I find the melee combat very random, I try striking after blocking an attack and sometimes I hit, sometimes they counter, I try waiting for the slow easily interruptible attacks but these can come so rarely that I'm blocking for ages... I feel like there's a certain finesse to these fights i'm not understanding?

I continue to beat melee battles taking a fair amount of damage with little understanding of what's actually going on... anyone?

It's very difficult - it's the game's one really annoying flaw, I think. Riddick seems much less of a badass in a fistfight than he was in the movies. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that he hits like a little girl. Since Vin Diesel himself had a good amount of editorial input into the game, I wonder what possessed him to let this slide?

No matter.

I get the best results from combos, and there's a trick to doing them. Find an enemy-free spot and practice until you can do this consistently:

1: STAND STILL before throwing the first punch. If you're moving, it probably won't take. You don't have to sit for very long - a fraction of a second will do - but be sure that you're not touching the movement controls, and the game has registered that you aren't.

2: Press the attack button - probably left mouse - and do not release it.

3: JUST as Riddick starts the punch, which will be a right jab, and while still holding down the attack button, press left, back, or forward.

If you do this right, he should throw two punches in quick succession. The right-left combo is usually good for a hit: the first punch will usually be blocked, but the second usually won't be. The right-uppercut combo seems to do more damage, and will stun enemies more consistently; it seems, however, to be more difficult to get the uppercut to connect, unless you're very close, or have an enemy against a wall. Right-forward, for some reason, seems to take less than the other two, but does the most damage of all.

Try following a combo with a forward attack, especially if the enemy is stunned.

It is possible, but more difficult - and I've found no trick to doing it - to pull off three-hit combos, e.g. right-left-uppercut. Good luck with that - but I don't think they're especially necessary.

And, of course, if at any time you see Riddick open his hands, drop whatever you were planning to do and just hit the attack button: it means he's ready to do a powerful counterattack.

All of this applies to shivs, too, but it's tougher to get the timing right, because Riddick stabs and slashes faster than he punches.

hey thanks for taking the time to explain that, I'll have to try the combos out, I definitely agree that Riddick does NOT feel like a bad ass when it comes to melee combat

AFAIK It's all about timing counter attacks. If you watch your enemy very carefully you can notice VERY SMALL differences in their stance when they being attacks.

arms slightly higher when they start the attack, wind up took a second longer etc...

You can then, through trail and error, figure out when you can counter and what attacks can't be blocked. I found it very difficult to do this though, by the time I figured out what attack was coming my reactions were usually to slow. I just fell back to my cheap technique.

stand still, when enemy starts attack retreat just out of range, soon as attack misses rush in and do one hit, then retreat out of range. rinse and repeat. You don't feel like a bad ass but it works :)

I just started the first game and was introduced to melee combat and so far it seems that it's not a game of skill but chance. So far it seems that the basic concept of when the enemy is unable to block my attack isn't 100 % but a game of chance. The normal opponents are just too weak to challenge me but the problem seems to be with them too. Where I hit the wall was Rust.

My problems:

There is exactly 1 time when I know Rust can't block my attack and that is the time he starts his special attack that can't be blocked. Every other time he might or might not succesfully block. If I block his attack and immediately attack there seems to be about 40 % chance he can't block the attack. Does this work the otherway around too? No! If he blocks my attack and immediately attacks back I have 0 % chance of blocking that attack. The only way to get attacks past his block (when he's not using his special move) is to "evade" the attack and attack kind of during his attack animation. But the problem is that this game doesn't have an evade move. No roll, no sidestep, no nothing. Also you move so slowely that you can't outmanouvre the opponent to get to their flanks. Also there is no stamina or other system you could utilize.

Is my problem caused by the facts that:

- Rust is a boss and doesn't follow the "normal" rules of melee combat,
- I play the game on hard

or am I just not skilled enough (and unable to test the system, since I have deliberately tried the same methods again and again and again just to see if the result changes and is does seem to) or is the games melee mechanics just based on luck?

I used to melee combat that is 100 % skill based like it is in the Souls series and Batman Akrham series where no random element is included and if you do the right thing with the right timing you will always get the wanted result.

Please help me if you can. Basically I'm trying to figure out wheter there is a combat system to figure out or is just pure luck I'm looking for. And if you think the combat is based on skill, then please help me get better.

Edit.
Just to clarify how I killed Rust was to just block everything I could which was everything else but the special move and hit him whenever he was stupid enough to try it. I know, I know you could call this as skill but the problem is that normal enemies don't have special attacks (also that type of combat is very boring) so the question still is valid. I migh be able to find out on my own during my play through but on the other hand I might not and it would be nice to find out before I actually finisth the game so I could use the information during my gaming.

Meelee combat works well against common enemies, usually you need to wait until they start forward attack motion(when you see them preparing for attack, wait until they actually move forward). If you have equipped meelee weapons in Dark Athena, you can see a brief flash whenever there's possible counterattack - this should give you a clue about timing. Maybe it works in Butcher Bay too, I haven't noticed it before.

However it seems that those rules don't apply when fighting bossess. Quick weapons like combat knife works well against them. Stand still, let them come to you and stab them as soon as they prepare to attack. They won't block your attack when in attack motion. Though sometimes you'll need a different combo, like left + attack or back + attack etc.
And if you're not in a hurry try to observe their animations. It might be the smallest change in their stance that'll give you advantage.

@generalripper
I've played this game at least 3 times, and only now I understand the combat thanks to you.
I though that you could only hit once at a time.
But the reality is that when you click the button to start a punch, the directionnal key allow to chain multiple punch (left right up down).
I was getting my ass kicked by Rust in hard and when I use your tip, I destroyed him.

I remember the fight with Abbott was the hardest in all the game, sure it will get easier now.

If you're ok with some cheesy tactics and don't wanna master combos, Abbot can be easily beaten on any difficulty by constantly circling around him in safe distance and hitting him only from side/behind right after his attack or when he's not facing you. It applies to all 1v1 melee fights including arena duels, only then need to be careful not to leave circle.

I finished the game few weeks ago.. got a 5CD retail pack for 249 INR off amazon india (last available unit). i have a straightforward tactic for melee atleast on normal difficulty mode, just retreat and wait for the opponent to charge at you, begin your charge when he is sufficiently close but not too close and then initiate a swift jab when the target is within your reach, dont follow up with combos just retreat back while the opponent is reeling from your blow.. rinse and repeat :)