Given the nature of Aragami 2’s quick tutorial, which glazes over pop-up windows, offering no option for players to return to any sort of help menu, certain aspects of its gameplay may slip players by. One such easily forgotten mechanic comes in the form of critical attacks.
Critical attacks in Aragami 2 are governed entirely by the stamina system. Those used to modern action games or titles inspired by FromSoftware’s stable are no doubt accustomed to stamina meters. As with most other games using a similar system, both players and AI are beholden to stamina, and because of this, combat should be approached with care. Managing your stamina meter is just as crucial as eyeing your opponent’s movements.
To avoid losing stamina yourself, evade getting hit and don’t abuse the dash ability, activated by pressing B on Xbox or circle on PlayStation. Parrying is the best line of defense as it leaves enemies vulnerable without using up stamina.
The enemy’s stamina can be reduced by attacking them and parrying. Parries leave an enemy defenseless for a second or two, wail away on them after a parry. Once the stamina meter has been depleted, the next attack will be an automatic critical attack. If the enemy happens to be low on health when the stamina bar is empty, players are given the option to immediately knock them out or kill them on the spot. Successful critical attacks are key to stand-offs.
