Parrying is about subtlety. It’s the act of scrutinizing fisticuffs and sword fights with a furrowed brow, familiarizing yourself with the cadence of combat right down to milliseconds, and learning the precise moment of performing a counter attack. For instance, a small variation in animation may point to a rare opening. A slight note change in the audio cue may indicate a shift of attacks from the enemy. To parry well is to understand these details and adapt to them dexterously.
That said, doing so is exhausting. The requirements needed to pull off a parry in most games can be steep and exacting. It’s why I’d usually avoid parrying if there are other ways to minimize damage during combat, such as blocking or dodging.
The painterly Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, one of my favorite RPGs this year, has been the exception. Within its dazzling combat system I’ve discovered the joy of parrying, every encounter an exhilarating sequence of silky-smooth attacks and ripostes. Fighting in Expedition 33 is a resplendent affair, thanks to its surprisingly in-depth and complex structure. Its skirmishes enhance JRPG-inspired turn-based combat with real-time elements that get players to dodge–and parry–at the right moment.
Expedition 33 doesn’t mince its challenges. Some enemies are capable of dealing massive amounts of damage, which renders every turn nail-bitingly intense. As such, every decision made in combat is a matter of strategic importance. During your enemies’ turn, you have to pay close attention to the scene, from the way a behemoth swings its unwieldy battle axe into your team, to the minute changes in visual and audio cues when a particularly damaging attack happens. To stave off these attacks, dodging and parrying become imperative. This is how Expedition 33 encourages you to stay engaged during battles; it simply will not let you get distracted. Watch, learn, and adapt.
Pulling off a parry is about paying close attention to a combat sequence, but it’s a process I typically abhor. That’s because at its core, parrying is a test of reaction time. The idea behind the mechanic is to memorize a plethora of details, from timing to attack patterns, in order to nail the timing of a key button press. This may seem fun to many players, but for others it can be labored, time-consuming, and tedious. It’s a cycle that can seem immensely frustrating when you just can’t press a button within the fraction of a second you’re granted to execute the parry. A lesser game can even make parries feel unavoidable but unfair, the reward from executing the parry too paltry to justify the effort, but the fight unwinnable if you don’t land it.
But Expedition 33 exudes sheer style to the point of pageantry, making combat impossible to look away from. For instance, dodging has a bigger window for execution, and it does feel satisfying, especially when you can seamlessly avoid a cascade of attacks. A successful parry has a smaller window but elevates that emotion to a dizzying height as it lets you retaliate with a counter attack. When that happens, the scene slows down for a few seconds while the camera tilts back slightly, the motion concluding with your sword slicing the air with several chromatic trails. The opponent recoils with a howl. This is accompanied by a satisfying clank of weapons, and the orchestral splendor of Expedition 33’s soundtrack only makes these moments more invigorating.
Making parrying even more compelling in Expedition 33 is the fact that it’s also an extremely high reward maneuver–as long as you can time it exactly right. Some of its most challenging fights hinge on impeccably performed parries. Not only can a counter-attack deal a monstrous amount of damage, it also awards action points that are necessary for performing each of your characters’ special skills. Gaining more action points translates to access to more powerful skills, which is why a perfect parry can turn the tide of battle. I’ve once salvaged a losing battle with just a single hit point left. The incredible payoff for parrying means I was ready to put in the time to practice and grind. I was soon anticipating attacks and landing parries with pizzazz.
Other factors helped to amplify the parry-ability of Expedition 33. The gradient counter, a variation on the basic parry, adds a new wrinkle to the mechanic, and is one of the most flamboyant moves in the game. Unsurprisingly, it’s used against the gradient attack, a powerful move that temporarily colors the scene with a monochromatic filter. Then there are other defensive moves that can heighten the adrenaline of pulling off a parry, especially when done in quick succession. On top of dodging, there is also the jump counter; while not strictly a parry, it can only be performed when you successfully leap over a sweeping attack. It’s a much easier move to pull off than the parry, as you only need to jump when the icon appears, while the combat slows down slightly to indicate that an impending opportunity for a counter attack.
Thus when certain encounters require you to pull off a cascade of these moves–jumping, parrying, and performing a gradient counter–landing these can truly intensify the satisfaction of a well-performed parry. Executing these moves seamlessly is one of the most heart-palpitating stunts in Expedition 33.
Astoundingly, these merits are still not inclusive of the other aspects of Expedition 33’s stellar combat system, such as the game’s Pictos and Luminas. These transform the game’s tactical depth, allowing you to tailor your play style–as well as extend the mileage of your parries–with passive boosts. Combined with a build that lets you garner as many action points as possible, for instance, parrying becomes even more of an effective means to mete out a great deal of damage.
In the past, paying attention to numerous parrying cues only made my eyes water with exhaustion. My ears strain from fatigue, and I get salty, frustrated. But Expedition 33 has allowed me to realize the incredible potential of a solid, powerful parry. Figuring the intricacies of this move may still be time-consuming, but it’s at least time spent well in this RPG.