Red Dead Redemption 2 Fighting Controls - Melee Combat Tips, How to Win a Fistfight in Red Dead Redemption 2

There are plenty of times in which you're going to get in a fistfight in Red Dead Redemption 2, and pulling you gun out and shooting the other person dead isn't always the best move. In this Red Dead Redemption 2 fighting guide, we'll be walking you through a complete list of the Red Dead Redemption 2 fighting controls in Rockstar's game.

If you instead need help with any other areas of the wild west prequel, you’ll want to head over to our full Red Dead Redemption 2 guides hub. It’s on this main page that you can find all the information you need to get going with the cowboy adventure, including all the combat and stealth tips and tricks you need.

Red Dead Redemption 2 Brawling Guide

Whenever a fistfight kicks off in Red Dead Redemption 2, there are two buttons you need to remember: Square and Circle on the PS4, and X and B on the Xbox One. The first of both these buttons is the button to defend yourself against attacks, while the latter lets you strike out with a fist at your opponent.

The trick to winning a brawl in Red Dead Redemption 2 is to always be on the defensive. You want to start out blocking against all attacks, holding down Square/X, and Arthur will block all incoming attacks. The moment that he does block an attack, you want to immediately press Circle/B to retaliate with an attack of your own.

You can chain together two of three quick punches immediately after you’ve blocked an attack, but don’t get greedy. The longer you continue punching, the more likely your opponent is to block you, and start laying into Arthur with punches of their own. Fistfighting is a battle of attrition in Red Dead Redemption 2, and you’re not going to win a fight with a quick few punches.

Can You Use Weapons for Melee Combat in Red Dead Redemption 2?

While you might see tools that could easily be picked up and used as weapons in these fights, you can't actually use weapons in melee combat. Fist fights in Red Dead Redemption 2 are their own game mechanic, so it's fists only. Outside of these scenarios you can use the butt of a gun to melee a foe, but no guns are allowed during fist fights.

Now that we’re all wrapped up with this Red Dead Redemption 2 guide, you can check out our additional coverage of the game here at USgamer. We’ve got guides on how to refill Deadeye in Red Dead Redemption 2, or our guide on how to increase your health in Red Dead Redemption 2.

If you're looking for info on RDR2's Online mode, we've got you covered. You can head over to our Red Dead Online Guides Hub to find all of our Red Dead Online Guides content in one handy place. Alternatively, you can find info on the best weapons in our Red Dead Online Best Weapons Guide, see what the best horse is in our Red Dead Online Horses Guide, learn how to make as much money as fast as possible in our Red Dead Online Money Making Guide, and see what the deal is with Camps in our Red Dead Online Camps Guide.