How can a game have combat this terrible

[Solivagant]

I'm now 20 hours in, and golly, this game has the worst combat system for a CRPG I have ever experienced.

Why do my units ALWAYS have such trash accuracy? Why do the AI always have such godlike accuracy? Does armor even do anything??? No matter how many builds I've run, the combat in this game is so ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ terrible that I keep getting hardlocked over and over again. I've rolled a Str character, I've rolled Dex characters, I've rolled Per characters; the combat is just so awful in every manner. I just don't understand how it's possible to be a released product with combat in this state.

Wish I could refund this game, but alas, it's past the 2 hour mark despite never beating chapter 1 (and theorycrafting a dozen builds)

Would any of the devs offer a refund for this? I feel like I got cheated out of my money.

[skaudus]

Can you post some screenshots of your builds for feedback purposes?

It can be very frustrating to get your ass kicked, but it doesn't have to be this way.

The AI uses the exact same combat system as the players, they use stats and levels just like you (and they're very unoptimised). Making dedicated combat characters and using companions makes combat extremely easy, to the point where it's not even fair for the enemies.

If you want to understand the system better, we're more than happy to help you.

https://youtu.be/0x7XkqwAgvA?si=hauJiHchjn90zPER
https://youtu.be/Q_SA5ErDq0A?si=WBeVCIAEaidGjr2-

Here are the official video tutorials for accuracy and defence. If you engage with the systems, you can have much better accuracy and defence than the enemies.

[mk11]

This is a good publisher. It has a demo that allows you to play through chapter 1 so no need to purchase and refund to try it out.

[Pink Eye]

Originally posted by skaudus:

Can you post some screenshots of your builds for feedback purposes?

It can be very frustrating to get your ass kicked, but it doesn't have to be this way.

The AI uses the exact same combat system as the players, they use stats and levels just like you (and they're very unoptimised). Making dedicated combat characters and using companions makes combat extremely easy, to the point where it's not even fair for the enemies.

If you want to understand the system better, we're more than happy to help you.

https://youtu.be/0x7XkqwAgvA?si=hauJiHchjn90zPER
https://youtu.be/Q_SA5ErDq0A?si=WBeVCIAEaidGjr2-

Here are the official video tutorials for accuracy and defence. If you engage with the systems, you can have much better accuracy and defence than the enemies.

God bless you and I hope everything in your life is going great.

[Vince]

Originally posted by Cymdai:

Would any of the devs offer a refund for this? I feel like I got cheated out of my money.

If we could (if there were tools that would allow us to issue refunds), we would. You can ask Steam for a refund and link to this post to show that the development team has no objections to it.

[Zsrai]

Have you tried Hero mode? Are you changing your attacks to fast/snap shots that have lower accuracy? Are you avoiding most combats and then getting stuck in to a tougher combat with low combat skills?

[Sardonac]

Its funny when I see posts like this. The combat is one of the best parts of CS to me, next to the lore diving. I would recommend you read through the builds thread and try one of the builds that look interesting to you rather than rely on your own. Don't make the mistake of ignoring consumables either. Flashbangs and stims carry the first third of the game for me on some of my crappiest builds.

Probably my easiest high accuracy build was a con 12 implant heavy build that focused rifles and used Jed for the Sergeant buff. Even when I made mistakes I was so durable it didn't really matter. I think dodge this builds are probably easier though, since the game rewards aggressive first turns so much and that compounds well with the crit damage.

[Wrath of Dagon]

Why don't people like this try the demo before they rush into purchase? Also why not turn down the difficulty?

[jambong]

It's funny because most devs don't bother giving demos. But when one does, apparently people are unwilling to use it, and just whine about it later.

[maximusus01]

Originally posted by Cymdai:

I'm now 20 hours in, and golly, this game has the worst combat system for a CRPG I have ever experienced.

Why do my units ALWAYS have such trash accuracy? Why do the AI always have such godlike accuracy? Does armor even do anything??? No matter how many builds I've run, the combat in this game is so ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ terrible that I keep getting hardlocked over and over again. I've rolled a Str character, I've rolled Dex characters, I've rolled Per characters; the combat is just so awful in every manner. I just don't understand how it's possible to be a released product with combat in this state.

It was expected, based on the devs previous game The Age of Decadence, that the combat in this game would be very demanding but at the same time satisfying, which for me is only a plus, it is not a game for everyone !!!!

[Nikanuur]

Originally posted by maximusus01:

It was expected, based on the devs previous game The Age of Decadence, that the combat in this game would be very demanding but at the same time satisfying, which for me is only a plus, it is not a game for everyone !!!!

I dare to contradict you in that.

Because from what I heard, the Hero difficulty is easy as pie. Only the Underdog is challenging. I can understand things happening along the lines of OP–if builds and paying attention to the signs and warnings are approached consistently incorrectly. Then again, I completed the game on Underdog and I deem it challenging, frustrating at times, but definitely not the worst-of-all or some such nonsense.

Needless to say, I absoutely enjoyed the heck out of the game as a whole. One of the very few no-nonsense cRPGs in several years!

Anyway, if I am correct about the Underdog, the game actually *is* for everyone.

[maximusus01]

Originally posted by Nikanuur:

Originally posted by maximusus01:

It was expected, based on the devs previous game The Age of Decadence, that the combat in this game would be very demanding but at the same time satisfying, which for me is only a plus, it is not a game for everyone !!!!

I dare to contradict you in that.

Because from what I heard, the Hero difficulty is easy as pie. Only the Underdog is challenging. I can understand things happening along the lines of OP–if builds and paying attention to the signs and warnings are approached consistently incorrectly. Then again, I completed the game on Underdog and I deem it challenging, frustrating at times, but definitely not the worst-of-all or some such nonsense.

Needless to say, I absoutely enjoyed the heck out of the game as a whole. One of the very few no-nonsense cRPGs in several years!

Anyway, if I am correct about the Underdog, the game actually *is* for everyone.

I dare you to disagree

As you can see, even people who play RPGs may disagree with you, and the example is above, from the user I quoted in my previous post

[Nikanuur]

Originally posted by maximusus01:

I dare you to disagree

As you can see, even people who play RPGs may disagree with you, and the example is above, from the user I quoted in my previous post

At the risk of stating the obvious, that dude was talking in *can be* expressions somewhat misleadingly framed as *is only*.
Again, the combat can be indeed quite punishing on Underdog.
Not at all on Hero. That difficulty is reputably casual, or even outright easy.

[Wrath of Dagon]

Not to mention that the difficulty is now adjustable, all the way from Hero to Underdog. And yet in spite of all of the developers' effort to enable everyone to play the game, we still get threads like this.

[Nikanuur]

Originally posted by Wrath of Dagon:

Not to mention that the difficulty is now adjustable, all the way from Hero to Underdog. And yet in spite of all of the developers' effort to enable everyone to play the game, we still get threads like this.

I'd brofist you the whole way to Proxima, if I could.

[yemeth2]

Originally posted by Cymdai:

I'm now 20 hours in, and golly, this game has the worst combat system for a CRPG I have ever experienced.

Why do my units ALWAYS have such trash accuracy? Why do the AI always have such godlike accuracy? Does armor even do anything??? No matter how many builds I've run, the combat in this game is so ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ terrible that I keep getting hardlocked over and over again. I've rolled a Str character, I've rolled Dex characters, I've rolled Per characters; the combat is just so awful in every manner. I just don't understand how it's possible to be a released product with combat in this state.

Wish I could refund this game, but alas, it's past the 2 hour mark despite never beating chapter 1 (and theorycrafting a dozen builds)

Would any of the devs offer a refund for this? I feel like I got cheated out of my money.

Take a break from the game for a little while if it's too frustrating. That's what I do and it helps. Check out some builds. Turn down the difficulty maybe? Figure out what consumables do and use them, they're an integral part of combat. Get some buddies if you don't have any, you can get a full team almost right away in Chapter 1. Pay attention to your action points, weapon specialization, and remember that armor influences evasion and initiative (not super sure about this one, been a while since I played, but I think that's how it goes).
I don't want to sound like "that guy" and exacerbate your frustration, but I've been where you are with other games and after learning how to pay attention and chill out, I found that difficult games are very rewarding once you figure out how to make them your ♥♥♥♥♥. After all, other people play it, so it has to be doable. You just have to decode the systems.