Nail Every Parry in Ghost of Yotei with This One Timing Hack

Getting swarmed in Ghost of Yotei? Dodging will keep you alive for a second or two, but it will not save you from a mob with sharp objects and bad intentions. The move that flips the script is Perfect Parry — and once you have it, combat suddenly feels like you brought a katana to a fistfight.

The one upgrade that changes everything: Perfect Parry

Perfect Parry lives in the Onryo section of the Growth menu, under the Attack skill tree. You do not buy it in a cash shop or anything weird like that — you learn it in-game by visiting an Altar of Reflection near the Serpent's Pass. It is a shrine, and yes, you literally bow to pick up the technique. There are dozens of Altars of Reflection scattered around the map, so keep an eye out as you explore.

What Perfect Parry actually does (and how to use it)

Once you learn the skill, here is the magic: when you nail a perfect parry, the game briefly slows time. That window is your green light to crack back hard and often finish the poor soul who swung at you.

Execution is simple, even if timing takes practice: press L1 at the last possible moment, right as the enemy's weapon is about to connect. If you deflect it cleanly, time dilates, and you can immediately follow up with square or triangle. The big thing is watching their weapon, not their body — react to the blade as it approaches. It will feel tricky at first, but with Perfect Parry unlocked and a few practice runs, it clicks fast.

Quick tips so parries start landing

• Only strikes that flash white can be parried. If it glints red, that is a heavy attack — dodge, do not parry.
• Before a boss, warm up on the roaming goons you bump into around the map. Low stakes, high reps.
• Do not let groups box you in. If multiple weapons are swinging at once, you are not parrying all of them; one is going to slip through.
• Study attack patterns for a minute. Knowing when a swing is coming makes hitting L1 at the exact moment way easier.

Bottom line: unlock Perfect Parry at an Altar of Reflection near the Serpent's Pass (and any of the other altars you find), watch for the white glint, tap L1 at the last heartbeat, then punish with square or triangle while time crawls. It is the cleanest way to turn a brawl into a highlight reel.

What finally made the timing click for you in Ghost of Yotei — a particular enemy, a stance, a visual cue? Drop your cheat codes in the comments.