Action Tactics in Dark Messiah

Dark Messiah: Might and Magic Elements may be a role-playing game at heart, but its gameplay focus is firmly fixed on action and combat. The following tips and tricks offer a much needed helping hand to best the villainous forces you will face throughout your adventures.

Here's a hint, you can't parry with a bow.

One Shots

Every room, cave, hallway, and dungeon is filled with wall spikes, pitfalls, and bonfires eager to consume and eliminate even potent enemies in a single shot. All that's required is a good swift knock-back kick, which all characters and classes possess.

Keep an eye out for these environmental traps when you initiate combat, and then work your way toward them if at all possible. Likewise, sneak up on enemies and use these one-shot kills to open combat.

Parry Stun

If you time your parry correctly (just before your enemy's strike lands), you'll stun your opponent. While stunned, they're powerless to defend themselves and open to a flurry of combos. Master this technique in the early going as you'll need to be proficient with its use in the latter stages of the game.

Adrenaline in Groups

Adrenaline use can really shift the momentum during battle, so stay your hand when you have things well under control, even holding onto a full Adrenaline meter through multiple combat encounters. Use it when you need it, lest you be caught without Adrenaline when you need it the most.

Also, be sure to trigger your Adrenaline when your opponent is open for attack. If done correctly, you should have time to clear the first opponent and still have some left over for any other nearby enemies.

Now would be a good time to strafe out of harm's way.

Pie Man

Your health potions should be kept in reserve for use during battle, not as a health fix between encounters. Explore every area instead between battles for food: bread, pies, fruit and the like, all of which will replenish small bits of health instantly.

Side Paths

While Dark Messiah is largely linear in its level-based design, each level does offer side-paths and secret areas filled with loot and worthwhile gear. Take the time to fully explore your surroundings.

It's worth the time to gear up, and exploration also goes a long way toward unlocking achievements. Remember too that you can backtrack through subchapters within a level, so if you think you missed something, retrace your steps and be sure.

Charge, Combo, Charge

The enemies in Dark Messiah are rather fanatical about defending themselves, and will block most incoming attacks. While you can wait for them to strike and then time a "stun parry," you can also charge an attack (hold Right Trigger) for more damage and to "break" your opponent's defenses. Use these power attacks as an opening move, followed up by a few quick attacks, and then another charged attack to finish them off or break their defense.

Now, charge attack!

Quick Button Layout

Proper use of the Quickbelt is essential throughout Dark Messiah. Organizing its contents can shave precious seconds off your reaction time as you utilize spells, special abilities, potions, and items. Try splitting your Quickbelt into two distinct categories, items and abilities. Place your quick-use items like health and mana potions on the primary Quickbelt, accessible immediately with the D-pad. Then, place your spells and abilities on the secondary Quickbelt, accessible by holding the right shoulder button, and then using the D-pad.

Platform Awareness

Unlike so many role-playing games, Dark Messiah makes full use of the environment. You'll need to scale chains, leap across chasms, and pull yourself up over all manner of obstacles. If you ever find yourself stuck, unsure of where to head next, try examining the environment for platform gaming elements. Specifically, think vertically, looking for ropes, chains, or boxes to climb.

Armed with sword, bow, dagger, or staff along with the preceding tips, no Dark Messiah foe will be able to stand against you for long. Good luck.

Article by Ryan Treit