The core combat loop
Defence comes first. Evading backwards creates the largest gap, and combining the evade with a left or right input rolls you sideways, which is what you want against enemies that swing wide.
After the dodge, land one or two hits and reset. Ranged enemies interrupt that rhythm, so deal with shooters and firebombers before closing on the melee crowd, and use doorways to break line of sight.
- Evade, then hit — do not trade blows with a full-health enemy.
- Clear ranged enemies first so you are not shot while dodging a melee attacker.
- Use the environment — torches, fuel barrels and traps do damage that costs you nothing.
Enemy types and how to break armour
The enemy roster covers unarmoured cultists, armoured cultists whose plating shrugs off blades, taller spiked enemies, gun-carrying cultists and cultists who throw firebombs. The armoured ones are the only type that forces a weapon change.
- Blunt weapons
- Smash armour plating off
- Aim points
- Target unarmoured body parts
- Headshots
- Still effective against armour
- Blades
- Ineffective against plating
The box helps here as well: picking up and hurling metal objects with the Genesis Configuration damages armour at no ammunition cost. The abilities themselves are described on the Genesis Configuration page.
Melee durability and repair
Melee weapons lose durability with use and eventually break. Repair kits restore them, and the kit tiers differ in how much durability they return, so a basic kit is a top-up rather than a full fix.
The knife is the exception: it never degrades, which makes it the reliable fallback and the tool for stealth kills. Repair kit recipes and prices are on the crafting page.
Ammunition and healing discipline
Ammunition is limited and cannot be farmed, so do not fire into a crowd out of habit. Pick your fights, let stealth thin them out, and keep the good rounds for boss encounters.
Buy the medkit recipe as soon as the shop opens. Without it your healing supply depends entirely on what you find, which is exactly the situation that ends a boss attempt.
Boss pointers
Bruno is the boss with the most documented approach. In the first encounter, break every bottle in the arena before the fight escalates, because he both throws them and uses them to block telekinesis. When he turns into a pool of blood and rushes you, the hit grabs you and you mash the right trigger to break free.
Bruno also summons zombies during the fight. Kill each new arrival as it appears rather than trying to out-damage the boss, and use blunt weapons to the head for stagger, with thrown metal as backup.
Charlotte is fought around fire. Light her up with torches and fuel barrels, and lay bear traps on fuel so the fire reaches her. Other named encounters are documented in less detail, so treat those fights as a test of the fundamentals above.
| Boss | Key tactic |
|---|---|
| Bruno (first encounter) | Break the bottles, mash the right trigger when grabbed, clear summoned zombies |
| Bruno (later) | Blunt weapons to the head for stagger; throw metal with the box |
| Charlotte | Set her on fire with torches and barrels; lay bear traps on fuel |
Save strategy for hard fights
The game offers around ten save slots, and guides suggest rotating them rather than overwriting a single file. If a fight turns out to be a wall, a save a few slots back is the difference between a retry and a restart.
On Hellraiser difficulty saving costs a token, so plan a save before a boss door rather than after a long stretch of exploration. The difficulty page explains the token rules.
Known criticism of the combat
Early coverage criticises rigid melee animation, weak gunplay feedback and enemy AI that behaves oddly. Those observations date from shortly after release, and the developers said they intend to use difficulty settings to make the game approachable for more players.
Treat the criticism as a description of the launch build rather than a permanent verdict, since combat numbers and behaviour can change in patches.
Frequently asked questions
How do I kill armoured enemies?
Use a blunt melee weapon to break the plating, aim for unarmoured body parts, or take a headshot. Blades are ineffective against armour.
What is the safest defensive move?
Evade backwards for the largest gap, or combine the evade with left or right to roll sideways, then counter during the enemy’s recovery.
How should I manage ammunition?
Ammunition is finite and cannot be farmed. Use stealth and melee where you can, and save your rounds for bosses.
What is the trick to the Bruno fight?
Break every bottle in the arena first, mash the right trigger when he drags you into the blood, and kill the zombies he summons as they appear.
Where to go next
Evade loop, medkit recipe advice, save slots. Source: COGconnected combat explainer. Checked .
Armour and headshot death tips, enemy types. Source: AllThings difficulty settings explainer. Checked .
Bottle mechanic, blood grab and summoned enemies. Source: TheGamer Bruno boss guide. Checked .
Blunt weapon stagger, Charlotte fire tactic, durability and repair kits. Source: GameTrek boss and weapons reference. Checked .