Combat / Parry
The parry system
This is the entry where the series stops hiding. Sophia is a fighter, the combat is melee, and it is organised around one loop: parry the incoming blow, stun what threw it, then hit it very hard.
The loop
- 1
Parry, or dodge out of the way
Both open the same door. The timing window is the hard part rather than the inputs — a reviewer who finished the game calls parries not particularly complicated, with difficult timing.
- 2
The enemy is stunned
This is the whole point of parrying. It is not a damage-reduction move, it is how you create the opening.
- 3
Land the critical
The stun window is where the massive damage happens. Trading blows without it is the slow way to do everything.
Who actually does it
Every combat achievement below is a specific thing the game asks you to pull off, and Steam publishes what share of owners has. Read down the list and you can see where players stop engaging with the system.
| Achievement | Unlocked by |
|---|---|
| Returning the favorKill an Archer with a throwing knife | 29.9% |
| Sharp enough for you?Kill 25 enemies with a critical strike | 26.2% |
| Cannon fodderLure a Brute into killing 1 soldier while in a rage | 15.7% |
| UntouchableSuccessfully parry 6 attacks in a row | 15.3% |
| Skilled maneuvererStun 3 enemies at the same time using the skill Echo's Return | 10.4% |
| OverboardKill 20 enemies by pushing them down a drop | 8.4% |
| No holds barredStun 20 enemies with throwables | 7.8% |
| Inherited brutalityKill 4 enemies simultaneously with a Focus attack | 1.6% |
| AdaptableKill at least 1 enemy with each blade | 0.7% |