7 games with satisfying parry mechanics

Parry mechanics in video games have evolved over the years, allowing players to pull off satisfying deflections. This facilitates a satisfying combat loop throughout a playthrough that never gets boring. Some from the gaming community might feel that parry mechanics are a cheap way of avoiding damage, but that's quite untrue.

Parrying in any video game requires timing and precision, which can even become harder on higher difficulties as the window for deflection of attacks shortens. This creates a bit of healthy tension, keeping players on their toes as the wrong move can also result in instant death in many games.

Here are seven games with parry mechanics that feel quite satisfying.

Note: This article solely reflects the writer's opinions and is not ranked in any particular order.

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These games have satisfying parry mechanics

1) Resident Evil 4 Remake

The original didn't have parry mechanics (Image via Capcom)

The Resident Evil 4 remake introduced parry mechanics to the franchise which was never a part of the original 2005 release. This gameplay element comes in handy during your playthrough, as you will often face ganados trying to hack you to death with an axe. To avoid getting hit and save some bullets, you can parry at the right time to deflect the attack.

If you perfectly parry an attack, you will also get to land a free kick to knock your enemy down for good. The window for deflection is quite lenient on the lower difficulties, however, you need to be highly precise with your parrys on the professional setting.

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2) Spider-Man 2

Spider-Man 2's combat system feels more fluid (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Spider-Man 2 introduced parry mechanics to the franchise to keep the combat fresh after the success of the first two games. This allowed players to deflect certain attacks and knock back enemies to avoid damage. During gameplay, you will often run into hunters who remain unfazed by your regular hits, until you parry their attack to leave them open for a few counterattacks.

During combat segments, you will see a red ring appear around an enemy who's about to attack you; before they strike, press L1 on your DualSense to perform a parry and knock that enemy down. Pulling this maneuver successfully every time will keep the combat loop satisfying and engaging.

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3) God of War

God of War brought parry mechanics to the Norse saga (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment)

God of War introduces players to parry mechanics, which has never been a significant part of the franchise. They can use their shields to deflect oncoming attacks to use these to their advantage. However, to parry, you first need to open yourself up to enemy attacks, which might initially seem scary but is worth pulling off.

During your playthrough, you will often see a yellow ring appear around an enemy when they're about to attack you, which is when you have to perfectly time and press L1 on your DualShock. This will let you either strike the enemy or knock them back, allowing for a satisfying combat loop.

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4) Ghost of Tsushima

Ghost of Tsushima's sword fighting has a satisfying parry system (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Ghost of Tsushima features an incredibly well-made combat system, allowing players to cycle through various stances to suit the enemy they are fighting. However, the game also features satisfying parry mechanics that go well with its sword fighting. It facilitates normal and perfect parries, with the latter rewarding instant kills on regular enemies.

As you enter an encounter, you will be surrounded by enemies and as you fight them, they will almost always present an opportunity to strike. The moment they do, you will need to deflect their attack at the right time to slice them open with your katana allowing for satisfying auditory and visual feedback.

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5) Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is souls-like with satisfying parry mechanics (Image via Activision)

Sekiro is one of the hardest games of all time as it's a souls-like at heart. However, it still lets players parry during combat to make things a little bit easier. The game's party mechanics allow players to punish their enemies as here, deflecting builds up a posture meter, which when full can be used for a deadly blow. You will encounter many opportunities to successfully deflect an attack to build your meter.

Every time you parry an attack, the sword's satisfying sounds as you make enemies vulnerable will give you an incredible adrenaline rush. Unlike other games, the parry mechanics here help in the long run for a devastating death blow.

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6) Bloodborne

Bloodborne is one of the most beloved souls games of all time (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Bloodborne is known for its atmosphere, which is why the parry mechanics hardly ever come up in conversations. However, this souls-like has one of the most satisfying deflections, permitting a more aggressive approach. Unlike other games, the parrying here is done by using your firearm, which can be used to open enemies for a devasting attack when they're staggered.

What makes the parry mechanics satisfying here is the use of your firearm, which isn't seen in any of the other games in this list. This goes against the defensive approach of souls-likes.

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7) Lies of P

Lies of P is inspired by Souls games (Image via NEOWIZ)

The game heavily takes inspiration from the Souls games, which is why it is so difficult. However, Lies of P's unique parry mechanics work on the concept of high risk high reward. Your timing on every parry needs to be accurate as the deflection windows are small.

Thus, players make more mistakes and learn during their playthrough. When encountering monsters throughout the game, every parry pulled off will feel satisfying thanks to the game's detailed animations and graphics.