correctly should help solve the problem ideally but then again this is not the first thread I see about a problem with reversals. Many people have complained how they are unable to reverse the moves in different situations and the game does has some problems. Just that I don't think this is an acknowledged issue by the dev so far.

[Thorstorm]

I don't have the prompt (Y) to reverse even on Finishers sometimes, does it happens to you?
It seems to be completely random and makes the game really bad when that happens, if there are certain Finishers that use only combo breakers it's a stupid decision from 2K, how do we even know or remember each move?

The duration of the prompt and different input X or A is great I like it because it's challenging but the problem is that the prompt isn't there AT ALL 50% of the time, is it a bug they're not aware of and don't care or simply a bad decision?

As it is now, winning is pure luck depending on which prompt you can see or can hit by instinct.

[Neo Supreme]

It's most definitely a broken feature with no foresight, for the sake of making the game 'easy to pick up for casual gamers'. Many people choose to overlook this, which is crazy, as it makes the game unplayable for me. I've had matches where I completely dominated the CPU, only to lose miserably because I no longer could counter most moves. Unfortunately, the 'Git Gud' or 'stop complaining' crowds keep enabling terrible features to not be properly addressed in many games.

[KangboPeep]

it seems like i have a lot of trouble blocking heavy combo

[NewRaven]

No, not broken, I think it is working as intended... because this "guessing game" is what they talked about when they introduced the new combat system in 2k22. They described it with unpredictability and balancing. So, the only thing you get prompts for is when you could counter a move with Y. With everything else you are expected to either guess right or eat that move/kick/punch/throw. Not a fan of it myself, same as with the whole "combo grapple moves" concept, but it's fairly clear that this part "works as intended".

[Y2K]

Originally posted by Bearded Lonewolf:

I don't have the prompt (Y) to reverse even on Finishers sometimes, does it happens to you?
It seems to be completely random and makes the game really bad when that happens, if there are certain Finishers that use only combo breakers it's a stupid decision from 2K, how do we even know or remember each move?

The duration of the prompt and different input X or A is great I like it because it's challenging but the problem is that the prompt isn't there AT ALL 50% of the time, is it a bug they're not aware of and don't care or simply a bad decision?

As it is now, winning is pure luck depending on which prompt you can see or can hit by instinct.

So there is something wrong if you don't get (Y) for reversals when your opponents try a finisher. The (Y) prompt is the only reversal prompt that appears on screen every time while the other (X or A) are "supposed" to never appear. They want it to be a guesting game. I think like the HCTP which had two different reversals (strike and grapple) which were guessing game. Certainly, they picked not the best features from a popular game like HTCP. I am not a fan of this reversal system either because I think it is too spread out across 4 different buttons. This is a very convenient but poor way of balancing the game.
But if you ask for more creativity and novelty from developers then there will be a "shut up and troll" crowd that wilt come disrespecting you here - just as the below comment points out.

You can increase the window or duration where you are eligible to reverse the move which I think is irrespective of the type of move. Also note certain finishers and signatures have a reversal prompt that comes in at a different point in the animation cycle. If you press the button immediately when the animation starts while the actual reversal point is supposed to be at a later point in the animation then you won't get the (Y) prompt because you timed it wrong so kind of like a penalty. Having explained that yes there are videos floating around where people legit don't get the prompt. Even in multiplayer.

Originally posted by Neo Supreme:

It's most definitely a broken feature with no foresight, for the sake of making the game 'easy to pick up for casual gamers'. Many people choose to overlook this, which is crazy, as it makes the game unplayable for me. I've had matches where I completely dominated the CPU, only to lose miserably because I no longer could counter most moves. Unfortunately, the 'Git Gud' or 'stop complaining' crowds keep enabling terrible features to not be properly addressed in many games.

Couldn't agree more, that the way people overlook the bugs or lack of obvious features sets the standard way too low for some of us who have had better stuff in the past and perhaps are fiercely loyal base that keep coming back every year.

[Thorstorm]

"If you press the button immediately when the animation starts while the actual reversal point is supposed to be at a later point in the animation then you won't get the (Y) prompt because you timed it wrong so kind of like a penalty"

I'm sure this is a thing there must have a penalty so we don't simply smash buttons but I swear sometimes I don't press anything and no prompt appears, I'll test it out again.

[Y2K]

Originally posted by Bearded Lonewolf:

"If you press the button immediately when the animation starts while the actual reversal point is supposed to be at a later point in the animation then you won't get the (Y) prompt because you timed it wrong so kind of like a penalty"

I'm sure this is a thing there must have a penalty so we don't simply smash buttons but I swear sometimes I don't press anything and no prompt appears, I'll test it out again.

If you can tell me a superstar and a finisher or signature where you are facing that, I can try it out as well for you.
As for what am telling you - try John Cena Signature move where he stands next to the grounded opponents head and does the you ca't see me but you can't reverse it until the point where he bows down close to the grounded opponents head nor can you reverse it after that point. I realised this the first time I got reversed on Legendary by AI.

[MacGyver]

if you hit any button when the grapple starts you get no Y counter. it's stupid and broken. and you also get no counter at all. it's all timing. right when they grab you, you can hit one of the 3 random buttons or wait for the Y counter to pop up. if you button mashed any button you get nothing but a beat down unless you hit the right random button. this system is stupid. cant wait for AEW. that game will be fun

[Marcel101]

Stop button mashing and learn the moves reversal timing.

[MacGyver]

Originally posted by Marcel101:

Stop button mashing and learn the moves reversal timing.

the system is broken. if you hit one of the other buttons to try and predict what button they hit to reverse it locks you out of hitting Y. they have 2 broken systems overlapping each other braking both systems. that is the point. who is gonna sit there and learn all 5000 moves and when to hit Y in that split sec? and if you hit it too early you are locked out.

[Y2K]

Originally posted by Marcel101:

Stop button mashing and learn the moves reversal timing.

Its a video game not a survival skill. Needs to be fun before anything else. But while you say what needs to be done do you know of any viable and reliable way of doing that for each light, strong, signature, finisher move while also segregating the timing and the (Y) button for some of those. This is apart from the extra series of permutation caused due to inclusion of Irish Whip reversal possibility at any point.

[Marcel101]

If you are struggling, increase the input window in the settings. If you are confused about the reversal system, give the tutorial another play through.
The game was designed to punish button mashers. This was requested by players after last years game let button mashers effortlessly compete. A lot of the issues being raised in this thread are intended features designed to punish button mashers. If you hit the wrong button, you lose. You hit a button too early or late you lose. Spamming Y, you lose. Mashing buttons during a move, you lose.
And yes, you can learn the move Y windows to the point where it becomes almost a guaranteed reversal every time. You can learn to anticipate the AI's strikes and Irish whip attempts to reverse almost every time. It could be better but it is not broken.

[MacGyver]

Originally posted by Marcel101:

If you are struggling, increase the input window in the settings. If you are confused about the reversal system, give the tutorial another play through.
The game was designed to punish button mashers. This was requested by players after last years game let button mashers effortlessly compete. A lot of the issues being raised in this thread are intended features designed to punish button mashers. If you hit the wrong button, you lose. You hit a button too early or late you lose. Spamming Y, you lose. Mashing buttons during a move, you lose.
And yes, you can learn the move Y windows to the point where it becomes almost a guaranteed reversal every time. You can learn to anticipate the AI's strikes and Irish whip attempts to reverse almost every time. It could be better but it is not broken.

it is broken. that input window you speak of doesn't do anything. it was shown in a video. he had it at 0 and then 100. nothing changed. and the Y prompt doesnt even show up half the time. again BROKEN SYSTEM

[ReverseLegSweep]

I mess around with the reversal sliders quite a bit and they definitely make a difference for me...