Parrying demands precision and keen observation. It involves closely studying combat, understanding the rhythm of attacks, and identifying the exact moment to execute a counter. Subtle animation changes or distinct audio cues can signal crucial openings or shifts in enemy attacks. Mastering parrying means adeptly recognizing and reacting to these intricate details.
However, this level of focus can be draining. Many games set high, demanding standards for successful parries, often leading players to prefer less strenuous defensive options like blocking or dodging when available.
The painterly Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, however, stands out as an exception. Its captivating combat system reveals the satisfaction of parrying, transforming each battle into a thrilling exchange of fluid attacks and counters. The game’s fights are visually stunning and deeply complex, blending JRPG-style turn-based combat with real-time elements that require timely dodges and parries.
Expedition 33 presents significant challenges. Certain foes inflict immense damage, making every turn critically intense. Consequently, each combat decision carries strategic weight. During enemy turns, players must observe carefully, noting everything from a behemoth’s axe swing to subtle visual and audio cues preceding powerful attacks. Dodging and parrying are essential to mitigate these threats, ensuring constant player engagement. The game demands vigilance: watch, learn, and adapt.
Executing a parry requires intense focus on combat sequences, a task many players find unappealing. Fundamentally, parrying tests reaction time, demanding memorization of timings and attack patterns to perfectly press a button. While some players enjoy this, others find it laborious, time-consuming, and tedious. The frustration of missing a parry by a fraction of a second can be immense. In poorly designed games, parries might feel both mandatory and unfair, offering insufficient reward for the effort or making battles unwinnable without them.
But Expedition 33 boasts an undeniable flair that makes its combat captivating. Dodging offers a more forgiving window and provides satisfaction when seamlessly avoiding multiple attacks. A successful parry, though having a tighter window, delivers an even greater thrill, allowing for a powerful counter-attack. Upon execution, the action momentarily slows, the camera subtly shifts, and a sword slices through the air with vibrant chromatic trails. The opponent reacts with a cry, accompanied by a resonant clang of weapons and the game’s magnificent orchestral soundtrack, intensifying these moments.
Parrying in Expedition 33 is further enhanced by its high-reward nature, provided the timing is precise. Many of the game’s toughest encounters depend on flawless parries. A successful counter-attack not only inflicts significant damage but also grants action points crucial for character special skills. Accumulating more action points unlocks stronger abilities, making a perfect parry a potential game-changer. A single well-timed parry can rescue a battle from the brink of defeat. The substantial benefits of parrying encourage players to invest time in practice, leading to confident anticipation and stylish execution of attacks.
Several other elements contribute to the effectiveness of parrying in Expedition 33. The gradient counter, a flashy variation of the standard parry, introduces an additional layer to the mechanic. This move is specifically used against the gradient attack, a potent ability that temporarily applies a monochromatic filter to the screen. Beyond this, other defensive maneuvers can amplify the excitement of chaining parries, particularly when executed rapidly. In addition to dodging, the game features a jump counter. While not a true parry, it is performed by successfully leaping over a sweeping attack. This move is more forgiving than a parry, requiring only a jump when an icon appears, with combat briefly slowing to signal an impending counter-attack opportunity.
Thus, when battles demand a rapid succession of these actions—jumping, parrying, and executing a gradient counter—successfully landing them significantly enhances the satisfaction of a perfectly timed parry. Seamlessly performing these combined maneuvers creates some of Expedition 33‘s most thrilling moments.
Remarkably, these features represent only a portion of Expedition 33‘s exceptional combat system, which also includes elements like Pictos and Luminas. These additions deepen the game’s tactical options, enabling players to customize their playstyle and enhance parry effectiveness through passive boosts. For example, when combined with a build focused on maximizing action points, parrying becomes an even more potent method for inflicting substantial damage.
Previously, the constant vigilance required for parrying cues often led to exhaustion and frustration. However, Expedition 33 has revealed the immense potential of a well-executed parry. While mastering its intricacies can still take time, it feels like a worthwhile investment in this RPG.
