Spoiler Warning!: This guide contains spoilers related to the story and design of No More Heroes. Reader discretion is advised.

This guide is meant to catalog combat techniques and list some tips for No More Heroes on PC using the Xbox Controller scheme.

First, to understand combat in NMH, we'll briefly touch on the game's history. The game originally debuted on the Wii where combat revolved around the use of the Nunchuck+Wii Remote combo. Stances could be controlled by positioning the Wii Remote, the recharge mechanic would require players to shake the controller (an iconic mechanic), and the Wii Remote's speaker was used to listen to Sylvia's phone calls.

Unfortunately, these don't translate well to controller gameplay and while it may be less immersive overall, it makes the game more responsive, faster-paced, and optimizes a lot of the issues with using a wireless motion-control remote.

The game seems to borrow much of it's controller scheme from Heroe's Paradise on the Xbox 360/PS3, so those who played the HD Remake know what to expect.

Player's loading a fresh save for the first time will be given the option to play through a tutorial that goes over basic combat techniques. If you've played through the tutorial, feel free to skip this section, or continue reading for a refresher.

Press the X or Y button on the game pad to make Travis swing his Beam Katana. X and Y correspond to "Low" and "High" Stances respectively. Pressing X and/or Y in succession will cause Travis to perform a combo, with several factors affecting the strength and length of the combo.

Low Stance attacks are slower and typically do more damage per swing. High Stance attacks, conversely, are quicker and do less damage per swing. Enemies will guard from time to time forcing players to switch between stances to break the enemy's guard. Players can also switch back and forth between stances to keep a combo going indefinitely.

Once an enemy's health is low enough, Travis will enter "Death Blow" mode. A prompt will appear on the screen indicating which direction to tilt the thumbpad. Doing so will cause Travis to perform a finishing kill. Death Blows can be enhanced and have a chance of killing multiple enemies if specific conditions are met.

Performing a Death Blow will cause 3 slot reels to appear. If the player is lucky, the reels will match and Travis will enter a powered-up state called "Dark Side Mode" guaranteeing instant kills to most enemies. If more than one enemy is killed, a corresponding number of reels will appear increasing the odds of triggering Dark Side Mode.

Travis' Beam Katana uses a battery and dynamo which will need to be recharged during combat. Press the LB button and move the Right Thumbstick to recharge. Recharging is much quicker due to stick inputs compared to the Wii ver.

Pressing and holding LT allows Travis to lock onto an enemy and maneuver around them. Travis will also block incoming attacks (melee and ranged) while locking on with the exception of charged enemy attacks or special boss moves. Tapping the Right Thumbstick while locked on to an enemy will cause Travis to roll in that direction, allowing you to position yourself behind enemies or away from them.


Occasionally, players will find themselves attacking an enemy who is attacking back, or guarding. In this case, Travis will "clash" with an enemy and try to overpower them. Players will need to quickly spin circles with the Right Thumbstick to overpower their enemy, and if successful, will leave their opponent open to a Death Blow.

Enemies who have been knocked to the floor are defenseless. A "Y" button prompt will appear, and pressing either X or Y will cause Travis to dig his beam katana into his opponent for an instant-kill.

Beat Attacks are melee attacks that Travis can use during battle. The A and B button correspond to High and Low stance beat attacks respectively. Travis can also charge his beat attacks by holding down the button.
Travis can use these beat attacks to break through an enemy's guard. Successfully pummel an enemy enough times and they will be dazed, allowing Travis to move in by pressing A and Button once more. Once Travis takes hold, move the the thumbsticks in line with the on-screen directions and Travis will perform a wrestling move, finishing off enemies and dealing major damage to Bosses.

While the combat in NMH is not as in-depth as other games with similar hack n slash mechanics, there are still certain things that players may not pick up on in their first playthrough. The following are several mechanics that will prove useful as you kill your way to Rank 1.

Most players will figure out early on that Stances are a major element in combat and provide players with a lot of variety in approaching a fight.
Low Stance attacks are great when using the later beam katana models as they allow for sweeping attacks, and the increase in melee speed makes the downside of being a "slower" attack negligible. Low Stance Charge attacks are also great for clearing enemies and knocking them down, making them vulnerable to follow-up down attacks. Low Stance Beat Attacks are also great for breaking through enemy guards even when guarding high, and are an excellent choice when facing beam sword enemies.

High Stance attacks, conversely, are quick to become a player's staple since they allow for quick damage output, and it's not uncommon to find a player breaking a combo with a single Low Attack to keep the pressure on a boss. High Stance Charge Attacks are great for baiting weapons clashes against enemies, and Travis' High Stance Beat Attacks are more effective against Bosses when they're slower to move and attack, like Destroyman or Harvey.

Some attacks, like a High Stance Charged Slash with the Tsubaki and Mk.II, have a higher chance of triggering a clash especially against stronger opponents like beam sword mobs. It's important to note that later bosses like Jean and Henry will only give Travis a split second to win the clash as well, meaning players should be vigilant when using charged attacks.

Wrestling moves are an important way to end a fight quickly, especially when it comes to a boss fight. Beat attacks are a great way to temporarily stun an enemy and with the appropriate Lovikov Ball upgrade, it's possible to swap between a set of dazed enemies and take out a priority target easily. Low Stance Beat Attacks are also great for interrupting enemy attacks and can be used to interrupt an enemy during their charge.

Wrestling Moves differ based on the enemy type and where Travis is facing when attacking the enemy as well, with a special set for enemies when approached from behind and the front, and a specific move used by Travis against a Boss to target an area of their body (like a swinging arm) or due to personal preference.

Wrestling Moves also provide Travis with invincibility frames against most attacks and in most circumstances, although this may prove unreliable against bosses with adds like Bad Girl or in certain select situations where the animation only just started and enemy attacks at just the right time.


Travis will occasionally have the opportunity to enhance the lethality of his Death Blows.
When the Death Blow indicator appears move the joystick in that direction, then immediately move the joystick in the same direction once more. If done properly, the target will be marked and Travis will perform a slow-mo swing with a charged Beam Katana slice.

Super Death Blows are inconsistent, however, and not all Death Blows will allow for a follow up. Left and Right prompts are the most common directions that allow for a Super Death Blow, while Overhead and Downward Super Death Blows are the second-most common, and also have the least potential for simultaneous executions due to their lack of horizontal range.

Super Death Blows are useful as they cause significantly more damage than a regular Death Blow, have the potential to damage nearby enemies, and can instantly kill nearby enemies who are weak or low on health. While there is no penalty for performing one, it's best to position yourself where the potential for a Super Death Blow can catch more than one enemy. When encountering multiple gun mobs, it's also best to position yourself to take advantage of the invincibility frames a Death Blow gives Travis.

Note: Super Death Blows are not necessary for Dark Side Mode slot spins, and do not increase the likelihood of Dark Side Mode triggering, contrary to popular belief. The animation will also not slow down mission timers, meaning in some cases it might be better to avoid them if you're min-maxing time spent in an assassination mission.

As mentioned before, the slot mechanic will sometimes allow Travis to enter a specific Dark Side Mode during combat. There are five trances Travis can undergo, each with their own special gimmick.

• Cherry - Three Cherries
  Travis will shout "This is the end!" as the screen goes dark. Enemies will slow to a crawl enabling Travis to rain down Beam Katana combos for easy kills.
  
  
• Strawberry on the Shortcake - Three Grasshoppers
  Travis will shout "Strawberry on the Shortcake!" as he goes Super Saiyan-esque, allowing him to automatically dodge enemy attacks and land 1-hit Death Blows which can be triggered by moving the Right Thumbstick in any direction thereby maximizing his multi-kill potential.
  
  
• Blueberry Cheese Brownie - Three Bells
  Travis will shout "Blueberry Cheese Brownie!" as an embossed filter and a reticle fill the screen. Travis is invincible in this mode, and will shoot energy balls that eviscerate any enemies it touches. A bit difficult to use as the projectiles are very precise, but allows you to kill enemies at range if you're lucky.
  
  
• Cranberry Chocolate Sundae - Three BARs
  Travis will shout "Cranberry Chocolate Sunade!" as the screen's color fades and Travis enters a menacing trance. In this mode, Travis can only walk while approaching enemies, but they will cower as you approach. Pressing the wrong button after reaching an opponent will cause Travis to taunt them, but pressing the correct button will allow Travis to brutally assassinate them in one blow.
  
  
• Anarchy in the Galaxy - Three 7s
  Quite special, as the Dark Side Mode is not instantly activated after receiving it, meaning players can choose to store it for use later or choose to complete the mission for a small LB$ bonus at the end of a mission.
  Pressing the proper button will cause Travis to shout "Anarchy in the Galaxy!" as he unleashes a powerful energy wave that'll instantly disintegrate all enemies within the immediate vicinity.

On occasion, players will notice that Travis will side-step and enter an enhanced state while maneuvering around enemies. This technique is known as Darkstepping and can be triggered reliably against most enemies and bosses in order to sneak in some damage.

While locked on to an enemy, you can Darkstep before or after an attack:

• Blocked Darkstepping:
  Pressing LT to Lock On to an enemy, guard and block an attack and immediately move the Left Thumbstick left or right. This is most easily done after an enemy finishes their combo, and is most effective against bosses like Death Metal, Henry, and gun mobs.
  
  
• Upon Impact Darkstepping:
  Pressing LT to Lock On to an enemy, immediately flick the Right Thumbstick at the point of impact of an enemy's attack. This is more difficult to pull off and is not effective against all enemies or bosses, but is a great way to interrupt a boss' combo and quickly end a fight.

As mentioned before, this technique may be difficult to pull off in some situations and is not foolproof, but players who are quick to move after a combo or brave enough to dodge during an incoming attack will find it useful. When fighting enemies with easily memorable movesets like Henry, it becomes almost mandatory and is convenient in all other cases.

Bosses: Timing your attacks and switching between stances for consecutive combos means you'll be maximizing the total amount of damage you do throughout a fight. This can also help open up a boss into becoming dazed, which is a great way to deal extra damage through a Wrestling Move! Some bosses are also susceptible to beat attacks, but it's advised to simply slash and dodge until the boss becomes dazed through katana slashes alone.
It's important to note that players should always take the opportunity to follow up with a wrestling move whenever a boss becomes dazed as it deals a heft amount of damage, even in Bitter difficulty. The next few hits from a Beam Katana during their daze will cause them to parry or block, meaning players will lose out on extra damage if they opt to keep slashing away.

Free Missions: Learning which mobs appear in which Free Missions and where will make combat easier. The hardest part of a Free Mission is the health restriction as taking any damage at any time, just one hit, is a failure condition. This means you could be down to your last opponent but if you get bonked just once, you'll lose and have to restart the mission.

The earliest Free Missions will, of course, be rather easy. These consist of a handful of mobs scattered across a lot, usually generously spaced apart, which you can take down one by one. The thing to look out for enemies who will try and get a quick hit in, and beam sword mobs who have more health than usual and don't stun as easy. It's recommended to use the space given and take down enemies one by one with a well placed charged attack or High Stance combo.

Later Free Missions will be a bit more involved as the lots become smaller or mobs become grouped up. In this case, it's recommended to switch to Low Stance with a weapon like the Tsubaki Mk.II and take down more than one at a time, making sure to keep an eye out for any gun mobs, and taking down any respawning mobs quickly before they can group together.

The hardest ones will of course be Free Missions #8-#10 where gun mobs will start to appear or appear exclusively. These enemies are usually not very hard to take down, but they become annoying do to the fact that a single un-telegraphed pistol shot can ruin an entire run at any time, and Uzi-barrages can drain your Beam Katana's energy quickly, especially for the Mk.II and Mk.III. Later Free Missions will also group two or more gun mobs together meaning crossfire and leaving yourself open to a backshot becomes an issue. In this case, it's recommended to use Low Stance attacks to stunlock single enemies while avoiding fellow mobs' line of sight, or to use High Stance Charge Attacks to take them down quickly one by one.

Lovikov Balls are collectable items found in the overworld. Once 7 are collected, they can be given to Randall Lovikov in Bar Plastic Model in exchange for learning a new "technique". Some are abilities that give Travis more utility, while others are invaluable combat techniques. Here is a breakdown of the abilities and what they do:

Memory of Three - Displays the position of enemies on the mini-map.
-Technique of Beauty: Marks enemy and potential enemy positions on the mini-map with a red dot. Invaluable in Free Missions when plotting kill routes and detecting enemies behind obstacles.

Memory of Demon - Allows a "jumping slash" to be performed by pressing the "Y" and "B" buttons.
-Technique of Love: Allows Travis to perform a jump and horizontal slash. This move is excellent in closing in small gaps. Against mobs, it's utility lies in it's ability to knock down enemies for follow up attacks with some being downed long enough for a ground kill. Against bosses, it can be used liberally to get in extra damage between boss attacks like Shinobu and even Jeane's normal one-inch-punch combo. Does roughly as much damage as a charged attack (25% charge).

Memory of Child - Allows a "dash" to be performed by pressing the "A" or "B" buttons.
-Technique of Bizarre: Gives Travis the ability to run in the overworld and certain missions. Drastically decreases the time needed to get across the map and is especially useful when hunting for treasure and garbage bins. On greenery, where the "A" button prompts Travis to dig with his Beam Katana, the "B" button will still allow him to run.

Memory of Woman - Extends Dark Side Mode time limit.
-Technique of God: Roughly doubles the amount of time Travis is allowed to spend in any given Dark Side Mode. Not particularly useful as, anecdotally, the slots will usually hit once enemy count is super low and the one power-up with the most utility still isn't long enough to matter.

Memory of Mask - Increases the range of your "grab."
-Technique of Affinity: Allows Travis' to perform a longer lunging grab when an enemy is stunned in order to perform a wrestling move. A good addition as the lunge locks Travis into an animation making him invulnerable, giving players a bit of a breather especially when surrounded.

Memory of Tattoo - Earn bonuses based on your rank.
-Technique of Mastery: A neat bonus that is unfortunately not well explained. When a ranked fight is completed, Travis will be given a score based on his combat performance which is translated to LB$ at the end. This unlocks a "combo" bonus that tracks the longest string of enemy kills without being hit or taking damage.

Memory of White - Allows a "jumping down attack" to be performed.
Technique of Crazy Awesomeness: Unlocks the ability to kill downed enemies on the ground at range. This can be done with either the "X" or "Y" buttons just like the regular downed enemy attack, but the enemy must be locked on to be performed, after which Travis will jump to and slash the locked on enemy, killing them instantly.

The Blood Berry is Travis' starting weapon, a Beam Katana he purchased in an online auction with a basic onboard computer, beam emitter and receiver, and iconic look.

As a weapon, the Blood Berry is not bad, per-se, but it quickly becomes obsolete with the introduction of the Tsubaki series throughout the game. In early stages, the Blood Berry holds its own even in Bitter difficulty, but suffers from lack of attack power, mediocre energy drain, a pitifully short and slow combo, and increased battery charge times.
While not spectacular, some veterans may opt to use the Blood Berry as a handicap to increase difficulty during fights, but it's low stats means that it becomes outpaced by the Tsubaki Mk.I and other Beam Katanas as soon as they become available, even without enhancements through gym training or upgrades purchased through Dr. Naomi.

Generally speaking, players should gravitate towards the Tsubaki Mk.I as soon as possible, but most skilled players should have no issue using a fully upgraded Blood Berry, at least on "Sweet" or "Mild" difficulties if they wish to make later boss fights drag on a bit long. Blood Berry usage on "Bitter" difficulty is discouraged, but nobody is stopping you from partaking in an excellent drinking challenge.

The Tsubaki is the first weapon available for purchase from Dr. Naomi and the second Beam Katana available for us by Travis. As the first in the Tsubaki line, it appears as a sleeker, white version of Travis' Blood berry.

Most players should seek to purchase and use the Tsubaki (and its upgrades) as soon as it makes itself available, as it is a noticeable improvement over the Blood Berry in every way. Travis' moveset changes from simple slashes to quick and long combos which mixes in Beat Attacks giving players the opportunity for increased wrestling attacks. Upgrades increase the Tsubaki's power making it easier to cut through mobs and makes attacks more effective. Battery upgrades meanwhile make it more effective to use the Tsubaki without having to recharge as often, although charged attacks are still quite costly and only worth it as a last resort.

As a direct upgrade to the Blood Berry, it's effective even Bitter difficulty and the increased opportunity for abusing invincibility frames from wrestling combos make it somewhat special. While it's not as effective at crowd control as the Mk.II, or as powerful as the Mk.III, players may choose to use this one instead of the Mk.II simply for it's ability to provide Travis with some agility. While making use of switching between stances, it can be useful against less mobile bosses like Destroyman in trying to keep the heat on during battle.

Generally speaking, it is an excellent all-around Katana and recommended for players who prefer a flashier play style that the Mk.II fails to provide, or for maximizing the usage of beat attacks.

The Tsubaki Mk.II is the second weapon obtainable from Dr. Naomi after delivering the "U.S. Military Secret" after the Holly Summers fight. An intimidating improvement over the Tsubaki Mk.I, the Mk.II is a large weapon with five whole beams surrounding a central emitter/receiver rod. In practice, it acts more like a club than a sword with Travis stylishly batting enemies away into bloody chunks in like fashion.

A vast improvement over the Blood Berry, it is also a strong contender against the Mk.I in terms of improving Travis' survival. The Mk.II is the strongest Beam Katana in the game, barely beating out it's successor, the Mk.III, in raw damage per swing. However, the Mk.II's strength comes with three main drawbacks:

• Battery Usage
  A product of being Mk.II, and also having FIVE WHOLE BEAMS, this weapon uses a lot of battery power. Players will constantly find themselves charging during fights even after the battery upgrades meaning more opportunities to take damage.
  
  
• Melee Range and Combo Range
  Perhaps due to the "weight" of the weapon, Travis tends to swing in place when slashing with the Mk.II, making it frustrating to chase after enemies who are just out of arm's length or are running away. This means Travis will really need to get up close, exposing him to gun mobs and beam sword enemies if he's not careful. The combos performed with the Mk.II also aren't as long, meaning players will need to be more aware of switching between stances during fights and make active use of dodge rolls and darkstepping. It's also recommended players make use of Travis' Jumping Slash and Downed Enemy Finisher (once they have been unlocked).
  
  
• Knockback and Slow Wind-Up
  Enemies will more be more likely to be thrown back and stunned as a result of the Mk.II's attacks. While some might consider this a plus, some might become annoyed by having their combo interrupted and potentially giving nearby enemies time to get a quick hit in. The attacks themselves are weighty, meaning individual swings will take a little bit longer to reach their target, so faster enemies like sword mobs might be able to interrupt you especially if they become stronger against stunlocking in Bitter difficulty.

Once available, most players will make the Mk.II their go-to Beam Katana. Despite it's drawbacks, it's power allows players to easily dispatch large groups of enemies and is the best in terms of crowd control until the Mk.III becomes available. Even then, it remains a surprisingly balanced weapon with high damage output for single enemies.
In combat, the Tsubaki Mk.II works as a great stopgap between the Mk.I and Mk.III. High Stance manages to deliver great combos to single enemies while a single Low Stance swing does massive damage in a wide arc making it excellent for Assassination Gigs, particularly the Pizza Butt missions. If players can contend with the knockback, the stunlocking potential of the Mk.II is just another added bonus and combined with Beat Attacks, makes combat incredibly weighty and satisfying.
Charge attacks, ironically, are not recommended for the Mk.II unless in very specific situations. A High or Low Stance charge attack leaves Travis open and unlike the Blood Berry, Mk.I, or Mk.III, does not deliver a noticeably stronger attack relative to a singular slash. The penalty for a charge attack used with the Mk.II is almost on par with the Mk.III as well, and with no potential for infinite battery life like the Mk.III this means the Mk.II is better utilized solely for slash combos and jumping slashes.

In closing, the Mk.II is an outstanding weapon that is valid even in Bitter difficulty. While it takes longer to master than it's predecessors and successor, new players will often find themselves using the Mk.II well into New Game+ especially if grinding is not a top priority.

The Tsubaki Mk.III is the last weapon obtainable from Dr. Naomi after delivering the "Japanese Sword" from the Speed Buster fight. As an advanced form of the original Tsubaki prototype, it has a pleasant white handle with two prongs on the bottom and a golden katana cross-guard resembling the Kanji for "Tiger". Of course, the most stunning features it that there is no receiver for the green, curved, sword beam, giving it the look of a proper katana.

By this point, most players should have enough money and time invested to maximize the utility of Tsubaki Mk.III in combat. Dr. Naomi also offers two upgrades: One to increase katana power, and another that permanently increases battery efficiency to the point that battery pickups and charging no longer become necessary.
The Tsubaki Mk.III, while powerful compared to the Blood Berry and Mk.I, and much more agile than the Mk.II, also comes with the downside of massive battery drain with each swing and almost crippling battery drain when using charged attacks. While the battery upgrade is not necessary, it will make most fights in "Sweet" and "Mild" difficulties almost trivial.

In combat, the Tsubaki Mk.III makes for a very intimidating weapon. High Stance attacks deliver very fast combos which, combined with Strength training, have the potential to stunlock some weaker mobs which is incredibly useful against opponents with ranged weapons like Molotovs or guns. Low Stance combos are also much quicker compared to Mk.II attacks, with the added bonus of an almost guaranteed stunlock potential against most opponents save for late-game beam sword mobs.
Where the Mk.III really shines is it's charge attack cheese; High Stance will deliver a powerful overhead blow that will instakill most mobs at full charge and knock them down regardless; Low Stance has an amazing ability to knockdown almost all mobs except bosses, at Full Charge will kill a room full of mobs, and also has the ability to chain together three follow-up jumping slashes if you continue to attack in Low Stance which can reach enemies further than the original attack range (especially if you use LT to home in on an enemy nearby to guide Travis).

Note: As mentioned before, charge attacks with the Mk.III will drain up to half of the battery gauge's energy, making long-term use of charge attacks during fights unwise unless you obtain the permanent battery upgrade or feel confident in your ability to charge constantly.

Thank you to Hipster Monkey for input regarding Beat Attacks/Wrestling Moves.

Most of this information was compiled from personal experience and gameplay references. Any comments or criticism are welcome, and thank you to everyone for reading my guide.