Evil West | How to Block Attacks

Jesse Rentier ought to defend himself as he goes up against hordes of vampiric enemies in Evil West. The bold gunslinger has a few weapons and his gauntlets, all of which can shred foes to pieces. They can also be upgraded and greatly utilized in vicious offensive combat. But what about defense? Mainly, is Jesse able to block in Evil West? While the answer may not be surprising, you won’t be able to block attacks from the get-go.

Caution: The following guide contains early spoilers for Evil West. Please read at your discretion.

How to Block Attacks in Evil West

Jesse will learn how to block during the third mission of Evil West, The First Spark. It’ll act as one of the final pieces of equipment that you will get, and it’s through the Zapper device that blocking comes into play. After demonstrating the device to the Rentier Institute and a certain political figure, Jesse and his companions are ambushed by the vampires. Instead of merely using the Zapper to disrupt illusions in the game, it’s capable of blocking oncoming attacks.

The Zapper is worn on Jesse’s left hand to complement the gauntlet on the right. Simply press LB or L1 for controllers and whichever key you’ve assigned the Zapper to for the mouse & keyboard crowd. Doing so will emit an electric arc that can essentially toast enemies with the correct contact. This device is used to unveil vampiric trickery, but we’ll focus on what it can do when enemies arrive.

Whenever an enemy strikes, block right before the possible landing to electrocute them. This will give Jesse a defensive window to either evade trouble or cause it. Avoiding enemies will give you time to reload and heal; punching an enemy after blocking them will trigger an AoE and a deadly combo. While you can’t necessarily parry attacks, a quick block is sufficient to stop your enemy. Although this mainly works with weaker foes, blocking a highlighted attack can stagger your vampiric adversaries, opening a window for a strong punch.

Now that you have the Zapper in your possession, it’s time to add some upgrades! After playing through the initial tutorial for the Zapper, you’ll receive a new perk point. You can tweak your Zapper by accessing the menu and going to the Perks page. This will take you to both the Zapper and the gauntlet, both of which are upgradable by progressing through the game. Be sure to check out some of the upgrades for the Zapper. Some can offer alternative ways to wipe away the very vampiric threats that nearly killed you.