Summary
- Parrying is an essential mechanic in Soulslike games, providing players with freedom of movement and defense.
- Mastering the parry mechanic requires skill and precise timing, but it can lead to stunning enemies and opening them up for powerful attacks.
Parrying is an essential mechanic to the best Soulslike games. It’s a tried and tested system that has worked for years and gives players freedom of movement and defense. No longer do they need to rely on a shield, or a roll, as they can challenge the weapon in front of them by simply deflecting it, leaving their opponent stunned and open for attack.
The best parry mechanics in Soulslike games come in many different forms across a variety of different games. A parry mechanic is a great choice for a game to have, as it allows players to flex their skills and reaction times. Yet, these Soulslike games are certainly the best at pulling off a parry.
7 Nioh 2
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One of the basic defense options players can find in the mechanics of Nioh 2 is the parry. It’s fairly satisfying to pull off but can be a difficult feat to master. Enemies and bosses especially play very aggressively, meaning a parry is not always assured in Nioh 2, but it is something worth trying to pull off.
It’s hard to find the right window for the opportunity, but the reward is great, as most enemies will falter and stumble down, leaving them vulnerable to the aggressive players that are on the offensive. Players should practice parry in Nioh 2 to better understand it.
6 Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
The iconic FromSoftware brought players Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, a game that is perhaps the definitive parry experience. Players can’t expect to roll around, shield up and slash with a sword to get through this game, as Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice rewards well-timed parries and defensive playstyle to master the moves and determine the attack patterns of opponents. Enemies can only be defeated by breaking their guard, which makes parry the essential mechanic.
Some players may find parrying hard to master in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, but it is perhaps the most satisfying move to pull off out of all Soulslike games. The sound design deflection effect of metal upon Sekiro’s sword is addictive, and players can parry in countless succession with no cooldown window holding them back.
5 Final Fantasy 16
One of the key mechanics in Final Fantasy 16 is a parry, an iconic feature of most Soulslike games. In this JRPG, this combat technique will turn the opponent’s strike against them, stunning them and leaving them open for a violent flurry of the player’s attack. Players can master the parry in Final Fantasy 16 through its precise and careful timing.
There are even visual and audio cues that can assist players to pull off a perfect parry. However, there is a high risk with Final Fantasy 16’s parry system, if they miss, they are going to lose a chunk of damage. Players can swing their swords at the right time to commit to a parry.
4 Lies Of P
Lies of P has a unique parry system to other Soulslike games. The most important mechanic will be the noticeable lack of a shield to block damage. Therefore, players need to rely on their weapon of choice in Lies of P to absorb damage for them, so they are not filling themselves with cuts and slashes that will cause their death.
Players will need to master a Perfect Guard, which is blocking at the very perfect second of opportunity to stop themselves from losing health, and building a stun charge within their opponent so that they will eventually be open to a grand attack, as well as a chance to break their weapon. There are even some enemies that have powerful attack moves that cannot be dodged, and players will need Perfect Guard to beat them or die trying.
3 Wo Long Fallen Dynasty
Much like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Wo Long Fallen Dynasty features a parry system in which players need to keep their eyes on the blade of their enemy for the split-second decision of when to parry them. The game also has a stamina meter similar to Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and an intricate timing system that may prove difficult, but worthy of trying.
Parrying is certainly the way to go in Wo Long Fallen Dynasty, as aggressive enemies will not let up, and their pose will be far superior to the player’s blade. The goal of the player is to pull off these parries, allowing enemies to attack learn their moves, and master their demise.
2 Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Showing the power of a Jedi Knight, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor puts players in direct control of Cal Kestis and his customizable lightsaber. In Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, players will have plenty of playstyles to choose from thanks to the unique Stances. However, perhaps the most rewarding style isn’t to jump and dodge around, but to trust in the Force, and pull off some impressive and cinematic parries.
When players achieve a parry, it is noticeably easier than other Soulslike games, with an open window for success based on the difficulty scaling. Pulling off a parry will stun enemies, breaking their guard, and leaving them open for a vicious lightsaber slash that could see them lose an arm or leg.
1 Hollow Knight
The parry mechanic in Hollow Knight often goes underused thanks to the freedom of movement and fast gameplay of this 2D Soulslike. However, Hollow Knight has a challenging, and entirely satisfying parry system that should be mastered. When players pull off a parry, the screen will momentarily freeze and lose frames to show the raw power in such a deflection.
Pulling off a parry against the many different enemies in Hollow Knight will prevent the player from taking damage, and will also leave the enemy open for a quick attack window. However, the parry window and room for a counterattack is fairly short in Hollow Knight, assuring that only the best reactions can pull this off.