Parry systems are everywhere now. While sometimes divisive, this feature (which either floods parry veterans with dopamine hits or causes uncoordinated players to swear on screen) has seeped into combat systems of all sorts of games, from Chiaroscuro: Expedition 33 for first person shooters such as Doom Eternal.
This mechanic was loved by some and despised by others as one of the most inventive (or tedious) steps to be implemented relentlessly. But a lot goes into the convincing and effective parry system, which further immerses players in the flow of combat, allowing them to parry blows with the confidence of a seasoned fighter.
Although named after fencing maneuverWhat brought parrying to the forefront was the introduction of mechanics into Street Fighter III (1997). The game allowed players to perform two types of parries: high and low. There is a higher level design philosophy behind parry systems than meets the eye.
We spoke to four developers—Red Candle Games, Odd Bug Studio, Arsi “Hakita” Patala, and Catbird Soft—who have incorporated parrying into their games. It turns out that a good parry involves more than just getting players to press a button at a specific moment; it also offers the player more ways to navigate and strategize combat encounters.
Parry systems can define the theme and mood of the game.
At its core, the mechanical function of parrying allows players to deflect an incoming attack while opening up a small window of opportunity to strike back. While it may seem simple, its simplicity also allows the developers to design a combat system that supports the game's narrative, whether it's a lone warrior learning the intricacies of martial arts or a heavily armored soldier fighting off hordes of armored enemies in a medieval setting.
IN Strange error In the Tails of Iron series, players take on the role of a tiny rat who is given the enormous responsibility of rebuilding his home and kingdom. Combat is designed to feel weighted and reactive—like you're wielding heavy weapons and armor. “We felt it was important to make the player feel like they were actually in the fight, taking the hits from slow dodges and mistimed parries,” said Jack Bennett, Odd Bug producer and designer.
Attacks in Iron tails there is also a distinctive visual marker that tells the player how best to avoid and deal damage: for example, powerful red attacks can only be dodged, whereas long-range white attacks must be blocked.
Image via Odd Bug Studio/United Label
Nine NightingalesRed Candle Games' punishing metroidvania takes a different approach to parrying, complementing tai chi-inspired combat with an inventive twist on the parry system. Parrying here is a delicate matter; time it just right and you'll fend off the enemy's attack, giving you the opportunity to deliver a stunning counter-strike.
On the other hand, a slightly inaccurate parry causes temporary damage to the player character, but also interrupts the attack. This encourages players to practice parrying while leaving room for minor mistakes.
Taking part in the production of Shiway “Vince” Yang, Nine Nightingales was meant to be “challenging but fair”, and the game's combat system – and parrying it – was about redirecting an opponent's energy rather than using brute force, which had parallels with the game's Taoist themes. “We want players to learn the game, feel like they are improving, and then revisit the boss and win decisively. That arc, from struggle to mastery, is satisfaction,” he said.
Nine Nightingales is a variation of the basic parry called an “unlimited counter.” This is a skill that requires you to hold and release parry at the right moment – a high-risk, high-reward maneuver that allows players to parry powerful attacks, but exposes them to incoming attacks while they hold parry. Yang noted that this is inspired by the team's intention to encourage players to use timing and redirection rather than haphazardly mashing buttons.
Image via RedCandleGames
Parrying should be part of a broad defensive toolkit.
Parry systems are also becoming popular in non-melee games, such as Arsi “Hakita” Patala's system. ULTRAKILL. In this first-person shooter, players can parry enemy projectiles, resulting in an explosion that can damage multiple enemies.
Patala believes that the secret to a reliable parry is that it is used as one of several defensive tools in combat – as a more useful but riskier alternative to blocking and dodging. “The whole attraction is to expose yourself to high risk for high reward based solely on your own skills. If you try to parry a full second early and it still counts, it won't feel like a parry anymore, it'll just feel like a counterattack,” he said.
“Because of this, it is also important that parry is not the only defensive mechanic, because if it is the player's only choice, it loses its luster as a high-risk maneuver. Choosing to take a high risk and having the skills necessary to carry it out for the sake of a high reward makes parrying satisfying.”
Image via Arsi “Hakita” Patala/New Blood Interactive
Sound design and visual effects also play a key role in effective parry systems. “The most recognizable aspect ULTRAKILL“Parrying is the pinnacle of it,” Patala said. “The entire game, including all sound and music, freezes momentarily upon a successful parry. There are other aspects that are important to the feel, such as the fact that projectiles will wait a few frames after hitting the player before dealing damage, so the player has a few mercy frames during which they can still parry the projectile,” he said.
Ben Safford from Steel carnelian developed by Catbird Soft, meaningful parries are strategic maneuvers that must be executed in a short time. Paradoxically, this means that a bad parry is a universal technique that can be used in all combat situations. According to Safford, parrying should come with a set of restrictions, but carries significant risk if done at the wrong time.
“A good parry requires players to take a kind of counterposition. Instead of standing in safe places to avoid enemy attacks, they want to identify the space that the enemy controls with their attack and stand inside it,” Safford said. “The worst kind of parry is one that is too good. If everything in the game is reliably parried, the space-time elements of the combat system begin to collapse. Positioning no longer matters because there is no incentive to position yourself outside the enemy's attack range.”
“It also greatly reduces the player's strategic thinking, as they may abandon long-term planning and focus on parrying every attack they see.”
This is a design philosophy that the studio has incorporated into its upcoming game. Steel carneliana futuristic shooter game that allows players to deflect certain melee attacks and bullets while dodging a rain of projectiles.
Not all attacks here can be stopped with a parry, so players have to move between these bullets, taking into account the benefits of parrying, which requires you to stay in place and fire a homing projectile back at the enemy. “The original impulse behind the mechanics of parrying Steel carnelian “was that we wanted to give players the ability to deflect homing projectiles because shooting back at enemies is cool,” he said.
“To sweeten the deal, we've provided various resources for parrying: parrying returns ammo to the player's clip, replenishes their boost gauge, and increases their score multiplier.”
Image via Catbird Soft
A failed parry can be a frustrating experience. My failed attempts often lead me to a quiet, simmering rage that only builds over time, a juvenile rage that causes me to throw down the controller and impulsively quit the game.
But the joy of parrying in games like Chiaroscuro: Expedition 33 turned my disgust into a personal obsession. In the end, it's flexibility, not just quality, that can make players accept your parry mechanics instead of going wild.
As Patalia noted, “a good fight doesn't require a parry at all, as long as you have at least a couple of different defense options.”
Ian agreed. “Even in a parry-focused game, offering viable alternatives—dodges, ranged tools, summons, or consumables—allows players to choose the style they like.”
