Combo kills are simple in theory. When you attack an opponent, you can tap the attack button again when your sword hits your foe for a combo kill. If you time it right, your sword will attack once, then you'll attack again immediately for an instant kill. The second attack will occur whether your opponent takes or blocks your first strike, but it won't occur if they dodge it.

Combo kills are mostly handy against easier opponents; the tougher foes you'll face later in the game will mostly be immune to the combo kills and will deflect both of your blows. When you're surrounded by enemies, the time required to attack twice will also usually leave you open to incoming attacks, making counters a better maneuver. Still, there's some brutal animations here, as well as an achievement for using them often, so it's worth trying them out on the weaker foes you face.

You can dodge an incoming attack by tapping the dodge button as it comes your way; that will let you dance backwards and attempt a counterattack. The timing is tricky on dodges, and there isn't much benefit for performing a dodge instead of a counter. We suppose you can chain dodge counterattacks into combo kills, but usually counters will still be your best bet.

A defense break can let you bust through an opponent's defense. To perform a defense break after you unlock the ability, let go of the high profile trigger, press the Step button, then attack as soon as the Step is complete. If you do it correctly, you'll attack once to shove your enemy's blade off to the side, and can then attack again to hit them while their guard is down, just like Darth Maul and Qui-Gon.

We've said this before, but whenever possible, lure your enemies up high and knock them to the ground through throws or sword blows. It's the easiest way to dispatch your foes, and even though you may get knocked off yourself, you take a lot less damage from falling than your opponents do, making it more likely that you'll survive and they'll die if you both fall.

Your synchronization bar will regenerate your health over time, even in combat. If you find yourself dangerously low on health, run away from your enemies for a bit to regain some health, or simply hide until it comes back.

As the game progresses, the guards you'll be fighting against will become progressively tougher. An easy way to spot the difference in guards at a glance is to look at their helmets: the more powerful the guard, the shinier their headware will be. In Damascus, the silver and gold-plated helmets will denote the toughest guards, while the red-plated helmets on Templars will tell you the ones to look out for.

You are much more agile than your opponents are. If you're cornered in a street fight, keep in mind that your best option, especially early in the game when you don't have many combat maneuvers unlocked, is to run. Untarget your opponent, enter high profile mode, and run up the nearest wall to see if there's a handhold; there almost always will be. If you can reach the rooftops, you'll have a few seconds before your opponents find a way to reach you, giving you time to draw your blade and strike them as they run up a ladder, or to simply run away and try to find a rooftop garden to hide in.

If you do attempt to run up a wall, though, your enemies won't give chace immediately. Instead, they'll try to throw rocks at you to knock you off the wall. Rocks will take off one health bar per hit, and they'll also knock you to the ground. If you have the Grab Ledge ability, you can attempt to arrest your fall before you hit the ground, but early on in the game you'll simply be knocked to the ground. Rough stuff.