Movement Techniques

Basic Techniques

Sliding

Sliding is slightly faster than running and is useful for moving through enemies without stopping to kill them, or wasting time jumping over them. Once you can perform Charge Boosts, it can be faster to jump and CB over enemies, depending on their numbers and position. Sliding also inflicts minor damage after obtaining the Slide Assault Upgrade, but this is too weak to be of speed running use.

Climbing

Climbing is possible on almost all walls and ceilings, regardless of angle. Pressing Up+Jump while climbing walls will give you a boost of speed with a climb jump and is the fast way to ascend. It does not work on angled walls or ceilings and attempting to will stall Hiryu and waste time. While on walls you can wall jump, and you can chain wall jumps very quickly when the walls are extremely close together. This looks cool but was confirmed to be slower than using normal climb jumps. Ceiling climbing is essential to performing the Out of Bounds Glitch.

Slopes

All methods of movement are slower horizontally on slopes, because of vector addition; Avoid running on slopes. This is true for both up and down slopes. The effect is stronger with greater angles i.e. 45% slopes are slower than 10% slopes. Jumping is faster than running/sliding on all but the tiniest of slopes. Additionally, Charge Boosts are faster than running/sliding, so you will be in the air more often than not after obtaining the Charge Strike. Plasma Catapults should be used in the angle of the slope so as not to waste any of their speed, unless it would cause you to end in the air and deal with the recovery time.

Downstrike

The Downstrike has some start-up frames but then enables you to descend very rapidly, which is faster than falling normally but only over significant distances. It is required to be used very often to break certain floors. When you land, there is noticeable recovery time. Much of this can be avoided by sliding immediately after landing. ALL of it can be avoided with Plasma Catapult, which can be used instantly upon landing. The PC also can cancel the Downstrike at any time in the air. This means you can perform optimal movement by PC'ing diagonally toward the ground just after breaking through the floors, getting your Horizontal movement started again long before you would hit the ground. You can also use the start-up frames of a Downstrike to stall in the air slightly longer while waiting on the PC cooldown, which can help when trying to chain upward PC's.

Slide In Air

This technique is based on positioning and not what direction you hold on the analog stick. If you stand a short distance from the edge of a platform/ledge, then slide, Hiryu will slide off it continue to slide in the air. This will maintain higher air speed at a much more horizontal vector in a glide of sorts. This technique is generally useful off high ledges in large open rooms, such as the first section of "Military Ring". The slide is not infinite sadly, and you transition back to normal air movement shortly. If you are too close or too far from the ledge, you will wall cling to it and fail the technique, so master the spacing. Sliding in air is 17% faster than regular air speed. Once the slide ends, start using CB's. The Plasma Catapult surpasses this technique's effectiveness completely.

Charge Boost (CB)

To execute a Charge Boost, tap the jump button for a hop and release a Charged Cypher Strike forward as soon as possible. Begin charging again as soon as possible, before you land, and repeat the process as often as possible. Even with the fastest release of a Charged Strike, it is still necessary to run very short distances between each jump. CB's cause a quick burst of horizontal speed that almost instantly returns to normal Air Speed and a fast fall. Air speed is lower than running speed on flat terrain, it is only faster to be in the air if you have a Charge Strike ready for CB's. Multiple CB's can be chain over very long falls but their effects do not stack; Each individual boost is no stronger than the previous one. CB's are one of the most important tricks to master because of how early the Charge Strike is picked up, and the fact that they retain usefulness even after you get the Plasma Catapult.

Recovery

Air Recovery

Pressing Jump or Attack after being hit with a Knockdown attack in the air, will enable Hiryu to recover and cancel his momentum, as well as regaining control. You can do this almost immediately on Soft Knockdown, though the time does vary based on the attack. This can be used to ascend via Jumps and Wall Climbs through minor terrain hazards like heat coils and buzz saws. This technique CANNOT be activated immediately on Hard Knockdown; There is a short window of time where no recovery is possible. You want to try and recover as soon as that window ends. This technique is essential for the trickier climbing sections in the game, and can shave seconds off boss fights where you get hit often. Protip: don't get hit often.

Ground Recovery

If you are grounded by either Soft or Hard Knockdown, Hiryu will lay there like a moron and get up a few seconds later. Pressing Jump, Attack, or trying to move in any direction will get up off the ground immediately. Sometimes Hard Knockdowns in the air results in an unavoidable fall to the ground because of the no air recovery time window. Ground Recovery is the best option in those situations. There are currently no speed running strategies where Ground Recovery is required, and being grounded is the result of player mistakes.

Plasma Catapult

The Plasma Catapult or PC is a required upgrade picked up in the game, but is also the fastest possible way to move. It is an omnidirectional dash that can be used on the ground or in the air. You may hold down the button to stop all momentum and hover briefly, and aim the PC in any direction. Stopping is generally bad for speed runs, and it is superior to tap the button for instant PC's in the currently held direction. If the PC ends on the ground, it has no recovery. If the PC ends in the air, it has an undesirable air recovery period. PC has a cooldown that prevents repeated use in quick succession. Because of this cooldown, it is still necessary to use movement techniques like CB's in between PC's for optimal speed. PC's cancel your Charge Strike and you have to re-charge. They also cancel many animations instantly, including Downstrikes. Finally, they can be used to open Plasma locked doors instead of attacking with the Cypher, which often saves time.

Advanced Horizontal Movement

Horizontal PC's are generally used since they grant the most speed in the common direction of travel, but diagonal PC's are useful in situations. Diagonal PC's can be used to land quickly from the air. They can also be used to follow slopes better and prevent the recovery animation from ending a PC in the air. Alternate movement techniques are used in between consecutive PC's because of the cooldown. Use a combination of angled PC's and CB's to get through complex terrain as quickly as possible.

Advanced Vertical Movement

After obtaining the PC, you gain greater flexibility vertically as well as horizontally. Using a PC off of any surface DOES NOT count as your first jump. This allows you to PC upward, then double jump, and then triple jump. If you delay the inputs slightly, you will have PC off cooldown at the apex of your third jump, letting you PC again for a total of 4 jumps. There are other methods to stall slightly in the air in addition to delaying jump inputs. This is intended by the developers and is the only way to reach some well hidden items.

Advanced Climbing

The PC dramatically speeds up climbing. It can and should be used at all angles of climbing, parallel to the surface in the direction of movement. It speeds up purely vertical ascents by being faster than climb jumps, but they should still be used when PC is on cooldown. It has a much more noticeable effect on angled and ceiling climbing where climb jumps aren't possible. Always be holding Up after a PC to make sure you re-grab the surface and don't fall. Sometimes you may need to double jump to prevent a fall as well.

Movement Speed Comparisons

Formula

R = Run Time

N = Altered Time (Lower is Faster)

Speed Ratio = ( R / N ) * 100%

Detailed List (slowest to fastest)

Jumping

27.5 Seconds 91%

Running

25.0 Seconds 100%

Running While Attacking / Throwing Kunai

This makes no difference, fortunately. Unleashing a Charged Cypher Strike on the ground will stop you momentarily though, so only release them during Jumps or Slides.

25.0 Seconds 100%

Chaining Slides

23.5 Seconds 106%

Chaining CB's

22.0 Seconds 114%

Running Between PC's

21.0 Seconds 119%

Chaining 2 Slides between PC's

20.5 Seconds 122%

Jumping with 1 CB between PC's

18.5 Seconds 135%