Combat breakdown

Every mechanic in this clip I built in Unreal with Blueprints: hit reactions, guard breaks, hit feedback, screen shake, hitstop, automatic lunges, responsive dashes and enemy attacks you can dodge. Watch it once at full speed, then step through it one moment at a time.

Every moment

1. 0:01.4Responsive dashInstant dash with an after-image trail.The dash starts on the frame you press it, with no wind-up, so getting out of trouble is always in your hands. The purple after-images show the path you took.
2. 0:02.5Automatic lungeThe attack closes the gap to the enemy.When an enemy is close but just out of reach, the attack carries you the last step. You aim at the enemy, not at an exact distance, and the swing connects.
3. 0:03.0Guard breakBreaks the block, with a longer hitstop than normal hits so the big beat lands.This is the player breaking the enemy's guard. It triggers a major hitstop, a longer freeze than a normal hit, so the strongest beat in the exchange feels like one.
4. 0:03.9Tracking, then commitEnemy swings track you for the first half, then lock, so a late dash dodges them.Enemy attacks turn to follow you only during the first half of the swing, then lock their direction. Here the player dashes out after the lock, so the blade cuts the empty spot by the after-image. When a swing does land, it still feels fair: it was aimed at you.
5. 0:04.7Attack tellA red icon warns a hit is coming.A red icon pops up over an enemy that is about to attack. It gives you a beat to read the attack and decide: dash out, or keep the pressure on.
6. 0:04.8Hit flashThe enemy flashes red, white, red to show damage.On every hit the enemy flashes red, then white, then red again. It is a quick damage read, so you know each hit counted without checking a health bar. The slow replay shows all three.
7. 0:06.2Hit reactionPlays on every single hit.Every single hit plays a hit reaction, so the enemy visibly takes each blow. Nothing passes through as if it hit air.
8. 0:08.4Impact burstHeavy hit: impact burst and screen flash.Heavy hits add a burst at the point of contact and a quick tint across the whole screen, so the big hit reads even when a lot is going on.
9. 0:08.9HitstopA short time-dilation pause gives every normal hit weight.On impact, time dilation drops for a split second: a short pause on every normal hit. Both fighters hang for a beat, and that pause is what gives a hit its weight. The slow replay shows it.
10. 0:13.0Fire impactA fire burst, then shockwave rings.A fire burst on the strike, then shockwave rings spreading out from it.
11. 0:13.4Screen shakeThe camera jolts to sell the blast.The camera jolts on the blast. A short, sharp shake sells the force without making the fight hard to read.
12. 0:14.6Enemy parryA red ring flares around the enemy when they parry your hit, again at 0:17.1.When the enemy parries, a red ring flares around them, so you can tell the hit was turned away rather than lost. It happens again at 0:17.1.

More from Riftveil

The project page has the rest of the footage and the six design documents behind it.

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