Where am I going wrong with block and dodge?

[TheArtful8adger]

It just feels so off, In the gang fights I'm constantly getting interrupted mid attacks, block or dodge just doesn't seem to work for a moment until I've completely stopped moving. Any one-on-one fights and it just doesn't feel effective, I block and they break it, every time, I try to dodge but I don't seem to be able to move at a rate or distance that keeps me safe and the attacks still land. Why does defending feel so delayed? Is it a skill issue? A levelling-up issue? Or is there some way to parry/reverse mid-attack that I'm missing here?

[Legato Bluesummers]

Where are you trying to dodge at? You need to dodge at and around them at an angle. You need to be in your stance, which is RB on xbox controller. Blocking is not a very good idea until you unlock re-guard and even then it's not nearly as effective as holding RB and pressing A and towards them at an angle so you can get to their side.

You shouldn't be getting hit very much. What is your resolution and refresh rate set to? There were issues with this in the Y3 remastered but I haven't heard of them now. I feel like the dodge is way OP in this game.

[Mario Tainaka]

They changed the way the block works in Gaiden, it's weird to get a handle on but it's basically like this: Before 1 block would block maybe 2 attacks till your guard is broken and then you can block again. Now one block holds longer and it can take 6-7 attacks. you also need to be facing the direction of the attack more compared to Judgment or Lost Judgment.

[Dust]

Originally posted by TheArtful8adger:

It just feels so off, In the gang fights I'm constantly getting interrupted mid attacks, block or dodge just doesn't seem to work for a moment until I've completely stopped moving. Any one-on-one fights and it just doesn't feel effective, I block and they break it, every time, I try to dodge but I don't seem to be able to move at a rate or distance that keeps me safe and the attacks still land. Why does defending feel so delayed? Is it a skill issue? A levelling-up issue? Or is there some way to parry/reverse mid-attack that I'm missing here?

You're not missing much, the combat system is just not great. Defending isn't delayed, you need to get re-guard ASAP and it feels like you can only block hits from the front at a 30° angle. You can also "parry" with specific heat actions and a skill only usable in extreme heat mode in Agent style, and you can shove people off mid-attack while you're blocking in Yakuza mode if you buy another skill, that's pretty much it on that level unless I'm missing something.

[Rumitus]

Against most enemies the only time I get hit is when I'm in recovery from my combo or simply deciding to trade blows. Dodging felt fine to me but I do rarely block, even with reguard. I prioritise movement and had more issues with the targeting and facing the wrong way on wakeup than anything blocking and dodging.

Though I could be biased after beating Kurohyou and having an unpleasant time with Kurohyou 2.

[Scorpion]

Get yourself a combat mod from nexus and enjoy the game

[NC]

Originally posted by Legato Bluesummers:

You shouldn't be getting hit very much.

Lmao you must be playing a different game. So far I've found that not having any kind of dodge-cancel means every trash mob who walks up behind Kiryu gets an almost guaranteed free hit since 30% of the time Kiryu is wasting energy on silly, flashy movements with long animations that can't be cancelled. You can't dodge at all without focusing on an enemy with R1, and you can't see people running up behind you when you're focusing like that, so it's just unavoidable. Not to mention boss fights which are just such a slog in this game. Dodge all you want, they're just going to hit you anyway. It's like the dodge just doesn't matter a good 50% of the time and the boss will hit you anyway. And don't even get me started on their "poise" or whatever you wanna call it. The bosses don't even react to being hit most of the time. No stagger or anything.

You're going to get hit literally constantly. It's unavoidable, unlike in Lost Judgement or the more recent previous Yakuza games. Somehow Gaiden's combat has taken several big steps back.