Combat System-Am I Missing Something?

[mldb88]

I'm about halfway through I think Ch8 or so at this point (Kiji clan guy with a knife in Club Grand, not even gonna try to spell his name) but I've sorta noticed something about the combat system and not sure if its just something not clicking on my end or just a legit flaw. Aside from normal fights where everything is smooth as butter and you can for the most part clean up mooks, with difficult fights more relying on threat prioritization (kill the guy with the gun first, etc), boss fights on the other hand feel managable up until the halfway mark. From there is becomes either literally just get off a single punch or two and back up, or just war of attrition by drinking down healing drinks nonstop and just power through it. Most bosses have interrupts that come out of nowhere that catch you mid animation with zero time to react, grabs that come after long strings of combos that if you block you get grabbed and if you dodge through you run out of dodges by the time the grab comes up and STILL get grabbed, magnetic long distance lunges that have them do complete 180's and still hit you even if you're completely behind them as the animation starts and they move a few feet in the opposite direction, and the list goes on. The game goes from feeling great and balanced and a grand old time to absolute war of attrition I'm getting damaged no matter what so either cheese it or war of attrition are the only two options. And this is on NORMAL, so I'm kind of scared of how bad it would be on hard.

[Lar Dass]

Have you equipped a charismatic item?

[mldb88]

Originally posted by Lar Dass:

Have you equipped a charismatic item?

Not sure exactly what that is. I think my current load out is the animal print belt, card finder and I forget the last one off hand

[Bankai9212]

Since I played on hard, can’t say I had any issues considering there are worse fights in the series and I never mastered each style. Depending who you are using certain styles can steam roll most fights. Breaker, slugger, rush, beast(with weapons in hand).

[mldb88]

Originally posted by Bankai9212:

Since I played on hard, can’t say I had any issues considering there are worse fights in the series and I never mastered each style. Depending who you are using certain styles can steam roll most fights. Breaker, slugger, rush, beast(with weapons in hand).

This is my first taste of the franchise so there’s definitely some stuff I’m missing. I’m not getting hard stuck (died maybe three times so far) but it just feels like boss fights come down to ‘did you stock up on healing?’ More than actual skill

[Bankai9212]

Well given money is never an issue health items aren’t an issue. But I can’t say a single fight required me to heal outside of the final boss towards the end. Trust me later games kiwami especially is worse in regards to bosses.

[mldb88]

Originally posted by Bankai9212:

Well given money is never an issue health items aren’t an issue. But I can’t say a single fight required me to heal outside of the final boss towards the end. Trust me later games kiwami especially is worse in regards to bosses.

I’m kind of having the opposite experience, with the exception of the first kuze and lee fights I’ve had to use about 1/2-1 full bar of healing items each major story boss, almost all of it once the boss is down to half.

[Lar Dass]

Originally posted by mldb88:

Originally posted by Bankai9212:

Well given money is never an issue health items aren’t an issue. But I can’t say a single fight required me to heal outside of the final boss towards the end. Trust me later games kiwami especially is worse in regards to bosses.

I’m kind of having the opposite experience, with the exception of the first kuze and lee fights I’ve had to use about 1/2-1 full bar of healing items each major story boss, almost all of it once the boss is down to half.

I would say take some time away from the main story and do some substories. You usually fight standard goons and its a great way to get money and use it to upgrade your character and hone your skills

[Bankai9212]

Have you upgraded your styles, do the side businesses/stories?

[mldb88]

Originally posted by Bankai9212:

Have you upgraded your styles, do the side businesses/stories?

For the most part yea, up to the 30million tiers on most upgrade webs. I’m sure I’ve probably missed some side stories but I usually do them when I run into them

[Bankai9212]

Have you learned some of them, anything boosting damage is all you need. Also training for each style as they give you strong abilities you can’t purchase.

[mldb88]

Originally posted by Bankai9212:

Have you learned some of them, anything boosting damage is all you need. Also training for each style as they give you strong abilities you can’t purchase.

Got most of what I can filled out on the webs but I've probably missed some of the training moves (got a few of the Baccus ones for brawler but thats about it). Still feels like the phase 2 sections of bosses are just impossible to really do consistent damage to though since they either dodge or counter almost immediately.

[Or Die Trying]

It's simple, really. There is only one style for boss fights - Rush. Same with Kiwami, btw