In The Crimson Hunt, developer Farelas's Victorian survival horror game, parrying is executed by blocking immediately before an incoming enemy attack connects with Victoria. Executing a clean parry stops melee damage, interrupts hostile animations, and allows you to conserve vital ammunition in tight corridors. It is also required if you want to unlock the "Parry Master" Steam achievement.

How Parrying Works in The Crimson Hunt

The game introduces defensive options early in the campaign alongside dodging, melee kicks, and stealth takedowns. While holding guard mitigates incoming melee pressure at the expense of your stamina bar, timing the input creates a counter window.

  • Input: On PC keyboard controls, the tutorial prompts you to hold Alt to block (certain menu configurations also register Tab as the block action). You can also use a game controller, which several players noted provides faster input response during close-quarters encounters. Note that custom side-mouse button rebinding is currently unsupported.
  • The Timing Window: To turn a standard block into a parry, you must press the block button right before the monster's claw or weapon swing strikes you.
  • Visual and Audio Feedback: A successful deflection produces a distinct parry strike animation and sound cue, staggering the creature momentarily and allowing Victoria to follow up with melee knife slashes or gunshots.

Unlocking the Parry Master Achievement

The Steam achievement list includes a specific challenge tied directly to this combat mechanic:

  • Parry Master: Perform 15 successful parries.

Early player speculation occasionally assumed the counter threshold was set at 10, but the verified achievement data confirms that 15 successful deflections are required.

Best Practice for Farming Parries

If you want to clear the 15 parries quickly without burning through your healing syringes:

  1. Isolate a Basic Ghoul: Standard melee vampires found roaming the mansion corridors in Chapter 1 or early Chapter 2 have predictable swing windups that make parry timing easy to read.
  2. Manage Eleanor's Weaponry: Eleanor's companion AI will rapidly deplete firearms if equipped. Take high-damage weapons out of her hands or let her wield the ultraviolet flashlight instead, which weakens and blinds foes without killing them before you can deflect multiple strikes.
  3. Keep Stamina in Check: Do not hold the block button continuously. If your stamina depletes, Victoria becomes winded and unable to absorb or deflect the next attack. Tap the block input only when the creature begins swinging forward.

Combining Parries with Dodges and Light Mechanics

Parrying is only one part of surviving against the game's bloodline monstrosities. Proper defensive play requires balancing your counter windows against creature weaknesses:

  • Parry vs. Dodge: Pressing Space executes an evasive dodge roll. While parrying keeps you in close range for a melee finish, dodging is safer against heavy overhead smashes or wide unblockable sweeps from elite enemies.
  • Ultraviolet Light Synergy: Vampires in The Crimson Hunt are vulnerable to UV radiation. Aiming the ultraviolet flashlight directly at their heads weakens and blinds them, slowing their advances and making incoming attacks far easier to read and parry.
  • Handling Bosses: Major encounters—such as the stone vampire golem or the final showdown against Edmund—punish passive blocking. Edmund frequently teleports behind Victoria, offering near-zero reaction frames to raise a guard. In boss scenarios, prioritizing dodging (Space) and ranged firearm positioning is generally far safer than attempting a raw parry.

Known Combat and Animation Glitches

Because The Crimson Hunt was created by a solo indie developer, player reports highlight several bugs surrounding defensive inputs that you should keep in mind:

  • Blocking Lockup: Tapping block repeatedly or attempting to rebind controls in the menu can occasionally cause Victoria to freeze permanently in the blocking posture, preventing you from swapping back to weapons or attacking. If this happens, you will need to reload your last checkpoint.
  • Attack Recovery Delays: Getting hit while initiating a block animation can occasionally drop your weapon swap queue or leave you stuck in knife mode. Keeping adequate distance before resetting your stance helps avoid dropped inputs.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many parries are required for the Parry Master achievement?

You must land 15 successful parries across your playthrough to unlock the achievement on Steam.

What is the default parry button on PC?

The default block key is Alt (or Tab depending on your active keyboard profile). Timing this button right before an attack hits will register as a parry.

Can every enemy attack in The Crimson Hunt be parried?

No. Standard melee swings and claw swipes from basic vampires can be parried, but heavy area-of-effect boss attacks and sudden teleport strikes from bosses like Edmund should be avoided using the dodge roll (Space) instead.