Getting Started

The Hidden Ones is a skill-based action-fighting game where you win by reading your opponent, not by mashing buttons. If you are new, the fastest way to improve is to learn the color-coded attack cues, manage your stamina, and time your defense. This page walks through those basics and what each mode offers a newcomer. For the full picture, start with Combat System.

The Core Loop

Fights revolve around four actions: basic attacks, skills, blocking, and dodging. Offense comes from chaining basic attacks into combos and mixing in your character's skills, while defense comes from blocking, parrying, and dodging at the right moment. The game is built so that learning the flow of an exchange pays off far more than spamming any single button.

1. Watch the enemy for a color cue before each attack.

2. Block the blue (blockable) attacks and dodge the red (unblockable) ones.

3. Time a parry when the yellow parry bar appears for a free opening.

4. When an enemy is guarding behind a white shield aura, use a basic attack to break the block and grapple.

Reading Attacks

The most important habit to build early is reading the attack tells. A blue glow on the enemy means the attack can be blocked. A red flash means it is unblockable and must be dodged. A yellow bar near the center of the screen marks the parry window. Internalizing these three cues turns chaotic fights into a readable rhythm, and it is the single skill that carries you through every mode.

Managing Stamina

Defense is governed by stamina. Blocking and parrying are free, but dodging and break-away sidesteps drain your stamina, so you cannot evade endlessly. The trick is to block and parry whenever you can and save your dodges for the unblockable red attacks, which can only be avoided by dodging. Spending stamina wisely is what keeps you safe in a long bout. The details are on Stamina and Defense.

Choosing a Mode

The game has three modes, and each suits a different kind of newcomer. The table below summarizes what each one offers when you are starting out. For a fuller breakdown, see Game Modes.

If you are brand new, Story mode is the gentlest on-ramp because it tutorializes the basics and gives you several attempts on each boss before you have to move on. Trial is a good practice ground once you want a challenge, and Duel is where the systems come together against live opponents.

Starting Characters

Across test builds, players began with a small starting roster and unlocked more fighters through progression. In one of the playtests, the starting trio was Zhang Chulan, Feng Baobao, and Wang Ye, with additional fighters unlockable as you played. Each plays very differently, so trying all of your starters early helps you find a style that clicks. The full roster lives on Characters.

Set Your Expectations

The Hidden Ones is still in pre-release. The facts on this site come from trailers, the store page, the official site, and pre-alpha and playtest builds, so some details will change and many systems have not been fully detailed yet. Roster size, modes, and balance are expected to expand over time, since it is a live-service game. Treat the current information as a snapshot of what has been shown, and check back as more is confirmed. For the overview hub, see The Hidden Ones.