So I'm either missing something and am terrible at this game, or the parry system is basically busted. I haven't seen anyone else bring this up but I can't be the only one having issues with this. Because as much as I love almost everything else about the game, the forced-parry enemies are literally ruining the entire experience for me and it bums me out to hate this game. I started on Tough difficulty, something I really regret right now, because I had heard the game was pretty easy on Normal, so I'm not sure how or even if this changes on lower difficulties, but the timing for parrying some of these dudes seems totally insane. I've practiced again and again and can't seem to get it to work consistently. In situations where I know it should've worked, it doesn't, and I am killed or nearly killed in one hit. It seems to work maybe about a fifth of the time. Some kind of other visual indicator would help immensely.
 
Where I'm at right now is the cave under the village, and I'm forced to fight these two rock giants with the exploding sacs all around. I must've tried this segment 15 times before giving up because it seems goddamn impossible. There's just too much going on on-screen at once to even attempt to parry properly, and before I know it, the giants have closed in and proceed to gangbang the shit out of me. Is there some other way to get past this part that I'm not seeing?

I played on normal and never had a problem with the parry, in fact I found them rather lenient. I don't know if the timing is different on hard, maybe that is the problem.

I'm on Tough too and that part was a bitch. That entire cave section with the spikes + enemies + exploding crap was frustrating as hell and made me hate that game for a little while. I stayed as far to one side as I could and focused on parrying one guy and hoped I got lucky with the sacs. Parry's actually can be pretty forgiving but in that spot when you're dealing with so much crap it takes the skill out and makes it about luck. It took me a few tries but I eventually got it. For a game that does so much right, that and the lack of checkpoints in new sections is baffling.

The timing is really tight, and ye I was struggling with it too. I had a period where I was just nailing them one after another though, so I don't think it's busted. There is only one (and a half I guess) creature type that actually forces you to parry though, the big fat guys with the shields. Everyone else can be beat easily without it. Can't say I remember a part where you fought two of them at the same time though, but I'm probably wrong.

First it was a thread on sleeping dogs now this. Blaming the game due to having a lack of skill is getting old. No wonder games are being made super easy these days.

First it was a thread on sleeping dogs now this. Blaming the game due to having a lack of skill is getting old. No wonder games are being made super easy these days.

Keep holding the X button down. Even if you swing and bounce off the shield, as long as the enemy hits you before you're back in the idle stance you'll parry.

@OneKillWonder_ said:

@laserbolts said:

First it was a thread on sleeping dogs now this. Blaming the game due to having a lack of skill is getting old. No wonder games are being made super easy these days.

Thanks for the useful input. I'm assuming you at least read the first sentence where I stated that it's possible that I'm simply not great at what I'm trying to do. Can I also assume you've actually played the game and have attempted the exact situation I specified? Games can have problems like this, it's not really that uncommon. Dust is fantastic but it certainly ain't fuckin' perfect.

I recall Laserbolts making some sort of false oath about being nicer on the forums. Every single post of his I've recently seen has not been true to that oath.

It's just super precise. I haven't had much trouble with it but whenever I do get hit it feels like it's because I've cocked up the timing.

Once you get it down and have memorised each enemies' animations, it becomes second nature. If you're having trouble with doing the tap, you can also do the hold and that works all the time with the forced parry heavies. I know you're having this issue crop up right now, but it'll go. I was right there with you that I thought it felt inconsistent at first, but then that criticism went away when I could reproduce it every time when needed.

@OneKillWonder_: You have the air duststorm by then right? Anytime I see giants I just spam Fidget's burst and duststorm... It's not neat or precise at all but it beats going toe to toe and risky those one hit shots. Is there a challenge where you have to parry?

Wow, you guys weren't kidding. Holding down X works like a charm. I came back to try again and did it in a single go. I was dead set on just trying to time the tap every time. Thanks for the help!