Why do people insist this game has good combat?

[Frosted Flakes Ph.D]

I think on paper, this game has good combat. You have to use combos, carefully timed blocks, and swings from different directions to do damage. That sounds fun! But the reality of the situation is, every enemy, and I'm not exaggerating here -- EVERY SINGLE ENEMY IN THE GAME has double, if not triple, the health you have.

Armor doesn't matter. I can be dressed head to toe in chainmail and plate armor, and have a sword freshly sharpened from the grindstone, and it'll still take me 20 swings to kill a bandit wearing measly leather armor.

However, I wouldn't mind this as much, if the game didn't constantly...CONSTANTLY....due this absolutely retarded ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ where the game slows down to slow motion and just ♥♥♥♥♥ you repeatedly. I will even hold an attack from the bottom, and right before I swing, quickly change directions to the top, and the game just does a slow motion playthrough of a guy magically moving his shield to the top of his head (even though he was clearly going at me from the bottom) within 0.5 seconds and then proceeds to do 12000000 damage and hit you 5 times.

Not only that, but it seems every enemy in the game has force powers from Star Wars. If you're fighting multiple enemies, you'll be animation locked into spinning around every direction like a ballerina while the game tries to simulate...I guess a cinematic swordfight with 4 people at once.

It's so bad, and it's one of the main things I hate about this game.

inb4 git gud just train with Captain Bernard and learn combos. It's impossible to do a combo if your enemies just mindread you and magically insta block every single attack you throw at them

[carl.wear]

Combat is a pain but eventually you get used to it and training up Henry also helps.

Also, most important; Don't let your stamina get too low. Once its depleted you will take damage. Being hit and swinging a weapon drains stamina so when it starts getting low, back away from the enemy for a few seconds to let it regenerate and re-engage. Also when fighting more than one, try not to get surrounded. (Yes I know, thats easier said than done, but it is possible).

Eventually you will be able to defeat 2,3,4 at once even without having stats maxed.

Its not Skyrim, you can't just go swinging your sword around and everyone you hit dies. In this game you have to use some skill and also strategy. (There are times I wish Henry had a 12 gauge shotgun but thats what Doom is for.)

Plenty of threads in discussions on how to improve combat. Thats what helped me get started.

[eichbeece]

Good is subjective. A more widely acceptable review of KCD's combat would be that it is complex. Some people get it, some don't--hence the controversy.

The people who tell you to go train with Bernard are ones who got it. They, as a result, think the issue with combat is simply that early game Henry is too soft, just like a medieval peasant would be in real life. So they say to put on some muscle(stats) and get better gear.

The people who don't agree with that advice are those who don't get the mechanics, which is totally fine because it's meant to be complex. And I think people expecting simplicity when the mechanics are inherently complex is the main divide.

I think the best advice is to treat KCD less like TES and more like a simulator. A medieval man-at-arms/knight simulator, that is. Henry doesn't have dragonsoul in him that allows him to yeet the next cuman he meets over to Sigismund. And that fragility is what you should always have in mind.

In real life, you don't want to get in 1v4s. If you do, you probably at least want your back against a wall of sorts, so as to not be attacked from behind.
In real life, you probably want to go for the vulnerable spots of an enemy. An unprotected head is a delicious egg to crack, and swinging swords at armored enemies is probably a futile effort.
AFAIK in real life, the main armaments of medieval soldiers were blunt weapons, and one-armed swords were used as side arms. Long swords were good too, but it required so much practice and protection that it just wasn't viable for the common soldier--just as it is in the game. You need a lot of stats and practice and good gear to use longswords effectively. And in my experience blunts are very good weapons in the game, as stamina is essentially your real health bar and blunts hit hard against them. Once stamina runs out, that's when you're a dead man.

With that said, the one thing I do have a problem with is the autolock. I agree that it's a bit too much. Too sensitive, and too rigid once locked on. I always run a mod that addresses this, for that reason.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

I don't know who says that. KCD has some of the worst combat in PC gaming history really.

Now KCD2, this has improved upon this quite a bit.

You also have to understand, KCD was made at a terrible time and many things were cut or dumbed down. To this day, KCD failed to live up to what they showed us in earlier E3 videos and such. But they got it done with about 12 employees I think it was. KCD2 however has over 200+ employees and they've spent tons of time on attention to details. And now, PC hardware will actually be able to handle KCD2 in all its glory with bigger world and realism and much more going on at any given time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zz8XPRdIp5Y

[AfLIcTeD]

God forbid someone might have a different opinion and like something you don't. How dare they?

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Some people aren't going to like certain things, it's natural.
Not everyone likes Red Dead 2 for example.

I dislike some popular stuff, so it evens out.
> Counter-Strike
> PUBG
> Skyrim

Grew tired of them very quickly and moved on. I prefer Fallout NV or 4 over such stuff, or Witcher 3. Whilst also finding enjoyment in games like KCD and games like the Total War series.

[Frosted Flakes Ph.D]

Originally posted by AfLIcTeD:

God forbid someone might have a different opinion and like something you don't. How dare they?

I like how you took my question as an attack on other people. I asked why do people think this game have good combat, it wasn't saying 'Everyone who thinks this game has good combat is a ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ moron idiot'. Try not being so sensitive dude, not everything is a personal attack against you.

Originally posted by eichbeece:

And in my experience blunts are very good weapons in the game, as stamina is essentially your real health bar and blunts hit hard against them. Once stamina runs out, that's when you're a dead man.

With that said, the one thing I do have a problem with is the autolock. I agree that it's a bit too much. Too sensitive, and too rigid once locked on. I always run a mod that addresses this, for that reason.

I'll try training more with a mace, I've been primarily using swords.

Thanks for everyone in this thread that gave decent suggestions instead of being a crybaby like AfLicTeD

[KharnFlakes]

Late game is terrible as hell. Get used to run away on a horse shooting arrows. Because those 3-4 ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ in top armor will teleport dismount you if you stall for a second, and boom hour of progress gone. After playing some hours again i don't think i'll finish it (I havent finished the game first time) and i think i won't buy KCD 2 if it has same combat system.

[Lieste]

This is false.

Enemies have exactly the same health as Henry.
They have a normal equipment condition closer to 66% than 100%, giving Henry the potential to have significantly more protection from the same armour pieces, and significantly more damage from the same weapon (if you keep up on your maintenance).

Notably the 'base' protection for the character archetype is double for the 'Hero' than for any of the NPCs. 2.4 vs 1.2

Where Henry can struggle is relative skills, initially poor equipment in an incomplete set, and player mishandling of stamina. (Injury can only occur 'through' stamina, which acts in the vanilla game as a renewable 'armour' - this penalises excessive attacking or inept blocking). The common experience of multiple enemies vs a solo Henry puts pressure on the stamina model, and can disrupt 'safe' unblockable actions, as this only applies to the 'primary' enemy, and not to others in the same combat.

The combat is quite easy to dominate in with a steady tempo and a use of movement to the forward flank, turning the enemy group. I had more completed combinatory devices than 'perfect block' actions, (of which around half were masterstrikes), I had a damage exchange ratio of something above 15:1, although on an 'off' moment I could still get put on the back-foot by a incautiously handled peasant with a bludgeon or spear.

[AfLIcTeD]

Originally posted by Frosted Flakes Ph.D:

Originally posted by AfLIcTeD:

God forbid someone might have a different opinion and like something you don't. How dare they?

I like how you took my question as an attack on other people. I asked why do people think this game have good combat, it wasn't saying 'Everyone who thinks this game has good combat is a ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ moron idiot'. Try not being so sensitive dude, not everything is a personal attack against you.

Whenever someone asks a "question" like that it's not really a question is, it's just a complaint or an attack. Whenever people say "Why do people insist ..." It's rhetorical.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Judging by OP question, yes that question wording has the attitude that says, WHAT IDIOTS like this game combat

[Bishop-Six]

Why do people insist to open threads about the combat system when everything was said thousands of times literally years ago?

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Originally posted by Bishop-Six:

Why do people insist to open threads about the combat system when everything was said thousands of times literally years ago?

LOL cause most people are too lazy to go through and LOOK at what's already been posted / said.

This flood of already asked and answered easily happens when a game goes on-sale and people happen to be new to it. With this game going for $5 in some places online for a Steam key and the fact KCD2 has had plenty of attention lately, people being new to such a game isn't hard to understand.

But there are so many online guides and help inside and outside of Steam, a majority of their questions could easily get answered if they just do online searches and such.

[carl.wear]

Originally posted by Bad 💀 Motha:

Originally posted by Bishop-Six:

Why do people insist to open threads about the combat system when everything was said thousands of times literally years ago?

LOL cause most people are too lazy to go through and LOOK at what's already been posted / said.

This flood of already asked and answered easily happens when a game goes on-sale and people happen to be new to it. With this game going for $5 in some places online for a Steam key and the fact KCD2 has had plenty of attention lately, people being new to such a game isn't hard to understand.

But there are so many online guides and help inside and outside of Steam, a majority of their questions could easily get answered if they just do online searches and such.

Also with some of the steam sales some games can be heavily discounted. I got this game 3 or 4 months ago when steam had a sale. I forget what I paid for it but it was between $12-16 NZ and that price included 5 DLCs.

Also Youtube is a great source of advice for most games. ( and good to check them out to see if they are even worth buying). YT has helped with some of my game purchase decisions.

[Thjaffi]

Originally posted by Frosted Flakes Ph.D:

I think on paper, this game has good combat. You have to use combos, carefully timed blocks, and swings from different directions to do damage. That sounds fun! But the reality of the situation is, every enemy, and I'm not exaggerating here -- EVERY SINGLE ENEMY IN THE GAME has double, if not triple, the health you have.

Armor doesn't matter. I can be dressed head to toe in chainmail and plate armor, and have a sword freshly sharpened from the grindstone, and it'll still take me 20 swings to kill a bandit wearing measly leather armor.

However, I wouldn't mind this as much, if the game didn't constantly...CONSTANTLY....due this absolutely retarded ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ where the game slows down to slow motion and just ♥♥♥♥♥ you repeatedly. I will even hold an attack from the bottom, and right before I swing, quickly change directions to the top, and the game just does a slow motion playthrough of a guy magically moving his shield to the top of his head (even though he was clearly going at me from the bottom) within 0.5 seconds and then proceeds to do 12000000 damage and hit you 5 times.

Not only that, but it seems every enemy in the game has force powers from Star Wars. If you're fighting multiple enemies, you'll be animation locked into spinning around every direction like a ballerina while the game tries to simulate...I guess a cinematic swordfight with 4 people at once.

It's so bad, and it's one of the main things I hate about this game.

inb4 git gud just train with Captain Bernard and learn combos. It's impossible to do a combo if your enemies just mindread you and magically insta block every single attack you throw at them

i agree in every aspect.
As someone who is in a actual fencing school (since march), it feels like training combat in KCD is as hard as real historical longsword fencing.
Difference is, actual fencing is fun, but a pain in KCD (a game should be a relaxing activity).

other than that, the game is absolutely fine.

[Mace]

Originally posted by Frosted Flakes Ph.D:

I think on paper, this game has good combat. You have to use combos, carefully timed blocks, and swings from different directions to do damage. That sounds fun! But the reality of the situation is, every enemy, and I'm not exaggerating here -- EVERY SINGLE ENEMY IN THE GAME has double, if not triple, the health you have.

Armor doesn't matter. I can be dressed head to toe in chainmail and plate armor, and have a sword freshly sharpened from the grindstone, and it'll still take me 20 swings to kill a bandit wearing measly leather armor.

However, I wouldn't mind this as much, if the game didn't constantly...CONSTANTLY....due this absolutely retarded ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ where the game slows down to slow motion and just ♥♥♥♥♥ you repeatedly. I will even hold an attack from the bottom, and right before I swing, quickly change directions to the top, and the game just does a slow motion playthrough of a guy magically moving his shield to the top of his head (even though he was clearly going at me from the bottom) within 0.5 seconds and then proceeds to do 12000000 damage and hit you 5 times.

Not only that, but it seems every enemy in the game has force powers from Star Wars. If you're fighting multiple enemies, you'll be animation locked into spinning around every direction like a ballerina while the game tries to simulate...I guess a cinematic swordfight with 4 people at once.

It's so bad, and it's one of the main things I hate about this game.

inb4 git gud just train with Captain Bernard and learn combos. It's impossible to do a combo if your enemies just mindread you and magically insta block every single attack you throw at them

Sounds like somebody got 53 hours in and is still getting their teeth kicked in by enemies looool