Hopping on to say that as much as I'm enjoying the game, the combat is jank as fuck. I don't remember if 2018 was like this, but I'm playing on Give Me No Mercy, and I never feel like I'm getting better. Other difficult games I feel like I get better, like Elden Ring or any other action heavy game. But not with this, and I finally figured out why. There are little things about the combat that makes things difficult to master and get used to. And it's little things. Little things that sometimes work, and sometimes they don't.
- The enemies are inconsistent with how they get stunlocked by certain attacks. I'm not talking about stunlocking a small enemy and then getting upset it doesn't do that to a boss. I'm talking about the exact same attacks stunlocking the exact same enemies, but then you do it again and it doesn't work, leading you to getting hit and losing half your health.
- Certain attacks lock you into attack animations. In a game and difficulty mode where a single mistake can cost you a lot of health, it's risky to do certain attacks. But again, the combat is inconsistent with when enemies get staggered by these attacks. I've had times fighting enemies (like the Beserkers) where I've seen certain attacks stagger them, but then sometimes when I do it the enemy doesn't stagger and they continue to attack even after getting hit, but because I'm locked into the attack animation I'll take damage. And again to be clear, there's no confusion on when's the right time to do these attacks. Obviously trying to stagger an enemy when they're winding up for a big attack, isn't going to work the same as when the enemy is attacking normally. But I'm referring to times when the enemy is attacking normally and my big attacks aren't staggering or stunning them. They just eat right through and kill Kratos.
- One thing that just happened that sent me over the edge is Skadi's Edge is supposed to slow down time. I'm fighting a Beserker that throws projectiles. Skadi's Edge is supposed to slow down time. I used Skadi's Edge right as the Beserker was getting ready to throw lighting. Time slowed down, and so did the Beserker, but the actually projectile moved normally and killed Kratos.
These are just some examples off the top of my head. Again I like the game, but I find it very difficult and frustrating to master because the combat design isn't perfect. I've never had this issue before with other games on high difficulties. Ghost of Tsushima, Horizon, Elden Ring, Bayonetta, DMC5, you name it. But this game's combat can fucking suck my balls. Maybe some people don't notice this shit, but when you're playing on a difficulty mode where a single hit from any enemy takes off 30-50% of your health, believe me you notice.
A typical boss fight that I'm struggling against goes like this:
1. Open the fight with a pattern of Runic Attacks that stunlock the boss to deliver big damage.
2. Fight the boss, try to learn his patterns. Inevitable take 2-3 hits and get killed.
3. "Okay time to try again."
4. Open the fight with the same pattern of Runic Attacks.
5. Boss breaks out of the stunlock for some reason and hits me for half my health.
6. Use Spartan Rage to heal up. Kratos just keeps doing the jumping punch attack instead of a flurry of blows for efficiency.
7. Get hit again, die.
8. "Okay, again."
9. Open the fight with a pattern of Runic attacks that stunlock the boss to deliver big damage.
10. Doing well. Boss at 25%. Runic Attacks cooldown complete.
11. Use Runic Attacks, boss doesn't stagger and punches me. Kratos dies.
