Support NeoGAF

[NightmareFarm]

I think most of the time they are a welcome addition and adds some combat depth. They work extremely well in games like MGR or Sekiro where it is made the focus of the combat and not just one of it's features. But other times, it can feel tacked on and/or counterproductive to the gameplay loop like in FnR. In some cases it can feel random depending on the input for the parry(like if it is forward on dpad just as an attack hits you). They don't need to be present in every action game.

 

[Danjin44]

I LOVE parries and if it’s satisfying I get addicted to it and I want to do it consistently.

 

[AV]

Very little more satisfying in video games than parrying a riposting a Dark Souls boss.

 

[Mister Wolf]

They certainly make combat more interesting than i-frame dodging where you're hopping around like a jackrabbit.

 

[bender]

I thought this was an interesting take on parrying:

 

[Mr.Phoenix]

When done right, they naturally make the game better. Butt like any other gameplay mechanic out there, when done wrong, well... you get it.

 

[NightmareFarm]

I thought this was an interesting take on parrying:

MGR has one of the best parry systems in video games. I love triggering that zandatsu window freeze after landing a perfect parry on one of the mechs

 

[Aces High]

Sekiro has the goat combat.

It's based around parrying.

 

[Kiya's Guard]

I don't like when people say sekiro has parries, if I recall it calls them deflects. A parry is a move in fencing where you disable your oponent, in sekiro it fills their posture bar (yes low level npcs get parried in one or two deflects). And parrying is awesome, there's videos about this mechanic alone

 

[NightmareFarm]

I LOVE parries and if it’s satisfying I get addicted to it and I want to do it consistently.

Dead Cells in a nutshell for me. I just parried anything and everything in that game.

 

[dreamstation]

I hate them unless they give a generous window. I'm getting too old to have to press a button within 0.5 of a second.

 

[Lethal01]

Love doing parries, I wish that less games made them and dodges be complete damage negation

 

[Beer Baelly]

I hate them unless they give a generous window. I'm getting too old to have to press a button within 0.5 of a second.

 

[existensmaximum]

I absolutely hate parrying. Well, first of all I totally suck at it but I also don't think it's fun nor satisfying to work on it even if I succeed sometimes. So I always go out of my way to manage the combat without it, for example in Bloodborne, Dark Souls or Elden Ring (haven't even tried Sekiro for obvious reasons, haha). To me it's not fun and it only adds stress and anxiety.

So that always fucks me up eventually because often you come to a part later in the games where parrying is required to get further and that creates an enormous difficulty spike for me and my playstyle, haha. Same with backstabbing in these games.

 

[NightmareFarm]

I hate them unless they give a generous window. I'm getting too old to have to press a button within 0.5 of a second.

You need to play Dead Cells dude. You can make coffee, do the dishes, take a walk and finish the laundry by the time the parry window ends. But it's still extremely satisfying nonetheless and you have shields which can give you free gold or freeze enemies when yuo parry them.

 

[dreamstation]

You need to play Dead Cells dude. You can make coffee, do the dishes, take a walk and finish the laundry by the time the parry window ends. But it's still extremely satisfying nonetheless and you have shields which can give you free gold or freeze enemies when yuo parry them.

I do have Dead Cells in my backlog actually. Just gotta find time to play all these god damn games.

 

[TexMex]

There’s nothing I’m worse at in all of gaming. I can’t get the hang of it in any game.

I have the platinum in every souls game except Sekiro, which I can’t even come close to beating let alone 100%.

I’m awful at it.

 

[Danjin44]

for example in Bloodborne, Dark Souls or Elden Ring

I actually love parring in Elden Ring and some enemies feels made for it, like crucible knights.

Even fight against Radegon becomes even more fun once I become better at parring.

 

[Bartski]

Peak risk-reward mechanic. I'd love to see more games making it essential rather than an option you're better off avoiding which is often the case

 

[Hudo]

A parry into a riposte is how most of my sex happens.

 

[Chukhopops]

Monster Hunter became immediately better when they added the Adept parry to Lance, so much that they kept it in Rise.

The sound is just so immensely satisfying.

So yeah I love it.

 

[Valt7786]

Love them but sometime wish they at least had an option to increase the window in which to perform them.

 

[T4keD0wN]

I like them, they dont look stupid, unlike dodge rolls (dashing is fine).

Hate when the window is tied to the framerate and doesnt scale, which is often, it makes parrying impossible on 150hz+ monitors.
Having 13 frames window is ok when playing at 60 or 30fps, but its not enough when youre multiple times higher.

 

[F31 Leopard]

Critical Juncture was always satisfying to use in MHGU.

 

[NeoIkaruGAF]

If the window is consistent and it’s somewhat obvious what can be parried and what can’t, they can be a good mechanic.
So, they kinda aren’t in that series that made parrying a fucking staple of action games for the last decade. Some attacks can be parried and some cannot because of reasons. The size of your shield changes the parry window. The window itself is never quote obvious, etc etc. It’s quite amazing how generous the Mikiri counter‘s window was in Sekiro, but maybe that’s because there’s really no alternative to defending in Sekiro.

 

[lughnasadh123]

Parrying done right is one of the best feeling actions in a game.

Done wrong it's one of the most frustrating things.

 

[Tams]

I'm not good at them.

I hate them in BotW and TotK.

I did enjoy the challenge of them in Red Steel on the Wii.

 

[ahtlas7]

I love them after I figure out the timings but hate them during the learning process.

 

[winjer]

Probably because I'm getting older, I'm not good at parrying.
So if a game has a combat system that relies a lot of parrying, it won't click with me.

 

[FunkMiller]

Yeah, nah. Way too finicky and exacting for my old ass.

 

[WitchHunter]

I think most of the time they are a welcome addition and adds some combat depth. They work extremely well in games like MGR or Sekiro where it is made the focus of the combat and not just one of it's features. But other times, it can feel tacked on and/or counterproductive to the gameplay loop like in FnR. In some cases it can feel random depending on the input for the parry(like if it is forward on dpad just as an attack hits you). They don't need to be present in every action game.

I think parries are overrated and we need further discussions whether they need to be regulated.

 

[MetalRain]

I don't really like them, I think positioning, using the environment and even aiming is more fun gameplay than timing parry exactly.

 

[NightmareFarm]

I think parries are overrated and we need further discussions whether they need to be regulated.

They are becoming oversaturated, I agree.

 

[thuGG_pl]

I don't like them and I don't use them.

 

[T0minator]

I fell like it's hit a point in gaming where it's almost weird not to have parrying in an action game.

The next Horizon game has to have parrying, if they want to stand a chance at all against whatever big game they release against again

 

[IAmRei]

I hate them unless they give a generous window. I'm getting too old to have to press a button within 0.5 of a second.

Samey, my reflex is getting down lately. I drop fighting games as well now, my hand is getting clumsy in this age now

 

[fart town usa]

They certainly make combat more interesting than i-frame dodging where you're hopping around like a jackrabbit. rolling around like a panda.

 

[Heisenberg007]

Love parries - especially the satisfying ones, e.g., God of War, Mad Max, Shadow of Mordor/War, etc.

 

[ReBurn]

Some games do it better than others but it usually gets just as repetitive as hack and slash.

 

[Knightime_X]

Games with gimmicks are terrible.
It's better for it to act more of a utility.

Parries in Sekiro felt more like a forced gimmick.
And was a utility in Resident Evil 4 remake.

 

[april6e]

I hate it when they are required like in Sekiro. I love it when they are optional like in Dark Souls.

 

[Kabelly]

Bayonetta has one of my favourite parries. You can get witch time by dodging but if you risk it and parry instead you can get witch time for longer. I love the way it works too you basically flick your stick forward against the attack. Feels very satisfying to pull off.

Sekiro's combat is also amazing. It's the focus of the combat, but there's such a force that the enemies hit you with that landing that perfect parry is also very satisying. Sekiro clank is one one of the best sounds in gaming. When you hit that perfect parry from a strong attack that it forces Sekiro back that he has to force his sword in the ground to stop himself. Amazing.

Also shoutout to Splatoon 3. They have improved the mobility so much in the third game and if you do what's called a squid roll at the perfect time you can negate a certain amount of damage you receive. You can tank a whole bomb if you time it right. So good.

Honourable mention to Bloodborne. Also a very satisfying to pull off but not "required". That aggressive violin sound is beautiful. Then you walk up to the enemy and rip their insides out. The best. Plus if you add the one charm or whatever you get your health back. It does make fighting enemies a lot easier though so not utlising it is just hindering yourself unless that's your own personal challenge.

Parries are great.

 

[Swagballs717]

I like them in the Batman: Arkham games, not so much in the Marvel's Spider-Man games.

Batman is a master of martial artist, so he would know all about countering his opponent's moves. Spider-Man is more acrobatic and agile, and less of a martial artist, so dodging around his enemies makes more sense for him.

 

[FoxMcChief]

My mind saw "panties", and i have no opinion on them in action games. I love the look of panties on a curry woman though. Curvy, not obese.

 

[TheGodfather07]

I hate it when they are required like in Sekiro. I love it when they are optional like in Dark Souls.

It's amazing once the Combat clicks in sekiro. You feel like a fucking badass!

 

[hybrid_birth]

How do you feel about furries in action games?

 

[DaciaJC]

I thought this was an interesting take on parrying:

He makes a lot of good points. I agree with him that the emphasis on deflecting in Sekiro ultimately makes for a rather one-note and repetitive combat system. More generally, he's absolutely spot on in saying that adding a directional element to parries makes for a much more compelling and engaging experience. A couple of games I play, Mount & Blade and Mordhau, have a mechanic called "chambering" wherein you anticipate an enemy's strike and respond with one of your own with the aim of intercepting their weapon mid-swing, allowing you to simultaneously defend yourself and immediately take the initiative with a counterattack. It's so much more satisfying than your run of the mill one-button omnidirectional parry.

 

[radewagon]

I hate them unless they give a generous window. I'm getting too old to have to press a button within 0.5 of a second.

Also, enemies need to telegraph their attacks well. I need easy to notice animations that help me identify what type of attack is coming my way.

 

[Reizo Ryuu]

Wo Long has the best parries

 

[ChoosableOne]

If it's a game that requires memorizing enemy movements, it's very enjoyable. Otherwise, I don't enjoy it as much when I randomly guess when to parry.