Thank you so much for taking the time to play and leave such detailed feedback!
You're absolutely right. I realized I didn't explain the controls or the core objective clearly enough. This prototype is focused on testing a single combat mechanic, but without proper instructions it's easy to get confused about what you're actually supposed to do. I'll definitely add a short introduction and control guide.
About your question regarding parrying—that's actually the main thing I'm exploring.
The goal isn't to create another parry system. Instead of deflecting an attack, I want the player to interrupt the enemy's attack before it fully happens. A successful interrupt doesn't just block damage—it cancels the enemy's action entirely and creates an opportunity to gain rewards and become stronger.
So while parrying is about winning an exchange, I'm trying to build a combat loop around controlling and breaking the enemy's actions.
Whether this is actually different enough from parrying is exactly what I'm trying to validate with this prototype, so your question is incredibly valuable.
Thanks again for playing and helping me improve it!