Everything happens on the beat. Attacking in rhythm deals more damage and builds your combo. Even dodging and parrying should be timed to the music.
Use light attacks for quick combos, heavy attacks for finishers. Summon allies for special moves. The game rewards style over button mashing.
Unlock new moves at the hideout. Purchase chips to enhance abilities. Find hidden collectibles for bonus upgrades.
Your stage rank comes from three numbers: peak combo, no-damage bonus, and just-timing percentage. S rank usually needs a combo of 80 or more and at least 70% just-timed attacks. Mashing drops the timing score even when the combo counter looks healthy.
Parries are on-beat, not on-contact: press when the enemy's swing crosses the beat marker at the bottom of the screen. The window is about 120 milliseconds on Normal and 60 on Rhythm Master. Bosses such as Zanzo telegraph with a two-beat wind-up - parry on the second beat.
The health chip and the flat damage chip are trap purchases early. Cooldown reduction and the parry-window extension are the two that change fights; buy the parry extender before the Rekka fight.
Each stage hides a vault door that needs a specific track's collectible. Spectra doors open only after you S-rank the preceding stage, so replay early chapters before pushing forward.
The efficient loop is light-light-heavy into a launcher, then a partner summon on the fourth beat so the assist lands on the same stunned target. Air combos keep the multiplier alive but drop your just-timing rate - stay grounded on boss fights.
Spend gears on the parry extender, then the combo finisher, then health. Health upgrades only matter on Rhythm Master, where one hit ends the run.