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I really like the combat in KCD. So much so that I reckon it's the best melee system I've seen. I especially like the sense of learning, of improvement. Both Henry and the player start off with low skill. Through repetition and training both start to improve. As I started to get it, Henry did too as new moves and skills opened up. His speed improved, his defense improved.


I've found combos to be mostly useless. They are strong, but better AI opponents are fast enough to break your combo chain. Combos work against the lower level NPCs, but those are the ones you don't need combos for. So while the combos are a good idea, in practice I found they had little impact on gameplay.


The key moves for me are riposte and master strikes, both of which I found to be excellent. It didn't take long for me to realize that I was less effective being aggressive, by initiating attacks. So I learned to fight reactively, defensively. Wait for the NPC to strike first and counter it. That could mean a block, or a move that would deflect his weapon, throwing him off balance and leaving him wide open for my strikes.


As Kptlt. Neuerburg mentioned, the key for me was lots of time spent training with Captain Bernard outside of Rattay. I've spent hours here over the course of the playthrough fighting him with wooden weapons. At first he kicked my ass, but as both Henry and I got better and more skilled it reached the point where he can't even hit me. Block and counter or riposte, or master strike him in the face with the pommel.


Timing is critical. Blocks (Q by default) must happen at the instant that the green center light lights up. This is when he starts to strike. Dodging must happen at the instant he draws his weapon back. He will train you and tell you what to do, and at some point it just clicks. I found it was hard for me until I learned riposte, that opened combat up.


As a player though you are tethered to Henry's skills. You could be doing everything correctly, but if Henry's skills haven't improved you won't be effective. So the training with Bernard levels Henry's skills and allows the player to actually perform the moves you want. I've really enjoyed the progression from clueless blackmith's boy to scourge of Bohemia.


Aside from the combat there is so much I've liked about this game. I won't get in to all of it, but I want to mention the countryside. KCD has the most convincing countryside and game environment I can recall. It's really impressive. I like it so much that I've almost entriely ignored the fast-travel system just so I can gallop around on my trusty horse (which is Bucephalus incidentally)


One of my favorite RPGs in recent memory.